Today's episode is a walkabout. Join me as we walk through a park dedicated to the poetry of Pablo Neruda, Chilean who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. In this path we look at his poem entitled "You Start Slowly Dying." We'll use his poem to see ways that we may be slowly dying in our addiction and begin to uncover small steps of life that we can start taking today.

Do you know what glimmers are? Well, think of them as the opposite of triggers. In this episode we look at the importance of knowing our glimmers, seeking them out, gathering them and understanding how they are related to each of our five senses. I hope as you listen to this episode you will see how glimmers let you know that the world is okay!

In this walkabout episode we go on a walk on Flat Tire Trail. The trail has that name because many of us don't realize that we have attitudes in our life that have become a flat tire. Listen to this episode to understand what your flat tire may be and to find the encouragement to change that attitude, change that flat tire, so you can reach your destination in life.

Join us on celebrating 200 episodes as guys in recovery from the US, South Africa and Australia share their favourite memories from this podcast and why they like being part of it. If you're not in a group please feel free to contact me and I'll do my best to get you connected.

Today's episode is another walkabout as we look at emotional, social and existential loneliness. Being lonely is a physical state. Feeling lonely is an emotional state. Today we dig into the emotions of loneliness and being broken or brokenhearted. Two key quotes from this episode are: "The only thing keeping you from being happy is the belief that you are alone." by Anna Draper and "What a lovely surprise to finally discover his unlonely begin asking can be." by Ellen Burstyn

This episode is a walkabout to reflect on the prison of addiction and things that made us feel like we were in chains. Here's two opening signs as we enter the park for this walkabout: 1) Addiction imprisons your mind, your body, your spirit, your soul. We put ourselves in that prison. We don't need to be arrested by the police. 2) A quote by Keith Richards "I've never had a problem with drugs. I've had problems with the police "

Let's take a walkabout together to look at addiction and where we or our loved ones fit in the spectrum of substance use disorder. On this walk we'll look at the 11 evaluation criteria of the DSM 5 as well as a variety of other definitions of addiction. Is it a disease? A brain disorder? Bondage? Or simply choosing to chase pleasure?

Have you ever said to yourself "I can get clean, I just can't seem to stay clean"? Does it seem like every door to recovery that you try is a revolving door, which only leads to relapse and return to rehab for another try at sobriety? Today we look at four stages of recovery: stability, strategy, security and freedom. These help us focus on the journey of recovery and how to get out of the revolving door.

Today we look at several acronyms for fear and how they apply in recovery. This is not another time of saying False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear is a real emotion. We need to look at our response to fear when it rises up. Maybe you're one who has always responded with Forget Everything And Run. Now is the time to develop the strength, courage and confidence to Face Everything And Rise!

Today is a group episode with our friends in recovery from the US and South Africa. Listen to their insight as they share their experience about the journey from wanting revenge to sitting still in patience. They share their wisdom in response to this quote "If you sit by the river for long enough, you will see the body of your enemy float by." As you listen remember that "The more anger you hold in your heart towards the past, the less capable you are of loving the present."