Sober Life is Far From Boring (An Announcement!)

I feel compelled to write this blog to share some incredible news with you all. This week, I received the official confirmation, that I am to be a TEDx Open University speaker! This news comes at a poignant time for me, because this week, I also celebrate nine years clean and sober. Being given such an incredible opportunity stands as a testament to how far I have come. And to think, I worried that my sober life would be boring!

Sober Life – A Life Full of Opportunity

Celebrating my nine years, and contrasting then and now, makes me shake my head in awe and wonder. In 2010, I had no prospects, most of my friends had disappeared and most folks didn’t give me the time of day. Today, in 2019, my life is full of opportunity, I have so many genuine wonderful friends, and I’m held in high enough regard for a TEDx stage.

How on earth did I get from there to here? The answer is with the magic of a one day at a time approach.

Big hello to @FinlayGames – YouTuber, Blogger, Writer and superstar student ambassador of @OpenUniversity 👏

Join Finn LIVE for his inspiring #TEDxOpenUniversity talk, ‘Imagine what’s next if we put mental health first in a flexible work place’. ️https://t.co/g2akkeBfQB pic.twitter.com/EFcu68K2WT

— TEDxOpenUniversity (@TEDxOpenUni) August 12, 2019

The Magic of Twenty-Four Hours

When I first began to admit that I was an alcoholic, the idea of never being able to drink again, terrified me. However, I was told not to give up alcohol, but instead, commit to not drinking for the 24 hours ahead. Every day I awoke, I committed to those twenty-four hours and then repeated the process. These twenty-four hours have added up into nine glorious clean and sober years and a life that I often cannot believe is mine.

The Richness of A Sober Life

I find it amusing now, that I was worried a sober life would be a boring one. My life today is anything but boring, in fact, my life is richer than I ever thought possible. Sobriety has allowed me to find my true self and have the courage to go through gender transition. A sober life has also allowed me to return to study and to start my own business. Far from being boring, my life is full of possibilities and genuine friendships. I feel the full spectrum of emotions, I experience life in glorious technicolour, and I have a future that’s so bright it blinds me daily. I love my life, even when times are tough, as is the nature of life.

By facing up to the darkest parts of myself and doing the necessary work, one day at a time, I have been given a life beyond my wildest dreams. To have the chance now, to make paying this forward, my life’s work is the biggest gift of all.

The Tedx Open University Details

So, this coming November, I will be joining a collection of remarkable TEDx Open University speakers. I will be taking to the stage in the Berrill Theatre, at The Open University, where I will be talking about the role of flexibility in mental health. I aim to share how, by taking things one day at a time, I have been able to recover my life and rewrite my story. My hope in doing so is to inspire others to do the same.

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