I'm Sober ... This is my Story 🦋

Tati
4 Sept 202423:16

Summary

TLDRIn this raw and revealing video, the creator discusses her journey with addiction, alcoholism, and rehab. She shares her path to sobriety, the challenges she faced, and how she found solace and a new purpose in the YouTube beauty community. The video serves as a testament to the power of overcoming personal struggles and the transformative impact of community support.

Takeaways

  • 🚫 The speaker has a history of addiction and has been through rehab, which they have kept private until now.
  • 🌟 They emphasize that their choice to remain sober is non-negotiable and a matter of life or death due to past struggles with addiction.
  • 💔 The speaker felt shame over their addiction and initially kept their sobriety and rehab experiences hidden, fearing judgment and misunderstanding.
  • 🎥 The decision to share their story was prompted by a recent podcast with Michelle Fawn, which opened up a platform for deeper discussion.
  • 🍹 The speaker's addiction involved alcohol, and they experienced multiple relapses before committing to sobriety.
  • 💡 They found a new passion in makeup and beauty, which helped them pivot away from addiction and towards a successful career on YouTube.
  • 💔 The speaker faced significant personal challenges, including job loss, financial struggles, and broken relationships, which contributed to their addiction.
  • 🏥 Their rock bottom was marked by a near-fatal overdose, which led to their decision to enter rehab.
  • 💑 The speaker met their now-spouse, who has been a pillar of support in their sobriety journey, and who also has a significant history of sobriety.
  • 🙏 They express gratitude for the support from their audience, who have been a part of their life and recovery, even during times of relapse and struggle.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic discussed in the video?

    -The main topic discussed in the video is the creator's personal journey with addiction, alcoholism, rehab, and sobriety.

  • Why did the creator decide to share her story now?

    -The creator decided to share her story now because she felt it might help someone, especially after her recent podcast with Michelle Fawn which raised many questions from her audience.

  • What was the creator's initial hesitation to share her story?

    -The creator was initially hesitant to share her story due to the discouragement from lawyers, therapists, and well-meaning people in her life who thought it might not be the right time or that people might not be ready for her story.

  • How has the creator's choice to be sober impacted her life?

    -The creator's choice to be sober has been a life or death decision, and it has been the biggest battle in her life. She believes sharing her story could inspire others struggling with addiction.

  • What role did the beauty community play in the creator's recovery?

    -The beauty community, particularly YouTube beauty influencers like Michelle Fawn, played a significant role in the creator's recovery by providing a positive distraction and a new passion during her time in rehab.

  • Why did the creator feel shame about her sobriety in the past?

    -The creator felt shame about her sobriety because of the stigma and misconceptions surrounding addiction and recovery, and the fear of being judged or treated differently in her personal and professional life.

  • How did the creator pivot her focus from addiction to a healthy passion?

    -The creator pivoted her focus from addiction to a healthy passion by immersing herself in the beauty community and building a career out of her love for makeup.

  • What was the creator's experience like in rehab?

    -The creator's experience in rehab was transformative. It was a place where she found help for her addiction, discovered the beauty community, and started to heal emotionally.

  • How has the creator maintained her sobriety over the years?

    -The creator has maintained her sobriety by focusing on her career, surrounding herself with supportive people, and avoiding situations that could trigger a relapse.

  • What advice does the creator have for others struggling with addiction?

    -The creator advises others struggling with addiction to find a healthy outlet for their passion, use their addictive personality as a superpower to excel in something positive, and seek help without shame.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Sobriety and Overcoming Addiction

The speaker begins by addressing the sensitive topic of addiction, specifically alcoholism, and acknowledges the courage it takes to discuss it openly. They reference a recent podcast with Michelle Fawn, which seems to have prompted many questions from the audience. The speaker shares their personal journey of sobriety, addiction, and rehab, expressing a desire to be more open about their experiences. They mention the challenges of being transparent about their struggles, given the advice from well-intentioned professionals and loved ones. The speaker emphasizes the life-or-death nature of their decision to abstain from alcohol and drugs, highlighting the importance of sharing their story to potentially help others. They also express a wish to do a Q&A session to address specific questions from their audience.

