<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Normalize Sobriety]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rise Above, Embrace Sobriety, Normalize Sobriety]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:15:20 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.normalizesobriety.net/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Clarity Over Chaos. How I Finally Grew Up at 46 Years Old.]]></title><description><![CDATA[People laugh when I say I finally grew up at 46 years old. I’m not joking. For years, I thought growing older automatically meant growing up. It doesn’t. You can have a job, pay bills, raise a family, and still be emotionally stuck. I know because I lived it. Alcohol kept me from growing. Every problem became someone else’s fault. Every bad decision had an excuse. Every consequence became something I tried to drink away instead of face head-on. I wasn’t just drinking alcohol. I was drinking...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/clarity-over-chaos-how-i-finally-grew-up-at-46-years-old</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4ef5dd183f95735fdfb1d7</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 01:16:05 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[False Prophets in Recovery]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the greatest dangers in recovery today isn’t the alcohol or drugs. It’s confusion. Social media has given everyone a microphone. That’s not always a bad thing. There are thousands of people honestly sharing their experience, strength, and hope. They’re transparent about their struggles, their victories, and the work they continue to do every day. But there is another group that deserves some caution. These are the people who build a following around recovery while continuing to glorify...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/false-prophets-in-recovery</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4af7d3af7ef706e30a8f0f</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:34:49 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why did it take me so long to realize I had a problem.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why Did It Take Me So Long to Realize I Had a Problem? Looking back now, one of the hardest questions I ask myself is simple: Why did it take me so long to realize I had a problem with drinking? The truth is, I don’t think I was ignoring the signs. I think I was living in a world that constantly told me my drinking was normal. Alcohol is everywhere. It’s at weddings, birthdays, sporting events, holidays, cookouts, concerts, vacations, and even funerals. We celebrate with alcohol, we relax...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/why-did-it-take-me-so-long-to-realize-i-had-a-problem</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a464db71ee0e83bcfab2bef</guid><pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:39:36 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cali Sober is Not Sober]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the last few years, a new term has become popular: “Cali Sober.” Usually it means someone has quit drinking or hard drugs but still uses marijuana or other mind-altering substances. You hear it on social media, podcasts, and even in some recovery circles. For me, and for what we stand for at Normalize Sobriety, Cali Sober is not sober. That statement is not meant to attack anyone. Everyone has the right to make their own choices and walk their own path. If someone has stopped drinking...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/cali-sober-is-not-sober</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4122031ee3a9e1c68c1cae</guid><pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 13:31:24 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Had it Backwards]]></title><description><![CDATA[I Had It Backwards There was a time when I was trying to build my sobriety around my life instead of building my life around my sobriety. At first, it seemed to make sense. I wanted to keep everything exactly the way it had always been. The same routines. The same people. The same places. The same priorities. I figured I could simply squeeze recovery into the empty spaces of my life. Maybe a meeting here. Maybe some recovery work there. Maybe I would call my sponsor when it was convenient....]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/i-had-it-backwards</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a3e9d16740673c68358f13b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:39:43 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Faith]]></title><description><![CDATA[Recovery requires faith. Not everyone believes in God, and that’s okay. But I do believe that recovery requires faith in something. Faith that tomorrow can be better than today. Faith that the pain you’re feeling right now won’t last forever. Faith that the people who have gone before you know what they’re talking about. Faith that if you keep showing up, keep doing the work, and keep asking for help, things can change. When I first got sober, I didn’t have much faith in myself. Years of...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/faith</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a371a8574aafd04f09f706f</guid><pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 22:57:31 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grateful Alcohol?]]></title><description><![CDATA[To some people, it sounds strange when I say I’m a grateful alcoholic. Why would anyone be grateful for something that caused so much pain, damage, and chaos? I’m not grateful for the mistakes I made. I’m not grateful for the people I hurt, the opportunities I missed, or the consequences I created. What I’m grateful for is where the journey led me. Alcoholism brought me to a point where I had to take an honest look at myself. It forced me to ask for help. It introduced me to people who showed...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/grateful-alcohol</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a333f9a2659c481bf8e9b16</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:46:35 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Showing up.]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the biggest changes sobriety has brought into my life is the ability to truly show up for people. When I was drinking, I often made promises I couldn’t keep. My focus was on getting through the day, hiding my struggles, and cleaning up the messes I created. I wasn’t always available when people needed me because alcohol came first. Today, things are different. Today, I answer the phone. I return calls. I keep my word. I show up for my family, my friends, the people I sponsor, and...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/showing-up</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a30610fc0b3ed92b0fb992b</guid><pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 20:31:29 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Helping myself]]></title><description><![CDATA[When I was in my active addiction, I left a trail of messes everywhere I went. My parents cleaned up after me. My family worried about me. Friends covered for me, bailed me out, made excuses for me, and picked me up when I couldn’t stand on my own. I was always looking for someone else to fix the problems I created. The truth is, addiction doesn’t just affect the person drinking. It affects everyone who cares about them. Today, things are different. Today, I take responsibility for my...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/helping-myself</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a289525c10b289958a49c1c</guid><pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:35:48 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[My dream with Normalize Sobriety]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why Normalize Sobriety Matters My name is Kyle Alsteen, and I started Normalize Sobriety because recovery changed my life. Like many people in recovery, I know firsthand what it feels like to struggle with addiction and to wonder if there is a better way to live. Through the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, sponsorship, fellowship, and people who cared enough to help me, I found sobriety and a new purpose in life. Today, I believe it is time to normalize sobriety in a world that has normalized...]]></description><link>https://www.normalizesobriety.net/post/my-dream-with-normalize-sobriety</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a21d3f4367ed35011d6108e</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:38:50 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>kylealsteen</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>