Jessica Simpson has shared a photo celebrating eight years of sobriety, along with a heartfelt message.
The singer and actress previously posted snaps to commemorate surpassing the four and six-year marks, saying in a post for the former that she had 'so much self discovery to unlock and explore', alongside a picture of herself in the midst of her struggle with the drink.
Speaking in 2021, Simpson admitted: "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 honour."
The 45-year-old has been quite open about her experience getting sober and has now marked eight years by spreading a message of inspiration for those looking to quit the habit, claiming that drinking 'blocked her dreams'.
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The 'I Wanna Love You Forever' hitmaker posted a smiling selfie on Instagram on Saturday (1 November) to celebrate the milestone, writing: "8 years ago today I made the choice to confront, to confess and to let go of the self sabotaging parts of my life that I was choosing.
"Making that decision allowed me to fully live in the pursuit of Gods purpose for my life. Alcohol silenced my intuition, blocked my dreams and chased my circulating fears of complacency."
Simpson said that she is 'driven by faith' today and that she 'chose faith over fear', concluding: "It was not in the fight that I found my strength, it was in the surrender."
She could be seen beaming in the social media post, with numerous fans showing support for the That '70s Show star.
Simpson admitted in her 2020 memoir, Open Book, that she chose to quit drinking after her state stopped her from dressing her children for Halloween that year, with the mum-of-three writing: “I was terrified of letting them see me in that shape.
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“I am ashamed to say that I don’t know who got them into their costumes that night.”
Speaking to People Magazine in February, Simpson revealed that her sobriety helped with her songwriting as she was making a return to music after years out of the industry.
She recalled: “The moment I started drinking too much was when I started writing music in 2016 and it was making me go to places and feel sorry for myself.”
She noted that she's 'so much more honest without alcohol', and that she believes herself so much more, adding: “I personally feel like it made my emotions quiet. Instead of addressing them, dealing with them and getting through it, I was just letting them be.”
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Simpson also recently divorced ex-husband and former American football player Eric Johnson after 10 years together, admitting that she has been dating younger men since.
The artist released album the Nashville Canyon Pt. 2 in September, following up the release of Pt. 1 six months prior, as part of her official return to music.
Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.
Joshua Nair