Recovery Elevator

Today we have David, with 46 days since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul discusses Step One: " We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable." from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

SHOW NOTES

[10:20] Paul Introduces David. I'm a dad of 2 great boys aged 11, and 7. We live in Atlanta. I work at a software firm. I have been there for quite some time. I'm 42, and divorced. For fun there is a lot of baseball, I help coach basketball. Both my boys are in scouts. I love to play and collect guitars.

[12:52] Paul- When did you realize that perhaps you didn't drink normal?

David- I have several memories of self-questioning my drinking habits going back a decade. I have milestones in my life I questioned my drinking.

[29:02] Paul- You are identifying yourself as a non-drinker. Have you experienced a different case of the F-its like I have 3 years of sobriety, F-it, I might as well keep moving forward?

David- I love this concept, I have not felt this feeling of you have come this far, you might as well keep going. I feel like that day is going to come. You have to be hopeful for the future. I am doing this. You have to balance that with healthy caution around relapse. I can be proud, I can be hopeful, but I have to be cautious.

[34:28] Paul- I know from the retreat you met a lot of people who have the same life goal, how has that affected you moving forward?

David- I described it when I started this journey. I didn't have any tools. I had no institutional knowledge of what I was getting myself into. It was through your podcast I was introduced to AA in a meaningful way. What I learned from the retreat is that this is something where community helps.

[39:23] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? You can insert any viscous hangover here. Missing a flight out of Vegas after a night of tearing it up. Head throbbing, and having to rearrange flights and childcare back in Atlanta while my head was throbbing.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? When I figured out that the unit of measure was no longer 2 beers, it was a six-pack. No longer 3 glasses of wine, it was the entire bottle.
3. What's your plan moving forward? My number one internal dialogue is that I am no longer like that. I am no longer that person. It is almost a chant I give myself daily. I'm plugging back in with my therapist.
4. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? While you're working on your sobriety, your addiction is doing pushups.
5. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Your litmus test is if you have you every asked yourself if you have a problem with alcohol, that is the test. I know I did that hundreds of times over a decade. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. The management of chaos we all endure as we introduce chaos into our evening routine.
6. You might be an alcoholic if your favorite drink is "lots of it"

Resources:

Alcoholics Anonymous- Big Book

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Aaron, with 16 days since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Anxiety as it relates to drinking is discussed. Alcohol suppresses the nervous system. It is a depressant. If we depress the nerves for long periods through binge drinking, our body reacts once the alcohol is gone by releasing adrenaline to compensate. This gives us severe anxiety in return. Which totally unbearable, and creates a fear that grabs you right in the chest.

SHOW NOTES

[11:12] Paul Introduces Aaron. I'm 38; I live in Albuquerque NM, I work at a print shop. I'm separated, I used to like to fish, and want to get back into that. I like to be out in nature. I have a miniature pincher named Packer.

[13:29] Paul- How is it different this time? Explain that feeling that something clicked.

Aaron- My body was telling me with the anxiety and the insomnia. It wasn't fun anymore. I was drinking miniatures while I was at work, and tried to hide all the time. Tired of being tired. I'm 38 years old, the party is over already.

[26:13] Paul- Talk about your experience with Opioids.

Aaron- I started off with the pills. Hydrocodone etc. Then I started doing oxy, and for a few years I was doing that. I was going through withdrawals because I couldn't get them. I started going to the clinic and got on methadone.

[30:28] Paul- 16 days ago you were sick and tired of being sick and tired. What happened, and how did you do it?

Aaron- I started downloading and listening to podcasts. I was trying to figure out what this was, and how to stop. I jumped into it with both feet. I went through the tough first few days of detox. I stopped doing things that were triggering me.

[37:00] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Waking up in a Virginia jail, and couldn't bond out because I was considered a flight risk.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? The time I was in San Diego and hit that show and ended up in jail in another state.
3. What's your plan moving forward? I'm going to hit the podcast circuit. I'm going to create a program that will work for me.

1. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Stop beating yourself up. Don't try to think ahead too far.

1. You might be an alcoholic if get pulled over in your work car going the wrong direction down a one way road and you didn't know until you read the police report the next day.

Resources:

Anatomy of an Epidemic- By Robert Whitaker

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Heather, with 269 days since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul discusses anxiety and depression as interpreted through an episode of the Dharmapunx Podcast.

