Episode 4: Is It Too Soon to Make a Big Change?
February 19, 2026
In this episode of Dear Vernon, Laura McKowen and Eric Johnson take on a question almost everyone faces: Is it okay to make a big life change in early sobriety?
Specifically, the question they’re addressing in the episode is: “I’m two months sober, and I hate my job. I’ve been told not to make big life changes in the first year…So am I stuck here for 10 more months?”
There’s a lot of guidance out there about no major changes in the first 12 months of sobriety.
But is that a rule? A myth? A suggestion?
And what do you do when something in your life is, or feels, unbearable to keep the same for a year or longer?
Laura and Eric chat about:
Why early sobriety can feel wildly dysregulating
Where the “wait a year” guidance actually comes from
The difference between leaving from clarity vs. leaving from chaos
Trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) and how they show up in big decisions
The temptation to “blow it up” when feelings get uncomfortable
Why “wherever you go, there you are” matters more than you think
How to know if something is truly toxic vs. just uncomfortable
Why you shouldn’t make these decisions alone
Sobriety doesn’t mean you stay miserable, but it also doesn’t mean every uncomfortable feeling requires an exit strategy. This conversation is about how to discern between the two.
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