The Sober Sessions

The Sober Sessions Clean and sober since March 23, 2016. Every sunrise, a new chapter in this journey of overcoming addiction. I'm here to remind you, hope is never lost.
(2)

If you’ve got a pulse, you've got a shot at change. One step at a time, one victory after another. 💜

03/01/2025

What if God’s best answer to your prayer tonight is “no”?

Not “not yet.” Not “maybe later.” Just straight-up no.

What if the thing you’re begging Him to take away—the struggle, the pain, the unanswered questions—is actually exactly what needs to be there to shape you into the person you’re meant to be?

We love to ask for open doors. We pray for comfort, clarity, easy roads. But what if God’s greatest blessing isn’t in the “yes,” but in the closed doors?

What if the thing you’re fighting so hard to get rid of is the exact thing you need to go through? What if the struggle is the lesson? What if the pain is the tool?

Faith isn’t just about trusting when God gives you what you want. It’s about still believing when He doesn’t.

Because here’s the hard truth—you don’t see the whole picture. You don’t see the chain reaction, the ripple effect, the way every moment is connected to something bigger than you can even comprehend.

So what if this thing—this setback, this heartbreak, this challenge—isn’t the problem, but the preparation?

What if God is protecting you from something you don’t even know is coming? What if this “no” is the thing that saves you?

We don’t get to control the answers. But we do get to control our faith.

So if you’re sitting there, struggling, frustrated, wondering why your prayers aren’t being answered the way you want—trust that He knows something you don’t.

Sometimes, the greatest blessings come disguised as disappointments. And sometimes, the only way to see it… is to keep moving forward and trust the process.

"Your Purpose Isn’t to Gain the Approval of the World—It’s to Be a Light in It."Too many people waste their lives chasin...
03/01/2025

"Your Purpose Isn’t to Gain the Approval of the World—It’s to Be a Light in It."

Too many people waste their lives chasing approval. They shape-shift, water themselves down, and silence their truth just to be accepted. They want to fit in, be liked, be validated by people who wouldn’t even show up for them if everything fell apart.

That’s not your purpose. You weren’t put here to be agreeable. You weren’t meant to live small just so the world will pat you on the back. You were meant to stand out. To speak truth. To be a light in a world full of people too scared to shine.

And let’s be real—when you start living in your purpose, when you stop caring about approval, when you stand in your truth? Not everyone is gonna like it. Some will doubt you. Some will talk s**t. Some will try to dim your light because they’re too afraid to ignite their own.

Let them.

Because your purpose isn’t about them. It’s about impact. It’s about showing up fully, being real, and leaving the world better than you found it.

Stop chasing approval. Start chasing purpose. Because the moment you realize you don’t need validation? That’s the moment you become unstoppable.

03/01/2025

One step in faith is louder than a lifetime of doubt.

You can sit there, overanalyzing, second-guessing, waiting for the “perfect” moment. You can let doubt run the show, keep you stuck, keep you scared. And before you know it? Years have passed, and you haven’t moved an inch.

But faith? Faith is different. Faith isn’t having all the answers. Faith isn’t waiting until you feel “ready.” It’s stepping forward when everything in your head is screaming at you to stay put.

That one step? It shatters every excuse. It drowns out every insecurity. It proves that the voice in your head telling you, “you can’t,” “you’re not good enough,” “you’re gonna fail”—is full of s**t.

Here’s the truth—you don’t need the whole plan. You don’t need to know how it ends. You just need to take the damn step. And then another. And another.

Because the only way you ever change your life is by moving forward, even when you’re scared s**tless.

So stop waiting. Stop doubting. Stop letting your own mind keep you stuck. Take the step. The path will reveal itself when you do. 💜

"The Problem Was Never You—It Was the Power You Kept Giving Away."Read that again. Let it sink in.You weren’t the issue....
03/01/2025

"The Problem Was Never You—It Was the Power You Kept Giving Away."

Read that again. Let it sink in.

You weren’t the issue. You weren’t too much. You weren’t the villain. You weren’t the problem. What you were—was too giving. Too forgiving. Too willing to let people have access to you that didn’t deserve it.

