Close Menu
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • ⭐ BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
    • YOU’VE BEEN SELECTED
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • ⭐ BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
    • YOU’VE BEEN SELECTED
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
Home - Turning The Page: How Sobriety Inspired Me To Change My Career
MENTAL HEALTH

Turning The Page: How Sobriety Inspired Me To Change My Career

Jason MayoBy Jason MayoOctober 7, 20246 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

When I got sober in 2010, I was 39. From the outside, my life seemed pretty perfect—a beautiful family, a successful business, a popular blog, a nice house, two cars, and, for God’s sake, over 3,000 Facebook friends. But on the inside, I was unraveling like a sweater from Temu.

My anxiety and depression were off the charts. Work felt suffocating, and my wife was fed up with my drinking, saying she never knew which version of me would walk through the door at the end of the day. I thought my drinking was only hurting me, but it had seeped into every corner of my life, especially my family.

At that time, my wife and I were in marriage counseling. Eventually, I asked to meet with our therapist one-on-one. I felt like I was hanging on by a thread. I was desperate. When I sat down with her, it all came pouring out. I was miserable. I told her I couldn’t stop drinking and that I didn’t want to live that way anymore. For the first time in my life, I was brutally honest with a therapist. I admitted I was scared, ashamed, and didn’t know what to do next.

She listened, then suggested two things: seeing a psychiatrist for my depression and attending an AA meeting. She said I didn’t have to keep self-medicating with alcohol and that maybe medication could help. And maybe AA could give me the tools I needed. That conversation was the first step toward my recovery. I did both the next day. I haven’t had a drink since.

But getting sober didn’t mean life stopped being hard. I learned that life still happens—good, bad, and everything in between. There are things I can’t control. But there are things I can do about it. After about five years sober, my attitude towards certain aspects of my life started to change. I was working around 70 hours a week. The pressure and the stress of my job were affecting both my mental and physical health. My brain was always on the verge of imploding, and my stomach was twisted up from the pressure of it all. I was spending very little time with my family, and taking a day off, let alone a vacation, seemed impossible. I wanted to leave, but I felt trapped.

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can paralyze you. It has a way of creeping into your mind and slowly eating away at your self-esteem, self-worth, and sense of reality. It rewrites your story into a version where you’re stuck, where the plot never changes. I was terrified of the unknown, afraid I’d fail, that I wouldn’t be able to support my family, and that people would think I was crazy for walking away from a career I’d spent decades building. I was writing my narrative, and it was all fiction. The storyline always ended in the apocalypse. Zombies, people eating people, the whole fucking thing.

But staying in the same chapter wasn’t an option anymore. I didn’t get sober to be miserable. I got sober to live.

The pandemic changed everything. Suddenly, I was working from home and enjoying a balanced life. I was having dinners with my wife, binging every shitty show on Netflix, driving my daughter to school, and just living in a way that felt good. And I realized—I could never go back to the grind.

I discussed the possibility of switching careers with my wife, and she was nothing but supportive. She told me she wanted me to be happy and that we would figure it out.

Now, what the hell was I going to do? After a lot of soul-searching and playing a shit ton of Fortnite, I decided I wanted my next career to have purpose and meaning. If I was going to put in the time and give of myself, I wanted to feel fulfilled at the end of the day. I wanted to help people.

I started researching new careers that aligned with my passions, listing all those non-transferable skills I had convinced myself I didn’t possess. The narrative I had been telling myself started to change. I wasn’t feeling stuck anymore. I had options. I wasn’t too old to start a new chapter.

The more I explored, the more I saw how my experiences—both personal and professional—gave me tools I could use for a new career. Then I came across Peer Advocacy, a job where someone in recovery helps others navigate challenges related to mental health and substance use disorder. Who would have guessed that all of the fucked up shit I had been through was a very transferrable skill?

Peer Advocacy checked every box on my wishlist. For the first time in my career, I saw a future aligned with who I had become in recovery. I took all the required training, got certified, and found my dream job. I’ve never been happier.

Suck on that, fear!

Here’s the thing about life: it’s like a book filled with chapters. Some chapters are long, like Atlas Shrugged, while others are short, like a Charles Bukowski poem. Some are confusing, like Nabokov, and others are as simple as Curious George. Some are terrifying, like a Stephen King novel, and others bring the comfort of the Dalai Lama’s teachings.

