Recovery Elevator | Stop Drinking, Start Recovering. | Alcohol, Addiction & Life In Sobriety

Episode 411 – The Grateful Alcoholic   Today we have Lisa who is 65 from Atlanta, GA took her last drink on 11/17/2022.   Whether you are on day 1 or day 1000, there is still time to join REStore. The next class is tonight at 8:30pm EST   There are still spots open for our next sober travel trip to Costa Rica from April 12th-21st for more information click the link Costa Rica 2023   Highlights from Paul:   Paul didn’t understand a fellow AA member’s references to being a “grateful alcoholic”.  Only after getting to know Jim, did he understand what they meant. It took a few years for Paul to get to that point to be grateful for his addiction.    He reflects that our addictions are signposts trying to guide us to a more authentic life and that there are no such things as failures. They are learning opportunities and we should never give up.  We should trust the process of healing from the addictions, and we can all become grateful for the role that alcohol has played in our lives.   Better Help: www.betterhelp.

Episode 410 – What’s the Point?   Today we have Justin who is 37 from New York   Check out the AF drink recipes curated by Kate on the Recovery Elevator blog   NYE Sober Prom in San Diego on December 31st. We have Athletic Brewing, Sip Clean, Sound Soda and Crumbl Cookies sponsoring this event, open to Café RE members only.   Whether you are on day 1 or day 1000, there is still time to join REStore. We start this Sunday, please join us!    Highlights from Paul:   Many of us have asked the question “what’s the point of life?” The response is always a near derivative of love. It’s safe to say that the core religions can be summarized with one teaching. The Golden Rule. The mystics recognized, we are all one, what you do to another you do to yourself and if you treat your fellow human being with respect and dignity, you in turn will experience the same.   We have learned that we cannot find the point of it all at the bottom of a bottle.  And when we hear The Golden Rule, we often think of the other person, but w

Episode 409 – The Cost of Inauthenticity   Today we have Jeremiah, he’s 35 from Denver, CO and took his last drink on April 27, 2022.   NYE Sober Prom in San Diego on December 31st.  We have Athletic Brewing, Sip Clean, Sound Soda and Crumbl Cookies sponsoring this event, open to Café RE members only.   Registration for REStore is now open!  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Exact Nature: https://exactnature.com/RE20   Highlights from Paul:   Being inauthentic creates a lot of pain which many of us have tried to address it by using alcohol.  We often choose survival over authenticity by putting our basic needs over expressing or being ourselves.  Sometimes we have to be inauthentic to fit in.   Dr. Gabor Mate’s book “The Myth of Normal” says “the perceived need to be what the world demands becomes entangled with our sense of who we are and how to seek love. Inauthenticity is thereafter misidentified with survival because the two were synonymous during the formative years.”   It has been studied that

Episode 408 – Focus on the Good   Today we have Bret, 42, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and he took his last drink on September 17th, 2022.   Registration for REStore is now open!  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Exact Nature: https://exactnature.com/RE20   Highlights from Paul:   Paul urges us to focus on the good.  There is plenty of bad news out there but ruminating on issues that don’t directly affect us can be detrimental.  While suffering is part of the human condition, there is always something to be thankful for.  He says that it is on the super challenging days where our recovery work is so important.    Like Odette said in the newsletter recently - “watch our thoughts – if a thought isn’t inline with your new alcohol-free life – let it go”.   Author Jay Shetty in his book Think Like a Monk classifies thoughts as a seed or a weed.  If it’s a weed, let it go, if it’s a seed, water it and let it grow.   Manifestation is the mind’s version of The Golden Rule, which is when you treat others

Episode 407 – A Message to Big Alcohol   Today we have Jeff, 48, from Joplin Missouri with 13 days of sobriety at time of recording   Registration for Restore opens December 1. https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Exact Nature: https://exactnature.com/RE20   Highlights from Paul   For the first time in this podcast, Paul speaks to Big Alcohol. Why now? We have a limited time together on each episode he has felt that discussing how to live a better life without the stuff is better use of our time.   He addresses the fact that Big Alcohol’s greatest customers are the alcoholic/problem drinkers and not the “normal” drinker that has one or two beers and the rest sits in the fridge for months.  They are also responsible for perpetuating the myth that alcohol consumption is good for you.  Spoiler alert:  it’s not.  The Huberman Lab Podcast has an episode that dives deep into the effects alcohol has on the brain/body. (https://hubermanlab.com/what-alcohol-does-to-your-body-brain-health)   The amount of trash

