Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Curiel.
Hi Michelle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was active in alcoholism and drug addiction for 25 years. I was addicted to marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, crack, IV heroin, IV meth & various prescription medications. At the age of 14, I chose to run into the arms of drug addiction as a way to silence my intuitive gifts. I have always been a very energetically sensitive being. I could tell if someone had a disease with my sense of smell. I could feel people’s physical and emotional pain as if it was my own. When I walked into a room, I could sense if someone had just passed away & earthbound spirits would start communicating with me. It was a very overwhelming experience. I felt alone & I always felt like my senses were on overdrive. It was like a switch flipped & I was free from these extra sensory abilities. I felt like I could finally breathe. So the first time I drank alcohol & used drugs, I realized that my spiritual gifts were completely shut off. So I continued to use drugs and alcohol for 25 years.
My life was manageable for the first 15 years. I worked—paid bills had relationships & hid my addiction. Then at the age of 29, I was introduced to heroin. That is when my life took a turn for the worse. I had never felt so controlled by a substance. I felt like a dog being pulled on a leash by my owner, and heroin was my master. My life became chaotic very quickly. I began to steal & manipulate everyone around me. I lost the trust of my family, and I didn’t have any friends. I sold the keys to my apartment in exchange for drugs & ended up living on a trap house floor. One day my vehicle didn’t start & I was dope sick. I needed drugs but didn’t have the strength to walk to the bus stop. So I reluctantly called my mom & she picked me up. She took me to their home & made arrangements for me to get help. 12 rehabs later. God knows how many psych ward visits. 3 + fentanyl overdoses & who knows how many sober living homes. I finally got sober. I made the conscious decision not to take this addiction into my 40s. The drugs & alcohol stopped working. My family loved me but said I wasn’t allowed back in their home. So for the first time in my life, I had to move forward alone. That boundary my parents set saved my life. I was accepted to rehab in Austin, Texas, and on 8/8/2019, I got sober. That rehab took us to a 12-step meeting. Nothing could get me sober before the 12 steps. The 12 steps taught me how to turn my will & life over to the care of a higher power. I learned how to take responsibility for my life.
I learned how to forgive myself, and forgive others without reservation. I learned to identify the root cause of my suffering, fears, and resentments. I learned to meditate & pray. Now I have been sober for 3 years and 3 months. About 2 years into my sobriety, I started a youtube channel. My sponsor told me, “Michelle, if you can’t teach the 12 steps to other people that are getting sober, then you won’t stay sober.” That scared me, so I created a channel because learning to teach the steps was a life-or-death errand. Then the comments & subscribers started rolling in. People resonate with my story. They were appreciative of my vulnerability & honesty. They needed clarity regarding the steps & I was happy to create content to help them stay sober.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Sobriety has not been a smooth road. There have been many challenges along the way. Due to arrested development, I have felt like a teenager at times. I have to learn how to be a sober adult. I didn’t know how to work sober. Or have sober conversations. I didn’t know how to be honest, open-minded, or willing to help others. Before sobriety, I did not know what it was like to be mindful of how to be present in my life or the life of others. I realized that when I chose to tap out and run into the arms of addiction at the age of 14, I was postponing the inevitable. What I mean by that is I was going to have to face life at some point & accept my true nature. Now I choose to use my spiritual gifts to help others. I have had to face a lot of self-doubts; I have learned to be aware of limiting beliefs & automatic self-talk. I have learned to speak to my inner child with compassion, love & acceptance. I have known not to be so rigid & I have become playful & creative. I have realized that my intuitive abilities are gifts & not curses. Now I help those on this sobriety/ spiritual path.
Let’s switch gears a bit. What should we know about what you do?
I have a YouTube channel that was created to be a service to those that are in the darkness of addiction. I want People that are in stuck in addiction to know that there is a way out. I do many forms of service work, but my primary platform is located on YouTube. My YouTube channel is called “The Sobriety Playbook.”
I hope people develop game changing awareness so that they can transcend their spiritual amnesia. And realize the self. I specialize in making sobriety/spiritual content; I show people how to integrate sobriety and spirituality. I also make motivational videos on personal development (mindfulness/meditation/prayer/awareness) and spiritual gifts, such as empaths, channeling, and Telepathy.
I have realized that I came to earth and forgot my true nature. I am a limitless being with many gifts to share with the world. But for 25 years, I identified with the false self- the addict. Now I help guide people out of addiction, and into their divine nature and unlimited potential.
I am most proud of my diligence and resilience. I had many doubts cast upon me when I started this YouTube project. But intuitively, I knew my struggles would help people transmute their pain into wisdom. I knew I needed to trust my inner locus of control and dismiss all outside influences. I am proud that I have finally been able to trust myself.
What sets me apart from others is my vulnerability and transparency. My ability to be honest, I am an open book. I have no shame or guilt about my past. I am on earth to share my wisdom and help others without reservation. I do not get paid to make Content. I do it out of love. I have a big heart that feels others pain and I will ameliorate as much suffering in the world as possible. I am here to teach those that are ready to learn.
What do you like best about our city?
I moved here from Austin in January 2022 after being away from San Antonio for three years, so I’m still exploring the city. What I like most about the city are the people. I have had the pleasure of meeting entrepreneurs, directors, Content creators, photographers, athletes & motivational speakers. I love that the city is full of so many creative individuals.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/thesobrietyplaybook
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSobrietyPlaybook
- Other: https://linktr.ee/thesobrietyplaybook
Image Credits
Joey Curiel : headshot photo
