Nov. 2 (UPI) — Jessica Simpson is celebrating her fourth year of sobriety.
The 41-year-old singer and fashion designer marked the occasion Monday by sharing an “unrecognizable” photo of herself from 2017 and reflecting on her journey.
“This person in the early morning of Nov 1, 2017 is an unrecognizable version of myself. I had so much self discovery to unlock and explore,” Simpson captioned the post. “I knew in this very moment I would allow myself to take back my light, show victory over my internal battle of self respect, and brave this world with piercing clarity.”
“Personally, to do this I needed to stop drinking alcohol because it kept my mind and heart circling in the same direction and quite honestly I was exhausted. I wanted to feel the pain so I could carry it like a badge of honor,” she said. “I wanted to live as a leader does and break cycles to advance forward- never looking back with regret and remorse over any choice I have made and would make for the rest of my time here within this beautiful world.”
Simpson said she “can’t believe” it has been four years since she got sober and celebrated the work she’s done on herself since.
“The real work that needed to be done in my life was to actually accept failure, pain, brokenness, and self sabotage. The drinking wasn’t the issue. I was,” the star said. “I didn’t love myself. I didn’t respect my own power. Today I do.”
“I have made nice with the fears and I have accepted the parts of my life that are just sad. I own my personal power with soulful courage. I am wildly honest and comfortably open. I am free,” she concluded.
Actress Diane Keaton, comedian Chelsea Handler and television personality Kyle Richards were among those to show support for Simpson in the comments.
Simpson detailed her struggle with alcohol and drugs and her past sexual abuse in her memoir, Open Book, released in March.
Simpson previously said on Good Morning America that her husband, Eric Johnson, supported her as she revisited journal entries and attended therapy while writing the memoir.
“Through the process of getting sober and stopping all the drinking, I really wanted to go back to my childhood. I wanted to go back to who I was and rediscover that person, and who I am now,” Simpson said.
“He really just nurtured my character along the way,” she added of Johnson. “After every therapy session I would have and the journal entries I would go through, I would share with him. It just ended up becoming a memoir.”
Simpson and Johnson married in July 2014 and have three children, son Ace, 8, and daughters Maxwell, 9, and Birdie, 2.