You let people dictate your worth.
You let people walk in and out of your life like it was a revolving door.
You let their opinions shape how you saw yourself.

And without realizing it, you gave away your power. Your peace, your confidence, your ability to stand firm in who the f**k you are—you handed it over, little by little.

But here’s the truth: your power was never theirs to hold.

Take it back. Set boundaries and mean them. Stop letting unworthy hands carry your energy. Stop letting people who don’t even respect themselves have control over you.

You are the source. You are the power. And the second you stop giving it away, you’ll realize you were never the problem—just the solution waiting to happen.

"People Resist Change Because They Focus on What They’re Losing—Not What They’re Gaining."Change isn’t hard because it’s...
03/01/2025

"People Resist Change Because They Focus on What They’re Losing—Not What They’re Gaining."

Change isn’t hard because it’s impossible. It’s hard because people obsess over what they have to leave behind instead of what’s waiting for them on the other side.

They stay in toxic relationships because they’re scared to be alone.
They cling to bad habits because they don’t know who they are without them.
They avoid leveling up because it means letting go of people who don’t want to grow with them.

They see change as loss instead of evolution. As sacrifice instead of opportunity. They focus on the discomfort, the unknown, the temporary pain—instead of the freedom, the growth, the life that’s possible if they just had the guts to move forward.

But here’s the truth: everything you truly need is ahead of you, not behind you. If something falls away when you start changing, it was never meant to stay in your next chapter.

Shift your focus. Stop looking at what you’re losing and start seeing what you’re about to gain. Because that’s the difference between the people who stay stuck and the people who break through.

"You Know You're Done When You Feel Free—Not Lost."There’s a moment when you finally let go of something—a person, a hab...
03/01/2025

"You Know You're Done When You Feel Free—Not Lost."

There’s a moment when you finally let go of something—a person, a habit, a situation you swore you couldn’t live without—and instead of feeling broken, you feel weightless.

That’s when you know.

When there’s no second-guessing. No regret. No urge to go back. Just relief. Just clarity. Just peace you forgot even existed.

Because real loss? It doesn’t come from walking away. It comes from staying in something that’s draining the life out of you. It comes from forcing what no longer fits, holding onto s**t that’s already gone, clinging to something that’s been dead for a long time.

When you’re truly done, you don’t grieve it—you breathe.

"I Gave Everybody a Fair Chance—Before I Said F**k ‘Em."I don’t cut people off for no reason. I don’t move on from peopl...
03/01/2025

"I Gave Everybody a Fair Chance—Before I Said F**k ‘Em."

I don’t cut people off for no reason. I don’t move on from people without giving them the opportunity to show me who they really are. But once they do? That’s it. I don’t play that back-and-forth s**t.

I gave chances. I gave understanding. I gave patience. But what I won’t do is beg someone to be real, to be loyal, or to have basic respect. That’s not my job. That’s on them.

So when I finally say “f**k ‘em,” understand it’s not out of pettiness. It’s because I saw what I needed to see. I saw the half-assed effort. The fake love. The excuses. And I don’t have time for any of it.

I don’t hate you. I don’t wish you harm. I just don’t have space for people who aren’t solid. And I’m not losing sleep over it, either.

Fair chance given. Decision made. No second-guessing. Keep it moving.

"Be the Threat. Their Fear Ain’t Your Problem."Too many people walk through life shrinking themselves to make others com...
03/01/2025

"Be the Threat. Their Fear Ain’t Your Problem."

Too many people walk through life shrinking themselves to make others comfortable. They dim their light, soften their power, hold back who they really are—just so they don’t intimidate the weak.

F**k that.

Be the threat. If your presence, your confidence, your ambition makes them uncomfortable, that’s on them. If they feel small next to you, that’s their insecurity, not your problem. If they start doubting themselves when they see you moving different, that’s their wake-up call—not your burden.

You weren’t put here to play small. You weren’t built to be digestible, acceptable, or easy to handle. You were built to be strong, relentless, and unapologetically YOU.

