Cheryl Burke Shares Heartfelt Message About Her Sobriety Journey
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Former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Cheryl Burke took to Instagram on Sunday to share a heartfelt message reflecting on her sobriety journey, which began five years ago. Burke wrote that she has a “newfound purpose” as she enters her sixth sober year.
Cheryl Burke Reflects on Her Sobriety Journey
“The interesting thing about sobriety is that it’s not always a perpendicular path of progression & like most things in life it comes with rough patches,” Burke wrote in her new post, which was accompanied by a fresh-faced selfie.
The dancer went on to write that, since becoming sober, she has “more awareness around each struggle.” That includes “seeing people for who they are (the good, the bad, & the ugly).” She added that now “there is no option of numbing through alcohol, gaslighting myself, or running away from the situation.”
“Instead of judging myself today I can say that I’m actually grateful for how I handled everything that unfolded in front of me as my body, mind & soul were just protecting me,” Burke wrote. “Until I can forgive myself, I cannot forgive anybody else. Similarly, until I can love myself, I can’t love anyone else.”
Burke wrote that she doesn’t want to “hold onto any heavy, resentment or anger towards anyone, especially myself moving forward.”
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Burke Admits She Thinks About Drinking
Burke continued her reflection in the post’s comments, admitting, “To say this journey has been easy would be a complete lie. Have I always wanted to stay sober and never thought about drinking? Of course not.”
The dancer explained that she’s “faced some very difficult years,” adding that the “idea of having a drink to disassociate from myself has crossed my mind quite a few times this last year.”
“But I know where that takes me, and I know that drinking always made my problems worsen,” Burke wrote. “Overall, I have a life and developing relationship with self that I didn’t know could exist before. And I owe that to God and to my recovery.”
Burke ended her post by encouraging anyone who has thought about sobriety to “see what it can do for you.” She thanked her followers “for sticking by my side these last 5 years.”
