From Rock Bottom to Radiance My Journey Through Sobriety, Self-Love & the SHINE Within
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
By Gina Kunadian
There was a moment in my life where everything changed - and I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the moment that saved me. I was lying in a hospital bed, my body in agony, my spirit barely hanging on. The diagnosis? Alcohol-induced pancreatitis. The doctor looked at me and said, “If you keep drinking, you might not survive the next time.” I had heard warnings before, but this time pierced something deeper. I was 35, a mother of two young boys… and completely lost inside.
I had been using alcohol to numb emotional pain I didn’t know how to process. Childhood trauma, silent wounds, the crushing pressure to be perfect - it all lived inside me. Outwardly, I wore a mask: strong, funny, high-achieving. But inside? I was unraveling. That hospital bed became my breaking point - but also my breakthrough. I didn’t want to just survive anymore. I wanted to live. Fully, freely, and unapologetically.
My healing didn’t come through the traditional 12-step path. Instead, I created my own - rooted in radical self-love, divine connection, and personal responsibility. I call it the SHINE Process:
Sobriety, Healing, Inspiration, Nurturing, Empowerment.
It became my map back to myself. I started reparenting my inner child, nourishing my body with love, releasing shame, and surrounding myself with people who truly saw me. I began sharing my truth - on stages, in women’s circles, and on my podcast, Shine Within. Every time I spoke, I felt another layer of shame fall away. My pain had become my purpose.
What does it mean to be unstoppable?
Before, I thought it meant hustling through exhaustion, never asking for help, always proving my worth. I thought being unstoppable looked like pushing harder - even when I was breaking. Now? It means knowing when to pause. It means honoring my nervous system, trusting my intuition, and choosing sobriety and alignment over perfection. It means rising without rushing, leading without losing myself, and healing in public so other women feel less alone.
To the version of me who almost gave up, I would say:
“You’re not broken. You’re breaking open.”
I would hold her and tell her she doesn’t have to carry the weight of guilt and shame. That one day, her story will help other women rise. I would whisper:
“The darkness you’re in is temporary, but the light you carry is eternal. Stay. Your future self is waiting.”
Today, I am a coach, a TEDx speaker, and the host of a global podcast - but more importantly, I am free. I am sober. I am whole. And I am committed to walking beside women who are ready to trade pain for power, and shame for self-love.
Because when we shine from within, we don’t just light our own path - we become a beacon for others.
Connect With Gina
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