So don’t shrink yourself. Don’t downplay your potential. Don’t hold back just to make people feel safe in their mediocrity.

Be the threat. Show up fully. Let them feel the weight of your presence—and if it bothers them? Good. Let them deal with it.

📖
03/01/2025

📖

03/01/2025

YOU DON’T CARE? YOU WILL WHEN IT’S YOU.

You ever notice how people don’t give a 'F' about something until it punches them in the mouth? Addiction? "Oh, just stop using." Depression? "Just think positive." Anxiety? "You’re being dramatic."

People love to downplay s**t they’ve never experienced. They sit on their high horse, looking down on others, acting like life could never touch them the same way.

Until it does.

One day, you’re gonna wake up, and life is gonna put you in the fire. Maybe it won’t be addiction. Maybe it won’t be mental illness. But something is gonna hit you so hard, so deep, that you’ll finally understand.

Maybe it’ll be your kid, and suddenly addiction won’t be so simple anymore.

Maybe it’ll be your brother, and now you’re the one begging for a second chance for him.

Maybe it’ll be you—waking up one day, looking in the mirror, and realizing you’re drowning.

And in that moment, you’ll remember all the times you brushed it off. All the times you mocked someone else’s struggle. All the times you thought it could never be your problem. And now? Now you’re desperate for someone to care.

Here’s the truth: Life has a way of humbling every single one of us. The people you look down on today? You might be in their shoes tomorrow.

So before you dismiss someone’s pain, before you act like sh*t like this could never happen to you—remember this post. Because the day will come when you finally get it.

And when it does, I hope someone cares about you more than you cared about them.

Much Love, Y'all 💜 Goodnight

"The Future Belongs to Those Who Risk It All for a Dream."Most people talk about what they want. Few are willing to suff...
03/01/2025

"The Future Belongs to Those Who Risk It All for a Dream."

Most people talk about what they want. Few are willing to suffer for it. That’s the difference. That’s what separates those who make it from those who spend their lives wishing they had.

Dreams don’t come to the cautious. They don’t show up for the ones who only move when it’s safe, who wait for the “right time,” who refuse to take the leap because they’re scared of what they might lose. If you’re not willing to risk something, you’ll never gain anything.

The future belongs to the ones who put it all on the line. The ones who bet on themselves when no one else will. The ones who take the punches, face the doubt, and keep going even when nothing is guaranteed.

If you’re waiting for certainty, you’ll wait forever. If you’re scared of failure, you’ll stay stuck. If you’re unwilling to risk comfort, security, or what’s familiar, you’ll never know what could’ve been.

Dream big. Move bold. Risk it all. Because the ones who go all in? They’re the ones who build a future worth living.

"Once You Master Your Internal Seas, No Wave Can Ever Throw You Off Balance."Look, life isn’t about avoiding storms. You...
03/01/2025

"Once You Master Your Internal Seas, No Wave Can Ever Throw You Off Balance."

Look, life isn’t about avoiding storms. You’re gonna get hit. You’re gonna take losses. You’re gonna have days that feel like the world is testing every ounce of patience and strength you’ve got. That’s life. You can’t control the waves. You can’t stop the chaos.

But what you can control? Yourself.

Most people? They get knocked around by every little thing. One bad day, one unexpected problem, one person saying the wrong s**t at the wrong time—and suddenly, they’re drowning. Overthinking, reacting emotionally, spiraling into stress and anxiety because they never learned to master their own emotions.

And that’s why they’re always unsteady. Always searching. Always feeling like life is pulling them under. Because they let external chaos dictate their internal state.

But when you learn to control your internal seas? When you stop letting outside bulls**t determine your peace? That’s when you become truly untouchable. The waves will still come. The storms will still hit. But they won’t move you. Because you’ve trained yourself to stand firm, no matter what the hell is going on around you.

That’s real strength.

It’s not about avoiding problems. It’s about knowing that no matter what happens—you’ll handle it.

So if you’re tired of feeling like life is tossing you around, it’s time to start working on the one thing you can control: YOU.

