Pink Cloud and Sober Freedom

Pink Cloud and Sober Freedom is a philosophy that has served me and many others well.

You may think that the Pink Cloud is just a pretty pink fluffy cloud that represents femininity or my affinity for nature and the elements. While these things are true, in all honesty, it was intended to be a straight-up f*ck you to Alcoholics Anonymous.

My frustration and anger subsided and evolved into leaving AA to those who need and want to keep coming back. We all have our own journey and what works for some does not work for all.

As for me, I want and need more to experience sober freedom.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR STRUGGLE

I couldn’t imagine living the rest of my life identifying as an alcoholic and having a disease that only grew stronger no matter how long I abstained. And needing to manage that disease for the rest of my life in hopes that it didn’t get the better of me and kill me. F*ck that! I deserve better! I already walked through fire and brimstone with alcohol being the center of my universe. That didn’t end well.

Sober freedom is to identify and live as who you choose to be.

ENTER THE PINK CLOUD

Pink Cloud is sober freedom become the woman of your dreams

Early in my sobriety, my Alcoholics Anonymous community, told me I was on a pink cloud because I was full of optimism and even through tears, I smiled about what my future could be. Even though I was facing financial ruin, homelessness, foreclosure, repossession, and enormous tax debt, I dreamt of a future where I could be proud of the woman looking back at me in the mirror.

Oh, you’re on the pink cloud, they’d snicker. That’s alright, you’ll come down and we’ll be here to teach you how to be sober like a real person.

What they didn’t realize is I preferred my pink cloud. According to the psychiatrist that coined the term pink cloud syndrome, it’s when you surrender, enough is enough, your ego detaches, and you fly right up to the pink cloud like an angel who has found heaven on earth.

So, it stood to reason that if I wanted to maintain my pink cloud residency all I needed to do was manage my ego.

Let’s explore both the ego in charge and ego management, that I also refer to as having a flexible ego.

EGO IN CHARGE

Arrogance, willful ignorance, know it all, you need to win, you have all the answers, I’ll show you, jealousy, insecurity, unwillingness to accept responsibility, self-centeredness, judging yourself and others, remaining a victim, and comparison in order to feel better about who? YOU.

EGO MANAGEMENT

Following are twelve opportunities to develop a flexible ego.

  1. Practice humility by acknowledging your ignorance. And when you think you KNOW something, pause, reflect, and dig a little deeper. You may land in the same spot but all the wiser.

 

  1. Be wrongable. I made this word up when I was in coach training many, many moons ago. I was a “type a, perfectionist, corporate logical linear thinking, control” type. Being wrongable made it okay to be, well, wrong. I make mistakes and laugh when I can and sometimes, I cry, but I learn and move forward.

 

  1. Ask questions when you don’t know something – even when the question feels really dumb. (see wrongable)

 

  1. Be curious and observe before jumping to conclusions. This is so helpful to quiet the judge within us all, including judging ourselves. Why do we jump to conclusions?

 

  1. Be interested and ask a lot of questions, A LOT. I have been known to drive people cray-cray with my inquisitiveness. Okay, mostly my loved ones. Why you need to know so much, Mom? People, in general, appreciate you asking rather than assuming.

 

  1. Practice self-love, compassion, and acceptance. Oh, my gosh, people…shaming, blaming, and shoulding yourself will NEVER help you heal, teach you anything, or move you forward.

 

  1. Engage in good discussions and be open to others position. Who knows maybe you’ll come to a new realization. It’s okay to change your mind, view, even beliefs.

 

  1. Take full responsibility for your words, actions, and choices, good or bad.

 

  1. Allow yourself to feel the feels and think the thoughts maybe you think you shouldn’t. Just because you feel and think doesn’t mean you have to speak or act. Feelings and thoughts are real and to stuff them down only causes pain. Pain that you’ll need to drink to soothe.

 

  1. Be inspired by H.O.P.E. Having Other Possibilities to Explore in all things. Nothing is absolute. All things are possible.

 

  1. Have defined intentions for who you want to become and how you want to live your life. Get clear about these things and allow them to fill your thoughts and influence your choices.

 

  1. And always keep an open heart for what’s next. Don’t limit yourself by what you only know today. There’s so much more to experience.

I mean this sounds exciting am I right? I think so, too.

Pink Cloud Sober with Teresa Rodden Author Coach Advocate

PINK CLOUD FOR THE WIN

So, I stayed on my pink cloud and rode out of the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous over seventeen years ago and I haven’t had a drink in more than eighteen years. Being Pink Cloud sober focuses on the whole person; awareness, thoughts, intentions, and actions, hopes, dreams, goals, and aspirations, not whether you drink or not. I literally decided to stop thinking about drinking (or not drinking) before my first year of sobriety.

Pink Cloud’s philosophy is to make your days count, not count the days you don’t drink.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Have you been wondering about your drinking habit?

Would you like to get some support in addressing your concerns and explore the possibilities?

Maybe AA has been good for you, but you are ready to learn how to expand into this one and only precious life of yours.

How do you feel about taking the focus off alcohol and putting it on the entity who is buying the booze, picking up the drink, and swallowing it?

You can do this all by yourself. Where your focus goes, energy flows. Shift your focus from drinking to daydreaming and doing.

I know this can be difficult especially if you have a head full of what society preaches and AA teaches that a struggle to control your drinking is a lifelong disease with no hope of a cure.

But you CAN do it!

MOVING FORWARD

So, if you’d like more support reach out by clicking here, and let’s chat.

No pressure, I promise. I only want to help. I’ll give you my best thoughts and insight during your call.

And if you’re ready to dig deep, do the work, and get on with living the life you were created for together, we can do that too!

You deserve to be the woman of your dreams and live the life you always wanted.

 

Much love,

Teresa Rodden Author Coach Advocate for sober possibilities

Teresa Rodden

Pink Cloud Coaching

Before you drink, Think PINK!

http://https://youtu.be/6RAwOQXBCCY

Before you drink, Think PINK!