SHOW NOTES

[10:50] Paul Introduces Heather. I'm 37; I live in Los Angeles, CA. I've been here for about 7 years. I grew up in south Texas. I work for a small cable network. I love yoga, hiking, going to the movies. I have an identical twin sister.

[16:04] Paul- When did you realize perhaps that you don't drink normally?

Heather- I think its been varying stages of that. Moving from Texas to New York was an adjustment. I got a job in a bar, and that was my life.

[25:54] Paul- What was the impetus that really forced you to make that jump into sobriety?

Heather- I had been reading "A Happier Hour" and the light bulb went off when I was reading that book. I was also reading a blog from tired of thinking about drinking. I started a 100-day challenge.

[35:02] Paul- When did AA come into the picture?

Heather- I am still going. I am kind of afraid of the steps. Around day 60 or 70 I was feeling lonely about talking about it, and I was afraid to go. I put it out there, and things happened.

[40:28] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? One of my best friends husbands passed away. Her father didn't want any of us to be drinking, and I drank anyway. I should have not drank, but I had to.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? One of the last conversations I had with my boyfriend when he said it will be okay and we will both stop. But if we break up, I'm fine, and I can continue to drink.
3. What's your plan moving forward? When I started the 100-day challenge, I want to keep clarity. I'm going to work the steps, and go to more meetings, and build more of a sober community here.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? Recovery Elevator, and a speaker meeting I attend in LA.

1. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? What you gain is so much more than you are giving up.
2. You might be an alcoholic if you know your boyfriend is, and you decided to move in with him after 9 months, and you still don't think you have a problem.

Resources:

Dharmapunx Podcast Link

Tired of Thinking About Drinking

A Happier Hour- By Rebecca Weller

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Josh, with 15 months since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

This week's topic is PAWS- Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms/Syndrome. Paul explains what PAWS is, how to deal with it, and some of the signs to look for.

SHOW NOTES

[8:13] Paul Introduces Josh. I am from Phoenix originally, now living in LA; I am a digital content producer. I am 36 years old. I like hiking and exploring with my miniature golden retriever Diego.

[10:30] Paul- You left AA in recovery determined to find a way to drink normally. How did that go?

Josh- Once you've been introduced to recovery and then you go back out, it's tough because you can't enjoy drinking the way that you were. I just wanted to learn to drink responsibly. To me it felt like there were people with more serious problems than me.

[19:35] Paul- Why did things start to change after you adopted Diego?

Josh- It took me out of myself. Talking to others about their dogs. Going to the dog park, and meeting other people. I kept myself busy in early sobriety. Having Diego at home with me really helped me more than I can explain.

[27:49] Paul- Talk to me about outpatient treatment, what was that like?

Josh- I didn't feel connected to the group, it wasn't a good experience because I wasn't' putting the work into it. When I was finally ready in 2016, it was a really good experience. I went 6 days a week for the first month.

[35:07] Paul- Where are you at these days with 12 step programs? Do you go to AA meetings?

Josh- I do. I was anti- AA for a long time. I don't embrace everything about it. What I admire is that it is organized so well. There is a core connection of people there if you want it. I was going to 5-6 meetings a week the first year. I definitely get something out of it. It is not everything to me. I am working the steps.

[38:31] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? I blacked out in the middle of trying to go to Jack in the Box and moved my roommate's car out to the street where it got towed. We had to go to the tow yard and get his car.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Too many to mention. One being at my friend's house and drinking his entire liquor collection. Another one would have been when I almost been fired from my work. I told myself I wouldn't drink at work anymore, and 6 weeks later I was.
3. What's your plan moving forward? My plan is to keep doing what works and stay connected. I count my day's everyday. I take pride in each day as a separate milestone.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? Diego, my dog.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? "It's never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life that you are proud of, and if you find you are not, I hope you have the strength to start over."
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? This has to be the most important thing in your life.
7. You might be an alcoholic if you are out with friends at a bar, and you go to the bathroom, but you stop at the bar to have a shot by yourself, and then return to the table to resume to drinking.

Resources:

Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAWS)

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Carey, with 40 days year since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul summarizes an article from National Geographic "The Science of Addiction." Nearly 1 in 20 adults worldwide are addicted to alcohol. 21 million Americans have a drug or alcohol addiction. Making the disorder more common than cancer. Addiction is a pathological form of learning.

SHOW NOTES

[8:52] Paul Introduces Carey. I am 30 years old; I'm an RN from Rochester New York. I used to say I liked to do a whole lot of things, but I put a lot of it on the back burner when I was drinking.

