Originally Posted by
Auvers 
I have 3 months of sobriety and found this site a month ago. It has been helpful to read other people's stories and to read of their journey. Since I have always been an introvert, over-stimulated by large groups to the point of numbness, and also intensely private -- I would never go to a group meeting. My sobriety has been a personal journey, at first just getting through the days, gradually doing more thinking and evaluating the impact alcohol made on my life and choices. As the weeks have gone by, I have found myself doing things I had neglected, being a much better listener, a softer, gentler person, more conscious of other people's needs and feelings. I feel grand knowing that as the weeks go on, I will have the opportunity to uncover more of the real me. I truly feel empowered.
I keep reading on this site about there being a difference between staying sober and being recovered; a difference between dry and sober; the need to do the "real" work after getting sober. I do not get these concepts. To me, it seems that subtracting the alcohol allows a person to access their strengths, talents. What is the "real" work I should be doing?
I think the "real work" some people refer to is nothing more than the process of uncovering the "real you"...accessing your strengths and talents. Some people find this process very difficult, so they refer to it as work, but there can be genuine joy in it too. For me it was a little bit of both.