Be the Change 2 | Francis’s Archives

Welcome back to Francis’s Archives, the midweek bonus series from the Living Clean Podcast, where Francis continues to step outside the usual format to explore recovery through reflection, history, and lived experience.

In Part 2 of “Be the Change,” Francis returns to the exercise that began with a spontaneous lobby conversation at the Volunteer Regional Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. What started as a single moment of honesty has continued to unfold into something deeper — a closer look at responsibility, personal ownership, and what it actually means to live the message we talk about.

This episode moves beyond the idea itself and into application. What does it look like to be the change in our relationships, our service, our fellowships, and our everyday choices? Where do we get stuck? Where do we resist? And what happens when we stop waiting for others to move first?

Raw, thoughtful, and intentional, this installment continues the conversation — not with answers, but with direction. Less theory. More practice. More recovery in action.

More content. More connection. More recovery.

This week on the Living Clean Podcast, we sit down with Bella A and Craig R to revisit an article they wrote for the NA Way Magazine back in 1999, where they boldly tried to predict the future of Narcotics Anonymous. Together, we reflect on which of those predictions came true, which expectations were exceeded, and where reality took a different turn than anyone imagined.

The conversation also explores how NA has evolved in reaching the newcomer, including changes in public relations and communication, and how the message continues to find addicts in new and unexpected ways. We close the episode by looking ahead once again, asking what Narcotics Anonymous might look like in the year 2050.

A thoughtful, reflective, and forward-looking episode that bridges NA’s past, present, and future.

Francis’s Archives — Episode: Steve M.

In this episode of Francis’s Archives, Francis sits down with Steve M., a name that quietly appears in the early history of recovery—and a voice with a story worth hearing.

Steve was present during the formative conference years and is listed among those who helped shape the early fellowship landscape. What began as simple curiosity—tracking down a name from conference records—turned into a deeper discovery: Steve was the musician referenced in Gina H.’s story, No Excuse for Loneliness.

Steve shares openly about his early involvement, the tension he experienced around language and messaging, and how encounters with influential figures like Joseph Proctor and Scooby ultimately pushed him toward Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an honest look at how tone, expectations, and rigid ideas can unintentionally alienate people who are simply trying to find a way to stay clean.

This conversation isn’t about taking sides—it’s about understanding history, honoring experience, and reflecting on how recovery spaces evolve. Steve’s story reminds us that language matters, humility matters, and sometimes the path we take isn’t the one we expected—but it still saves our lives.

This week on The Living Clean Podcast, we wrap up the Wellness and Health section from the Living Clean book study series. We continue right where we left off, finishing the remainder of this powerful chapter and exploring how wellness, balance, and self-care evolve as we grow in recovery.

We’re joined by Kevin, Holly, Steve, Denise, Karen, and Brian as we dig deeper into these principles — discussing our experiences, what health looks like today, and the ongoing effort to take care of ourselves in recovery.

Thanks for following along with this series. We hope you enjoy the conversation and take something meaningful back to your own recovery journey.

In this Thursday Throwback episode, we revisit a powerful piece from the Paradise Strong book study, remembering Gina H. and her story, “No Excuse for Loneliness.” Gina was an artist and musician from Nashville, Tennessee, who helped start the very first meetings there and played a role in the writing of the Basic Text.

This episode is part remembrance, part reflection — honoring Gina’s creativity, service, and the impact she had on the fellowship and on those of us who were lucky enough to know her work and her spirit.

I hope you enjoy this look back and take something meaningful from Gina’s story, just as I continue to do.

Step One is where recovery begins.

In this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, we start a 12-month journey through the Twelve Steps by talking honestly about Step One:

“We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.”

This panel discussion explores what powerlessness and unmanageability actually looked like in our lives, how denial and rationalization kept us stuck, and what surrender finally felt like. We share personal experience around addiction as a disease, hitting bottom, reservations, and the spiritual principles that bring hope.

This episode is not a replacement for working the steps. We encourage addicts to attend meetings and work the Twelve Steps with a sponsor. We don’t speak for NA as a whole — we’re simply sharing our experience, strength, and hope.

Step One gave us hope. This is where the journey begins.

Welcome to the first episode of DM’ing the Pamphlets, a collaborative series between The Living Clean Podcast and The Anonymous Podcast.

In this series, Douglas and Mason sit down to break down the Information Pamphlets (IPs) of Narcotics Anonymous and bring some attention to literature that often sits on the rack unnoticed.

In Episode One, Douglas and Mason take Another Look at IP #5, slowing it down, unpacking the message, and talking about what it really says — and how it applies to real life and real recovery.

We’re not gurus or experts. We’re just sharing our experience and perspective, and we’re genuinely interested in your take — reach out and let us know your thoughts.

Welcome to Francis’s Archives, a new midweek bonus series from the Living Clean Podcast.

In this space, Francis steps outside the usual format to experiment — sharing solo reflections, recovery exercises, personal stories, history, and ideas that don’t always fit into a standard episode. Think of this series as the notebook, the voice memo, the late-night conversation — raw, thoughtful, and intentional.

Our hope is simple: more content, more connection, more recovery.

This week, Francis introduces the “Be the Change” exercise — an idea that came to life during a spontaneous conversation in the lobby at the Volunteer Regional Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. What started as one honest exchange turned into a powerful reflection on responsibility, action, and living recovery out loud.

Now you get to hear where that conversation led.

This week on The Living Clean Podcast, we’re honored to welcome Betül B. from Istanbul, Turkey. Betül shares pieces of her personal recovery story — a journey of courage, transformation, and finding freedom through Narcotics Anonymous. She also takes us inside the history of NA in Turkey: how the fellowship first took root, the challenges of growth in a predominantly non-English-speaking community, and the incredible strides being made to bring recovery to those seeking a new way to live.

From cultural barriers to breakthroughs in service, Betül offers an inspiring look at what it really means for NA to be a global fellowship. Recovery is alive and well in Turkey — and her message reminds us that the solutions we find in NA transcend borders, languages, and backgrounds.

Tune in, be inspired, and help us carry the message worldwide.

In this special holiday episode of the Living Clean Podcast, Francis and Mason hop on the mic in a spontaneous moment to connect with our listeners during the holiday season.

The holidays can bring a mix of gratitude, joy, stress, loneliness, reflection, and everything in between — especially for people in recovery. Rather than offering a polished or scripted episode, we simply wanted to show up, check in, and remind you that you’re not alone.

We talk honestly about staying grounded, managing expectations, leaning into connection, and keeping recovery at the center during a season that can feel heavy for many.

Whether you’re celebrating, grieving, struggling, or simply getting through the day — this episode is our way of reaching out and saying: we’re glad you’re here.

Thanks for being part of this community, and for walking this path with us.