Recovery Elevator

Today we have Brooke. She is 55 years old, lives in Denver, CO and she took her last drink on February 17th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, well, we just created a FREE 7-day guide for your first seven days. [02:39] Thoughts from Paul: In the upcoming book, This is How We Quit, we are currently narrowing down the submissions from 66 to around 20. While reviewing these all, Paul shares with us a snippet from one of them by Kristi, who was the guest on episode 492. [07:45] Paul introduces Brooke: Brookes lives in Denver, CO, has been married for 25 years and they have two sons. She has a background in education and for fun she enjoys being outside. They enjoy hiking, skiing, walking and playing tennis. Growing up, Brooke believed that alcohol was necessary part of living. She saw her parents drink casually and was in a lot of environments where drinking was a given. Brooke took her first drink in high school, and it was just part of socializing throughout high school, college and her early professional years. Brooke says it's hard to imagine a time when she didn't think drinking was normalized. Whether drinking for celebration or drinking for grieving, alcohol was always present. Once Brooke reached her 40s, she noticed that it wasn't as easy to get up the next day without some sort of hangover symptoms even if all she had was one or two drinks after a hard day at work. Brooke was starting to question her drinking but the talk about alcohol being "good for us" was conflicting. She was beginning to see the signs of alcohol interfering with her health. She was participating in cleanses for 10 or 30 days and found that she felt so much better when she took breaks from drinking. It was hard for her to think about quitting completely because if how much it was present socially. When Brooke's mother was diagnosed with cancer, she noticed that all of the doctors discouraged alcohol. This

Today we have Anita. She is 49 years old from Bend, OR and she took her last drink on January 4th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [03:14] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that in the upcoming interview, he and the guest talk about religion. While he knows this can be a triggering topic for some, including him, he encourages us to be open minded to both the interview and religion in general. [12:38] Paul introduces Anita: Anita is 49 years old, lives in Bend, OR she is single and works as a family doctor. Much of her family also lives in the area. Anita enjoys hiking, cold plunges, dancing and frequently travels to Esalen in Big Sur. Anita was raised in a Christian cult called but went to public schools which left her feeling anxious and nervous all the time. She says the didn't have a TV at home, so Anita would find herself reading comics and snacking. This later developed into an eating disorder as she grew into adolescence. Anita graduated from high school and attended a Christian college in Michigan. Being a rule follower, Anita didn't drink much before she was 21. Her drinking remained rather moderate while she was addressing her eating disorder. She was attending Overeaters Anonymous and followed a meal plan that didn't include alcohol. After about five years, Anita became an atheist and decided she didn't want to practice medicine anymore. She decided to trust the universe and move to southern California, but it didn't go well for Anita, and she moved back to Oregon after four years. Anita would go back and forth with alcohol over the years, but up until this past January, would always find herself going back. With a stressful job helping others, drinking was a way to regroup at the end of the day. On January 5th, Anita stumbled across a copy of Paul's book Alcohol is Shit she had in her office and started reading. From there, she started listening to the RE podcast and found herself deeply identifying with an interview Paul had with Sarah (episode 568). Anita agrees that there is power in listening

Today we have Will. He is 32 years old, lives in Allenstown, NH and took his last drink on October 5th, 2019. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [06:22] Paul introduces Will: Will is 32 years old, lives in New Hampshire and works for the US Postal Service. Will enjoys writing, watching films, hiking and traveling. Will grew up in a strict, religious household. From middle school through high school, Will did homeschooling which left him feeling like he didn't really have any friends. By the time he was 15 or 16, he felt like he was missing out on a lot of life experiences. Will moved out of home with his brother when he turned 18 and says this is when his partying began as a way to make up for lost time. Will began working in the food service industry and says it was his first taste of life outside of the religious bubble he had grown up in. While he had a level of social anxiety that kept him out of nightclubs and things of that nature, his brother enjoyed the nightlife and typically had alcohol in the house which Will would drink by himself. Between the ages of 19 and 21, Will had found some friends he calls kindred spirits in that they were all creative and a little nerdy. He says his life was simple back then: go to work and then go hang out with his friends and play/watch video games while drinking. At 22, Will got a DUI. This was not enough to make him feel like he needed to stop drinking but he thought he should try moderating. The financial struggles after the DUI were hard on Will and he was beginning to feel like he screwed his life up already. Between ages 22 and 24, Will references them as his rock bottom years. He was losing friends due to his behavior when he drank and felt haunted by social failures and missing opportunities. Will tried going to therapy at 24 but didn't address his drinking at all. The anxiety and depression were crippling, and he began having suicidal ideations. Will tried going to AA but struggled not to focus on the things he didn't agree with. It was a TV series called Patrick Melrose that helped inspire Will to try something

Today's episode includes a Q & A session conducted live at Recovery Point, which is a resource center for those who struggle with addiction located in Bozeman, Montana. This episode is brought to you by: Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:19] Paul introduces Jay, Jennifer, Chris and Linda Each panel member shares a little about themselves and what drove them to seek recovery. Question – When did you open up to community? Jay shares that he started going to AA while in jail and attended a program called Bridging the Gap through treatment court which helped him find connection and community. Jen was a few months into her recovery when she discovered Café RE and found that others sharing their stories helped her a lot. Chris said he had made several half-hearted attempts at quitting before finding books and communities. He shares that he was stubborn at first, but now has made many friends in Café RE. Linda attended treatment court with Jay but was trying to be a lone wolf. She didn't have a driver's license and found herself having to ask others for help. She found community in AA and NA/ Questions – What's your favorite recovery quote? One word to summarize your sobriety? Linda – "it's only a thing if you make it a thing" and her word is "unbelievable" Chris – "play the tape forward" and his word is "peaceful" Jen – "keep it simple" and her word is "content" Jay – "this too shall pass – the good and the bad" and his word is "serenity" The panel shares their observations on the stigma around addiction decreasing and the increase of alcohol-free options when they go out. They all agree it is great to see that there are more options for people that don't want to drink and more and more places for opportunities to have mocktai

Today we have Brittany. She is 44 years old, lives in New Braunfels, TX and she had her last drink on May 27th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:07] Paul introduces Brittany: Brittany is 44 years old, is originally from Wisconsin, and lives in New Braunfels, TX with her husband of 18 years. Together they have four kids. For fun, Brittany enjoys sporting events and traveling with her family. Brittany shares she had a great childhood. Her parents were very supportive of her and her older brother. Her father was the child of alcoholics, so he chose not to drink so there was limited exposure to it while Brittany was growing up. Brittany's first drink was when she was 15 years old. She didn't drink much throughout her teens as she was more into sports that didn't leave much room for it. In Wisconsin, attending sporting events always included drinking. In college, Brittany enjoyed the party and playing drinking games and all of her friends drank like she did, so she didn't see it as a problem. After college, Brittany met her husband. He went into the Air Force which found them moving to San Antonio. They hung out with a lot of other young married couples, and they all partied a lot on the weekends. Her husband didn't like Brittany's drinking so she would begin hiding how much she drank, seeing it as him trying to control her. When their second daughter was born in 2014 with a rare genetic disorder, Brittany began to use alcohol as medication. Caring for a special needs child and also moving a lot as a military family was very stressful for Brittany. With her husband being deployed or on assignments, she was doing a lot of parenting alone which led her to self-medicate often. When COVID happened, Brittany's husband was able to be home more, but that led to her drinking increase. Brittany switched from wine to vodka, assuming it would be less noticeable to her husband. She began to hide her drinking more and started promising to drink less but it never happened. Memorial Day weekend of 2025 Brittany's husban

Today we have Chris. He is 55 years old, from Madison, WI, and he took his last drink of alcohol on April 7th, 2015. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:02] Thoughts from Paul: Paul recently gave an opening talk at a fundraising gala for Yellowstone Alliance Adventures. This is the venue where the annual Bozeman retreat is held. He shared with the guests that he holds an annual sober retreat there but initially hadn't rehearsed sharing that he was also sober. After a few moments of silence, mid-talk, Paul shared that he is also in recovery. Paul says he knows he didn't have to share that part, but when he did, it felt good to be up there in front of a crowd as his authentic self. In a world that can very fake and shallow, people are craving authenticity. Paul wants to go places where he can be himself. Listeners, where can you show up as yourself in your life? What curtains, walls, or barriers are you hiding behind where you think people don't want to see you? While it isn't easy to show up as your authentic self, you will be rewarded by doing so. We are here; we are whole. [07:03] Paul introduces Chris: Chris is 55 years old, works in IT by day, has three kids across two marriages and for fun he likes to make music, create games, and enjoys working on art. Chris' parents divorced when he was young due to his father's drinking. Because there was so much going on at home, Chris says he focused much of his attention on school, sports, drama and choir to remain out of the house. He shares that he only drank one time in high school and got caught and ended up with some consequences. Once in college, Chris had the freedom to drinking and other drugs pretty heavily right away. Early on, he got kicked out of a bar. During is freshman year, depression kicked in and he had a suicide attempt. Chris says drinking was never good for him. He never felt like it was solving any problems, but he was entranced by it. Chris

