That's a difficult component for sure. I carried a lot of shame and guilt, certainly, for a lot of the things I had done. The types of things I did to survive and to feed my addiction were things I never thought I'd be capable of doing. A lot of people got hurt. I did a lot of theft and that kind of thing. You really feel as if once you've gotten to that point, there's no coming back for you now. I saw all the time I spent in jail and all the things I did. You get this view that you're not worth it anymore.
If I can instill anything in anyone, it's that if somebody like me who did all the things I did can find their way back again and not just live a life that's sober but live a meaningful one—I'm involved in my community and make life better for other people—there's hope for everyone. Just keep trying. You're worth it.