05:01

🍷 The Impact of Alcohol and a Pivot to Sobriety

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the omnipresence of alcohol in society and its impact on their life, especially considering their addictive personality. They discuss the societal pressures and expectations to drink in various situations and the physical toll it takes. The speaker shares their commitment to sobriety, explaining that they do not drink, smoke, or use drugs, and how this decision is non-negotiable for them. They also touch upon the shame associated with addiction and the importance of finding healthy outlets for pleasure and escapism. The speaker uses their love for makeup as an example of a positive pivot, discussing how they channeled their focus into building a career in the beauty industry, which they view as a superpower for someone with an addictive personality.

10:02

🏥 The Descent into Addiction and the Path to Rehab

The speaker recounts their descent into addiction, which began with social drinking but escalated rapidly, leading to a loss of control and hiding their alcohol consumption. They describe the rock bottom they hit, which included job loss, financial instability, and the end of a relationship, culminating in a deep depression that made them feel they had no options left. The speaker candidly shares their experience of overdosing and the subsequent decision to enter rehab, marking a pivotal moment in their life. They also express gratitude for the beauty community on YouTube, which became a source of inspiration and healing during their rehab, setting them on the path to creating their own channel.

15:02

💬 The Stigma of Addiction and the Journey to Acceptance

Here, the speaker addresses the stigma and shame associated with addiction, sharing their personal experiences with the judgment and misunderstanding they faced. They discuss the fear and hesitancy to openly share their story due to the potential negative reactions from others. The speaker also talks about the importance of finding support and the role their partner, James, played in their sobriety journey. They express gratitude for the blessings that came with sobriety, including meeting James and building a successful career. The speaker acknowledges the challenges of maintaining sobriety through difficult times, such as litigation and personal loss, but emphasizes their commitment to staying sober and the positive impact it has had on their life.

20:06

💖 Love, Support, and Gratitude in Sobriety

In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the importance of love and support in their journey to sobriety, specifically mentioning their partner James and his own 28 years of sobriety. They discuss the challenges of finding a supportive partner and the significance of having someone who understands the struggles of addiction. The speaker also expresses gratitude to their audience for their support over the years, acknowledging the role they played in their recovery and success. They conclude by encouraging those who might be struggling with addiction to hold on and push through, assuring them that better days are ahead. The speaker invites questions from their audience, signaling a willingness to engage in further dialogue about their experiences.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Addiction

Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences. In the video, the speaker discusses their personal struggle with alcoholism, which is a form of addiction. The narrative illustrates the impact of addiction on the individual's life, including the loss of relationships and employment, and the subsequent decision to seek help through rehab.

💡Sobriety

Sobriety refers to the state of not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and maintaining a drug-free lifestyle. The speaker emphasizes their commitment to sobriety as a life-saving choice, highlighting the importance of this decision in their journey to overcome addiction. The video underscores the significance of sobriety as a foundational step towards recovery and personal growth.

💡Rehab

Rehab, short for rehabilitation, is a treatment program aimed at helping individuals with addictions to overcome their dependence on substances. The script describes the speaker's experience in rehab as a turning point in their life, where they began to address the root causes of their addiction and started the process of healing. Rehab is portrayed as a critical component in the recovery journey, providing the necessary support and tools to maintain sobriety.

💡Overdose

An overdose occurs when a person consumes a harmful or lethal amount of a substance, typically a drug or alcohol. In the video, the speaker reveals a past overdose as part of their addiction history, which led to a life-threatening situation and ultimately to the decision to enter rehab. This disclosure serves to illustrate the severity of their addiction and the life-altering consequences that can result from substance abuse.

💡Shame

Shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrongs or foolish acts. The speaker discusses experiencing shame due to their addiction and the societal stigma attached to it. This internalized shame influenced their decision to keep their struggles private for a long time. The video uses the concept of shame to highlight the emotional burden that individuals with addiction often carry and the importance of overcoming this barrier to seek help.

