It’s hard to even comprehend it - 2 years without a single drop of alcohol. 2 years without a shot, glass of wine, mixed drink, or beer, and you know what? It hasn’t even been hard. On February 26th, 2024, I got drunk for the last time, even though I didn’t know that day it would be the last time. I had no idea that night would be the last one I wouldn’t remember. A few weeks later, my wife and I found out we were having a baby and my life changed forever. If you’ve been following along with my music, blog posts, or podcasts, you know this story. In the last 24 months, I have completely and totally transformed my life. I’ve now lost over 80lbs, I cut out fast food, dairy, and most meats: I am in the best physical shape of my life. But more importantly, I have developed a life changing morning routine that has literally saved my life.

I used to hit the snooze button 6 times, and when I did wake up, I would doom scroll until I was eventually late for work, then I would rush out of the house dressed sloppily, tired, and hydrated on RedBull all morning at work. Now I wake up by 5:30am every day, I drink 12oz of water, stretch, meditate, journal, and exercise. Most mornings I am up by 4am, and I am able to clean and organize our home after exercising. Nowadays, I go to work energized both physically and mentally. I spend my day smiling wide with spiritual awareness of my surroundings, feelings, and emotions. I am open to everything and aware of all sensations and responses. I observe the physical signs of anger arising, then I let anger rise, and then fall. I observe the physical signs of anxiety approaching. I let thoughts appear, and then pass - without overthinking. My energy level is 5x what it was 2 years ago, my outlook on life is optimistic, and my heart is open to driving meaningful change in my life, every single day. 

I am a better husband. father, human, son, and friend because 24 months ago I stopped drinking alcohol. There is no secret formula or “life hack”, it’s really so simple: I got sober = my life changed. Every single consequential change I have made stemmed from getting sober. Quitting alcohol was the boulder that started rolling down the hill of change, knocking off one bad habit at a time. 

But listen, my sobriety is so much deeper than morning routines, healthy eating habits, and physical fitness. My sobriety is about a promise I made to myself. Growing up, I saw first hand the detrimental effects of addiction. Several family members including my older brother, and my father dealt with and still deal with drug and alcohol dependency. It is an intricate part of my story, and it is something that has shaped who I am in more ways than I can consciously comprehend. From a very young age, I was forced to grow up faster than my age number, I was tossed head first into the complexities of life, with no safety net. This set me apart from my classmates and peers and often made me feel lonely, but it also taught me to be resilient. As a kid, I made a promise to myself and to my mom that I wouldn’t follow the path that so many Baumgard men had followed before me: Addiction. Unfortunately, somewhere after high school and during college, I lost my way. I gave into the temptations of the world in the form of cinnamon whiskey shots. One thing led to another, and before I could even realize it myself, I was an alcoholic.

Naturally, this is a title I have only recently begun to accept, because while I was deep in it, I didn’t think of myself this way. I thought I drank a little too much - sure. But never did I sit and honestly tell myself: “I am an alcoholic”. When I found out that my baby girl was coming into this world, I quit drinking cold turkey. After February 26th, 2024, I never had even another sip of beer, wine, or any form of alcohol. I was once again honoring the promise that I made 20 years prior. I made that promise to myself again: I will never drink alcohol, and I don’t miss it, not even a little. I don’t say all this to cast judgement on anyone who is still walking a journey of dependency but instead offer a lifeline of hope. I want to be an example of what a life of sobriety looks like. I want to be a beacon of light that shines in the distance, and if one so chooses, they can follow my light and meet me here: A place of true serenity. I know that our modern culture makes it seem as if partying, drinking, and using drugs is actual freedom. This is the path you should walk if you “just don’t care” and aren't following regular “social norms”. To really live, our society would make it seem, is to travel the world by yourself, spend most nights blackout drunk in the club, and bring home a new partner each night. But the reality is, this is all things someone who is least free does. Real freedom is being free from reliance on any substance. True freedom is choosing to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings sober.

First, be okay with who you are alone, in your quietest moments. Second, find someone to love, to be vulnerable with, to open up to fully. Third, get married, and have children. You will see this is the point of our existence: To share ourselves with someone, and to accept as well as offer true love. To continue our family name generation after generation, to raise good and decent humans. 

Now as my daughter continues to grow up, I have a responsibility to approach all of this in a better way. Instead of raising her to be afraid of things, I will teach her to lean into them, and try everything. I think that subconsciously, being told as a young child how scary and bad everything was, only drove me into it further once I had true freedom as an adult. As I carry on with shaping and molding my daughter, I will teach her freedom of choice, I will let her find her own way. I want her to experience life to the fullest, and achieve her wildest dreams. I want her to travel far and wide, and share these moments with someone else, see the entire world with someone, and be present in every moment. I want her to meet a person to love deeply and accept true, deep love back, and eventually build a family of her own.  

I want my daughter to live, and I will be here cheering her on, with a clear mind, body, and soul, for the rest of my days. Fully present - able to remember everything, not a single moment hindered by alcohol or drugs.