Episode 406 – Moving the Needle   Today we have Nate, Eric, Beth, Hunter, and Kathy.      Registration for Restore opens December 1. https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Sponsor:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/cafere/   Highlights from Kris   Kris speaks to the many mixed messages we get about addiction. Billions of dollars are spent on alcohol advertising that lures you to believe how fun, cool, and sexy you will be if you drink, as long as you don’t become one of “those people.”   After Kris’s first session with an addiction specialist who shared her recovery journey with Kris, he felt less alone. Kris’ counselor gave him hope that there was a better way. He continued counseling, completed treatment, and found the Recovery Elevator podcast. Today he is one of the hosts.   One of the best ways to combat the stigma of addiction is to tell your story. Kris recently attended the 6th Annual Recovery Reinvented event founded by Kathryn Burgum, the first lady of North Dakota. Kris had an opportunity to h

Episode 405 – Ahead of the pack   Today we have Rachel.   She is 29, from Wisconsin, and took her last drink on September 4, 2022.   Registration for Restore opens December 1. https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Sponsor:  https://www.soberlink.com/   Highlights from Paul   Is there a stigma for those in recovery, or are we ahead of the pack? This past August, Paul invited Elaine Huang  mindfulness and spirituality teacher) to speak at the RE Bozeman retreat. Elaine shared with Paul that those ditching the booze are ahead of the pack. She never has to modify or simply her course content for Café RE members. Members of our group are advanced students; they are more resilient, elite, and have a greater capacity for love and a greater capacity for recovery after pain & suffering. Elaine referred to us as “old souls .”The recovery community has a greater capacity for survival, compassion, and love.    Elaine believes our population is part of the 1% of people who can achieve a higher level of conscious

Episode 404 – The order of healing   Today we have Natasha.   She is 43, from Vancouver, B.C, and took her last drink on August 23, 2021.   Book:  Alcohol is Sh!t. https://www.amazon.com/Alcohol-is-Sht-Paul-Churchill-audiobook/   Exact Nature:  https://exactnature.com/RE20   Highlights from Paul   Paul outlines the order of healing when we quit drinking. He describes the healing as happening in reverse order of the harm done. You can do the following:   Ditch the booze Fuel the body with healthy food and hydrate Cut down on sugar and caffeine Move (aim for 20 mins a day 3x a week) Recovery – AA, Café RE, Smart Recovery, IOP, etc.   Book:  The All-Day Energy Diet. https://amzn.to/3CmLivc   The healing process:   The body (3-12 months) Mental healing (6 months to 1.5 years) Spiritual healing   Better Help:  www.betterhelp.com/elevator - 10% off your first month. #sponsored                                                                               [11:04]  Natasha has been sober for over a year.   She is

Episode 403 – Hello Universe   Many Today we have Pat.   He is 38, from Georgia, and he took his last drink on February 22, 2022.   Events:  https://recoveryelevator.com/events Exact Nature:  https://exactnature.com/re20   Highlights from Paul   The opposite of addiction is connection. Near-death experiences often connect us to a higher power and make us question where we go after we die. In today’s episode, Paul shares his views on spirituality and connecting with a higher power.   Addiction disconnects us from the external world and from within. Paul reminds us we are not alone:  we are connected to every living on the planet. Love, connection, inclusivity, and wholeness.   Better Help:  www.betterhelp.com/elevator - 10% off your first month. #sponsored                                                                               [13:14]  Pat got sober on 2/22/22 and planned his sobriety date as a military child who has lived in many places. He is married, loves archery, plays guitar, writes music, and sel

Today we have Emily.   She is 34, from Cincinnati,  OH and took her last drink on Aug 27th, 2022. Happy Halloween. A drink won’t make your overall Halloween experience better. Exact Nature:  https://exactnature.com/RE 20   Recovery Reinvented Link: https://recoveryreinvented.com/events/2022/#overview   Highlights from Paul All emotions are created equal and you need them all equally. Here is why. In the world of duality we need opposites for defining purposes. I want to tie this into recovery one more time. Do not gauge your recovery success on your emotions. You will feel them all. Yes, do more of what you enjoy, but thank the other side of that for telling you what you don’t enjoy. Better Help:  www.betterhelp.com/elevator – 10% off your first month. #sponsored [11:35]  Emily is married and has 2 little boys, ages 5 and 8.  She runs a bar in downtown Cincinnati.  Emily enjoys being crafty and making stuff.    Emily doesn’t remember seeing any unhealthy alcohol behavior in her home while growing up.  Emily