Master your emotions. Master your reactions. Master your mindset. Because once you do? No storm, no person, no situation will ever have power over you again.

Calm seas don’t make strong sailors. The ones who thrive are the ones who learn how to stand strong in the storm.

"The Four Natural Sanctuaries: Silence, Solitude, Stillness & Simplicity—Master These, and You’ll Be Untouchable."In a w...
02/28/2025

"The Four Natural Sanctuaries: Silence, Solitude, Stillness & Simplicity—Master These, and You’ll Be Untouchable."

In a world that never shuts the f**k up, these four things are rare as hell. Most people are terrified of silence, can’t handle solitude, avoid stillness, and complicate the simplest s**t just to feel busy. They need constant distractions, background noise, a screen in their face 24/7—because sitting alone with their own thoughts is too much to handle.

But if you want to actually elevate, think clearly, and stop living like a puppet to the chaos around you? You need to learn how to tap into these four sanctuaries.

1. Silence.

Because not everything needs a response. Most people talk just to hear themselves. The loudest ones are usually the weakest. The ones who always need the last word? They’re ruled by ego, not wisdom. Power is in silence. Control is in knowing when to shut the f**k up and let your actions do the talking.

2. Solitude.

Because if you can’t be alone, you don’t even know who you are. Most people surround themselves with noise and company not because they love it, but because they can’t stand to be alone with themselves. They rely on external validation, approval, constant stimulation. But real peace? It comes from knowing you don’t need anyone to complete you.

3. Stillness.

Because you can’t hear your own instincts if you’re always running from them. The best decisions, the real breakthroughs—they don’t come when you’re rushing through life, filling every second with noise. They come in stillness. In reflection. In giving your mind the space to process, instead of drowning it out with endless distractions.

4. Simplicity.

Because the more you let go, the freer you become. Most people complicate their own lives by holding onto s**t they don’t need—toxic people, pointless drama, ego-driven nonsense. But life is simple. You just have to be brave enough to strip it down to what actually matters.

The Bottom Line?

Master these four things, and you’ll have something most people will never experience—real peace. Because the strongest people aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones who don’t need the noise.

02/28/2025

SLEEP WON’T FIX A TIRED SOUL.

You ever wake up after a full night’s sleep and still feel drained? Like no matter how much rest you get, you’re still exhausted in a way that coffee, naps, or "taking it easy" won’t fix?

That’s not physical exhaustion. That’s your soul screaming at you.

Maybe it’s the weight of regret. The pain of past mistakes. The exhaustion of living a life that doesn’t align with who you really are. Maybe it’s the people around you—the ones draining your energy instead of fueling it. Maybe it’s the fight of trying to break cycles, escape addiction, or prove to the world (and yourself) that you’re more than your past.

And that kind of exhaustion? It doesn’t go away with sleep.

It goes away when you start choosing yourself. When you cut out the sh*t that’s been holding you down. When you stop carrying weight that was never yours to hold. When you finally step into the life you were meant to live—not the one you settled for.

So if you’re tired in your soul, ask yourself: What am I still holding onto? What’s draining me? What do I need to let go of?

Because no amount of sleep will fix a soul that’s suffocating. Only you can. 🙏💜

"If You’re Interested, You’ll Do What’s Convenient. If You’re Committed, You’ll Do Whatever the Hell It Takes."There’s a...
02/28/2025

"If You’re Interested, You’ll Do What’s Convenient. If You’re Committed, You’ll Do Whatever the Hell It Takes."

There’s a massive difference between wanting something and being willing to do what’s necessary to get it.

Interested people? They talk a lot. They get excited. They make plans. They show up when it’s easy, when it fits into their schedule, when they feel motivated. But the second it gets hard? They fold. They start making excuses. They let life get in the way. They convince themselves that maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. They love the idea of success, but they’re not willing to suffer for it.

Committed people? Different breed. They don’t wait for motivation. They don’t half-ass it. They don’t negotiate with excuses. They wake up tired, sore, drained, overwhelmed—and they show up anyway. They sacrifice sleep, comfort, distractions, relationships—whatever the hell it takes to get where they’re going.

