Lost 80 pounds, became a dad, got sober. Different person now.
Three years ago I was overweight, drinking too much to cope with anxiety, and single. Decided to change after a bad week. Hit the gym, got into therapy, quit drinking. Met my now wife at a running club. We got married and had a baby. When I look at old pictures I'm like that was actually me? I don't miss the drinking at all but sometimes I miss the lack of responsibility and how easy it was to just not care. Now everything matters. The weight stuff was just the beginning of like a total identity rebuild. Way harder than losing pounds was losing the mentality that got me there.
One month in and I'm already seeing how the choices we make now echo forever. Congrats on turning it around - that's the kind of dad energy the world needs.