The Ritual of Recovery: The Origin Story of Ritual Reform
Nine years ago I quit drinking, and that day became the true beginning of my life. Every year since, I’ve celebrated not just sobriety, but the life it has allowed me to build; the pride of resilience, the grounding humility of surrender, and the overwhelming gratitude for those who supported me in those early, fragile days.
Physical sobriety can happen quickly, but Recovery is built slowly and intentionally. It’s about the rituals you create, what you choose to hold dear, what you learn to accept, and what you’re willing to release. It’s about setting your sights on a greater truth and showing up for it with consistent effort. The ritual of recovery is grounding; it’s how you create order from chaos and learn to feel at home within yourself.
In my earliest days of recovery, I ritualized the basics: drinking water, eating regular meals, and making my bed before doing anything else. I lived by the motto, “suit up and show up” no matter what. I ritualized exercise by setting training goals—climbing stadium steps, hiking long trails, running city hills, and surrendering to the XFormer—breathing, sweating, and moving my body as I sorted my thoughts and reached toward that greater truth.
I let the tears fall. I reconnected with my body. I prioritized spending time with a healthy, like-minded community. And I built a new foundation by ritualizing my most basic needs before anything else. Recovery was as painful as it was magical, and those days were tender and raw. I am so damn proud of that girl; for her vulnerability, her determination, and her courage to begin again.
When I opened our first little reformer studio on Main Street, naming it Ritual Reform was both obvious and deeply personal. It brings me immense joy to see your names on the schedule, day after day, suiting up and showing up with that same humility and determination. I love the community of strong, healthy women who gather here. I love the laughter and the chatter before and after class. And I love witnessing the effort, heart, and grit you pour into your own journeys.
So today, I simply want to say thank you.
Thank you for suiting up and showing up for this beautiful community we are building together.
Thank you for offering the humility it takes to try something new.
Thank you for your vulnerability and your determination.
Thank you for being part of the Ritual.
-Sarah