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Getting sober doesn't mean you won't face challenges in your life.  Getting sober means you don't have to drink when you have these challenges.

The challenges faced in this podcast, are admittedly Cadillac ones.  Both Steve C and Matt J were given career opportunities.  With both, it involved a lot more money and responsibility.  Just because someone gets more money and a better title, does not mean it is the right fit.  Steve, Matt and John I talk about making big decisions when in recovery, how they did it and how they got to the best decision for them.

Regardless of your situation, identify, don't compare.  We hope to help you in your own journey.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

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The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are the framework for how the groups work.  According to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, "The '12 Traditions' of Alcoholics Anonymous are, we A.A.'s believe, the best answers to that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, 'How can A.A. best function?' and, 'How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?'"

As alcoholics, our person ambition and "good intentions," could turn this fellowship away from it's primary purpose, which is for us to stay sober.

Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy

Tradition 11 - Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.

Tradition 12 - Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.

John I and Steve C join to talk about the guardrails that help AA operate.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

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The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are the framework for how the groups work.  According to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, "The '12 Traditions' of Alcoholics Anonymous are, we A.A.'s believe, the best answers to that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, 'How can A.A. best function?' and, 'How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?'"

As alcoholics, our person ambition and "good intentions," could turn this fellowship away from it's primary purpose, which is for us to stay sober.

Tradition 8 - Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

Tradition 9 - A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

John I and Steve C join to talk about the guardrails that help AA operate.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

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Kelly Giannuzzi is a mom of three boys who "seemed" to have it all together.  Great husband, beautiful house and amazing kids.  She was the the picture of the American Dream. 

What you didn't see was that she was silently battling postpartum depression, crippled by anxiety and relied far too heavily on "mommy juice."

In January 2021, she reached her bottom and decided to stop drinking.  She has not picked up since.

Kelly's path to sobriety might be different than yours.  She did not find recovery in the rooms of 12 step programs but has unknowingly followed along with some of the steps.  No one has a monopoly and it was important to share as many different kinds of stories for you to identify with.   

Join Matt J, Steve C, John I and Kelly for this inspiring story.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

Send us a text

Part 2 of our conversation with Tim G.  Like almost everything Tim has done, it's happened kicking and screaming.  That includes his outdoor meeting, painting and gardening.  But once he's done it, he felt better.  We all can identify.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Cover artwork courtesy of Tim G.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

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John I, Steve C and I have talked about our friend in recovery Tim G from time to time on this show.  Tim has been resistant to come on, but we wore him down.  Lots of things in his program has worn Tim down and we talk about the long list of things Tim never wanted to do and then when he did them, how his program got better.

In the first of two parts, Tim shares his story, how he first got sober, his relapse and his second chance at recovery.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Cover artwork courtesy of Tim G.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

Send us a text

The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are the framework for how the groups work.  According to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, "The '12 Traditions' of Alcoholics Anonymous are, we A.A.'s believe, the best answers to that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, 'How can A.A. best function?' and, 'How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?'"

As alcoholics, our person ambition and "good intentions," could turn this fellowship away from it's primary purpose, which is for us to stay sober.

Tradition 6: Our groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

Tradition 7: Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

John I and Steve C join to talk about the guardrails that help AA operate.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

Send us a text

The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are the framework for how the groups work.  According to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, "The '12 Traditions' of Alcoholics Anonymous are, we A.A.'s believe, the best answers to that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, 'How can A.A. best function?' and, 'How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?'"

As alcoholics, our person ambition and "good intentions," could turn this fellowship away from it's primary purpose, which is for us to stay sober.

Tradition 4 states, "Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole."

Tradition 5 states, "Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers."

John I and Steve C join to talk about the guardrails that help AA operate.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

Send us a text

12 Step groups have a tradition around their public relations policy, which is attraction rather than promotion.  But what does that exactly mean?

John I steps in to have a discussion of this topic.  Does it mean you never talk about AA or other 12 step programs, even in front of someone clearly sick and suffering?  Should you never post about the program on social media?  Does this podcast violate this principle?  Or is there more nuance to this? 

We invite you to join the discussion at https://notalonerecovery.com/
You can reach the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/notalonepod/
Twitter at https://twitter.com/NotAlonePodcast
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Notalonerecovery
Or email the show at [email protected]

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.

Send us a text

The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are the framework for how the groups work.  According to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, "The '12 Traditions' of Alcoholics Anonymous are, we A.A.'s believe, the best answers to that our experience has yet given to those ever-urgent questions, 'How can A.A. best function?' and, 'How can A.A. best stay whole and so survive?'"

As alcoholics, our person ambition and "good intentions," could turn this fellowship away from it's primary purpose, which is for us to stay sober.

Tradition 2 states, "For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but
trusted servants; they do not govern."

Tradition 3 states, "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."

John I and Steve C join to talk about what these traditions mean to them, why they are important and all they fun they have at their meetings.

Please help support the show by giving it a review and rating in Apple Podcasts.  Find Recovery Links, access to social media and email at https://notalonerecovery.com/

Please share with friends and family.

Love the show? Stay connected between episodes with the Sober Friends Dispatch—our Substack newsletter packed with real stories, honest reflections, and tools to help you live your best sober life.

👉 Subscribe for free at soberfriendspod.substack.com

Support the show

📫 Get more honest conversations about sobriety delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to The Sober Friends Dispatch, our weekly newsletter where we go beyond the podcast to share real strategies for alcohol-free living. Join our community by clicking here.