💡Relapse

Relapse refers to a return to substance use after a period of abstinence. The script mentions the speaker's relapse into alcohol use after periods of sobriety, which underscores the cyclical nature of addiction and the challenges in maintaining sobriety. The discussion of relapse in the video serves to normalize the setbacks that can occur during recovery and emphasizes the need for ongoing support and commitment to staying sober.

💡Support System

A support system consists of friends, family, or professionals who provide emotional and practical assistance to an individual. The video highlights the importance of having a supportive partner, like James, who has also experienced sobriety, in maintaining a substance-free lifestyle. It illustrates how a strong support system can be instrumental in an individual's recovery process and ongoing commitment to sobriety.

💡Pivot

To pivot means to change direction or approach, especially in response to changing circumstances. The speaker advises using the determination and focus that often come with addictive personalities to 'pivot' towards healthy habits and interests, such as a passion for makeup, which can replace the need for substance use. This concept is used to encourage viewers to redirect their energies towards positive and fulfilling activities.

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. In the context of the video, stigma is associated with addiction and the reluctance to openly discuss it. The speaker shares experiences of feeling judged and the pressure to hide their addiction, reflecting the societal stigma that can discourage individuals from seeking help or being open about their recovery.

💡Self-acceptance

Self-acceptance is the process of embracing oneself with compassion, acknowledging both strengths and flaws. The video concludes with the speaker expressing self-acceptance, being open about their past, and the journey to sobriety. This concept is integral to the narrative as it represents the speaker's growth and the realization that overcoming shame and accepting one's past is crucial for personal healing and empowerment.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. The speaker mentions that during their early recovery, they were encouraged to find gratitude, which was challenging at first but eventually became a source of strength. Gratitude is portrayed as a powerful tool in recovery, helping to shift focus from past struggles to positive aspects of life and the support received.

Highlights

The video discusses addiction, alcoholism, and rehab experiences.

The creator opens up about their sobriety and history with addiction for the first time.

A recent podcast with Michelle Fawn prompted many questions, leading to this video.

The decision to not drink or use drugs is a life-or-death choice for the creator.

The creator shares their journey through rehab and the beginning of their YouTube career.

There was initial reluctance to share personal struggles due to potential negative reactions.

The creator discusses the shame and stigma associated with addiction and sobriety.

A Q&A session is planned to address specific questions from the audience.

The creator had been to rehab and experienced an overdose, which was previously undisclosed.

The video aims to show that recovery from addiction is possible and to inspire others.

The creator talks about the pressure and expectations to drink in social situations.

Making a career out of a passion, like makeup, can be a positive pivot from addiction.

The creator's experience in rehab included discovering the YouTube beauty community.

The decision to start a YouTube channel was influenced by the beauty community during rehab.

The creator emphasizes the importance of persistence and hard work in building a successful channel.

The video shares personal insights into the creator's relationship with their partner, who has also experienced sobriety.

The creator reflects on the fear and shame associated with discussing addiction in the past.

The video concludes with a message of hope and gratitude to the audience for their support.

Transcripts

play00:00

hey guys today I have a really intense

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video trigger warning we're going to

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talk about addiction alcoholism rehab

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all of it I'm just going to go ahead and

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Jump On In if you recently watched the

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Michelle Fawn podcast she has a new

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podcast Afterglow then you probably have

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a lot of questions for me and I am here

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to open up for the first time a little

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more in depth about my sobriety my

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history with addiction my journey

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through rehab and then to YouTube and

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all of the goods so let's settle and I

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have a lot that I am excited to get off

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my chest because I have wanted to make

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this video or something like it for many

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many years the landscape has not always

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been in my opinion very welcoming for

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someone to be like hey I struggle with

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alcohol or I have an addictive

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personality and like here's this here's

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that let me share it's actually been

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really encouraged for me to not share by

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lawyers therapists people in my life

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that mean really well and they have good

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intentions they're like hey maybe you

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should keep this private because I don't

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think people are ready for your story

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just yet but in the back of my mind I

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always felt that there would come a day

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where I could share my story and that it

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might help someone and so here we are I

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am doing this there is no putting this

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information back in hiding and since the

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podcast with Michelle has gone up I

