By Kayla DeKraker
Neal McDonough knows why it’s important to be the best version of “you” every day, and giving up alcohol helped him achieve that goal.
“I’m a pretty simple guy. I’m not a political guy. I’m not that kind of guy. My agenda is, how can I be the best version of me every day? What I do today to be the best version of me,” he told Fox News in a recent interview.
“Whatever you do in life, it’s your mental state. What do you want to be? What kind of person you want to be for Him [God]? What kind of person you want to be for your wife or your kids?” he asked.
McDonough acknowledged that we all have struggles, but giving ourselves grace allows us to grow.
“We’re all idiots at times. We’re all sinners. We all do stupid stuff. But it’s forgiving yourself. Once you start to forgive yourself for your flaws say, ‘Okay, I’ve got some flaws.’”
Mark 11:25 says “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Just as we need to forgive others, we need to forgive ourselves as well. The actor described a personal moment when he learned this lesson.
“Years ago, I had a problem with alcohol. I had to stop drinking alcohol to actually fall in love with Neal McDonough again,” he said.
Once he stopped drinking, McDonough explained that “all that energy now is geared towards, ‘Okay, I’m all by myself right now. I’m not leaning on the crutch that I usually do. There’s a lot of extra time with me. I may not like me very much right now, but at some point, I’m going to figure out how to fall in love with myself again.’”
He continued, “And that’s what I did when I gave up drinking, I started to actually like me again. I forgot how blessed I am and all the gifts that God has given to me.”
“I can’t pound a nail, I can’t tell a joke, but I’m a great actor. That’s a gift from God that doesn’t make me special. That’s just a gift that I figured out early on,” he explained, adding that he continues to ask himself, “How can I how can I be a little better myself?”
McDonough stopped drinking alcohol in 2016 and credited his wife, Ruve, for helping him on his journey.
“She helped me through this amazing year of clarity, introspection and Love,” he said in a 2017 post with his wife. “Thank You my Love for ALWAYS being there with Your arms wide open for not just myself, but our 5 amazing children as well.”
His story is a reminder that fighting to be our best self isn’t always easy, but it is absolutely worth it.
Read Next: Donald Trump Explains Why He’s Always Stayed Sober
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
- Content: +4Share:
- Content: +4