Because they’re not just interested, they’re obsessed. They’re not looking for the easy route, they’re looking for the real one. They don’t care how long it takes or how hard it gets. They’re locked in.

And that’s the difference between the people who make it and the ones who sit around wondering why their life never changed.

So be honest with yourself—are you just interested in a better life, or are you actually willing to suffer for it?

"Stop Trying to Prove Yourself—That’s When Life Gets Peaceful."You know what’s exhausting? Trying to convince people of ...
02/28/2025

"Stop Trying to Prove Yourself—That’s When Life Gets Peaceful."

You know what’s exhausting? Trying to convince people of who you are. Arguing with people who already made up their minds about you. Trying to prove your worth to people who were never going to respect it in the first place.

Let them talk. Let them assume. Let them misunderstand you. That’s their burden, not yours.

The day you stop explaining yourself is the day you find real peace. Because truth is, people are gonna believe whatever the hell they want to believe—no matter what you say, no matter what you do. You could lay out every fact, every receipt, every ounce of truth, and guess what? If they’re committed to misunderstanding you, they will.

So why waste your energy? Why argue with people who don’t matter? Why lose sleep over opinions that have nothing to do with your reality?

The second you stop playing that game, your whole life changes. No more proving, no more defending, no more draining yourself over people who don’t deserve your time. That’s real freedom.

Let them talk. Let them think what they want. Let them be wrong about you. It has nothing to do with you. And it never did.

Day 30 of the 30-Day Sobriety Challenge: The Science Behind Willpower
02/28/2025

Day 30 of the 30-Day Sobriety Challenge: The Science Behind Willpower

02/28/2025

If you would’ve told me 10 years ago that I’d be a father of two, I probably would’ve laughed in your face.

Back then, I was set on never having kids. And I was fine with that. I wasn’t the “kid type.” I didn’t see myself as a father, didn’t have the urge, didn’t think it was in the cards for me. I figured that life just wasn’t meant for me.

But life has a way of proving you wrong. God doesn’t put you in situations to ruin you—He puts you in them to grow you.

Now, I look at these two little humans, and I realize how much of a blessing they are. How much they’ve changed me—not just as a man, but as a father. They’ve given me a purpose I never saw coming. They made me better.

And through it all, I’ve learned something that I think a lot of people forget…

CHILDREN DO NOT CARE ABOUT:

Child support payments.

Who paid for what.

Designer clothes and name-brand shoes.

Who was married to who.

Your feelings about their other parent’s new partner.

Why the adults don’t get along.

Money sent or spent.

CHILDREN CARE ABOUT:

Who shows up to pick them up from school.

Who takes them to practice.

Who makes them dinner.

Who they hear yelling proudly from the stands.

Who is at their concerts and games.

Who stayed up ‘til 2 AM helping with a project.

Who shows up for their birthday.

Time spent.

That’s what kids remember. Not the money. Not the drama. The involvement. The interaction. The love they actually feel.

At the end of the day, children spell love T-I-M-E. If you want them to feel it, you have to show up.

Everything else? Just noise. 💜

j. anthony

Address

Boston, MA

Telephone

+18006624357

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Sober Sessions posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Sober Sessions:

Videos

Take Care of Yourself—You Get One Life. Don’t Waste It. This is it. One shot. One chance. No do-overs. No rewinds. Once your time is up, that’s it—story’s done, book closed, end of the line. So let me ask you something—are you living like that? Are you treating your time, your body, your mind, your soul like they actually f**king matter? Or are you just drifting, wasting days, running from yourself, drowning in the same old cycles, pretending like you’ve got forever? Because you don’t. No one’s coming to save you. No one’s going to force you to take care of your health, your peace, your purpose. No one’s going to stop you from running yourself into the ground—they’ll just watch. And when it’s all said and done, you’ll either be proud of the life you built, or you’ll be standing there full of regrets, realizing too late that you wasted the only shot you had. Your body? You only get one. Treat it like it f**king matters. Your mind? You only get one. Protect it. Feed it. Strengthen it. Your time? Once it’s gone, you’re never getting it back. Move like you understand that. You don’t have forever. Stop playing like you do. Make this life mean something. Before the clock runs out. j. anthony #RealTalk #OneLife #NoRewinds #TheSoberSessions #StayRelentless #HardTruths #MakeItCount