Episode 401 – Welcome Back   Today we have Jen.   She is 52, from Connecticut, and took her last drink on March 10th, 2022.   Restore: https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Better Help:  www.betterhelp.com/elevator - 10% off your first month. #sponsored   Highlights from Paul In episode 391, Paul asked listeners what they wanted to hear. Jeff L, with 5 years alcohol-free (That’s what’s up!) said he wanted to hear from past guests. Great idea Jeff as we are also curious as to where they are now.   Paul gives updates from 15 past guests. [20:30] Jen lives in Connecticut, has 2 kids (21 & 23), and just recently got a new job as a counselor at a treatment center. Jen had her 1st drink at 13 years old playing quarters, which resulted in her blacking out and being sick for 3 days. She says that was a sign of what was to come and that drinking was never fun for her. At 19 she started thinking she was an alcoholic and became a daily drinker. Jen was sober for 10 years (and then another 8 years). Those first

Episode 400 – Chasing a Carrot on a Stick   Today we have Nick.   He is from Vancouver, B.C, and took her last drink on December 7, 2018.   Recovery Elevator website: https://www.recoveryelevator.com/ Soberlink:  https:///www.soberlink.com/   Highlights from Kris   Kris speaks to the crossroads of recovery. He acknowledges that so many new thoughts, podcasts, tools, mindsets, books, and videos on recovery. Then there is real life with an equal number of views, podcasts, and tools, on how to meet deadlines, be a great husband and father, a great worker, and a good friend.   With all these different concepts flying at us and life asking us to show up, how do you handle recovery and life simultaneously? For Kris, the crossroads show up often, and he has come to appreciate them as options. He has also learned that the best way to handle all possibilities is to sit with them, observe them and refrain from acting immediately. Krist describes this practice as combining mindfulness and refraining. Kris is working on

Episode 399 – What’s the hardest part about quitting drinking?   Today we have Zita.   She is 31, from Minnesota, and took her last drink on November 27, 2021.   Restore: https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/   Highlights from Paul   An AF life is overall better than drinking.  The key word is overall.  Quitting drinking is the hardest thing Paul has ever done, and, it’s the best decision he’s ever made.    Not quitting is harder on you than you realize.  The domino effect of addiction cascades to your health, your relationships, your livelihood, and your sense of well-being.   Those rock bottoms get worse and hit new depths that create despair, shame and helplessness.  The decision to quit drinking can be harder when you don’t have those rock bottom moments, but you still have that voice in your head telling you, it’s time.  Quitting isn’t easy, particularly in the beginning, but it has its own set of dominos, the path toward a better life.   The hardest part about quitting drinking isn’t the withdrawals

Episode 398 - This Moment Always Wins   Today we have Adam.   He is 30, from Vancouver, and took his last drink on February 8, 2013.   We have many upcoming events:   Costa Rica For Info:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/events/   Highlights from Paul   Paul celebrated his eight-year recovery milestone and is thankful for all the support he gets from listeners, family, friends, and the Café RE community.    Paul’s insights include:  alcohol is sh!t; addiction is an invitation to make a sweeping change in your life; burning the ships is part of the journey; the opposite of addiction is connection; focus on the wins; admit you are wrong when you need to, in real-time; you have to take action; don’t worry about the sobriety clock, keep doing the work; join the party - the AF movement is taking off; be kind to others, help others; be of service; leverage your drinking problem to expand your life; be mindful of the company you keep; there is nothing wrong with you;  not drinking makes you a bad-ass;   Better Help

Episode 397  - The Ultimate Connection   Today we have Santino.   He is 43, from Massachusetts, and took his last drink 43 days ago.   We have many upcoming events:   AF Photo Class Restore Regionals Ukulele Costa Rica For Info:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/events/   Highlights from Paul   Paul shares that our actions are felt for seven generations in our lineage.  When you quit drinking, do the inner work, the ripple effect can last 150 years.   Eckhart Tolle defines love as recognizing oneness in a world of duality. The ego craves separation, judgements. When we are drinking, we are reinforcing that divide. The worst side effect of alcohol is isolation. But when we drop the bottle,  we give ourselves a chance to find love, or maybe let love find us.   Congratulations Dusty and Lotus on your recent nuptials.   Love yourself and love yourself first.  Love in recovery can be rediscovering nature, it can be planting a garden, it can be zipping around on a one wheel, it can be learning a new instrument, pic

