There will come a time in life when you need to make one of the hardest decisions. It will be challenging, and, at times, you'll feel like the change will never happen.
But deep inside, you know how much you're worth, and what you can achieve if you just get out of your own way.
I grew up just outside of Chicago, Illinois. At 19, I started working as a
professional photographer in downtown Chicago, capturing every moment that I could.
Through my time in the music industry, I developed a deep addiction to drugs and
alcohol that ripped me from my family, friends, and eventually myself. I fought a constant inner battle, wanting desperately to stop but not able to.
I drank almost every night, and soon found myself using drugs. The scene of people I hung out with made this seem normal, and I quickly fell into a routine.
I primarily drank tequila because it was the one thing that wouldn't make me sick, even though I found my body rejecting it regularly. A part of me felt that I had to drink to fit in; as if I was better off messed up than sober.
I started to lose faith in myself and my sense of control. It felt like I was constantly failing in life. I got to a point where my "happiness" depended on drinking and drugs, and I thought the dreams of becoming the person that I knew I could be were gone for good.
I spent ages 18 to 24 trying to stop, but I couldn't, which led me to my biggest wake-up call yet—an overdose. I knew that if I kept going the way I was, I wouldn't have the life I knew I truly deserved.
On August 3, 2018, I felt God nudging me toward the place I swore I'd never end up. That day, I booked myself into a rehab facility in Michigan that I randomly found on Google.
I believe everything in this life comes full circle. Everything is connected and has
a purpose for our journey.
As I pulled up for the first time, I realized I had been passing by the building my entire life. I spent my summers in Michigan, and it was directly on the road I had traveled through hundreds of times while growing up.
It was another sign from God that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I believe we are constantly being guided towards our destiny and our greater purpose here on earth.
I spent one month there and then transferred, and spent the next six months in a facility in Arizona.
It was the best decision I ever made in my life. I finally got sober and out of my own way.
During COVID in 2020, I drove across the country by myself from Arizona to Rhode
Island, and Rhode Island to Florida. I felt God calling me to Florida and I listened.
When I got to Florida, I started taking social media more seriously by posting more about my journey and my travels.
Despite starting to travel and grow my accounts on social media, I was drinking again from January to September 2021. I had just gotten to Miami and started dating my new girlfriend.
I felt like I was on top of the world, and my guard dropped completely, making me believe I could control my drinking.
This is the part you need to watch out for. The devil may come for you when you're at the bottom, but he'll surely try and get you when you're at the top.
In September 2021, my girlfriend and I spent six days at one of her company's conventions. We had drank almost every night of the event, and knew that it was time for a change.
It did not serve us anymore. It made us sick, took away our peace, and did not suit the versions of ourselves that we were trying to become.
On September 16, we decided to quit together and haven't looked back since.
We then began traveling all across the world and took over 60 amazing trips in three years. If I had never taken the action that I needed to quit drinking, I would have never been able to experience the amazing times I have in the last three years.
Today, I am 886 days sober and counting, and I have never felt better in my life.
I feel good almost all of the time. I don't wake up sick, or trying to recover from the night before. My health is the best it's ever been, and I've saved so much of my own time and money as well.
When you drink, you are really just borrowing from yourself. Borrowing your own time, that you never get back. Borrowing your own health, your money, your resources. It is just taking from the future you. It never adds anything worth keeping to your life.
If you are struggling with drinking, remember that you are in control of your actions. No one is going to come and save you. You have to be the master architect of your own life.
It will be hard at first, but endlessly worth it in the end. I see you and understand exactly how hard it is. If no one has told you lately, I believe in you and the amazing journey that is your life. People will give up on you, just make sure to never give up on yourself
Shane Biggus is a photographer, entrepreneur and coach who overcame alcoholism and addiction and leads a life of sobriety. He has spent the last four years traveling around the world, documenting life and now coaches individuals who are looking to grow their business and share their story with the world.
All views expressed in this article are the author's own.
Do you have a unique experience or personal story to share? Email the My Turn team at myturn@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Shane Biggus is a photographer, entrepreneur and coach who overcame alcoholism and addiction and leads a life of sobriety. He ... Read more
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