Today we have Aimee. She is 51 years old, from Minneapolis, MN and took her last drink on March 20th, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people [02:39] Thoughts from Paul: AA has been the most popular and widely recognized program to treat alcohol addiction for more than 50 years. And that has pleased Big Alcohol because it has the word "anonymous" in it. Big Alcohol knows they are selling an addictive drug, and it is a gift to them that when people figure out that alcohol lies to them about their product, calming them down or enhancing their lives, they won't say anything. Paul isn't dogging AA but recognizes that the anonymous part had kept the stigma of addiction going. Paul shares and excerpt from As Bill Sees It from Bill W., the founder of AA. The way he reads it, he doesn't think that Bill W. ever intended the anonymity component to be a curtain of shame. It is just in reference to what is said in the meetings, stays in the meetings. Gone are the days of keeping it a secret. In the last four years Big Alcohol has lost $830 billion in revenue. We have to keep talking about this. As Bill W. says, it's a tragedy that drinking has been marketed as good for us, but we're starting to get it right. [08:16] Paul introduces Aimee: Aimee lives in Minneapolis, MN, works for a large medical device company, is married and has two adult children. For fun Aimee enjoys traveling now that she is in recovery and has been dabbling with art. . Aimee's father was in recovery from alcohol around the time that she was 12 and she remembers the impact seeing him there had on her. Her parents were divorced and she and her mom had a strained relationship. Aimee ended up moving to Minneapolis from Texas to live with her dad and had struggles with bullying in school. Drinking became a way to feel like she belonged in a group. When Aimee was in her early 20s, her father lost his mother and was very depressed. Aimee feels like she was parenting her dad at that time while she was also getting married and having her own kids. Their children were very active with sports and weekends while the kids w

Today we have Ron. He is 67 years old from Milwaukee, WI and he took his last drink of alcohol on February 19th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus [02:57] Thoughts from Paul: The village, the community, the tribe, has been completely destroyed in the last couple hundred years, and this messes with us big time. Okay, the opposite of addiction is connection, but what exactly are we connecting to? The big one here is yourself. If you're disconnected within, everything in your outside world will be fractured also. The next big one is when you connect with others. But even after that, probably the biggest connection is the one with nature. There's no coincidence as our war against nature intensifies, so do ailments such as addictions, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety disorders. We are being called home, and it's a beautiful thing. So how do you build this connection with nature or the natural world? I've got good news for you. You are the natural world. So, this separation is false from the first place, and it's a mind-created fiction. So go outside, read a book outside, download the Merlin Bird app, and learn the birds that call your neighborhood home. [08:04] Paul introduces Ron: Ron is 67 and lives in Milwaukee, WI. He is the president of a large restaurant company. He has been married to his wife for 12 years, has two grown children, five grandchildren and two dogs. For fun Ron enjoys travelling, reading, golf and time with family. Ron says he first drank when he was a teenager, but it was very occasional. He says that most of his adult life, he did not have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol until he was around 52 years old. In 2010, Ron was going through a divorce and opened a sports bar. He spent a lot of time there buying and drinking shots while interacting with customers. Ron says going from a non-drinker to a daily drinker happened very quickly. Ron's drinking went un

Today we have Lidia. She is 41 years old from Seattle, WA and she took her last drink of alcohol on August 31st, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [01:40] Thoughts from Paul: Some of you may have seen the title of today's episode which is The Best Way to Feel Better. And that's why you're tuning in – to feel better. Maybe you're in early sobriety and you're not feeling good. Paul shares with us how the best way of feeling better has taken place in his life. It comes when he may be having a bad day but has an interview with a new guest scheduled. There have been a few times where he was hoping that they wouldn't show but has discovered that within the first few minutes of talking with them – he feels better. The best way to feel better is to talk to another human being. Talk to someone you trust, maybe make an unplanned visit to a friend's house. There is a reason they call it the 10,000-pound phone. Because the mind (or addiction) wants you alone. Just knowing this makes it easier to pick up the phone. [06:09] Paul introduces Lidia: Lidia is 41 years old, and lives outside of Seattle with her husband, their daughter and their dog. For fun, Lidia enjoys hiking, puppy yoga, her daughter's Girl Scouts and the local community theater. Lidia was born in Warsaw, Poland to young parents and says alcohol was a big part of the culture. She recalls having her first drink to celebrate her second or third birthday. When she was six, she and her mom immigrated to the US. Her mother worked a lot, which left Lidia to fend for herself a good bit. During her teen years, Lidia would attend summer camps where it was easy to find older kids to buy her alcohol. The closest relationship she had was with Throughout the teen years and college, Lidia says she was good at drinking and wore it as a badge of honor. After reaching adulthood, the drinking was a daily occurrence finding any excuse to drink whether at home or out with friends. Alcohol was correlated with fun at this time in her life. Lidia met her husband when she was 27. They were both members of a rock-climbing community and became climbing partners. It wasn't long after meeting that they

Today we have Harvey. He is 71 years old, lives in Fort Myers, FL and took his last drink on January 18th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Registration for our annual Bozeman retreat begins on Wednesday April 1st. This event takes place August 12th-16th. This retreat is all about fun, laughter, smiles and silent disco. We didn't quit drinking to not have fun! Musical guest Uprise will be back and it's going to be another awesome year. [03:54] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us and excerpt from Shannon Alder regarding sensitive people. See if this rings true for you: "Sensitive people are the most genuine and honest people you will ever meet. There is nothing they won't tell you about themselves if they trust your kindness. However, the moment you betray them, reject them or devalue them, they will end the friendship. They live with guilt and constant pain over unresolved situations and misunderstandings. They are tortured souls that are not able to live with hatred or being hated. This type of person needs the most love anyone can give them because their soul has been constantly bruised by others. However, despite the tragedy of what they have to go through in life, they remain the most compassionate people worth knowing and the ones that often become activists for the broken-hearted, forgotten and the misunderstood. They are angels with broken wings that only fly when loved." Would you consider yourself a sensitive person? It isn't a bad thing at all, because you feel. And look out, it's the sober, sensitive person through their healing that heals others. That's the work we are doing here. [08:01] Paul introduces Harvey: Harvey is originally from Brooklyn but has lived many other places and currently spends his time between Virginia Beach and Fort Myers, FL. Harvey met his wife in 1980, and they have been married over 40 years. He works part time for CNN audio and just celebrated his 71st birthday. Harvey took his first drink when he was 16 and says it wasn't the "a-ha" moment that many others have had. In college, weed was Harvey's drug of choice until it st

Today we have Butch. He is 49 years old and is from Indianapolis, IN and took his last drink on November 1st, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [02:33] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares and excerpt from an interview with Steve-O, who has 17 years of sobriety. Steve-O said the worst thing would be to kinda have alcoholism. To kinda have a drinking problem. Because kinda is where people live for 20 years. Kinda is how you blow your 40s. Kinda is how you show up halfway to everything that matters. For your kids, your marriage, your job, your actual life. And then wonder why nothing ever feels real. And while you're busy deciding whether it's really that bad, the years are passing by. The other side of what Steve-O is saying – he isn't just describing a trap, he's describing a clear escape plan. By being here, you have already made the call. Maybe it's still messy and maybe it's still early and maybe some days you're not sure what you're doing. But you are here fully. We are done with "kinda". You've made a decision, now don't question that decision. The years that are left are yours, listeners. Now you can show up for them. [07:31] Paul introduces Butch: Butch is 49 and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and their cat named Ezra. For fun he is learning to play the bass guitar and recently started blogging. Butch says he had his first drink in high school and found it helped him cut loose, relax, be funny and he really enjoyed it. His drinking was mostly off and on until he and his girlfriend were out on their own in his early 20s and nobody other than his wife knew he was drinking so much. He had responsibilities but struggled to hold down a job. After about a year and a half, Butch was able to reel it in to just binge drinking on weekends. Over time Butch was spending more and more time drinking by himself in his basement and not having the energy to do much the next day. He would then try and tell himself it would only be one or two drinks, but that never happened. It wasn't until his early 40s that he started to question if he had a problem. His wife at the time wasn't very supportive of him when he asked for support with his attempt to take a break from alcohol, so he continued