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figure I may as well just talk about it

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and hope for the best I want to start by

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saying that my choice to not drink or

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use drugs or smoke weed is a

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non-negotiable for me personally it's

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life or death it almost took my life

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several times uh this has been the

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biggest battle and anyone that suffers

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with addiction is going through it just

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know you are incredible you have the

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strength to overcome it I hope that I

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can be a living breathing walking

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example that it can be done and that's

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why I'm motivated to share more of the

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nitty-gritty and kind of the dirty side

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of my story because it's not glamorous

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it's not cute and I have felt a ton of

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Shame over this issue I do want to do a

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Q&A moving forward I feel like you guys

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will have specific questions for me I am

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filming this right before Michelle's

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podcast goes up so I have no idea how

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this is about to be received I'm a

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little nervous to be honest but I

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thought I would film this video and just

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take a little bit more time H she's

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breathing heavy oh my gosh and share

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with you my story no one knows that I

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have been to rehab no one knows that

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prior to rehab I overdosed no one knows

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that part of my journey or my story I've

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kept that completely hidden and you're

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probably asking why like why did you

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keep that hidden don't be ashamed of

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yourself because a lot of people want to

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tell you how to feel online that seems

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to be a trend and a lot of times it can

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come from a really good place and it's

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well- intended but back when I first

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started YouTube I was still really

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embarrassed about the fact that I didn't

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drink I was sober for about a year and

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then messed up was sober again for 5

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years messed up again didn't see that

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one coming and this was during a time

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when I was still making five videos a

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week it was a very short drop off the

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wagon if you will like it was a very

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short relapse it was like a oh touch

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that hot stove oh nope I do have a

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problem in my mind I made the issue of

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me not drinking not a drinking issue I

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kind of got to this point where I was

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like I have money now and I'm successful

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and look everyone has fun doing this and

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maybe I'm more mature and grown up and I

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can handle this and this is what normal

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people do and I was really depressed

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before so like maybe I've overcome this

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and I fell off the wagon like that like

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it just came back with a vengeance and

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it was like ooh life or death like let's

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choose let's let's make a quick Choice

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here it was a very short period of time

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thank God and I was back on the sober

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path pretty quickly and I have been for

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the eight years 8 and 1/2 years since I

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am so sick of pretending to be something

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that I'm not and I'm ready to just say

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hey I'm not perfect far from it I have

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big struggles and I have found a way to

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overcome a lot of them and does it mean

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that every day is like the best ever and

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that I never have days where I'm down

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and I struggle still no but I've made a

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choice to not use substance because I

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know it can take me out real quick if

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you struggle with alcohol it's

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everywhere the grocery store you're on a

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plane driving down the street Billboards

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and the sides of buses and it's just

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like if you're upset drink if you're

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celebrating drink just like wild how

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much Focus we put on drinking it's not

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healthy for you whether you have an

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addictive personality or not you're

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going to feel like crap the next day can

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really rob you of your energy age you it

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does all these crazy things that not a

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lot of people really want to talk about

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but um it just it's continued to be a

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thing that I've had to kind of like

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Dodge the bullets along the way and kind

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of surrender to the fact that this is

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truly not for me so I do not drink I do

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not smoke I do not smoke weed I am

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absolutely through and through sober as

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they come I might be addicted to makeup

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though as I'm looking behind me this

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looks like a lot of chaos and I get it

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you know my advice honestly like in the

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the middle before going into a little

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more of my story sometimes when you give

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up something that provides you with so

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much pleasure and escapism makes you

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feel good the best thing you can do is

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Pivot and find something else to be

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fascinated with that makes you feel good

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just make sure it's in a way that's

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healthy that's not damaging That

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Couldn't potentially kill you or other

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people I think that's kind of where the

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real intensity with loving makeup

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started to back that up a little more

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I've always loved makeup I have worked

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jobs doing makeup I wanted to be a

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celebrity makeup artist so I've always

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been in the beauty game but really

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taking focus and like building this

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career I feel like that's part of my own

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superpowers being able to go all in on

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something that I drive Joy from and

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never know how to get enough so like my