The key is this: you can’t start a new chapter if you’re too afraid to turn the page.

And like my old therapist used to say, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

So, if you’re feeling stuck like it’s too late to make a change—lick that finger and turn the damn page. A new chapter is always waiting, but only if you’re willing to start writing it.


If It Hurts It Helps Blog by Jason Mayo

Meet Sober Curator Contributor Jason Mayo, Founder of the “Sober Not Subtle” blog. Jason Mayo lives in New York with his wife and two daughters. He got sober in March 2010. He is a certified recovery peer advocate at a not-for-profit community center on Long Island. He does outreach and helps organize free sober events for people with substance use disorders and their families. Jason is passionate about advocating for people living with substance use disorder and mental health issues. His goal is to use humor, creativity, and lived experience to impact the world positively.

Sober Curator Fun Fact about Jason: In his spare time, his alter ego, DoeSlayer, streams on Twitch. With a community of over 6,000 followers, he is a partnered streamer and an official content creator for Expansive Worlds and Ubisoft.

Jason Mayo The Sober Curator

sober in nyc

SOBER IN NYC: Get ready to dive into NYC’s sober scene—where zero-proof and sober-curious vibes are as iconic as our city’s skyline! We’re your go-to guide for all the coolest spots to enjoy elevated, alcohol-free experiences.


best non alcoholic newsletter sober curator
Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

follow the sober curator on youtube

Subscribe to The Sober Curator on YouTube

Jason Mayo
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Jason Mayo
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Husband, Father, Dog Dad, Digital Media Professional, Recovery Coach, Twitch Partner, Award Winning Blogger, Children’s Book Author, Thought Leader, Content Creator and Zombie Enthusiast. Passionate about using humor and creativity to make a positive impact on the world.

Related Posts

International Recovery Day September 30

International Recovery Day 2025: A Global Celebration of Hope and Healing

September 29, 2025
My Life as a Female Drug Dealer Just Trying to Support My Habit

My Life as a Female Drug Dealer Just Trying to Support My Habit

September 27, 2025
The Only Black Girl in Rehab by Lisa Crump

The Only Black Girl in Rehab | Lisa Crump

September 26, 2025

Comments are closed.

Sober City Mobile App
SOBERSCRIBE AND GET ON THE LIST!
7 events found.
  • Week of October 6
  • Previous week
  • Next week
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
11:00 am
A Day of Intentionality – Renton, WA
October 6 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm PDT

A Day of Intentionality – Renton, WA

Macadons 826 S 3rd St, Renton
Free
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
8:00 am
Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025
October 7 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

Tawny Lara Virtual Course
See website
4:00 pm
Trivia Night at 309 Social Club
October 7 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm PDT

Trivia Night at 309 Social Club

BigVision 309 Social Club 309 East 49th Street @ 2nd Ave, New York
Donation
+ 3 More
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
5:00 pm
Zero Proof Cocktail Class With the NA Sommelier
October 8 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

Zero Proof Cocktail Class With the NA Sommelier

700 Dexter Avenue North #suite 201, Seattle
$85.00
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
7:00 pm
Drag Bingo (Spooky AF Edition)
October 9 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Drag Bingo (Spooky AF Edition)

SOBER AF Bottle Shop Tacoma 5222 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
See website
All Day
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
11:00 am
STOP THE SHUFFLE SCREENING – Wilmington Deleware International Film Festival
October 10 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PDT

STOP THE SHUFFLE SCREENING – Wilmington Deleware International Film Festival

The Screening Room West
$15.00
All Day
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
Ongoing
MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures
October 11 @ 5:00 am - October 19 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

Cusco, the Salktanay Trail, and Machu Picchu!
See website
7:00 am
Fresh Start: Breathwork with Kyle Harder | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh
October 11 @ 7:00 am - 9:00 am PDT

Fresh Start: Breathwork with Kyle Harder | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh

Thrive on Health 730 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh
Free
+ 2 More
All Day
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
Ongoing
MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures
October 11 @ 5:00 am - October 19 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

Cusco, the Salktanay Trail, and Machu Picchu!
See website

Week of Events

Mon 6

Tue 7

Wed 8

Thu 9

Fri 10

Sat 11

Sun 12

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO FUNDRAISER FOR SHE RECOVERS FOUNDATION October 2nd - 9th 2025 Join us in Galicia, Northern Spain for the ultimate sober team hiking adventure as we tackle the