[14:45] Paul- Did you have a rock bottom moment? What caused you to make this decision to get into sobriety?

Carey- I feel like there are so many situations in which I should have chosen that time. 40 days ago was the time I decided to make the decision for myself. I hated when people told me I should quit drinking.

[19:39] Paul- Before 40 days ago, was that your first time tried to quit drinking?

Carey- Back in the day when I first started noticing issues, I was trying to narrow it down. I went through the whole cycle. After the wedding I had quit drinking for 10 weeks. If I got into nursing school, I was going to celebrate with wine. A few months after starting nursing school I got a DWI.

[35:28] Paul- You were sick and tired of being sick and tired. You used the word excited. How has that shift in mindset?

Carey- I was excited at the fact that I didn't have to worry anymore. I didn't have to go out to dinner and worry if my second order of beer would be frowned upon. I am excited about meeting other sober people.

[42:39] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Let me count the ways. One of the worst ones was when I got home from a concert, and drove to my friend's house because I thought I left my phone in his car.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? I would say my DWI. I also hate to admit that my dog was with me at the time. That scared me for sure.
3. What's your plan moving forward? Right now I want to keep learning and getting out of my comfort zone. I love Café RE, which has been amazing. I want to explore the steps.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? The Recovery Elevator Podcast. I am going to be sober today, and plan on being sober tomorrow.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Tell somebody else. Do research, look into sobriety and come up with a game plan. You are not alone.
6. You might be an alcoholic if you don't like being called an alcoholic.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Adam, with 57 days since his last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

I want to talk about the word Alcoholism, more specifically, the tail end of that word, the ISM- Incredible Short Memory, the painful acute memories are sobriety fuel. We cannot do this alone.

SHOW NOTES

[8:50] Paul Introduces Adam. I'm 36; I live in New Hampshire, married with 2 awesome sons and a beautiful wife. I love being outdoors. I began drinking in my early twenties. I was drinking to get away from stress problems. It got to the point where I was drinking everyday.

[15:05] Paul- What was different on July 17th? Was it a shift in mindset? Did you go to an AA meeting?

Adam- It was more of a mindset. Everywhere I looked there was something about recovery. It was my mind putting it out there. I created the accountability, and it made it harder to go back on.

[21:40] Paul- Was there some sense of discomfort before you quit drinking? What was the source of pain?

Adam- It wasn't anything huge. I called myself a high bottom drunk. There wasn't anything that set it off. I was sick of relying on it everyday. Waking up every morning sleepier than I should be. It became too much a part of my life, and I didn't want it there anymore.

[23:56] Paul- What was it like the first 24 hours? The first couple of days, the first week?

Adam- It was not the easiest time in my life. I had a little bit of the shakes, some headaches the first 3-4 days was the worst of it. I remind myself how great I feel now.

[26:53] Paul- What's on your bucket list in sobriety? What do you want to achieve with this new life you've been given?

Adam- I want to spend more time with my family Instead of playing with the kids, the first thing I would do would be to grab a drink. They are 3 and 7 years old right now. Be closer to them. This time of their life I really want to remember.

[29:45] Rapid Fire Round

1. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Just realizing that everyday that was the first thing when I got home from work that I wanted to do.
2. What's your plan moving forward? Just to keep enjoying life, get to know my kids better, and getting healthy.
3. What's your favorite resource in recovery? It's the Recovery Elevator Podcast.
4. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? The accountability. Creating that accountability and making it a real thing.
5. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Suck it up and talk to somebody. It has to be someone that you care about and trust and respect. Once you make it a real thing, you will not want to let them down.
6. You might be an alcoholic if you lie to your wife when you are sick as a dog, because you know she will say you don't need that beer tonight.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Megan, with 11 hours since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

New data has revealed that one in eight Americans are now alcoholics due to an alarming rise in alcohol consumption in women, elderly people and ethnic minorities.

Experts at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism say that the rise could constitute a public health crisis that is being overshadowed by the opioid epidemic and marijuana legalization.

During an 11 year gap, the number of people who received a diagnosis of alcoholism shot up by 49 percent, meaning 12.7 percent of the population - or roughly one in eight Americans - are alcoholics.

SHOW NOTES

[5:15] Paul Introduces Megan. I'm from Baltimore, Maryland. I am 38, single, with a live-in boyfriend.

[7:19] Paul- What forced you to reach out to me again, and give us a little background.

