TRAIL NOTES
Reflections from the path of alcohol-free living — and the bold life that follows.
This blog is where I document what comes after the decision to stop drinking. The real stuff. The inner shifts, the outer challenges, and the unexpected joys that show up when we choose presence over numbing and growth over comfort.
As The Sober Sherpa, I’ve made it my mission to help others turn recovery into their greatest adventure.
Trail Notes is a space for insights, stories, and tools from the journey — mine, and those of the incredible people I meet along the way.
Whether you’re just starting out or already miles from where you began, I hope these notes offer you a moment of clarity, a spark of inspiration, or simply the reminder that you’re not walking this trail alone. Let’s keep moving — with intention, curiosity, and courage.
A Healthy Trim
A delayed haircut reveals how self-sufficiency can quietly turn into self-punishment, and why prioritizing recovery capital sometimes starts with the smallest, most ordinary decisions. ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
January 09, 2026•5 min read
Taking Stock
A reflective Trail Note on sobriety, identity, and alignment. An honest look at growth, purpose, and building a meaningful alcohol-free life. ...more
Reclaim & Expand
December 30, 2025•9 min read
Who Are You Without Alcohol?
Finding the Wildflowers Waiting Beneath the Weeds ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
September 19, 2025•5 min read
Building Self Trust in Sobriety
Sobriety is more than quitting alcohol—it’s rebuilding self-trust. Learn tools to overcome cravings, stay confident, and create lasting recovery. ...more
Reclaim & Expand
September 12, 2025•7 min read
The Hardest 90 Seconds of Sobriety
The first 90 seconds of an urge can feel impossible. But once you understand them, sobriety becomes a lot less daunting. ...more
Overcoming Barriers
September 05, 2025•5 min read
It Was Never The Wine
It was never about the wine. Cravings aren’t random, they’re patterns. Discover how to spot your triggers, break the loop, and uncover the real needs hiding beneath the urge so you can build freedom, ... ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
August 29, 2025•4 min read
Examining Your Yes Patterns
Are your yes’s draining you or fuelling you? Discover how saying yes to the wrong things keeps you stuck, why protecting your energy in sobriety is essential, and how to realign your choices with what... ...more
Overcoming Barriers
August 22, 2025•8 min read
Energy, Rediscovered: When 5am Became My Happy Hour
Discover how sobriety unlocked natural energy, turned 5am into my happy hour, and led me to Adventure Recovery through movement and connection. ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
August 15, 2025•4 min read
Owning Your Story: The Bridge From Sobriety to Purpose
Discover how breaking the illusion and owning my sobriety story helped me release shame, reclaim my truth, and inspire others to find freedom. ...more
Reclaim & Expand
August 08, 2025•3 min read
Doing Hard Things on Purpose: The Confidence Loop
Confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s built through action. Discover how sobriety strengthens self‑trust and creates a confidence loop that fuels growth. ...more
Adventure & Aliveness
August 01, 2025•3 min read
Replacing the Buzz with Real Pleasure
Sobriety doesn’t mean losing your buzz — it means finding it in real adventure, connection, and purpose. Learn how to retrain your brain for lasting dopamine and joy without alcohol. ...more
Adventure & Aliveness
July 25, 2025•5 min read
Why “Maybe One Day” Never Comes (And How to Stop Waiting)
Waiting for the perfect time to quit drinking keeps you stuck. Learn why ‘maybe one day’ never comes, the hidden cost of waiting, and how to start now. ...more
Overcoming Barriers
July 18, 2025•5 min read
The Moderation Illusion: Why It Never Really Worked (and What I Finally Had to Admit)
Moderation isn’t freedom — it’s a holding pattern. Explore why controlling your drinking keeps you stuck, the deeper needs alcohol masks, and how honesty can set you free. ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
July 11, 2025•7 min read
Reclaiming Your Why for Choosing Sobriety
Your reason for getting sober isn’t meant to stay the same. Learn how to evolve your ‘why’ beyond early recovery, avoid plateaus, and reignite purpose in long‑term sobriety. ...more
Reclaim & Expand
July 04, 2025•4 min read
From Escape to Expression: Reclaiming Discomfort as a Path to Growth in Sobriety
Discover how embracing discomfort in sobriety can spark growth, clarity, and confidence. Learn how rituals, presence, and adventure recovery transform avoidance into activation. ...more
Adventure & Aliveness
June 27, 2025•5 min read
What I Knew... and Pretended I Didn't
My journey from high‑functioning drinking and failed moderation to finally quitting alcohol. How letting go of denial and embracing recovery changed everything. ...more
Overcoming Barriers
June 22, 2025•3 min read
What Alcohol Was Really Masking: Learning to Read the Signs Beneath the Pour
This post dives into what alcohol was really masking beneath the surface — and how early sobriety forced me to finally feel, name, and navigate the emotions I used to drink away. ...more
Self Awareness & Insight
June 12, 2025•6 min read
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