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John I joins me to talk about the early history of AA.  But first, we celebrate another year of John's sobriety (his anniversary date is Feb 14, 1990).  I this podcast, we focus on the unsung heroes of AA, like Rowland Hazard, who had the resources to consult with Dr. Carl Jung in an attempt to treat his alcoholism.  Although Rowland Hazard never joined Alcoholics Anonymous, his connections to the Oxford Groups led him to Ebby Thatcher.  This led Thatcher to share the idea with his friend Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, the concept of a God of your understanding.

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Author Gigi Langer, the author of the book, 50 Ways to Worry Less Now is the guest on this week's podcast.  She's also a guest on one of my favorite podcasts, Recovered with Mark S. (Highly Recommended).

You can purchase Gigi's book at https://gigilanger.com/ where she also has a recovery blog.

In this podcast we hear Gigi's story of sobriety, her challenges at maintaining relationships, despite being in a highly competitive academic program, how she found her way into the rooms of AA and how life changed.

We talk through her book including:

• Honesty, especially becoming honest with yourself
• The Golden Key
• Using your Higher Power for help and overcoming that "God" fear
• Healing relationships

And so much more.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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There is nothing more divisive to the newcomer than the role of "God" in in AA.  Is AA a cult?  I had someone reach out to me who said their General Practitioner said they were.  Will you be forced to kneel as soon as you walk in and give yourself to Christ?  I never had to.  I asked John I and Steve C to join me to tell their perspective on a "Higher Power."  Both have very different views and something I hope you can identify with.

If God or a Higher Power has made you hesitate to go to your first 12 step meeting, this is the show for you.  We could do 20 shows on this and never scratch the surface.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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Greg (Gig) is a friend of mine from my old podcast.  He has a Youtube Show talking about life in Maine.  Greg has been sober over 2 years and talks about his journey.  He has not attended a 12 step meeting and we talk about what he does to remain sober.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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Greg (Gig) is a friend of mine from my old podcast.  He has a Youtube Show talking about life in Maine.  Greg has been sober over 2 years and talks about his journey.  He has not attended a 12 step meeting and we talk about what he does to remain sober,

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It's not uncommon for alcoholics in recovery to gather at someone's home after the first of the year to start their Joe and Charlie meetings.  But what exactly are Joe and Charlie and why do some people in recovery do these workshops.  John I joins the program to talk about Joe and Charlie and the other Joe.  It's a history of the big book and AA and we've dropped some of the best of Joe and Charlie in the episode.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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Jon from Scranton is my old friend from my old podcast.  He hosts the Mintel Intel Podcast and does shows on the Kirk Minihane (Barstool Sports) Youtube Channel.  We've done shows together a number of times over the past 2 years.  What I did not know was that Jon had a story of recovery from cocaine use and how it affected his job and his life with his family.  You might find Jon's journey a bit controversial.  Though he is free of cocaine, he does admit to occasional marijuana and alcohol use, which I encouraged him to give up.  However, we are not here to judge anyone's method of recovery or journey, only to identify with their story.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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Jennifer M found recovery at 24 and has over 30 years sobriety.  Jennifer tells her story of running away at 15, traveling with her dad to Carson City and hitting bottom working at a casino.  Through the years, she married, divorced and re-married and dealt with what life had to offer, all without having to take a drink.  Join us for this inspiring story and we hope you identify with the journey.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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📫 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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Matt gets schooled by Steve C, who explains it's important to tell the story of what it's like before finding recovery, aka the drunkalog.  Steve joins the podcast to tell his story of growing up in Waterbury, CT and the experience of an alcoholic family.  He discusses his two stints of recovery and how he lost one marriage and almost another.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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One of Matt J's business heroes has been Tony Hsieh of Zappos.  Hsieh started his own business, cashing it out for millions to start a company that sold shoes on the internet.  That company, Zappos, because not only the leader in online shoe sales, but the word class customer service emulated by business of all types.  But Hsieh hid a dark side, an addiction to alcohol and later other drugs as the pandemic of 2020 caused him to retreat from life and from his job as CEO of Zappos.  He tragically died in November 2020 in a fire, likely caused by his desire to test the limits of how much oxygen he needed to survive.  Based on reports from Forbes, The New York Post and the Wall Street Journal, Matt walks through Tony's last year of life and discusses how no level of success and money can inoculate one from the hazards of addiction.

Find us online at notalonerecovery.com
Find us on social media:
Twitter - @notalonepodcast
Instagram - @notalonepod
Facebook - @notalonerecovery

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.