Today we have Jan. She is 75 years old from Winchester, VA and took her last drink on February 1st, 2021. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to [email protected] and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. **TRIGGER WARNING** this episode references firearms and sexual assault [02:48] Thoughts from Paul: A common phrase in the recovery space is "protect your energy". Paul feels it is a solid idea and tries to practice it as well. His goal in life had always been to bring people together and it has been a major pain point for him to see the current administration purposely trying to separate or divide Americans. Paul tries to focus on what he can control and turn everything else – especially the news. He shares a story about a recent visit to his parents' house where the news was on and he couldn't find the remote to turn it off. Paull mentions all of this to remind us of what RE stands for, which is community, connection, inclusivity and love. Many of the things going on in our country go completely against our mission so we have to protect our energy and turn that stuff off, and you should too. [07:49] Paul introduces Jan: Jan currently lives in Winchester, VA, she is divorced, has one adult son named Sam and a 14-year-old Pekingese. For fun Jan enjoys walking, hiking, being outside and dancing. Jan started drinking when she was 19 and attending school in Europe. She reflects that she spent time with the wildest group where they did a lot of drugs and drank. When she returned to the US, she attended the University of Arizona and did a lot of traveling back in forth to Mexico and eventually ended up in Puerto Vall

Today we have Kendra. She is 38 years old from Central Minnesota and took her last drink on March 22nd, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to [email protected] and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. Recovery Elevator's first ever Sober Ukelele Retreat will be November 7th-14th, 2026. Registration opens May 1st. [03:42] Thoughts from Paul: Today Paul unwraps the reason that we drink. It isn't because alcohol is the most addictive drug on the planet or because you like the taste of wood, hops or earthy floral notes. For millions of years, humans evolved with the expectation of a loving and accepting community to be surrounding us at all times. In the modern world we are ripped away from this and are expected to be okay by ourselves. The opposite of addiction is connection, and we've never been more disconnected as a species. Be kind to yourself, this is not your fault. The pain that something was missing landed in your biology likely before you said your first word. This is why we all carry so much shame when something is missing or wrong we internalize it as if we are the problem and we are bad. Again, this is not your fault. But it is tasked to you, us, we to course correct – and we are. [08:25] Paul introduces Kendra: Kendra was previously interviewed on episode 501. She is 38 years old and has one 19-year-old daughter. She is a nephrology practice nurse and for fun she likes to cook, walk, bike, cycle and rollerblade. Kendra never drank in high school

Today we have Tom. He is 40 years old from New Canaan, CT and took his last drink on July 12th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Happy March! The Café RE theme this month is Mindfulness and Awareness. This key topic helps us build awareness and space, which ultimately gives us the freedom to make different choices beyond drinking. Café RE will feature chats focused on mindfulness. It has been said that the most powerful medicine can't match the power of awareness. Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to [email protected] and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. [03:56] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a quote from author Brianna Wiest. "Your new life is going to cost you your old one. It's going to cost you your comfort zone and your sense of direction. It's going to cost you relationships and friends. It's going to cost you being liked and understood. It doesn't matter. The people who are meant for you are going to meet you on the other side. You're going to build a new comfort zone around the things that actually move you forward. Instead of being liked, you're going to be loved. Instead of being understood, you're going to be seen. All you're going to lose is what was built for a person you no longer are." [06:25] Paul introduces Tom: Tom is 40 years old and lives in New Canaan, CT. He is a construction superintendent, is married and they have 5-year-old twins. For fun, Tom enjoys gold, skiing and spending time with his kids. Tom first drank at age 14 and says he frequently blacked out when he drank going forward. There were multiple legal consequences through

Today we have Greg. He is 57 years old and from Midlothian, VA. He took his last drink on December 8th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, please submit your story. There is no sobriety time requirement. Send an email to [email protected] and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. If you have been thinking about joining Café RE, now is the time. The monthly price is increasing to $29 per month on March 1st. If you're already a member, your price will not increase, this is only for new membership. Keep in mind that $29 per month is most likely a fraction of what you may have spent on alcohol per month. [03:55] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a beautifully written piece someone shared with him a few months ago. In summary, they didn't quit drinking after a dramatic rock bottom, but after a quiet realization. Alcohol had become an automatic habit used to avoid feelings, slowly eroding sleep , mood, health, clarity, and self-respect. "Functioning" wasn't truly living. When they stopped lying to themselves about its cost and stopped romanticizing it, drinking felt pointless—and they simply chose honesty over pretending. [10:12] Paul introduces Greg: Greg is 57 years old from Midlothian, VA. For work, Greg is self-employed and does lawn, landscape and maintenance work. He has been married for 24 years, and he has four adult children, one grandchild, two dogs and a cat. For fun, Greg enjoys going to yard sales, is a big sports fan and enjoys music of all kinds. Greg rarely drank in high school but began drinking regularly in college, which hurt his grades. After his GPA fell below 2.0, his father refused to keep paying for school unless he transferred to a Christian university. Greg initially moved out and continued partying while working a minimum-wage job but eventually accepted his father's offer. Despite strict no-drinking rules at the new schoo

Today we have Kerri. She is 51 years old from Maine and took her last drink on June 7th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus If you have been thinking about joining Café RE, now is the time. The monthly price is increasing to $29 per month on March 1st. If you're already a member, your price will not increase, this is only for new membership. Keep in mind that $29 per month is most likely a fraction of what you may have spent on alcohol per month. [04:09] Thoughts from Paul: Last week we talked about patience and how preparation is sacred work. This week, we are talking about building your expedition team a.k.a., your sobriety team. First, there is this podcast. Paul and the RE production team are part of your team. All interviewees are part of your team. Then you need community. This can be in-person or online with other sober people. You need people who get it, who've been where you are, and who can remind you why you are doing this. There is also no shame in seeking professional help or a therapist. And don't forget God, or a higher power, or the universe, or whatever you want to call that thing bigger than yourself. Because when you're in the wilderness and the map runs out. This week, ask yourself: who's on my team? And if the answer is "nobody yet" then your mission is to find at least one person. Because you can't do this alone. You weren't meant to do this alone. Lean in. [08:14] Paul introduces Kerri: Kerri is 51 and lives in Maine. She is a registered nurse, divorced and has two older teenagers. For fun she loves live music, yoga, sauna, kayak, writing and spending time with her kids. Kerri first tried alcohol when she was 12. She grew up in a townhouse community with lots of other kids and limited supervision. Kerri went to college in Boston where she says she partied like the guys did and was the girl that was let in. Her 20's were pretty healthy and she doesn't feel her drinking was a problem at that point. <p

Today we have Lewis. He is 39 years old from Burlington, VT and he took his last rink of alcohol on June 12th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help August 12th – 16th: Get ready to elevate your alcohol-free life in Big Sky Country. Join RE in Bozeman, Montana for our annual sober summer retreat. Registration opens April 1st. This isn't your typical retreat. We're talking adventure, laughter and deep bonds with people who get it. This retreat will remind you why choosing freedom over booze was the best decision you ever made. [01:52] Thoughts from Paul: This week, Paul talks about something that doesn't get discussed enough in recovery: patience and preparation. Getting sober takes time. Preparing for your new life takes time. Some people are able to spontaneously quit drinking and never look back, but most have to slowly build momentum before trust falling into an alcohol-free life. Some of you may have been listening to this podcast for years and feeling guilty for still drinking – DON'T. Maybe you think you are failing because you haven't quit yet. You're NOT. You are in preparation mode and intentional preparation is sacred work. Every time you question whether alcohol is worth it, you're gathering intelligence. Every moment you imagine life without drinking; you're building the mental map you'll need for the actual journey. This week, give yourself permission to be exactly where you are. If you're still drinking and listening, you're right where you need to be. It doesn't matter if you quit yesterday, last month or several years ago, you're right where you need to be. [06:46] Paul introduces Lewis: Lewis is 39 years old and grew up in Australia but now lives in Burlington, VT. He runs a business. For fun, Lewis likes run and being outdoors snowboarding, surfing, eat good food and hang out with friends. Lewis grew up with two brothers, who he is still close with, and says they had a great childhood living in a remote area in Western Australia. He tried alcohol for the first time when he was 14 and loved it immediately. Lewis' drinking took off while attending univers

