Black Friday…the day to shop when you didn’t even know you “needed” what you’re buying.  This year I have a bit more money than I’ve had in the past, mostly because I don’t spend hundreds a month on alcohol. Most of my Black Fridays in the past have started with a black cloud of dread hanging over me because of things I’d done or said at Thanksgiving the day before. The nausea, anxiety, and dread were no joke. People stopped inviting me to do things on this day. They knew how I’d be feeling. So I’d hide and think of the unfairness of my life. I’d think “they’d drink like this too if they had my problems”. Little did I realize that the problems mostly stemmed from my drinking. The ones that don’t can be dealt with. Sober. We’re a force to be reckoned with when we’re not drowning in alcohol and guilt. So enjoy your day, sober family! Happy Friday! Keep it simple today.