Ashley and I are still coming down from the excitement of our wedding – it was everything we could’ve ever dreamed of! No stone was left unturned – all of the details, both big and small, were perfect and we wouldn’t change anything even if we could. Now, as we have jetted off to Maui, the celebration can continue.
For the first two days in Hawaii, we were just wiped out. I needed to unplug and embrace my time with Ashley. We needed some time to realize just why we were here, and take a second to stop and look around at how far we had come. This is what we needed to be doing. Personally, if this trip happened three and a half years ago, I would’ve already been drinking. Today, I don’t even want to leave the room because I am so content. Before, I would have to be doing something – things that would probably get me in trouble!
Now, we look forward to getting involved in everything that Hawaii has to offer. Instead of drinking the day away, we have so many plans the keep up enjoying our honeymoon. From a helicopter tour and massages to horseback riding and amazing dinners, Ashley and I are living the dream in Maui, and without using.
I understand that learning how to have fun while sober can be a process, but if I can do it, I know others can, too. For me, staying active and relaxing is a balancing act. I have to have activity in my life, but I also have to make time to relax and take it all in. Having sober fun doesn’t mean you always have to be active – that is just a perception and in most cases, it’s not true. While Ashley and I are incredibly active, and we plan on doing a number of activities while in Maui, it is also important to me to be able to kick up my feet and soak it all in.
Here, my sober fun is all about putting on my tourist cap and just cruising – finding all the local restaurants off the beaten path, exploring the island by visiting secluded beaches and more. We are ready to submerge ourselves into the Hawaiian culture and really just pretend we live here.
With Ashley by my side, I know that this honeymoon will be nothing short of amazing. For me, I look forward to all the awesome activities we get to participate in, but also look forward to making time to just embrace this trip to its fullest by using all the skills I have developed to do so.