I am Alex and I am an addict, I am an alcoholic, and I most definitely have the disease of addiction. Throughout active addiction/alcoholism things felt completely and utterly hopeless. Try after try, rehab after rehab, therapist after therapist and still I found myself hobbling home at 5 AM in utter despair. The moment I stopped using my mind filled with immense chaos, and the moment I had one to ease that chaos I’d be off to the races again and soon in a blackout. I felt miserable, constantly bringing Chaos and terror to the lives of the people I loved most.  Many times I just wanted it all to end because I felt as long as I existed I would use, and as long as I used I would continue to drag everyone around me into chaos and misery. I’m sharing this because today I don’t feel that way. Today I have found my purpose, and am working to spread love in this universe. Today I know that there’s a way out, I am 100% sure of it. For so long I felt hopeless. As though things would never be okay. Today I do not feel that way. Even when I fall, whether it be to depression, anxiety, alcohol, or loneliness I know that there’s a way out. No matter what happens in my life today I am 100% certain that if I practice a few key principles in my life everything will not just be okay, but it will be beautiful.