For this episode, Yvonne is joined by Brian Pennie to discuss his incredible journey from addiction to recovery. Brian explains how being operated on as a baby without a general anaesthetic traumatised him and turned him into a highly anxious child and adult and the role that played in his addiction. He shares how a scary event led to him getting the help he needed and kicking his addiction.

This fascinating episode reminds us of what a powerful impact our mind has on how we live our lives and what we achieve. It is packed with insights you can use to help yourself and others, in particular those whose lives are plagued by addiction.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Addiction is the continued use of a substance or behaviour despite the bad consequences it has.
• Nobody is free of the danger of becoming addicted. 
• When a person becomes overwhelmed by anxiety they are more vulnerable to addiction. 
• Trauma is a common root cause for addiction, but not the only cause.
• Sometimes trauma changes the way genes are expressed. That change can be passed on to children. Intergenerational trauma is very real. 
• Addicts see the world differently. Often, they create a web of lies to protect their addiction and end up genuinely losing touch with reality. They literally end up living in a different realm.
• Family and friends can be compassionate without enabling. Brian provides some examples.
• Having a strong purpose helps you to avoid or recover from addiction.
• Visualising primes you to act and make it happen.
• Most people are using manifestation to get more connected with others e.g. have a child, find their soul mate.
• Brian´s 3-minute morning routine taps into the neural scientific process using breathwork, affirmations and gratitude.
• Language is a vehicle for emotion, it impacts who you are and become.
• If you have an addiction, figure out what is behind your addiction. Use a treatment centre or therapist to do this.

BEST MOMENTS

“Compassion is hard. Compassion is not enabling.”

“The one thing that's very hard for somebody to understand who wasn't in addiction, is how different a realm you're in.  .”

“Trauma changes your biology, and I grew up full of anxiety, agitation.”

“Addiction is a drive to escape emotional and psychological pain.”

“Nobody is bulletproof to addiction, no matter where you come from.”

“I stopped fighting with my own mind. It was a moment of surrender ... that was the moment that transformed my lens of the world.  .”

“Some of the nicest people I know are people that have been touched by addiction and trauma and pain.”

“Manifest was the 2024 most searched for word.”

“Life comes down to our interactions with other people.”

“Addiction is trying to fill a hole in the soul.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://brianpennie.com

The Realm of Hungry Ghosts - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Realm-Hungry-Ghosts-Encounters-Addiction/dp/B07HQVJC2M

Intergenerational trauma study - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6127768

VALUABLE RESOURCES

website: pausepenny.com

Instagram: @yvonnetchrakian_manifest @pause.penny

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-tchrakian-64257619/

HOST BIO

Yvonne started her career as a corporate lawyer for one of Ireland's top law firms. After the loss of a baby during pregnancy, Yvonne founded Pause. Penny - which was created to inspire people to manifest their dream lives. She is also a mom of four. Yvonne is a serial manifester, manifesting everything from her dream jobs (yes, multiple), her soulmate, dream house and even her twins!