Sometimes life doesn’t just hit you—it drops you. And before you even get the chance to catch your breath, it comes back and hits you again. Back to back. No warning. No mercy. It’ll gut you. Test you. Make you question everything. Why me? How much more can I take? When does it stop? But here’s the brutal truth—it doesn’t. Life doesn’t slow down for anyone. It doesn’t care how tired you are, how much you’ve already been through, or how badly you just want a break. But you know what? You’ve survived every single hit so far. Every storm, every rock bottom, every moment you swore you couldn’t take another step—you made it through. Maybe you crawled, maybe you barely held on, but you’re still here. And if that doesn’t prove how strong you are, I don’t know what does. So when life comes swinging again—stand the f**k up. Take the hit, shake it off, and keep moving. Because you’re not built to stay down. You’re built to rise. Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever. Keep fighting. Keep pushing. Keep proving life wrong. 💜 – j. anthony

Recovery Ain’t All Rainbows and Puppy Dogs—It’s a War. Just Don’t Let the Bad Days Win. People love to paint this pretty picture of recovery—like it’s all peace, clarity, and feeling ‘so much better’ every day. Like once you get clean, life just magically falls into place. That’s bullsh*t. Recovery is raw. It’s messy. It’s a rollercoaster of highs and lows, wins and relapses, clarity and chaos. It’s waking up some days feeling unstoppable and waking up other days wondering if you can make it through the next hour. There will be moments where you question why you’re even doing this. Moments where your old life starts whispering, telling you it wasn’t “that bad.” Moments where everything feels so damn heavy, you start thinking, Wouldn’t it be easier just to escape again? That’s when the real fight begins. Because recovery isn’t about never having bad days. It’s about not letting them win. It’s about standing firm when the cravings hit, when the emotions get too loud, when the loneliness creeps in. It’s about reminding yourself, even on your worst f**king day, that going back is NOT an option. The good days will come. The peace will come. The moments of gratitude and clarity will come. But only if you keep pushing through the bad ones. Only if you refuse to let the darkness pull you back. So when those bad days hit, when the storm feels like too much—stand your ground. Claw your way through. Take it one minute at a time if you have to. Just don’t let them f**king win. You’ve come too far to throw it all away now. 💜 • j. anthony • #RealTalk #RecoveryIsWar #DontLetTheBadDaysWin #StayRelentless #TheSoberSessions #HardTruths #OneDayAtATime

Rule #61: Who checked on you today? Exactly. Take care of yourself. Let’s be real—most people don’t check in unless they need something. You spend so much time worrying about others, being there, showing up, holding sh*t down, and keeping everything together—but when you finally hit empty, who the f**k is filling you back up? Nobody’s coming to save you. That’s not me being negative, that’s just the cold, hard truth. Most people are too wrapped up in their own lives to give a damn about what you’re going through. They’ll take what you give, soak up your energy, lean on you when they need it—but when it’s your turn? Silence. And that’s why you have to take care of yourself. Stop waiting for the same energy you put out. It’s not coming. Stop expecting people to check in on you just because you checked in on them. You are your own responsibility. Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival. If you don’t put yourself first, nobody else will. And if you keep pouring from an empty cup, don’t be surprised when there’s nothing left of you. So take care of yourself. Set boundaries. Protect your peace. Move like your well-being depends on it—because it does. At the end of the day, you’ve got YOU. And that better be enough. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule61 #TakeCareOfYou #TheSoberSessions #StayRelentless #HardTruths #ProtectYourPeace #NoOneIsComing