Megan- The whole point of what you are doing is when you can relate to other people. I love that you are an advocate for the acceptance part of it. People are ashamed to come out so to speak. I didn't start drinking until late in college. I liked the way it made me feel. I wasn't self-conscience. It was never really a problem. One day in my late twenties I realized I was drinking everyday.

[23:49] Paul- Talk to me about your withdrawal symptoms.

Megan- It's usually worst the second and third day. The shaking and the anxiety is the worse. I can't shut my brain off.

[26:36] Paul- What's your plan? How are we going to do this?

Megan- I am going to get through today. One day at a time. Right now it is just getting through today. I know that I want to get sober and stay sober. Am I done yet? I'm not entirely sure. I want to be there, but I don't know if I am.

[32:36] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? Blacking out. I started drinking after a run; I woke up the next day and had no memory of how I got home.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? About a month ago, I got up in the morning and was walking to the grocery store and I couldn't walk. I inched across the street and went back home.
3. What's your plan moving forward?
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? I love podcasts. The HOME Podcast, the Shair Podcast, Recovery 101.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? Don't beat yourself up.
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? You are going to feel crappy. Don't make it worse on yourself by pouring poison into yourself. It's going to get a little bit better everyday.
7. You might be an alcoholic if the liquor store on the corner knows exactly who you are, and lines up 4 mini bottles of Fireball everyday at 9:00 in the morning.

Resources:

It's a public health crisis: 1 in 8 Americans are now alcoholics By Abigail Miller for Dailymail.com

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Marybeth, with 8 months since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul reads posts from members of Café RE answering the question: "What are some things that helped you in early sobriety?

There are some emerging common themes from these responses. Change, you don't have to change much, you just have to change everything. Accountability is the key, you can't do this alone. Alcoholism is a thinking disease. You can't think your way out of it. Knowledge is not power unless you use it.

SHOW NOTES

[8:40] Paul Introduces Marybeth. I'm 51; I live in southern New Hampshire. I am married with 4 children, 2 of which have special needs so that takes up some time. I like to visit with friends and family, downhill ski, and exercise.

[13:39] Paul- Tell us about your drinking habits, how much did you drink prior to November 26th, 2016?

Marybeth- I was a big red wine drinker. I did a sugar cleanse, and then I ended up sipping Tequila neat. Then I switched back to wine. I knew I would never be a morning drinker, or drink before 5:00. I typically had 2 glasses of wine a night for years.

[17:45] Paul- Was there a bottom moment, or were you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Marybeth- I attribute my sobriety to an accident. I broke my ankle while I was walking and texting. It was difficult to be on crutches, and drink at the same time. I came upon the 30-day sober solution while I was in my cast.

[21:48] Paul- How important do you think accountability has been these past 8 months?

Marybeth- It's been really great. I couldn't handle my alcohol, and was passing out early. Now I can stay up late and have fun. I was asleep and numbing my self with alcohol. I was snared by it socially, and numbed by it unintentionally. I wasn't seeking to numb anything.

[29:05] Paul- What does your sobriety portfolio consist of? Walk us through a typical day of sobriety.

Marybeth- I wake up everyday and meditate for 30 minutes. I use the headspace app. It is like exercising a muscle. I connect with friends, and do things, which interest me.

[30:16] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? I was separated from my husband, and got into a car. I put the car in drive instead of reverse and ran over the curb.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? When I broke my ankle. I had a bloody Mary on board when that happened.
3. What's your plan moving forward? I am going to continue with meditation, my wellness, helping others, and reading books. Possibly attending an AA meeting.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? The Recovery Elevator Podcast. I love listening in the car on the way to work.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? My dad was a recovering alcoholic. He would always say don't sweat the small stuff.
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Just do it. You can always go back to drinking if sobriety doesn't work for you.
7. You might an alcoholic if you are at a weight watcher meeting and all you are concerned about is if you have enough points left for wine at the end of the day.

Resources:

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have 4 guests from the Recovery Elevator retreat in Bozeman with different backgrounds and sobriety times. Thanks for listening and hope to see you at an Recovery Elevator event soon.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul summarizes the Retreat, which took place in Bozeman, Montana.

SHOW NOTES

[13:22] Paul Introduces Kristin 238 days sober, Amy 11 years sober, Dave 12 days sober, and John with 18 and ½ years of sobriety.

[15:55] Paul- What did you think the retreat was going to be like?

Dave- I didn't have any set expectations. It has been sharing, but so much more. I have connected with every single person here.

[16:50] Paul- What surprised you so far on this retreat?