Today we have Jack. He is 45 years old and from Los Angeles, CA. He took his last drink of alcohol on December 31st, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – THE social app for sober people. Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [02:47] Thoughts from Paul: Last week Paul talked about the intentional phase of sobriety: choosing what you want to explore next and how you are going to fill the void left by alcohol. Looking at Lewis and Clark, we know that no expedition goes according to plan. So this week we will talk about setbacks because they're part of life. Maybe it's relapse (or Field Research as we refer to it in RE). Maybe it's an injury that sidelines your new running routine or an illness that drains your energy for weeks. Or it may just be life being life. The thing about setbacks – they don't erase your progress; they're just part of the terrain. If you drink again, you have not gone back to zero. You've gathered data. You know more now than you did before – about triggers, patterns, what works and what doesn't. The goal here is not perfection, it's persistence. If you are facing a setback – big or small – ask yourself: what's the adjusted route? Not "should I give up?" but "how do I keep moving forward from here?" [7:46] Paul introduces Jack: Jack grew up in New Jersey but now lives in LA. He is a runner and currently training for a marathon. He loves movies and video games, and he is currently taking a fragrance development course and plans to build his own brand and launch his own fragrance in the future. Growing up, Jack was always sensitive and shy kid. His parents drank and alcohol was just a regular part of life with wine at dinner and craft beer always around. As a teenager, Jack drank to fit in at parties. Jack is gay and used alcohol to cancel out his anxiety and the awkwardness he felt socially. He says he didn't drink all the time and there were no real consequences, just teenage experimentation, Jack drank on the weekends through college and enjoyed going out to gay clubs. After transferring from Savannah back to NYC, he finished school and got a job as a graphic designer. Dri

Today we have Veronica. She is 52 years old, lives in Alabama and she had her last drink on May 1st, 2000. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – claim your $100 enrollment bonus Upcoming Events with Recovery Elevator February 21st – 28th we are traveling to Costa Rica. The event is full, but you can email [email protected] to get on the waiting list. August 12th – 16th we will be having our annual Bozeman retreat. Registration opens on April 1st at 9am Eastern Time. October 17th – 24th we will host our Sober Ukelele Retreat in Costa Rica [03:07] Thoughts from Paul: Paul wants to talk about the exploration he mentioned at the end of last week's intro. When you first quit drinking, things kind of happen to you – sleep improves, your head clears and maybe a hobby resurfaces on it's own. It's passive. But at some point, you realize that your not just not drinking anymore. You're actually living. And you get to decide what that looks like. This is the intentional phase where you stop wandering and start exploring with purpose. Now is the time to think about some things that you may have wanted to do but didn't have the space for because alcohol consumed it all. Now you have the bandwidth to explore what you want to make space for in your life. This week, Paul wants you to ask yourself, "what's one thing I've been curious about that I haven't made time for?" Just one small piece of unexplored territory. Next week we will talk about what happens when you start building momentum but for now, just pick your direction. The expedition starts with a single step – now take it. [7:40] Paul introduces Veronica: Veronica is British but has lived in the US for about 15 years. She is married and has two sons. Veronica has worked as a psychotherap

Today we have Savanna. She's 32 years old from Minneapolis, MN and took her last drink on May 4th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Every Sunday on Instagram, we post a roll call graphic and then you guys put your day count on there. It's a space for members to be loud and proud about their recovery as well as being there to support others. [02:30] Thoughts from Paul: Last week, Paul talked about how we want to end our relationship with alcohol. This week, he addresses the question "what do I do with all this space where alcohol used to be?". Boredom can set into the empty space where alcohol used to be. This can trip a lot of folks up in early sobriety when they thought that quitting drinking was supposed to feel like some immediate transformation. Paul reminds us to think of the first gift of sobriety to be not having to negotiate anymore. Additional mental bandwidth is no longer wasted on alcohol where you asked yourself a lot of questions to determine if you should drink today or not. When we make the decision to quit, we have the freedom to do anything else with our time. Quitting drinking is not self-deprivation or sacrifice. It's you clearing space for a fruitful life. Your mission is to explore. [07:04] Paul introduces Savanna: Savanna is 32 years old, lives in Minneapolis, MN and is a marketing manager. For fun, Savanna enjoys going camping, traveling, playing guitar, walking in the woods and spending time with her family and friends. Savanna started out as the kid that said, "I don't need alcohol to have fun". She reflects that part of that was fear part of it was that she was a good kid. Alcohol became more accessible after she went to college and by her sophomore year she was working at a bar and drinking is what she and her friends would do at the end of the night. The theme didn't change much as Savanna was in her 20's. She was in a relationship where she says the only bond they really had was the booze and it kept them together longer than it should have. The relationship ended shortly before the pandemic and that's when Savanna found hers

Today we have Sean. He is 33 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He took his last drink on January 22, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – THE social app for sober people Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored There is one spot left on our sober travel trip to Costa Rica. This journey is scheduled for February 21st – 28th. Email [email protected] if you would like to join us. Join us on January 10th for the start of our AF Ukelele Course. This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [03:00] Thoughts from Paul: "Want to change your relationship with alcohol?" is a common question asked in the recovery space. When somebody says they want to change their relationship with something, it usually implies there's a goal of improvement. Changing a relationship with exercise may look like hitting the gym more. Maybe changing a relationship with your mother-in-law means you're going to try harder at Thanksgiving to keep your mouth shut. Or it's like saying you want to change your relationship with a narcissistic ex who stole your credit card, crashed your car and told everyone at the party that you wet the bed in third grade. Some relationships don't need to change; they need to end. So, maybe we don't want to moderate our relationship with a substance that literally erodes our livers. We don't want to set boundaries with something that crosses every boundary we've ever set. And we certainly don't want to work on things with a liquid that has never once worked on itself. Paul shares that the only relationship change with alcohol that he's interested in is the one where they are in no relationship at all. [06:57] Paul introduces Sean: Sean is married and th

Today we have Sarah. She is 49 years old and lives in San Diego, CA. Sarah took her last drink on August 6th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Pick up your copy of Paul's newest book Dolce Vita. You can get it on Amazon, listen to it on Audible or order it at your favorite bookstore today. Join us on January 10th for the start of our AF Ukelele Course. This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [02:00] Thoughts from Paul: This is the first podcast of the new year and maybe you are a new listener. Paul wants to cover some basics and let you know what we are about. Recovery Elevator is about quitting drinking. The goal isn't cutting back, moderation or putting the beast back in the cage. It's full send on zero alcohol consumed. Recovery Elevator is also about embracing that there is no right or wrong way to ditch the booze, just don't do it alone. No explanation needed her, we get it. What you'll find here and in Café RE is there is no judgment. We all know where you are and have been there ourselves. Recovery Elevator is the podcast, courses, Dry January, sober travel, merch, Instagram and more. Café RE is the non-profit alcohol-free community – it's the social app for sober people. We've got 25+ chats each week, Accountability Partner pairings, in-house AA meetings, book club, movie club, etc. [06:27] Paul introduces Sarah: Sa

Today we have Jenn. She is 52 years old, from Washington, DC and she took their last drink on September 3rd, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and connection. [01:13] Thoughts from Paul: Today Paul talks about the origin of the title to his new book Dolce Vita which will be released on January 1st. What he has learned over the years in his own recovery and while interviewing hundreds of people on the RE podcast is that the addiction is trying to get us to the true Dolce Vita – the true good life. Of course, not the Dolce Vita at the bottom of a wine bottle because if you're listening now, you've already realized that it doesn't deliver. The true Dolce Vita is seeing through the "I'll be happy when…" trap. It is stepping away from the me-me-me voice inside the head and leading a life where you walk others home after you find your own footing. It is recognizing oneness in a world of duality. Paul's message before we enter the new year is yes, do the work, plan for the future. Put the bottle down but don't ignore the timeless part of you that is trying to land more and more into the true Dolce Vita. You're already there. [06:51] Paul introduces Jenn: Jenn is 52 and lives in the DC area with her two children. For work, Jenn is a civil engineer and for fun she enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, attending concerts and is a gourmet cook. Jenn first drank in middle school and loved untouchable feeling she got from it. She never blacked out, but it helped her make friends and feel at ease. She was just drinking to have fun and that continued through high school and college. After graduation, Jenn moved to Richmond VA where there were bars on every corner.