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joke with people in my life I'm like I

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don't know how to quit like I don't know

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quate something that's good for me I

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will go all in and if you struggle with

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addiction that right there is your gold

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that is your superpower you will not be

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distracted the same way much of society

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is you will have it in you to go that

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extra mile to learn more be more

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detailed to really just push through you

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know how once you've mastered the art of

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stopping some type of substance drinking

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what have you you you've mastered the

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art of delaying pleasure and that is a

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huge huge Foundation to building any

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business you know long-term success the

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ability to say I'm not going to go to

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that fun event and Get Buck Wild right

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now because I've got to work and I've

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got to pour into what I'm creating and

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so for me that's how I was able to go

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five days a week on my channel for five

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years is because I was all in I used

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that part of my brain to my advantage

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instead of allowing it to completely

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obliterate me you guys are like tell us

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about rehab I can just I people always

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want to know they're like rehab part

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what was that like how did that go down

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what was that all about I partied pretty

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hard in my 20s nothing out of control

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but when I hit my rock bottom it

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happened fast like it all of a sudden

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one day became this thing where I was

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drinking right when I got up in the

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morning I noticed that I started hiding

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my drinking like I was putting vodka in

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plastic bottles taking it to the movies

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like oh I'm saving money but the reality

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is I wanted a certain amount so that's

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what I would do and I had all these

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different things that were changing in

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kind of a short 3mon period before I

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ended up going to rehab my life had

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completely Fallen apart so let me start

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there I was kind of a social partying

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Drinker had fun whatever a few Wild

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Nights here or there and then everything

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completely complely collapsed out under

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me I lost my job didn't have anything in

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my bank account I think I was like $35

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and I was like I'm going to lose

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everything um I had to move back home

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with my mom my fiance had dumped me I

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felt like I had no options for a career

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I didn't have anything going and I was

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on top of it deeply depressed so

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depressed I could not function in my

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day-to-day without alcohol to numb that

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void to numb that pain I just

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did not like being alive if I'm being

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honest I hated my life I would wake up

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and I'd be like I hate being here had

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some childhood trauma to sort out on top

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of it most of us do uh and it just kind

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of all came to this like point where my

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drinking escalated and I just didn't

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care like I just kind of didn't care

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anymore I was like this is what I do to

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feel good and I just kind of don't care

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like therapy didn't work

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anti-depressants didn't work like

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nothing worked going to church didn't

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work um which literally I've so many

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stories I could tell you guys that are

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so crazy like I woke up one morning I

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got fullblown loaded and walked to

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church and went to worship and listened

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to a sermon so drunk begging God to

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relieve me of this that the pain of this

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life had just gotten to be like way too

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much like it just felt like I was in

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chronic pain emotionally and even

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physically all of the time randomly one

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day just if if the zero given could have

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been escalated somehow they were and I

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drank with more

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force and ended up in the hospital

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convinced everybody that I'm fine I just

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it was a wild night it was fine no I

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didn't mean to do that absolutely not

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went home and the next day I was like

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well clearly I'm going to need to do

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more um and and this is like this is

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like the shame

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that this is the part of the story o I

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want to share the dirtier parts of my

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story because I know there's someone

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watching who needs to hear this that

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needs to hear that there is a at the end

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of the tunnel that you can change and

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you can go through just the yuckiest

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most shameful things and still change so

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I that second night went even harder I

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should have died there is no reason that

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I should be here on Earth with how much

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alcohol I consumed my mom found me

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ambulance was called I had pissed myself

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vomited on myself like it like they

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thought I was dead and went to the

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hospital they don't know how there was

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no damage done to my body I survived and

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ultimately checked myself into rehab and

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here is the beautiful part of my story

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at rehab when I was getting the help

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that I so desperately needed I was

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getting out of that horrifying pain and

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the inability to set down something that

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was killing me I found the YouTube

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beauty community and in the evenings

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when we were allowed to use a computer I

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had like a small little teeny tiny

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computer that was smaller than an iPad I

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still have it I don't know how to crack

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into it and if I could it would be

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interesting because I would journal on

