“Recovery is about staying clean one day at a time.”
– Chris Boutté, Lead Alumni Coordinator at Solutions Recovery and Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas
As an alcoholic in recovery, Chris Boutté has come to see St. Patrick’s Day as a day to celebrate and enjoy the sober way, but it wasn’t always like that. He says, “Now, almost six years sober, I see how my sobriety has evolved quite a bit throughout the years.”
Prior to his recovery, St. Patrick’s Day was just another excuse for Chris to get inebriated. “I never needed a specific reason to drink. I’d drink, holiday or no holiday, happy or sad,” says Chris.
Enjoying St. Patrick’s Day Without Alcohol
The best thing Chris did in his initial years of sobriety was to be with sober people. There’s always plenty to do on St. Patrick’s day that doesn’t involve drinking.
St. Patrick’s day is quite different from holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving where it’s time to be with our families. It’s often a great day to get some sober friends and spend the evening playing board games, preparing dinner, and watching movies. Chris says, “In fact, when it’s a holiday like this, there’s no need to tempt ourselves anyway because this isn’t a family holiday.”
Staying Clean One Day at a Time
In his continued recovery from alcoholism, Chris looks forward to each day as another step in the right direction. Recovery is about staying clean one day at a time. “Even with over five years being sober, if I worry too much about how I’m going to stay sober tomorrow, it’s difficult for me,” he shares. Waking up each day, surrendering to the fact that he is an alcoholic, Chris sets his intentions for the day to stay sober. Regardless of what day it is, staying sober each day helps Chris enjoy life to the fullest.
Serving as Lead Alumni Coordinator at Solutions Recovery and Desert Hope Treatment Centers in Las Vegas, Chris empowers others to give up addiction by sharing his experiences and how life can be much more fulfilling and enjoyable by staying sober.