Today we have Kristine. She is 34 years old from Toronto Canada, and she took her last drink on May 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Café RE is now a registered 501c3 nonprofit. Please visit the website or email [email protected] if you are interested in making a yearend donation. Join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. Paul's new book Dolce Vita will be released in both in print and audiobook on January 1st, 2026. RE Ukelele Course starts on January 10th. No prior ukulele or music experience needed for this beginner-friendly sober course. [01:43] Thoughts from Paul: An interview guest from an upcoming episode shared "if you think you're too far gone, you're not". This is a message that Paul is choosing to relay early with Christmas coming up. He feels that the next 10 to 12 days can be the hardest days of the year when it comes to navigating sobriety. The Fuck-It button is large and seems to follow you everywhere. If you think you're too far gone, you're not. The fact that you are asking the question means the answer is no – if you woke up this morning, you're not too far gone. There is no such thing as being too broken to heal. You are not too far gone; you are just fashionably late to your own recovery. [06:49] Paul introduces Kristine: Kristine lives in Toronto with her husband and their rescue dog Flo. She works in tech sales and in her free time Kristine enjoys walking, exercise, reading and travelling. Growing up, alcohol wasn't prevalent in her life and Kristine hated the idea of drinking until she was 15. In an effort to fee

Today we have Nathan. He is 45 years old from Harrisburg, VA and took his last drink on January 24th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people Get your 2026 started off poison free and join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita both in print and audiobook. He would love to have you on the launch team. Email [email protected] to join. [01:59] Thoughts from Paul: When asked what recovery has made possible, today's guest Nathan responded with the one word "everything" almost before Paul could finish the question. The sobriety space, especially the 12-step world, is full of cheesy recovery slogan, but Paul shares one that he laughed at when he first heard it. The saying is, you're giving up one thing for everything. And that one thing is alcohol. If you ride a drinking problem long enough, it will take everything from your life. But when you quit, nearly everything that was taken will be returned. Not all in one day of course, but a life without alcohol will give you everything. More money, more sunsets, more time with aging parents, more memories, a better outlook on life and more growth. [05:56] Paul introduces Nathan: Nathan lives in Harrisonburg, VA where he works in the philanth

Today we have Yeimy. She's 30 years old, from Rhode Island and took her last drink of alcohol on January 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita and he'd love to have you on the launch team. Email [email protected] to join. Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course Restore is open. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. [03:30] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a concept that he still struggles with but has made progress. It is embracing the world of duality that we live in. Of course, we would all want to be happy all of the time, but living in the world of dualities, we have to have opposites for defining purposes. Do your best to embrace it all. Square your shoulders to this thing called life and don't get attached to any of it. When you have a good day, be grateful. When you have a shit day, be grateful, knowing that you need them both equally. [06:33] Paul introduces Yeimy: Yeimy is 30 years old and works as a phlebotomist. Yeimy says she is still figuring out what she likes to do for fun but says she enjoys spending time with family and trying new things as in food or places. Yeimy says she was born into alcoholism as both of her parents were heavy drinkers. She doesn't specifically remember her first dri

Today we have Jack. He's 39 years old from Phoenix, AZ and took his last drink of alcohol on June 23rd, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Sober Link - sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course Restore opens today. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. Recovery Elevator now has its own coffee created with Rise Up Coffee Co. 25% of each bag sold will be donated to the nonprofit Café RE. January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita. [03:43] Thoughts from Paul: Paul wants to do a check-in today. How are you doing at the end of 2025? How are you feeling after Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas? How are you feeling about yourself and your sobriety? This time of year can be a lot for many of us, but he wants to remind us all that we are not alone, even if you are listening to this podcast alone. Our drinking problem likes to tell us that we are the only one in the world that has or has had struggles with alcohol, but that's simply not true. More than ever are struggling, more than ever are quitting and more than ever are putting down the drink. Addiction wants us to feel alone. The first step is to recognize this voice; the next step is to join the growing movement into alco

Today we have Emily. She is 43 years old from Sacramento, CA and took her last drink on December 20th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – code RE20 saves 20% off your order Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course Restore opens on December 1st. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. There are plenty of teachings throughout the month, but the best part of the course is that it's community-based. It's all about building connections over our shared interest of an alcohol-free life. Costa Rica, February 21st – 28th, 2026. Two spots have opened up for our next Sober Travel Trip. Come join us! [03:03] Thoughts from Paul: Happy Thanksgiving to our American listeners! Paul is wishing everyone a week of peace, calm, turkey, pumpkin and hopefully whipped cream and lots of ice cream. Paul was going to give us 10 tips to help you stay alcohol-free this week, but if you get this one right, then you should be ok… Somebody – ideally everybody – at your Thanksgiving dinner needs to know that you are not drinking or of your plans to stay sober. We at RE call this burning the ships and AA calls this radical honesty. Ok, here's a second tip – do your best to be thankful or find things to be thankful for. Thank the universe for your willingness to show up. For your willingness to listen to a podcast about making profound change. This shit ain't easy. Paul and the rest of us at RE are grateful for you all and for your support over the years. THANK YOU! [07:59] Paul introduces Emily: Emily lives in Sacramento, CA with her husband and four children. She is a flower farmer. For fun, she enjoys

Today we have Kevin. He is 48 years old and lives in Napa Valley, CA. He took his last drink on September 22nd, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – code RE20 saves 20% off your order 71% of Europeans are drinking less alcohol and the future generations are opting out in general, according to a new report for Circana. [02:59] Thoughts from Paul: On the last Sober Travel Trip to Peru this past October, Paul was reminded of one of life's greatest teachings: it's the journey that matters, and not the destination. He tells us about how he and 16 other fellow travelers hiked the Inca Trail to go to Machu Picchu. After over 20 grueling miles, they found out at the gates that their tickets to explore this natural wonder weren't valid for that day. Everyone was understandably disappointed. Since everyone on the trip is in recovery, they already have been working on concepts such as surrender, embrace life on life's terms and of course, to place more mental energy on the journey than the destination. Paul says he will never forget how the group responded to receiving the bad news and it was one of the greatest gifts he has received while doing sober travel. [08:34] Paul introduces Kevin: Kevin lives in northern Napa Valley, CA but grew up in the Midwest. He and his wife have been together for over 30 years, and they have two teenage children, one dog and two cats. Kevin says he is between careers right now, but previously he worked in wine sales and in the tech industry. For fun, he enjoys playing music and is big into fitness. <p class=

Today we have Dennis. He is 36 years old and lives near Vancouver, Canada. Dennis took his last drink on September 5th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – THE social app for sober people There are some new alcohol-free options coming out. First is Wild AF created by Charlie Sheen and Luba Libations coming out of Wisconsin. [03:20] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us an article about stress by Dr. Rebecca Harris Most stress management advice gets it wrong. We're often told to focus inward and practice self-care like bubble baths, meditation and getting a massage. While these activities aren't harmful, they're missing something critical. When we experience stress, our bodies release a cocktail of hormones. Most people focus on cortisol and adrenaline, but there's another key player: oxytocin. This is the connection chemical that is primed when we are stressed. Dr. Harris says that 58% of people stress out more when trying to control their stress. She says when researching workplace wellness programs, all of them fail to reduce stress with the exception of those programs that encourage employees to do charity or volunteer work. So, when you are feeling stressed, try finding a way to help someone else. Or a pet? Take a dog for a walk, or your neighbor's dog. Maybe it's the planet. Get a trash bag and walk up and down your road. Get on the phone with someone and don't talk about your problem but ask them how their life is going. The magic of an addiction is that it is trying to bring us back to our

Today we have Robyn. She is 49 years old from Columbia, SC and took her last drink on June 30th, 2020. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus We are planting the seed early and inviting you to join us for our 7th annual Restore course coming January 2026. Registration opens Monday, December 1st. [02:39] Thoughts from Paul: We have all heard the word recovery, but what does that mean? And does it ever end? Paul recently came across a line he likes that says, "If substance use or drinking no longer interferes with your ability to live a productive and loving life, then recovery has been achieved." Using the logic of this line, Paul shares with us several ways that we can see if recovery has been achieved. Maybe you'll have to (or get to) attend meetings or chats for the rest of your life or maybe your recovery has already been achieved. So now what? A simple answer is don't go back to drinking but in addition to that, sticking with the pack or community that helped you achieve recovery in the first place is a good start. [07:54] Paul introduces Robyn: Robyn is 49 and she lives in Columbia, SC with her husband, stepdaughter and two pit bulls. She is an office manager for a transportation company and enjoys reading, playing games and spending time with her family. Robyn was previously interviewed on episode 306. Robyn grew up very shy and quiet and never really felt she fit in. The desire to rebel was building up and when she moved from Maine to South Carolina towards the end of high school, she viewed it as an opportunity to try new things including alcohol and other drugs. After graduating high school, Robyn met someone and ended up getting married at t

Today we have Josh. He is 48 years old, from Sarasota, FL and took his last drink of alcohol on September 23rd, 2023. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people. This is the last week to sign up for Café RE during Sober October. For the next four days when you join, you will receive a free month! [02:28] Thoughts from Paul: Paul was having a talk with his good friend Dusty the other day and he mentioned that when he quit drinking, nothing got worse. Which leads us to the conclusion that everything got better? This whole thing is complicated but also it isn't. We are sold a bundle of lies from big alcohol. It just takes time to get the message to all parts of us that when you quit drinking nothing will get worse. When you quit drinking, everything will get better. Finances improve, and we start to feel better about ourselves, just to name a few things. The word alcohol in Arabic and other languages references alcohol as a spirit or living entity. Several languages in the East, alcohol is literally translated into "mind and body eating spirit". Nothing will get worse when you quit drinking, and to flip it, everything will get better when you're not consuming a body and mind eating spirit. [08:45] Paul introduces Josh: Josh is 48 and lives in Sarasota, FL. He is married with three children, he works in sales and marketing for a wellness company which he enjoys and for fun he enjoys cooking and spending time with his family. Josh never had any alcohol until he was 20 years old. It wasn't an issue for him for a very long time until it began creeping up on him shortly before COVID. Josh says it was around this time that he was having issues with his job and found himself drinking around the clock in order to cope with it. <p class="MsoNo

