Why I Share My Story to 150,000 People

And Tips for Sharing Your Story Too!

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I’m putting finishing touches on my book, which will come out next year at a bookstore near you (Ekk!) My editor asked me to add a preface to explain how all of this came about — The Ultimate Mom Challenge, my blogging, etc. and I realized I haven’t talked about this in a LONG time.

So let’s get to it! I originally started blogging about parenting. I started in 2015, but it was basic. Real basic. Sure, I talked about parenting, an early miscarriage, and raising a strong willed toddler (we didn’t yet know about his neurodivergence) but there was some posts on there that were very cringe. Certainly not worth linking back to —sorry.

I didn’t write about my sobriety until I was a year sober. A year! A lot of the reason was because I was afraid I would fail. Or if I started drinking again I would have to explain myself. And I wasn’t 100% on board with this new identity. Is this who I am now, and will people still want to read my writing if I’m talking about sobriety now? There was also so much shame still dwelling inside me. Shame that only heals through time and self work.

But when I shared my first post about it, a celebration of one year sober, I was shocked by the support. People didn’t shame me or unfollow me (that would come later, LOL). But it really affirmed my choice to speak openly about it.

I started writing about it more, and more. Soon, it was 90% of what I wrote about. I did lose some followers, and got some trolling, but nine times out of ten I received support, positivity and so many messages thanking me for sharing. And the support continues.

In the last week I’ve gotten:

• Two emails, one from a teenager, both telling me my message gives them hope.

• Several DMs from parents struggling, or who have a partner that’s struggling

• Countless supportive social media comments

A few years ago, I wrote a post about feeling sad that I took on a profession in marketing, lamenting that my job doesn’t help anyone… it just helps businesses profit. Little did I know that just a few years later I would be doing something so rewarding and fulfilling simply by sharing my experiences!

Do you want to start sharing your journey?

First, I want to say you do not have to be sober to start writing. Whether you want to write privately or post online, you can start anytime. In fact, I wish I wrote more about my struggle before I quit. I can only imagine how helpful those words could have been for someone who felt alone.

Also, you can share anonymously. I started blogging anonymously, and it’s easy to do. Come up with a pen name (did you know ‘Celeste Yvonne’ is a pen name? Yes!) Or use something simple but memorable: I have some friends who go by “Decidedly Dry” or “Sobriety Activist”.

You can create a blog (which may cost money if you buy a URL, but there are free options too), or you can simply create a free page on Facebook or Instagram and start there. If you want to write (not make videos), I recommend Facebook because Instagram is transitioning to reels right now. However, and this is SO important…Always have a backup plan. Whether you are storing posts on your computer or writing them down word for word, do not rely on social media as your archive. I’ve heard heartbreaking stories of writers with thousands of followers who got hacked on Facebook or Instagram and lost everything. This is why so many people also have email lists and websites, so they can continue to reach their audience if Zuck decides to unplug Facebook one day (not likely, but I guess anything’s possible).

Currently I have about 150,000 followers across my social media platforms, which blows me away. But one thing I’ve learned in this experience is it doesn’t matter how many followers you have — It matters if you’re reaching the right people. And yes, I know that sounds humble and very Dali Lama of me but I mean it as a marketing professional too. If I have a 100 followers but 99 are only on there to see pics of my beautiful dogs, then I’m not really leaving an impact on the sober community, am I?

Start following people in your niche, and start commenting on their posts or sharing their posts. You’ll start to make friends and it’s good karma too.

Do you want to hear more about this subject? I will share a video for my paid subscribers later this week with more lessons learned and how I got over 150,000 followers across social media (spoiler alert - It wasn’t easy). Join me as a paid subscriber for access to that, as well as my entire library of sober inspo, stories, and lessons learned.