Episode 396  - The Brain and Alcohol – Genetic Predisposition   Today we have Rene.   He is 33, from California, and took his last drink January 18, 2022.   Register for RE’s AF Photo Class:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/afphoto/   SoberLink:  https://www.soberlink.com/recovery-elevator   Highlights from Paul   Alcohol has many biochemical and neurochemical effects on the brain. There are dramatic changes in the neurons that control the release of serotonin when we consume alcohol. Serotonin is the feel-good chemical and 80% of it is created in the gut. When we mix alcohol and serotonin it gets converted into acetaldehyde. This acetaldehyde acts as a toxin.   Alcohol changes the relationship between the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenals.  The adrenals release chemicals called epinephrine and cortisol, which are involved in the longer-term stress response.   People who consistently drink are more stressed out at baseline. They have more cortisol released form their adrenal glands even whe

Episode 395  - Can you have fun without alcohol?   Today we have Jim.   He is 50, from New York, and has been sober since June 19, 2022.   Curious Elixirs:  https://curiouselixirs.com/   Highlights from Paul   Paul and our listeners would like to hear from prior podcast guests. Please send us a note (approximately 200 words) to let us know how you are doing. We would love an update on your sobriety journey.     Email:  info@recoveryelevator.com   Yes!   You can have fun without alcohol. Paul just finished hosting the Bozeman retreat, and it was FUN. One of the highlights was an ecstatic dance party. Imagine 60ish sober people dancing on a basketball court in the afternoon.   There was also a silent dance party on the last night. Paul loved watching and participating in pure joy and fun.    Sober fun is a learned skill, but it’s worth it.   You learn to have fun without an external substance. Life is like a movie. Consider yourself the director. You can guide or nudge it any way you want. Leave room for other

Episode 394  - Fixin’ to Grow   Today we have Kristie.   She is 47, from Michigan, and has been sober since May 2020.   Ditch the Booze/Mindfulness and AF Photography 101:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/cafere/   Highlights from Kris   Return to school is here and is the catalyst for conversations about expectations. Growing up, the letter on the report card was the measure of success. Kris has begun to consider praising the work instead of the result.    Neuroscientists have identified two different mindsets:  the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. A fixed mindset looks at intelligence as static. The effort is pointless – you’ve got it, or you don’t. It’s all about the result. The growth mindset is more about a learning goal. The effort is seen as a path to mastery.    What is your goal in recovery? Language matters. Think about the metrics. If you are fixed on being alcohol-free and have a slip, you might feel like a failure. Embrace the growth in yourself and let that be enough.    Better Help:  www.

Episode 393  - Hello Listeners   Today we have Alina.   She is 32, from Northern California, and has been sober since June 20, 2022.   Fire Brew:  https://www.drinkfirebrew.com/ Ditch the Booze/Mindfulness:  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/cafere/   Highlights from Paul   If you are in a cycle of continuous Day ones, keep showing up and listening to the podcast. We believe in you.   If you have quit drinking, don't forget incredible short memory can get us any time. Don't look back. That old way of life didn't work. Keep building the new.   If you are a normal drinker here to support someone, we are glad you are here. The opposite of addiction is connection, and we appreciate your support. The healing process is a collaborative effort that requires both parties to come together.    If you are in your teens or twenties, you are learning vital lessons and building resilience. When the dust settles, and your normal drinker friends begin to phase out of the party years as they marry and have kids, you will have

Episode 392  - One Week Without Alcohol.   Today we have Megan.   She is 34, from Florida, and has been sober since June 22, 2021.   Gruvi: https://www.getgruvi.com/   Highlights from Paul   Stacking days, which is a day here, and a couple of days there, is fantastic, but your body and mind will respond faster to continuous sobriety, and I think a week is the most doable chunk of time. I know for me, even 30 days was overwhelming.   Day 1:  Drink water, then more water. Eat at least one full, healthy meal. Your body is detoxing today. Anxiety is part of this. Embrace the process. Remember the pain. Exercise will help with sleep. Sleep won't be great, and night sweats are expected. Expect cravings, and ice cream is your friend.   Day 2:  Expect to be tired, exhausted, and anxious. Drink water, sleep, eat ice cream and worry about sugar later.   Day 3:  Sleep should improve and welcome back appetite. Eat a healthy breakfast.   Day 4:  Your body is healing. Drink water, sleep and eat (sugar does help with cravin