Kristin- I was surprised at how easy it was to talk to everybody here. I am not extremely comfortable around strangers. Since we have been in the online community the past year, it was easy to chat with everyone.

Amy- I enjoyed the camaraderie. It is beautiful here.

[27:30] Paul- Tell us what made you decide to come, and a little about your story?

Kristin- My drinking career didn't start until 2001. I realized about 5 years ago that I had a problem, and tried to moderate. My bottom was New Years Eve. I have not lost any friends in sobriety. It's been a wonderful 8 months.

Dave- I grew up in a household of Tea Totalers. I got into a high stress job with expense accounts. The "sick and tired of being sick and tired" resonated with me. There is a new chip on my shoulder.

Amy- I started drinking when I was 13. I had the epiphany that this was the missing link. I didn't think there would be this much joy in sobriety. You can't love other people until you love yourself. Everything I wanted alcohol to give me, I got sober.

John- My drinking career began in high school. My mom passed away when she was 47, many family members had alcohol related deaths. I became a daily drinker from college to 40 years old. January 5th of 1999 is when I got sober. My biggest breakthrough was writing a letter to my mother who had passed away. I stay sober due to the people in my community.

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"

Today we have Kristi, with nearly 9 months of sobriety since her last drink.

Today's Sponsor: Café RE Use the promo code CONNECT for one free month in the alcohol-free community Café RE.

Paul summarizes the article "America's Drinking Problem Is Much Worse This Century" by John Tozzi

Alcohol abuse has shot up since 2001, and the number of adults who binge weekly may top the population of Texas. Americans are drinking more than they used to, a troubling trend with potentially dire implications for the country's future health-care costs.

The number of adults who binge drink at least once a week could be as high as 30 million, greater than the population of every state save California, according to a study published on Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry. A similar number reported alcohol abuse or dependency.

Between the genders, women showed the larger increase in alcohol abuse, according to the report.

SHOW NOTES

[7:09] Paul Introduces Kristi. I live in northern California near Stanford; I am 44, married and have 2 boys. I worked 25 years in software sales. I have been spending most of my time volunteering.

[16:28] Paul- When did you start realize after your Mom passed away, that this might be going in the wrong direction?

Kristi- Honestly, around 38-39 I started to realize I was drinking differently than I had in the past. I was working full time with 2 young kids, and I had to have 6-7-8 drinks at the end of the day.

[20:23] Paul- What was your first AA meeting like?

Kristi- I was so overwhelmed. It was 9:00 on a Saturday morning, and there were 300 people there. I realized that all meetings weren't this way. I jumped right in, started going to meetings, got a sponsor, and worked the steps. I was working on will alone. I don't think I realized the importance of a higher power, and letting go. I managed to stay sober for quite awhile.

[28:43] Paul- You sound like you are a high bottom drunk, and have a lot more to lose, am I correct?

Kristi- I didn't get the DUI, or drive my kids drunk. But I wasn't present. I can really sit and appreciate the moment now. I am feeling good; I have a skip in my step. When you live in gratitude, you can't live in fear and resentment.

[32:07] Paul- What's on your bucket list in sobriety, what do you want to accomplish in this life?

Kristi- I would like to learn Spanish. I would really like to write a book.

[33:31] Rapid Fire Round

1. What was your worst memory from drinking? My husband and I went to San Francisco. I took a small bottle of vodka with me. I got so wasted at the party I don't remember conversations I had, and I woke up in the hallway.
2. Did you ever have an "oh-shit" moment? Repeat times over and over again being drunk on a Tuesday for no reason.
3. What's your plan moving forward? Live in the present, and being of service.
4. What's your favorite resource in recovery? I really like the book "Living Sober" and the Recovery Elevator podcast.
5. What's the best advice you've ever received (on sobriety)? I don't have a problem I can't make worse by picking up a drink.
6. What parting piece of guidance can you give listeners who are in recovery or thinking about quitting drinking? Do it, you will feel better. You will live in a more honest and peaceful world. Quit poisoning yourself.
7. You might be an alcoholic if you are hosting a party, and drinking wine with the guests, and sneaking off to have shots of vodka by yourself.

Resources:

America's Drinking Problem is Much Worse This Century- By John Tozzi

A.A. Literature Living Sober

Recovery Elevator Retreat

Sobriety Tracker iTunes

Sobriety Tracker Android

Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to [email protected]

"We took the elevator down, we gotta take the stairs back up, we can do this!"