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there all that I was going through and

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my hopes and dreams and wishes and I

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would watch the Beauty Community

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Michelle Fawn specifically and that's

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why that interview was so absolutely

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important for me to say yes to and I

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flew to LA and I was so excited um so

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I'd watch her videos and I would make

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notes of different products I wanted to

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try and I would wake up in the morning

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at rehab and I would do my makeup and I

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was healing for the first time in a

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really really long time I was healing my

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goal was to get out of rehab stay sober

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buy a camera and start my own channel

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and long story short I eventually did

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and I got really good at it it didn't

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happen right away but with persistence

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things started improving proving and

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again there's that that magic within

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someone with an addictive personality

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just pivot it get out of that pain you

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can it's going to be painful but you can

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do it and that's my story I've always

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wanted to share and it's been tempting

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to especially when I've been on panels

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and someone will ask why did you start

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your YouTube channel there's always this

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like micro expression of mine where I go

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back and I'm like in that rehab facility

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and I'm just hanging on for dear life I

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so often wanted to share but I wasn't

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ready it didn't feel right even at the

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Kiwi launch party you hear me speaking

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about Michelle and I'm like I think I

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say something like you helped me so much

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like and I almost start crying and like

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I didn't tell her then okay we we're in

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getting to and I also have like my

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number one hero here who I

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watched before I started any of this

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that help me in a really dark time of my

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life and I love you so much Michelle so

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when she invited me on her podcast and I

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sat down she didn't know that I was

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going to drop this information it was

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just like hey let's talk about like the

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journey with all the online drama and

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litigation and and she asked me like

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tell me about why you started your

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YouTube channel and I was like oh man

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here we go if this moment is going to

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happen it's going to happen right here

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with the woman that unknowingly helped

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me in the early stages of my recovery

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right after I had tasted death what a

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cool moment moment and I'm so grateful

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to her and so sorry Michelle that I just

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dropped that on you without telling you

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at Advance because usually if there's

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some kind of heavy topic like that and

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you're going on a podcast you give the

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host a little more of a heads up and I

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didn't I just I was undecided if I was

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going to do it or not and when I was

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there in the moment I was like I have to

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this is a lot to digest even for me I

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don't talk about my story in detail This

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Much Anymore on the regular something

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that happened in my past it greatly

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shaped me into who I am today I'm really

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proud of my recovery and like I said in

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the podcast with Michelle something that

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I'm most proud of is that during all of

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the craziness of almost divorcing James

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and being offline and all the litigation

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and losing tati Beauty and you know and

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even now recently having to uh part ways

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with the um I've stayed sober and I'm

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really really grateful so why did I

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never share why did I never share this

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online I was afraid because a lot of

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people in my life like in my personal

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life they would downplay the fact that I

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had a drinking issue and it would just

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always feel kind of weird like it would

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just feel like are you embarrassed of me

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like is this am I embarrassing you it

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just had that taste people are like no

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and like people just don't know how to

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act I was like I don't know maybe that's

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in my head like I don't people are

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treating me weird now that I'm sober and

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it's this whole thing and people treat

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you like like oh you you're just really

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weak and like you have a problem and

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like and you couldn't fix it like and

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you're just like you're wearing that

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scarlet letter and it just feels just

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like so coated in shame and I want to

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like break that apart um moving forward

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because there's something so powerful

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about choosing to get sober you are

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incredible if you choose that path

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there's nothing shameful about it but I

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let it get to me in the beginning of

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YouTube when I was mingling meeting

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people going to events like I would tell

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people that I was like on a cleanse or

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like I just don't drink for health

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reasons I would make up all these

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different excuses as to why I didn't

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drink and people so quickly would be

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like oh yeah okay so anyway I went to an

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event with a very powerful at the time

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president of an MCN was hosting and we

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all like a bunch of girls we all went to

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have drinks at the Tropicana and then we

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were going to a concert afterward and

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everybody's just like chitchatting and

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whatever and I will never ever forget

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the heat in my body that went from my

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toes up to my head I ordered a virgin

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mojito the president of this company

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looks across the table right at me eye

