Client Update: Kristi W.
It’s so great to have you back, Kristi. In our last interview (read here), you were managing your sobriety while living unsheltered. We’re excited to hear there are some updates! What’s new in your life, and how are you doing?
“Yes, I’m in an apartment I've been in since January- a big apartment, I just love it. It’s so spacious and wonderful. I enjoy paying my rent because I know I have stability. I saw it get taken out yesterday, I was like “yep, it feels great, it feels great”. People think that it’s not freedom when you have to pay bills but it is. When you’re paying bills and not doing drugs, it’s freedom. I’m just doing great now. I have two cats, Fiona and Gracie. They’re so opposite but they get along. It was one of my goals to get cats because I lost my cat in the process of being homeless. I gave him up to foster care and then it was a couple of years I was homeless so I told them to adopt him. Now I have two cats I got to give a home to!
I’m just so happy, I really am.”
& How many days are you sober today?
“15 months, it feels great. There’s no returning back to that world. I just want to feel good every day and that’s being clean. Feeling everything that comes to you and not numbing it anymore. Just come at me life, I am at peace!”
That’s amazing! What sort of coping and self care do you do to take care of yourself?
“I take my vitamins, eat well, and exercise. I’m faithful in taking all my medications. I take an antidepressant and I’m okay with it. It helps me a lot and then the rest is up to me. You know, it’s all mental really; how do you look at life, how do you look at yourself, it’s all mental. Even when I was homeless, I kept my spirits up. I reminded myself that it’s only temporary and I will get a place. I also keep myself busy with diamond art painting. I think keeping myself busy is really important. If you sit with too much time on your hands, then you do too much overthinking and it becomes negative. You’ve got to channel your energy into something and I found that something for myself.”
What are your current goals?
“I’m transitioning out from my counseling. I always thought I’d be a lifer, I’ve been doing counseling for 20 years but now we’re talking about me being done in 90 days! I’d also like to keep on with my diamond art and make an abundance of them so I can sell them at the Farmer’s Markets next year. I’m saving to afford a vehicle. Everything is okay right now with transportation but I know a vehicle opens up even more freedom.”
How about that soup kitchen, is that still a dream of yours?
“I’d like to open up Kesmic’s Kitchen as soon as possible but I can’t until I have a vehicle. I have no business skills and I want to do this all correctly so I have a lot of questions to ask and places to go to research it. I want to bring my dreams to people and see if I can get donations to get started. Have a non-profit kitchen for people to come in and eat once a week or 5 days a week, just coming in, sitting down and enjoying themselves and a good meal. I know people are on such budgets and I would love to be able to have something like that where they can come in and get a free meal.”
Final question: What guidance would you share with someone who is trying to get clean?
“You have to really want a change and then you have to dedicate yourself to that change. You can't do it unless you feel that you've had enough and you need something better and when you start seeing it that way you start understanding how you really do need to get off the drug. It’s only an escape, it’s not an avenue to get you where you really want to go. When you decide you’re done escaping and want more for yourself, you can make it been for yourself like I did. It’s very tough in the beginning, very tough. You have to tell yourself “I have to stay away, I have to stay away” and it takes several months but once you have them, it gets out of your system and you notice your skin clears up and your body livens up (because drugs really do suck the life right out of you). You just have to want more for your life and stay on track of that every day for yourself.
