Writing memoir for personal healing and to help others with shared struggles takes courage. A clear head is also necessary to recollect our past and weed through our experiences to uncover the source of our struggles. An alcoholic mind only pollutes the process.
Today I invite you to sit down with me and
the author of On the Edge of Shattered: A Mother’s Experience of Discovering Freedom Through Sobriety.Meet Kimberly
Kimberly lives in Needham, MA, she is married to a supportive husband and is the mother of three. Within four years of sobriety, Kimberly published a book; created a landing page for her blog, kimberlykearns.com; started a sober social club, Sober in the Suburbs; and a podcast, The Weekend Sober.
After relying on booze for over 20 years, I discovered a life of sobriety during the pandemic in November 2020. Since then, I’ve talked about my struggles with other addictions as well as how hard it was after I relapsed. I feel passionate about sharing my story in the hopes of inspiring others that may be wondering about an alcohol-free lifestyle. Along my journey, I have found so much joy and freedom on this side. Perhaps one day something I write may resonate with you, just as the stories I read in the early days of my sobriety inspired me to keep moving forward. We recover out loud so others don't have to suffer in silence.
~ Kimberly Kearns, Unshattered Sobriety
On the Edge of Shattered
Key Points:
What prompted you to write your story?
Why memoir?
How are your memories so vivid?
How were your memories perceived by others?
What tips do you have with revealing trauma memories?
The importance of recovery while sharing memories.
The Writer’s Block Rehab
Through writing we learn about ourselves, but it is through other authors where we learn how to be a writer. The Writer’s Block Rehab is a podcast for the aspiring writer to meet with mentors and hear their testimony. It is through the testimony of the writer’s who have successfully navigated their publishing path and the recovery books they have published which provides not just instruction but healing.
Substack Growth—the struggle is real.
At the conclusion of watching “The secret to learning about your ideal readers: befriend guides” by
of The Creative Shift a spark was ignited. I have been on Substack approaching a year and at times feel as if I am withering away, not growing.I have discovered that writing alone on Substack gets me no where. The best tool Substack offers is the people. It is a place to network and learn from the others who have paved the way. Writer’s Block Rehab is to bridge the gap between the struggling writer like myself and those, like Kimberly, who have successfully published their books.
Why recovery?
When I reflect on my life there are moments that have slipped away. I don’t think that is unusual, but what most people don’t experience is what it is to be a “black out drunk.” Although I did not drink to the excess each time I consumed alcohol, there are moments I had temporary memory gaps when I drank. This signified a problem.
My problem with alcohol abuse is what brought me to recovery. Now that my new lifestyle embraces recovery, I am learning that recovery is so much more than alcohol abuse. Simply, recovery is recovering from our past. And to heal we need to dredge up those memories from our past.
The Writer’s Block Rehab is not just to learn from these writers but to shine a light on recovery. Most people don’t know that recovery is for everyone! Each month we will sit down and have a conversation with an author who has published either a self-help book or memoir that shares their recovery.
Recovery’s Impact on Substack
When someone chooses to recover and to embrace the recovery lifestyle they don’t go at it alone. They find a community of like-minded folks, a recovery group, that encourages one another. Substack is that community for writers.
I am a woman that struggles her way through life and tends to make everything more difficult than need be. Several years ago, prior to making lifestyle changes, I would have given up on this podcast idea. Today with a clear head and perseverance I am determined to succeed.
Instead of giving up on my Substack I decided to reach out to others to learn how it is done.
with The Lemon Tree Mindset is a continued source of wisdom and she speaks often about collaboration. Substack offers a vast network of writer’s we can collaborate with and learn together.December’s Exclusive
is an author and recovery advocate. Her book, You Are Not Your Trauma, Uproot Unhealthy Patterns Heal the Family Tree, helps to identify unhealthy patterns that keep us stuck and live more freely without our trauma—or our family’s trauma—holding us back.She is a mom in recovery, a speaker, and a mental health expert. With over twenty years of experience working within social work and ministry Caroline will be joining us on The Writer’s Block Rehab in the month of December.
In three short years, she has built a global network of recovery supporters through her storytelling platform and accompanying newsletter, Circle of Chairs which reaches thousands of people every week. She is a creative and visionary, founding an annual global event on International Women’s Day with different sponsoring organizations each year that brings in thousands of supporters, along with co-leading a global research initiative on family recovery with leaders around the world.
Thank You
I appreciate your time listening and reading; and your interest in recovery. Awareness is necessary for healing and community is crucial for ongoing recovery efforts. By sharing this podcast you will help shed the light on something so many of us struggle with.
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 ESV
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