Hope,
I appreciate this thread and all of the viewpoints here. I agree with your conclusion about habits, as I find that life, drunk or sober, is full of ups and downs. I used to drink to cope with the highs and the lows, now I have other healthy ways of dealing with the bad (exercise) and am free and healthy to enjoy the good.
I have concluded that happiness is not something within my control. It comes and goes of its own accord. Contentment,however, is something I can create for myself within my daily rituals. It is a subtle distinction, but for me an important one.
Sobriety gives me the gift of time to work on the issues you speak of. Some I’ve worked through over 2+ years, others hang about like dark clouds waiting to be addressed. But in sustained sobriety, I build up my strength and health which makes me more capable of dealing with the darkness. For me it is a process, and one that I feel will continue for the remainder of my life.
I work each day to be a better person than yesterday. Some days I hit the mark better than others. But on the off days, simply maintaining my sobriety means I continue to fight the good fight.
-bora