What great responses! I agree with FarToGo about courage, it takes guts to make big changes in life, you have to be brave enough to trust yourself that you can handle what those changes will bring. I know for myself that I let fear keep me drinking for a long time. I knew I had to change but I was afraid.
Living sober does give us the opportunity to live as we choose and live consciously rather than being reactionary and stuck. When I drank I was always full of plans that never got carried out. I was also a drama queen, I didn't think so at the time, I just thought trouble followed me and it was never my fault, but I was wrong. It was my choices and reactions that caused it all. I would blow things out of proportion, read into others behaviour or situations in strange ways. I was quite irrational haha. Life is a lot quieter these days and my decisions are purposeful and I think before I act or speak. It's a huge contrast between my peaceful state of mind today and my chaotic one before.