Today we have Lauren. She is 44 years old from Arroyo Grande, CA and took her last drink on April 26th, 2021. This episode brought to you by Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Tonight, our four-week mindfulness course starts in Café RE at 7:30 EST. This is our fourth year doing the course and you're going to learn a lot about how to sit with those thoughts in the head. Specifically, the ones that tell you it's a good idea to drink and how to let them pass. Paul's next book Dolce Vita will be coming out soon. Once we have a launch date, you all will be the first to know. [03:22] Thoughts from Paul: Why the drinking? Well, the better question is why the excess drinking? Why do you drink before you meet up with friends and continue drinking afterwards? Why do you drink after you tell yourself you're not drinking today? We may never 100% know why, but it's a good idea to have a simplified mission statement that you tell yourself when you feel the urge to drink. A key to recovery is discovering the purpose that excessive drinking serves, the why. And then another important key is finding healthier ways to fill the role alcohol was playing. Paul shares that the fourth step of AA played a very helpful role in him learning his "whys". Paul encourages listeners to explore within them what it is driving the drinking and then explore what makes them smile without the alcohol and do more of that. [7:33] Paul introduces Lauren: Lauren is 44 and lives in Arroyo Grande, CA. She is married and they have a 17-year-old son, a dog and a cat. Lauren works in public affairs and communications for a local college and for fun, they enjoy spending time on their boat at lakes. Lauren had her first drink at a party when she was 16. She says she didn't go to a lot of parties so was excited when she was invited. Lauren was upset about something before going and had already made the plan to get drunk in order to change the way she was feeling. In college is wh

Today we have Sue. She is 54 years old from Stewartville, MN and she took her last drink of alcohol on May 9th, 2023. This episode brought to you by: Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Next Monday, October 20th, we start our four-week mindfulness course in Café RE. It starts at 7:30pm Eastern and we hope to see you there! [02:36] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares that while visiting his parents in Colorado, he lost his wallet at a park. Thankfully, a high school friend's mom ended up being the one that found it. When he picked it up from her, she told him that her son is recently sober and gave Paul his phone number to reconnect. Paul had recently tried to rejoin the fantasy football league he had previously been a part of and was denied re-entry. This brought up huge feelings of rejection reminiscent of his childhood. While on a retreat with his sober friend in Mexico, Paul found himself dwelling on the negative emotions when he caught himself looking at a beer a fellow diner was having. The thought that "one or two beers would make you feel better" came over him, but then he looked at his newly sober friend and reflected on the great talks of sobriety that they had shared, and the thoughts went away. Reeling from this, Paul went outside, shook his head a few times and then was filled with a warm embrace by the universe knowing that his lost wallet put him in Mexico with his sober friend and everything ended up alright. [07:36] Paul introduces Sue: Sue is 54 years old and has two adult children and one granddaughter. She works as a housekeeper for a hospital at the Mayo Clinic and for fun she loves nature, animals, hikes, jet skiing, kayaking and birdwatching. Sue's parents were both daily drinkers. Sue would sip her dads beer because she thought it was cool, but her first real drinking experience was when she stole some sloe gin from her parent's pantry at age 13 or 14. In her teenage years she began to party a lot on the weekends. Sue was a shy girl, and drinking helped her open up and gave her the attention she craved. Her grades in school began to suffer because she was skipping a lot and Sue ended up unable to graduate. <p class="MsoN

Today we have Camille. She's 36 years old, from Coeur d 'Alene, Idaho, and she took her last drink on August 22nd, 2024. This episode brought to you by Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE [04:26] Paul introduces Camille: Corrine is 36 years old and lives in Coeur d'Alene, ID with her husband and two young children. For fun they enjoy spending time with friends in their community and spending time outside. Camille says her father got sober when he was 24 and while growing up, she wasn't told that she couldn't drink but her dad gave her things to look out for. She experimented with alcohol in her teens while partying with friends. When she was 18, she began to be very active with church and started dating her now husband. Camille and her husband got married when she was 21 and she says her drinking ramped up in her mid-twenties. They enjoyed hosting get-togethers with friends and neighbors. Camille says that over time she began to lose the "on/off switch". She and her husband were still active in church, so Camille found herself living a secretive double life. Camille was able to quit drinking both times she was pregnant but would always be ready to start back after giving birth. When her first child was five months old, Camille began drinking boxed wine in an effort to believe that she wasn't drinking as much as she was. Not long after this, she began having alcohol in multiple locations so she could rotate through it. Working as a hairstylist and taking on more responsibility at church found Camille more exhausted and feeling more shame about her drinking. She began to feel like God was asking her to hand her problem over. She was at the point where she was disgusted with how she looked and felt and tired of the anxiety and mental gymnastics surrounding her drinking. Camille's husband never questioned her drinking, and she was scared to bring it up. When he decided to quit drinking in solidarity with a friend, Camille decided to join them a few weeks later. </

Today we have Mike. He is 50 years old and from Cleveland, OH and he took his last drink on August 9th, 2022. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 We offer a free month in Café RE once per year. Starting this Wednesday October 1st, and if you sign up for Café RE during the month of October, you get a free month. [02:59] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that he recently heard a song by Cameron Whitcomb called "Quitter", and it's about his journey into sobriety. One line says - "The hardest part of getting clean are all the damn philosophies telling me how this is supposed to work." We all want a manual and a clear pathway to healing. A set sequence of steps. And yes, there are The 12 Steps that have helped many. But not all. Paul believes that there isn't a manual by design. Recovery is all about recovering you and figuring out what makes you function optimally. Discovering what makes you happy. Could there ever be a one-size-fits-all philosophy or manual for that? You're supposed to explore different philosophies and go on a deep mission of exploration when recovering the self. We are tasked to heal and find out what philosophies work for us. We are on a mission to find what brings us joy. There isn't a manual for that. Whatever philosophy you choose, make sure it involves other people. An addiction wants you alone with a bottle. The antidote is connection. With other human beings, animals, plants and flowers. Good news, your listening represents you coming closer to the fire. We're putting aside our difference and coming together to heal. This is an incredible time to be alive. [06:40] Paul introduces Mike: <p cl

Today we have Emily. She is 28 years old from Denver, CO and she took her last drink on April 25th, 2025. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 Starting Wednesday, October 1st, if you sign up for Café RE you get a free month! Café RE is our alcohol-free community who recently got non-profit status and we're all about having fun and kicking ass without alcohol. [03:45] Thoughts from Paul: Paul has said many times that quitting drinking was the hardest thing he has ever done, but that's not true. Today he shares with us 20 things that are harder than quitting drinking. This is the short list of what is harder than quitting drinking and Paul feels that it can all be summarized with this: Continuing to poison yourself with alcohol is harder than quitting drinking and that's exactly how we have to frame it. Regularly ingesting poison takes a bigger toll on your overall health than quitting drinking. [10:14] Paul introduces Emily: Emily is originally from Delaware but currently lives in Colorado with her boyfriend, two dogs and two cats. She works in tech sales and for fun she enjoys all things outdoors including skiing, backpacking, camping and has recently gotten some paddleboards and golf clubs. Emily was against alcohol while growing up, began to experiment when she was 16 or 17. She thought it was a great way to escape the regimented lifestyle she was living. In college, it was normal to drink from Thursday to Saturday. Emily didn't see it as a problem because everyone around her was drinking the same way. She was able to maintain good grades and work multiple jobs while in college. Emily was working in the bar and restaurant scene and decided to continue doing that after graduating. At age 23 Emily applied to work for a liquor supplier and got

Today we have Ty. She is 76 years old, lives in Bozeman, MT and she took her last drink on March 8th, 2008. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – THE social app for sober people. [04:21] Thoughts from Paul: Paul tells us that every time he goes into a retreat or event with RE, he asks the universe to send us a (safe) wildlife encounter. This past retreat in Bozeman was no different. This time, it showed up in the form of a bald eagle while we were spending time at the lake pavilion. After it flew in, it perched on a lone pine tree branch about 50 yards away from us where we admired it's beauty and Ty, an avid birder, shared some facts about the bald eagle with the group. Paul shared that while editing the interview he did with Ty, he noticed some background noise. Normally, he does his best to avoid this, but this time he welcomed it. You will hear in the background the sound of birds. He says it was if the universe sent the birds to support Ty. [08:45] Paul introduces Ty: Ty lives in Bozeman, MT with her husband Dan. She likes to hike (gently), watch birds and enjoys reading. She is technically retired but has been editing the RE podcast since episode 25. Ty grew up with an alcoholic father in Fort Worth, TX. Her mother did not allow alcohol in the house, so her father was gone a lot. Ty didn't drink much during high school due to the fear of her mother detecting it on her. After she graduated, Ty got married to her boyfriend. That marriage didn't last long because her husband was an alcoholic and became abusive. They divorced when she was 21. During that time Ty would go out with friends she worked with where they would drink together. She says her rebellion against her father came out in that time – it was the early 70's filled with drugs and rock and roll. Ty said she spiraled shortly after her dad died and went through a dark time. She sought help from the county health board and after they placed her on mood stabilizers

