Maria Olsen

Quote: To whom much is given, much is required

Song: Be not Afraid - Be not afraid I go before you always lyrics.

Advice to others:

Practice gratitude and self-love everyday
Try new things. Stretch outside of your comfort zone. This helps you learn to feel fear but do "it" anyway.
Ask for help when you need it, you're not alone.

Highlights

I compared my life to that of a duck, on the surface they look beautiful and serene, but underneath, they are paddling furiously
Alcohol made her feel normal, made the demons quiet. It was escapism, but it turned off the chatter in her head.
There's so much I regret like driving while drinking.
Books served as a healthy form of escapism. Books took her somewhere else.
Source of supports - her grandmother, her best friends mother, and her faith
Keeping secrets was one of the tools in my toolbox. But keeping secrets is like holding a beach ball under water. It takes tremendous effort and they pop up at unusual times.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is feeling fear and doing it anyway.

Resources:

Alcoholics Anonymous - https://www.aa.org/

Sober Sisters Society - https://sobersisterssociety.com/

Al-anon for Family Groups - https://al-anon.org/

988 - suicide hotline

Season 6 Podcast Guests