Sober Friends

Send us Fan Mail

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.

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 Fan Mail

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.

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 Fan Mail

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.

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 Fan Mail

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]

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 Fan Mail

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.

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 Fan Mail

Tyler thought is was normal to get drunk growing up.  It was what everyone in town did at his age.  Then his parents got divorced and the drinking escalated.  But he already had a strong, spiritual faith and it ended up being his lifeline.

Tyler is a childhood friend of my wife.  He heard about this podcast from her on Facebook and wanted to talk about his life in sobriety.  In this episode, Tyler discusses is upbringing in a wealthy town, the break up of his parent's marriage and how alcohol entered his life.  Tyler grew up with a strong spiritual background, something that continues to this day.  He got sober at 19 and Tyler tells of his story of being in the Institute of Living and how he was able to continue his recovery in college and beyond.

Please subscribe, download and give a rating on Apple Podcasts.  Share the podcast with someone you think this podcast will help.  Let's help one more sick and suffering alcoholic.

Check out our website at https://notalonerecovery.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 Fan Mail

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, 'Ho 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 1 states, "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity."

John I and Steve C, two men with experience in AA, are here to give their interpretation of Tradition 1 and why it's so important.

Please subscribe and download this podcast if you liked it.  Give it a review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who could benefit!

You can find the podcast at https://notalonerecovery.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 Fan Mail

Nate Kelly is the host of the Sobriety Diaries Podcast on Instagram and wherever you get your podcasts.  He is also an alcoholic.  I was fascinated by his story in listening to his show and he was gracious enough to join us.  In this episode, Nate talks about his story, his experience with drinking, his alcoholic stroke in his 30's that was not enough to stop drinking, his recovery and how he's been in service to those in recovery.  This is an inspiring story you will love.  You can find Nate at https://www.thesobrietydiaries.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 Fan Mail

When you are new to sobriety, you may think life is now just sitting in church basements.  Early on, you'll see a lot of church basements, but as you grow in your new sobriety, the opportunity to enjoy your life presents itself.  John I and Steve C join in to talk about the debt of gratitude they owe to their 12 step program and how life has become better.

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 Fan Mail

Many alcoholics have had to deal with the effects of isolation both in active addition and after.  Especially during COVID-19, when you have to social distance, it's easy to hide away and isolate from everyone in the name of good health.  It's easy to stay home and be comfortable isolating in general and make excuses to not go to meetings or call people in the program.  Matt J, John I and Steve C talked about their own issues with isolation and the trap it can ensnare us in.

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.