Today we have David. He is 51 years old, lives in Pinson, TN and took his last drink of alcohol on December 23rd, 2024. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 We have a great lineup of events and courses coming to Recovery Elevator. A mindfulness course is coming up in October, then Dry January as well as a beginner ukelele course are happening in January. In February we have our first AF Songwriting course and later in the month our weeklong sober travel trip to Costa Rica. [03:11] Thoughts from Paul: In today's intro Paul shares with us some statements he heard from Steven Glover (aka Steve-O from Jackass) who celebrates 17 years in recovery this year. Steve-O said that alcoholics are in a sense lucky because unlike other diseases where the best one can hope for is to return to a pre-illness state, when addicts and alcoholics treat their disease, they have the potential to become better versions of themselves. In Paul's upcoming book Dolce Vita, he makes the point that addiction is almost a biological mechanism to help wake us up as humans. On the other side of the addiction, if we are to heal, then we have to build a life that is more oriented towards helping others, where we are to be more authentic and where we are to admit when we are wrong in life. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they quit drinking is they just quit drinking. Although this is a huge step in the right direction, if this is all you do it leads to the concept of being a dry drunk. You need to address the reasons you drank to excess in the first place. By listening to a sobriety podcast, you are doing the work. You're investing in your recovery, and you are not a dry drunk. Your potential of becoming better than before is becoming a reality. And what wonderful timing you have as the world needs your honesty, your authenticity, your smile and your service more than ever. [08:16] Paul introduces D

Today we have Odette. She's 37 years old, lives in San Diego, CA and she took her last drink 486 days ago. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 Registration is open for our next retreat in Costa Rica. That's February 21st – 28th, 2026 in Guanacaste, a Blue Zone. We are over halfway full, but we have seven spots left. [03:09] Thoughts from Paul: When 17 people send Paul an article in the span of 2-3 days, he knows it means something big just came out… and this one is big because it disarms one of the biggest reasons why it's so hard to quit drinking: everyone else is drinking. Which is no longer true. Several publication released this article and here's the link for the CBS article. It says - only 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcohol, a record low. There is a growing belief that even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk which is 100% correct. In 2015 28% of Americans though this but now in 2025, that percentage has almost doubled to 53%. While mostly younger Americans are driving this trend, but older Americans are getting on board as well and the alcohol industry is tanking. Paul says that he can't help but feel that we all have had a part in this. That we, including you, the listener, have saved lives by doing our part getting the proper messaging out about alcohol, and people are listening. So, you're not the only one who doesn't drink. Paul doesn't drink, Odette doesn't drink and 46% of Americans don't drink either. [07:57] Paul introduces Odette: In addition to being interviewed on episodes 128 and 231, Odette was the podcast host from episode 277 to 378. <p cla

Today we have Justin. He is 40 years old and lives in Northern Ontario. He took his last drink on August 20th, 2023. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people [04:03] Thoughts from Paul: In our question for sobriety, we often ask ourselves why the drinking? Why can't I stop? What's the problem here? Paul shares his experience with the 12 Steps of AA, more specifically, step 4 where you list all of your resentments. He filled an entire notebook for his fourth step and after reading this out loud to his sponsor, it became clear to him that he was at least 50% of every problem that he encountered or had been part of. The fourth step showed him the patterns, and the data was clear – he was the problem. The same is true for all of us. It turns out, in a non-shaming way, you are the problem, and you are not the solution. This should be empowering because if you are the problem, you're the only thing you can control. The solution is not a one and done thing. The big one here is to burn the ships and to start building community. We used alcohol to numb the pains of living in a super challenging world, and the solution is that we have to find a better way to respond to the world and we have to come together to make this happen. [08:39] Paul introduces Justin: Justin is from Northern Ontario, has been married for 14 years and they have two dogs and cat. Formerly an electrician, Justin is now a part-time day trader. He enjoys hiking, yoga and meditation. Justin and his wife Danielle quit drinking together just over two years ago. Justin had his first drink at age 15 with some friends. He didn't see the point in drinking at first but was happy to have friends to drink with. Over time he not only enjoyed spending time with friends he also began to enjoy the drinking too. At 18, Justin had a job with a sound and lighting company, and they would do a lot of conc

Today we have Amy. She is 41 years old and lives in Raleigh, NC. She took her last drink on December 12th, 2023. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – use code RE20 to save 20% off of your order October 2026 we have a new retreat we have yet to do. This is an in-person alcohol-free ukulele retreat taking place in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. There will be ukulele instruction in the mornings and Spanish immersion courses in the afternoon. [02:01] Thoughts from Paul: Addiction is disconnecting with the self and your fellow humans. More sobriety is connection with the self, your fellow humans and more. "I" equals illness, "we" equals wellness. Quitting drinking is a perfect circle. Your drinking crisis is an opportunity for someone to help. Phrased with 12 step verbiage, your first step is someone else's 12th step. And when you find your footing, you can then assist someone else in their drinking crisis. When the soul is hurting, the healing only happens when you're not alone. And speaking of being alone, listeners, you are not alone. You are not the only one who struggles with alcohol. You, along with the other listeners, are seeking not only sobriety but seeking a deeper connection with all. Seeking answers that the bottle can't deliver. You are in the right place. [07:37] Paul introduces Amy: Amy is 41 years old and lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and a three-year-old son. Amy says she is a theater nerd and does improv comedy for fun. Amy grew up in the southwest side of Chicago where she says her father was an alcoholic. She has memories of being a child at AA and Al-Anon meetings with her parents as well as memories of her father taking her to bars when they would tell her mother they were somewhere else. Amy had her first drink when she was 15 while going to a concert with older teens. There was a bottle passed

Today we have Brian. He is 40 years old from Spring Hill, MA and he took his last drink of alcohol on July 16th, 2024. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 Shout out to these alcohol-free brands for sponsoring our seventh Bozeman Retreat: Athletic Brewing Sober Link - save 50% on a device Rise Up Coffee Better Rhodes – use code RECOV_EL_15 at checkout for 15% off Odyssey Elixirs [03:25] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us Bill W., the founder of AA once shared letters back and forth with Swiss psychologist Carl Yung looking for feedback on the program he was creating. Perhaps the most important letter from Yung to Bill W. was a letter suggesting a spiritual solution was needed to overcome addiction. He was a firm believer that addiction has nothing to do with weakness but is a misdirected cry for wholeness. Another viewpoint that Carl Yung gave us is to not ask why you want to quit drinking but what pain you are trying to silence? Or what role is alcohol playing? When we start asking the right questions and stop fighting the addiction, the healing process begins. If you keep doing your own inner work, the massive ship called your addiction will change course. It takes time to redirect the energy called an addiction, but when we start asking the right questions, it's going to happen. It's just a matter of time. [07:36] Paul introduces Brian: Brian is 40 years old and lives in Springfield, MA. He has be

Today we have Lori. She is 58 years old from Vancouver, Canada. She took her last drink on February 21st, 2024. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people [03:11] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares that his second book, Dolce Vita, is currently in the editing process and should be out by November this year. This was also the name of the bar he owned Spain when he was in his 20's. The name is Italian for "the good life" which Paul once thought he could find at the bottom of a bottle. He began to notice that his Dolce Vita had an expiration date that would get shorter and shorter over time. The thing Paul thought was delivering the dolce vita was slowly and methodically destroying any chance of having one. It wasn't until he finally ditched the booze that the good life actually showed up. He learned that the sweetness wasn't in escaping life, it was finally showing up for it. The good life is right here in front of us all, right here in this moment, as long as we stay away from a drink today. [09:19] Paul introduces Lori: Lori is 58 years old and lives in the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada. She has been married for 37 years, and they have two grown children and one grandchild. Lori has been a realtor for 35 years and for fun she enjoys golf and physical fitness. Lori shares that she had a great childhood, but her mother was an alcoholic, and it affected her negatively throughout the years. In high school, Lori aspired to be an actress and craved attention. Having an already outgoing personality, it just got bigger when she was drinking and garnered more attention. Lori had a lot of resentments towards her mother over the years and admits she treated her poorly. They did not make amends before her mother passed, and Lori says that is when her drinking started ramping up. On the outside, everything was going well with her career and her kids, but the weekends revolved around drinking. <p class="MsoNormal