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contact and says that's a virgin mojito

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I'm like yeah yeah I'm getting kind of

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nervous she's like and this is in front

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of a bunch of influencers my you she

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goes what are you AA and I about like

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melted into the ground I said something

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like no uh it runs in my family I just

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choose not to drink and I felt so much

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shame in that moment that I decided in

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this industry it is not safe for me to

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out myself it is not accepted it is

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dirty this is something that I have to

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hide if I want to be successful

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and that's really sad you know I've been

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privy to conversations where people are

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talking about other influencers and that

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they have a problem and how they would

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talk about those characters and I'm like

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dang you get a front row seat to this

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kind of talk and you will learn to keep

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your personal stuff very very private

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there have been friends who were

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therapists um I had one girlfriend who

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you know has her doctorate and she was

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working at an addiction Center and she

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had no idea that I had the history that

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I had and she was like ad are the worst

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they're the worst people to walk the

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planet and like it's so pathetic hearing

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all of them whine and complain all day

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and I just can't take it and like I

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would sit there and be like gosh this is

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how people really see this issue and I

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don't know when it's going to change but

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I'm going to just zip it until it does

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and I don't know that it's completely

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changed I just don't care anymore so if

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people think that I am weak or a

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liability or unfun or whatever you want

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to come up with in your head like I'm

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finally okay with it and um another

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great thing that I do have going on for

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me in my life that has been the biggest

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blessing because I do believe with

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sobriety come many many blessings I

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remember someone told me that in the

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beginning they're like sobriety brings

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blessings you will see like there will

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be good things that will happen in your

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life and I didn't believe that at the

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time like I remember like my first group

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session they're like what are you

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grateful for and I literally was like I

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don't know I have hands I could not find

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gratitude in me I was so broken so

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hearing those things in the beginning

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they did help and they were very very

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true um I met James I had my year and

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then relapsed and then moved back in

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with my mom and um I think it was a few

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months later that I yeah I was pretty

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fresh after my relapse which like they

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don't recommend um but write your own

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story um I met James and he gave me

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permission to share this by the way

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maybe in the future he will share his

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own story because his story is freaking

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wild but the man has 28 years sobriety

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and he has been my biggest rock as far

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as just putting one foot in front of the

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other with my own sobriety journey and I

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think it would have for me been really

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impossible to be with someone that

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partied or even drank casually because

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for me it was just such a head game and

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I had to remove myself from so many of

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those scenarios that in like your

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private intimate relationship for me it

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just wouldn't work and I just felt like

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oh gosh I'll never find anyone like I'll

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never find anyone like this is going to

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suck my whole life will suck and my life

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does not suck I am a

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selfmade millionaire former ad

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High School Dropout I have no education

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let's just like put that out there in

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the mix as well because I want to tell

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you whoever's watching this that feels

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like they won't find love Health that

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they don't have options that they're

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just out like hang on and push through

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there is always something better

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available and you might have to go

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through hell to get there but I really

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believe you can get there so that is my

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story oh my gosh like I'm going to admit

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that I kind of feel like when you meet

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someone for the first time and you

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really spill and like you way overshare

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like I kind of feel like that's how I'll

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feel going to bed tonight but also there

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are so many of you that have been with

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me for so many years and it has meant so

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much to me and even during my time of

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relapse I would still be in my DMs you

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guys helped me many of you when you

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didn't even know you were helping me and

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I'm so grateful for that and you are my

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family in so many ways and just thank

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you so much for being a part of my life

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helping me to have this incredible

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career I think things are going to get

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better you guys like it has been such a

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show it has been a terrible past four

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years I'm so grateful to be out of

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litigation that is over and you know I'm

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excited to see where things go next and

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also excited to hear your questions so

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if you have them for me I am an open

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book I love you so much thank you for

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taking the time to hear my story I hope

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you're having a good one whatever you

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are doing and I will see you guys in my

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next video

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[Music]

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Связанные теги
SobrietyAddiction RecoveryPersonal JourneyMental HealthRehab StoryInspirationYouTube CareerOvercoming ChallengesVulnerabilityLife Transformation
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