Rule #60: Always be prepared for disloyal sh*t. No matter how real you are, someone will snake you. That’s not paranoia—that’s reality. Loyalty is rare. Most people are only solid until it’s inconvenient. They’ll smile in your face, eat at your table, and the second they think they can gain more somewhere else? They’re gone. Some won’t even leave quietly—they’ll run their mouth, spin stories, act like they weren’t riding your wave the whole time. Don’t ignore the signs. Watch who moves funny when things get real. Watch who starts acting different when they don’t need you anymore. Loyalty isn’t proven in comfort—it’s tested when sh*t hits the fan. So be ready. Move accordingly. Keep your circle tight. And when someone folds? Don’t ask why—just cut them the f**k off and keep going. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule60 #LoyaltyIsRare #MoveSmart #CutEmOff #TheSoberSessions #StayRelentless #HardTruths

Rule #59: You will always win when you move with love and genuine intentions. Always. No gimmicks. No games. No bullsh*t. Just real, pure intention. When you move from a place of love and authenticity, you’re untouchable. People can doubt you, talk behind your back, even try to take you down—but they’ll never have power over you. Love and truth win every time. Not always immediately, but in the long run, they’ll never lose. Genuine energy can’t be faked, and people feel it. It builds respect, creates real connections, and leaves a mark that lasts longer than any quick win ever could. Move with love. Move with purpose. The ones who get it will stay, and the ones who don’t? They were never meant to be part of your journey anyway. No shortcuts. No pretending. Just real energy and real wins. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule59 #MoveWithLove #GenuineIntentions #BuiltDifferent #StayRelentless #TheSoberSessions #HardTruths #AuthenticityWins

Rule #58: You’re never going to find peace in an environment you’re not meant to be in. That’s how you know. That tension in your chest? That heavy feeling in your gut that no matter what you do, it’s not enough? It’s not because you’re weak or failing—it’s because you’re in the wrong f**king place. You can hustle harder, grind longer, fake a smile, and tell yourself it’ll work out. It won’t. Peace doesn’t live where you don’t belong. It will chew you up, break you down, and leave you empty every damn time. That discomfort? It’s not random—it’s a signal. The universe is giving you every warning possible, telling you to get the hell out. But you’ve been ignoring it, forcing yourself to stay where you know deep down you don’t fit. Stop forcing it. Stop trying to find peace in a place that’s killing you. Trust that feeling. Move. Go where you belong. That’s where the peace you’ve been chasing is waiting. You’re never gonna thrive in the wrong place. Get out and find where you’re meant to be. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule58 #TrustTheFeeling #ProtectYourPeace #BuiltDifferent #NoMoreForcingIt #StayRelentless #TheSoberSessions #HardTruths

Rule #57: Learn to be quiet when you’re disrespected. Not every insult deserves your energy. Most people talk just to provoke a reaction, to drag you into their chaos. They want you to blow up, to defend yourself, to step out of your lane so they can feel in control. Don’t take the bait. Silence isn’t weakness—it’s a power move. You’re not playing their game. You’re not wasting your breath on people who aren’t even in the same weight class as you. When you stay quiet, it messes with their head. It leaves them drowning in their own noise while you stay focused and keep building. Being quiet when you’re disrespected? That’s strength. That’s knowing who the hell you are and realizing you don’t need to explain it to anyone. Trust me—silence hits harder than any comeback ever will. Let them talk sh*t. Their words won’t stop your momentum. While they’re making noise, you’re moving in silence and stacking wins. Stay focused. Stay relentless. And protect your peace at all costs. Silence? That’s the real flex. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule57 #SilenceIsPower #StayDangerous #ProtectYourEnergy #StayRelentless #TheSoberSessions #HardTruths

Rule #56: Your normal day is someone else’s dream. Let that sink in for a second. The life you call “ordinary”? Somebody out there is praying for it. The job you can’t stand, the house that feels too small, the family that drives you crazy—that’s someone else’s fantasy. While you’re focused on what’s missing, someone’s out there just wishing they had your problems. Wishing they had your security, your health, your people, your second chances. Perspective is everything. We’re all guilty of getting lost in the grind and forgetting how good we really have it. But gratitude isn’t weakness. It’s a weapon. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you from turning molehills into mountains. It reminds you that your “bad day” would be the best day some people ever had. I’m not saying you shouldn’t want more. Hell yeah, push for better. But don’t forget to appreciate what you’ve already got while you’re chasing what’s next. That’s where balance lives. Your normal life is a gift. Don’t sleep on it. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule56 #PerspectiveShift #GratitudeIsPower #StayGrounded #BlessingsInDisguise #HardTruths #LifeIsAWin #TheSoberSessions

