You Don’t Need To Hit Rock Bottom To Make A Change

Whenever I open up about my sobriety journey, the question I hear most often is: “How do I know if I have a problem?”

And the truth is, only you can answer it. But here’s what I know for sure: you don’t need to hit rock bottom, earn a label, or wait until your life unravels before you give yourself permission to choose differently.

If something in your life doesn’t feel good, that in itself is reason enough to shift.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Getting Honest

Let’s be real—admitting you might have a problem is uncomfortable as hell. Your ego will fight it. Your pride will resist it. Sometimes even the people around you won’t understand or support your choice to change.

But here’s the kicker: getting radically honest with yourself is also the most freeing thing you’ll ever do.

For me, that moment of honesty cracked everything wide open. I would not be here writing this blog, leading the Joy work that I do, or living a life aligned with my dreams if I hadn’t taken the chance to get honest about the fact that what I was doing wasn’t working.

You Don’t Have to Wait for Rock Bottom

We live in a culture that often romanticizes the dramatic comeback story—where someone loses everything and then decides to rebuild. But the truth is, you don’t need to wait until everything falls apart to make a change.

Your turning point can be much quieter. It can be as simple as whispering to yourself: “This isn’t serving me anymore.”

That whisper is powerful enough to begin your freedom. That whisper can be the doorway to Joy, peace, and a life that actually feels like yours.

What I’ve Learned About Freedom

Sobriety taught me that freedom doesn’t begin with achievement, external success, or perfection. Freedom begins the moment you tell yourself the truth.

That truth might sound like:

• This habit isn’t helping me.
• This relationship feels misaligned.
• This pace is burning me out.
• This version of “success” doesn’t feel like mine.

Whatever it is for you, acknowledging it is the radical homecoming that starts it all.

Your Invitation

If these words are stirring something inside you—if you feel the quiet truth that a part of your life isn’t serving you anymore—know that’s enough. You don’t need to justify it to anyone else. You don’t need a dramatic breakdown. You simply need to give yourself permission to choose differently.

And here’s the most beautiful part: you don’t have to do it alone.

Inside The Joy Club, you’ll find a community of Joy Warriors—people who are choosing to come back home to themselves, again and again. When you join, you’ll receive weekly Joy Messages straight to your inbox, plus access to our private Facebook Group where you can connect with like-minded souls walking this path alongside you.

Here’s to choosing Joy, celebrating our wins (big and small), and stepping into the life you know is possible.