For 15 years, I lived in active addiction, using heroin and fentanyl from the time I was 14. Despite multiple attempts to get clean, I never truly committed to recovery. I’d use up resources and burn bridges, but nothing ever stuck. I didn’t know how to make recovery real, and I was just going through the motions of life. It wasn’t until I made the decision to actually want to live, to find meaning in my life, that everything started to change. Recovery became possible for me when I realized it wasn’t just about stopping my drug use, it was about finding a deeper purpose. In February 2022, I celebrated three years in recovery. I now live with intention and purpose, and every day I make the choice to stay sober because I believe in the life I’m building. I’ve found fulfillment in helping others as a Certified Peer Specialist, guiding them to see that recovery is not just about quitting, it’s about choosing to live with meaning. I truly believe that when you decide to embrace life fully, recovery becomes not only possible but worth everything.