Rule #55: Whatever it is you’re going through… walk through it with power. I’m not saying act like it’s easy. Life will knock you on your ass—sometimes out of nowhere. You’ll feel lost, confused, maybe even broken. But here’s the deal—you’ve got two choices. You can crawl through it, hoping it passes, hoping it doesn’t break you worse than it already has. Or you can square up, take a deep breath, and walk straight into that storm like you own it. It’s not about pretending you’re not scared. It’s about refusing to let that fear stop you. You’ve been here before. Maybe not this exact battle, but you’ve felt that weight, that darkness, and you made it through. That’s proof enough that you can do it again. Walk through it with power, not because you feel strong, but because you know you’re stronger than whatever’s trying to break you. The goal isn’t to be untouched—the goal is to come out on the other side standing tall, knowing you didn’t back down. You’ve got that power in you. It’s already there. You just need to remember who the hell you are. Face it. Own it. Walk through it like you were built for it—because you were. j. anthony #RealTalk #Rule55 #WalkWithPower #BuiltForTheBattle #FaceTheStorm #StayRelentless #Unbreakable #HardTruths #KeepFighting #TheSoberSessions

Rule #54: Take care of this version of yourself. Seriously—take care of it. You fought like hell to get here. I’m not talking about some light struggle; I’m talking about real battles. The kind that breaks people. The nights you thought you were done. The mornings you looked in the mirror and hated what you saw. The endless cycle of saying, "Never again," and somehow finding yourself right back where you started. But here’s the thing—you didn’t quit. You kept showing up. Even when you were tired. Even when every part of you wanted to give up, you kept pushing forward. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t Instagram-worthy. It was raw, painful, and messy. But that’s what it takes to rebuild yourself from the ground up. Now, you’re here. You made it to the other side, and that version of you? It’s a badass. It’s strong, it’s resilient, and it’s proof that no matter how hard life tried to bury you, it couldn’t. You came back swinging. But listen… this version of you is fragile if you don’t protect it. It’s not bulletproof. The world will still test you, and the past will always try to whisper lies in your ear. But now you’ve got tools. You’ve got strength. You’ve got clarity. Feed that version with good people, real conversations, hard truths, and things that fuel your growth. Cut out the nonsense. Protect your peace at all costs. Don’t trade your progress for temporary garbage. You fought too hard to build this version of yourself—don’t let it slip through your fingers. Stay sharp. Stay grounded. And protect the version of yourself you worked so damn hard to become. j. anthony #KeepFighting #MentalFortress #Resilience #AddictionRecovery #ProtectYourPeace #NoExcuses #SoberLiving #GrowthMindset #OneDayAtATime #StayStrong #RealTalk #HardFoughtVictory #SelfMastery #StayStrong #TheSoberSessions

Today, I witnessed something powerful. My wife Meagan made the decision to get baptized again—stepping into the water, fully declaring her love and dedication to her Lord and Savior. This wasn’t just a symbolic moment. It was raw. Real. A bold statement of her faith and the next step in her journey. I know how much this means to her, how deeply it’s tied to her story, her struggles, her victories, and the strength she’s found in her belief. To see her take that step with full conviction hit me harder than I expected. She’s stood by me through some dark moments, lifting me up when I didn’t deserve it, walking with me as I continue to rebuilt my life piece by piece. And today, I got to stand by her, witnessing her reclaim something powerful in her life. With her permission, we wanted to share this moment. A reminder that God’s grace is bigger than anything we’ve been through. He’s not just good sometimes. He’s good all the time. Even when life doesn’t make sense. This is proof that it’s never too late to grow, to change, to rise again. Love Y'all 💜 Stay blessed and remember—you’re never alone in the storm.

Shortcuts

Share

Category