Today we have Rachel. She is 48 years old and lives in Minneapolis, MN. She took her last drink on August 28th, 2018. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Sober Link – learn more and save $50 off of a device Come join us in beautiful Bozeman, Montana this August 6th – 10th for our annual flagship retreat. We have a few camping spots as well as a few spots left in the men's cabin. [02:50] Thoughts from Paul: Healing can look a bit like a paradox and Paul shares several examples showing this. Tying this same idea into ditching the booze we can say that quitting drinking can make you feel more anxious at first, when it's actually making you calmer in the long run. Quitting drinking can make you feel more emotional and raw when it's actually making you more resilient. Sobriety can make you feel bored at first, but it's actually clearing space for hobbies and adventures that you'll deeply enjoy. Healing can hurt at first, but look out, brighter days are just on the horizon. Can you do this? Absolutely. Will there be stumbles, bad days? Without a doubt. You can do this, you are doing this and you're further along on your AF journey than you think. Keep moving forward. [06:30] Paul introduces Rachel: Rachel is 48 and lives just outside of Minneapolis, MN. She is married and they have three cats. She is a director in financial services and for fun she enjoys reading, writing and attending meet ups with other sober people. Alcohol was always present when Rachel was growing up. She was an achiever in school and had already completed some college before graduating high school. Drinking was not a focus for her through her school years, and she didn't start drinking until later in her life. Around 2008 during the national financial crisis, Rachel says her drinking change

Today we have Thea. She is 55 years old from Madison, WI and took her last drink on February 10th, 2019 This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 We have just a couple of cabin spots left for our upcoming retreat in Bozeman, Montana. This retreat is from August 6th through 10th. Coming in January 2026, our AF Ukelele Course. Registration for that opens in December. Also coming next year in October 2026, we will have an in-person ukelele retreat where we're having Spanish instruction in the afternoons. This will be in Costa Rica. More information will be coming soon about that event. [02:45] Thoughts from Paul: On the journey into an alcohol-free life, it almost always consists of a chapter where we are trying to control the uncontrollable. But something takes place that we aren't aware of and that's that alcohol has become uncontrollable – and we haven't realized it yet. You might be asking yourself if your drinking has reached that point and may have searched for a sobriety podcast because there were aspects of your drinking that you were unable to control. The longer you try to control the uncontrollable, the less sanity you are left with. Paul wants you to ask yourself if you are trying to control the uncontrollable thing. He and many of us have learned that we cannot control our drinking, but the opportunities are endless in what we CAN do without alcohol in our lives, the same can be true for you. [07:06] Paul introduces Thea: Thea is 55 years old, grew up in a small town in Wisconsin but now lives in Madison with her husband of almost 30 years, and they have three grown boys. Thea works in education. She loves to cook, bake, read, and attend sporting events. Thea says s

Today we have Ronnie. He is 41 years old from Kiowa, CO and took his last drink on June 1st, 2025. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people. [03:17] Thoughts from Paul: From the cavemen to the ancient Greeks, to modern humans, there's always an apocalypse on the horizon. The apocalypse outside of us, we can't control and there has never not been one. The only apocalypse you can control is the one caused by alcohol which is happening inside of you. Paul reminds us that no matter how fearful the news programs and the politicians want you to be, we've never not had an external apocalypse looming and geological record will tell you the same. Disconnect from all of the news and connect to yourself, others, nature, a ripe mango, a snuggle with a dog because you know what? We're okay. Get yourself some time away from alcohol and you're going to be very much okay. [07:54] Paul introduces Ronnie: Ronnie is 41 years old, lives in Kiowa, CO with his wife and four children. Ronnie works as a home inspector. For fun, Ronnie enjoys spending time with his kids and spending time outside. His family has 40 acres and a variety of animals which his children show with 4-H. Ronnie began drinking when he was 17 after discovering that alcohol was a magical elixir that suppressed his inhibitions and insecurities. By the time Ronnie was in college, he was partying regularly. After a few semesters, he had failed out of school, moved back home and began working in construction. After some time, Ronnie moved to Colorado and began working for a faith-based non-profit organization in addition to being a home inspector on the side. Drinking was something they did not allow their staff to do. This enabled Ronnie to remain mostly sober during that time, only drinking when he was around friends back home. Ronnie and his wife married in 2011 and moved to Portland, Oregon. He grew a

Today we have Marcy. She's 42 years old and lives in Seattle, WA. Marcy took her last drink on October 15th, 2020. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 Paul just finished the rough draft of his second book entitled Dolce Vita, The Good Life and expects it to be released this September. [00:00] Thoughts from Paul: In a recent article presented on Newsbreak entitled Alcohol is Killing More Americans Today than 20 Years Ago, it shares that mortality from liver disease has increased significantly across most demographic groups in the US from 1999 to 2022. Death from liver disease went from 6.7 to 12.5 deaths per 100,000 people. The annual increase was higher among women than men, and young people showed "concerning trends". And of course, minority populations are hit hardest. American Indian and Alaska Native populations, faced the highest death rates. Those increased from about 25 to nearly 47 per 100,000 over the last 20 years. While this podcast is supposed to be uplifting and positive it also has to be real. The spirit alcohol is claiming more lives than ever. Remember last week's episode titled The Quiet Revolution? You are part of the not so anonymous army that solves this... Your quitting drinking is the answer for everyone else who struggles with addiction. You're turning your gaze inward when people in charge are pointing their finger outward. You are the hero. [00:00] Paul introduces Marcy: Marcy is 42 years old and lives in Seattle, WA with her partner and their cat. She works at a production company as a creative producer and makes psychedelic music videos in her spare time. For

Today we have Marisa. She is 50 years old from Fairfax, VA and she took her last drink on March 17th, 2024. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20 Check out the upcoming Recovery Elevator Events: August 6th – 10th – Bozeman Retreat – we have about 12 spots left October 4th – 14th – Peru January 2026 – Restore And much more coming in 2026! [03:18] Intro summary: You may be listening right now and feeling tired. Not just sleepy tired, but soul tired. This kind of tiredness comes from trying to clean up your inner world while the outer world feels like it's run by toddlers having the world's most expensive tantrum. You're choosing consciousness while others choose chaos. You're picking love while others are picking fights. You're building your spiritual muscles while they're flexing bank accounts and crypto wallets. This is a contradiction that we are living in and it's hard to be sober, raw, real and authentic in a dysfunctional world. However, the quiet revolution matters. The decision to face our demons instead of drowning them matters. The choice to feel everything instead of nothing matters. You're not just quitting drinking—you're quitting the lie that says we have to be drunk to survive this world. Keep going. The world needs your consciousness more than it needs another unconscious knee jerk reaction. Ditching the booze and cleaning up your inner world is how we solve this mess. [07:58] Paul introduces Marisa: Marisa is 50 years old and lives in Fairfax, VA. She is engaged and has a 12-year-old daughter. She works as a government contractor, enjoys live music, spending time outside, traveling, reading and binge-watching TV. Marisa says that for her,

Today we have Natalie. She is 55 years old from Palmdale, CA and took her last drink on June 4th, 2023. This episode brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – THE social app for sober people [02:28] Thoughts from Paul: This week's intro is about acceptance. We may wish we were a little bit taller, we may wish we were a baller, and we may wish that alcohol wasn't marketed as being good for us when it's a class one carcinogen. We may also wish that we could drink normally, but many of us cannot. The thing about acceptance is that it is not about giving up, it's about waking up to the fact that that's just the way it is. When we finally stop wishing against reality and stop bleeding energy into a fantasy world of how things should be then we can start working with what actually is. Acceptance is not about admitting defeat or giving up, it is acknowledging the truth which doesn't care about your feelings, but it will set you free. When you accept that alcohol isn't your friend and that you can't drink normally, that's not rock bottom, that's solid ground and something real to stand on. Life isn't waiting for you to figure out how to drink responsibly. It's waiting for you to square your shoulders and start accepting that you're exactly where you are right now. [07:36] Paul introduces Natalie: Natalie is 55 years old and lives in Palmdale, CA. She says her most important job is being a mom to her autistic 15-year-old son. She enjoys spending time and going on adventures with him. Recently she has started volunteer work at a food bank and being of service in AA. Natalie didn't enjoy alcohol when she first tried it and says that she was mostly a social drinker for many years. In her mid-30's, she sought help with her sleep issues. She was prescribed Ambien and really liked the idea that she could take something and check out quickly. Over time it progressed to where she was drinking and taking the drug. Natalie began to rely on Ambien more and more a