$2500
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

About this trip We cannot think of a more suited itinerary for HOOKED.    All your senses will be engaged on this Luxury 11 day / 10 night adventure in

$3195
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 11 @ 5:00 am - October 19 @ 2:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

October 11 @ 5:00 am - October 19 @ 2:00 pm PDT

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures Our journey blends the culture and cuisine of Cusco with the legendary Salkantay Trail, culminating at the Incan masterpiece of Machu Picchu. Trek through shifting

See website
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 11 @ 5:00 am - October 19 @ 2:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

MACHU PICCHU | Capsule Adventures

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

11:00 am - 4:00 pm

A Day of Intentionality – Renton, WA

October 6 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm PDT

A Day of Intentionality – Renton, WA

A Day of Intentionality - Renton, WA Join us for free intentionality sessions and macadons at the Macadons store front in downtown Renton! We’ll feature rotating topics between 11 am

Free
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

October 7 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025 Live Seminar Via Zoom 1:00PM – 3:00PM

See website
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Trivia Night at 309 Social Club

October 7 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm PDT

Trivia Night at 309 Social Club

Trivia Night at 309 Social Club Get your game face on and put your knowledge to the test at Trivia Night! From pop culture to history and everything in between,

Donation
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Sober Night Live! 105.5 The Colorado Sound Presents

October 7 @ 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT

Sober Night Live! 105.5 The Colorado Sound Presents

Sober Night Live! 105.5 The Colorado Sound Presents Announcing Sober Night Live! A monthly open mic event for sober creatives, featuring performances, storytelling, and a supportive community. We are excited

See website
+ 3 More
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Zero Proof Cocktail Class With the NA Sommelier

October 8 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

Zero Proof Cocktail Class With the NA Sommelier

Zero Proof Cocktail Class With the NA Sommelier Join us at Studio Forma for a tailored, hands-on, zero-proof cocktail-making experience with NA sommelier Juanita Unger. Professional bartending techniques, cocktail theory,

$85.00
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Drag Bingo (Spooky AF Edition)

October 9 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Drag Bingo (Spooky AF Edition)

Drag Bingo (Spooky AF Edition) Thu, Oct 09 Sober AF Zero Proof Bottle Shop Kick off Sober October by joining us for one of our KILLER Drag Bingo Nights. Sells

See website
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

STOP THE SHUFFLE SCREENING – Wilmington Deleware International Film Festival

October 10 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PDT

STOP THE SHUFFLE SCREENING – Wilmington Deleware International Film Festival

STOP THE SHUFFLE SCREENING - Wilmington Delaware International Film Festival An intimate look inside the billion-dollar addiction treatment industry where young people are bought and sold for their insurance policies

$15.00
7:00 am - 9:00 am

Fresh Start: Breathwork with Kyle Harder | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh

October 11 @ 7:00 am - 9:00 am PDT

Fresh Start: Breathwork with Kyle Harder | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh

Fresh Start: Breathwork with Kyle Harder | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh Come breathe in community during a guided breathwork session—a space to let go of stress, quiet the noise of everyday

Free
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

October 11 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PDT

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

Just F*%#ing Write: Get Words Out of Your Head and Onto the Page Zoom Seminar with Tawny Lara on Saturday, October 11th, 2025 Live Seminar Via Zoom 1:00PM – 3:00PM

See website
12:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Sober AF Entertainment: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers @ Camp Randall Stadium (Madison – WI)

October 11 @ 12:30 pm - 6:30 pm PDT

Sober AF Entertainment: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers @ Camp Randall Stadium (Madison – WI)

Sober AF Entertainment: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers @ Camp Randall Stadium (Madison – WI)

See website
+ 2 More
View Calendar
Thirty for Wonder by Anne Marie Cribbin
The Sober Curator
Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok YouTube Pinterest
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • LINKS DISCLAIMER
  • EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • REFUND POLICY
  • DON’T SELL MY INFO
  • DATA SUBJECT REQUEST FORM
  • CONTACT US
© 2025 The Sober Curator - Benefits of a Alcohol Free Lifestyle

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.