Cheryl Burke Marks Seven Years Sobriety, Shares Recovery Reflections

Cheryl Burke, the former Dancing With the Stars pro, is celebrating seven years of sobriety, reflecting candidly on her journey and the misconceptions she had about being sober. Initially fearing sobriety would mean losing fun, freedom, and the fearless version of herself she believed only appeared after drinking, Burke came to realize that the escape she sought was actually from herself. She shared that alcohol stole her confidence, connection, and control, leading her to not recognize her own reflection, but sobriety has since become a superpower, bringing her presence, peace, and self-respect. Burke emphasized the importance of her faith and relationship with a Higher Power, which helped her through difficult times without removing the pain but providing strength. She also opened up about her struggles publicly, describing herself as a functioning alcoholic before quitting drinking in 2018 and using her sobriety milestone to encourage others facing similar battles. Throughout her reflections, Burke stresses that what she thought she would miss in sobriety was never real and that the life on the other side of rock bottom is far more beautiful than imagined.