The Recovered Leader Podcast

What happens when the pressure to succeed comes at the expense of your mental health? And how can the very struggles that once held you back become the foundation for meaningful leadership?

In this episode of The Recovered Leader, I sit down with Ronnie Sullivan, founder of Peace Is Possible Recovery Coaching, to explore his decade-long journey through binge eating, alcohol misuse, perfectionism, and ultimately, sustained recovery.

Ronnie shares how tying his self-worth to achievement fueled cycles of shame, isolation, and unhealthy coping, even as he excelled academically and professionally. We discuss the hidden struggles behind high achievement, the role of mindfulness and self-compassion in breaking addictive patterns, and why recovery often requires more than simply changing our behaviors.

We also explore how Ronnie transformed his personal experiences into a purpose-driven coaching business, using the lessons he learned through recovery to help others build healthier relationships with food, themselves, and the people around them.

In this episode, we explore:

• The connection between perfectionism, achievement, and addiction

• How shame and all-or-nothing thinking perpetuate unhealthy behaviors

• Why mindfulness and self-compassion are powerful tools for sustained recovery

• The importance of creating environments that support your well-being

• How recovery develops empathy, resilience, and self-leadership

• Turning personal struggles into purpose and meaningful service to others

Ronnie's story reminds us that recovery isn't just about leaving destructive behaviors behind. It's about discovering peace, reclaiming your identity, and using what you've learned to make a difference in the lives of others.

Connect with Ronnie:
Peace Is Possible Recovery Coaching — Learn more about Ronnie's coaching services and coffee initiative supporting accessible recovery services.

Join The Recovered Leader Community:
Ready to turn insight into action? Join a community dedicated to transforming the lessons of recovery into practical leadership skills, intentional habits, and meaningful personal growth.

Lead yourself first, and the rest will follow.

#TheRecoveredLeader #RecoveryLeadership #EatingDisorderRecovery #SelfLeadership #Mindfulness #SelfCompassion #AddictionRecovery #PurposeDrivenLeadership

Get ahold of Ronnie!

Website https://peaceispossiblerecovery.com/

Coffee and shirts https://peaceispossiblerecovery.com/collections/merchandise

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/peaceispossiblecoaching?igsi=NGpqeTc3YmRxdHl1&utm_source=qr

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/1BnuvEF1C9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What happens when the life you've built looks successful on the outside, but something still feels off underneath?

In this episode of The Recovered Leader Podcast, Sicily Owings sits down with entrepreneur, real estate leader, CrossFit advocate, and person in recovery Jason Lyman for a powerful conversation about addiction, identity, self-leadership, and transformation.

Jason shares his journey from growing up around alcohol, navigating college party culture, DJing in the rave scene, and spending decades as a high-functioning addict while building a successful career. Despite achieving many outward markers of success, he found himself trapped between two identities: the respected professional and the lifelong party guy.

Together, Sicily and Jason explore:

• The hidden reality of being a functioning alcoholic
• Why success can sometimes delay recovery
• The role of identity in addiction and sobriety
• Trading external validation for authentic fulfillment
• Leadership lessons learned through recovery
• The power of community, connection, and accountability
• Building a life you no longer need to escape from
• Why consistency matters more than motivation
• The intersection of entrepreneurship, recovery, and personal growth

Jason also shares how CrossFit, public speaking, and intentional community-building helped him create a new vision for his life—one rooted in purpose, service, and personal responsibility.

If you've ever wondered whether you can reinvent yourself, overcome addiction, or step into a more authentic version of who you are, this conversation is for you.

Recovery isn't just about what you leave behind. It's about who you become.

Sicily's Links:

Therecoveredleader.com

⁠Instagram: @the_recovered_leader⁠

email: [email protected]

Jason's Links:

https://thepurplemountainthrowdown.com

https://www.lyman-group.com/

#Recovery #Sobriety #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryCommunity #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfLeadership #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney

From drug running, homelessness, overdoses, and jail… to fitness, fatherhood, healing, and self-leadership.

In this episode of The Recovered Leader Podcast, I sit down with fitness and life coach Cody Bradley to explore what happens when someone stops identifying with survival mode and starts rebuilding their life with intention.

We talk about:

• Growing up around addiction and crime
• The identity traps that keep people stuck
• Recovery, masculinity, and emotional healing
• Fitness as a pathway back to self-respect
• Trauma, spirituality, grief, and resilience
• Why recovery is more than sobriety — it’s leadership

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is how deeply we explore the idea that the same intensity once poured into addiction can be redirected into purpose, discipline, healing, and growth.

This is an honest conversation about pain, transformation, and becoming the person you were always capable of being.

Sicily's Links:

Therecoveredleader.com

Instagram: @the_recovered_leader

[email protected]

Cody's Links:

Instagram:

@codyvitaldiscourse

YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@VitalDiscourse

Cody's Phoenix Program:

calendar.app.google/SL1iQ193Tnv2LE8c9

#Recovery #AddictionRecovery #SelfLeadership #RecoveredLeader #MensMentalHealth #TraumaRecovery #Sobriety #HealingJourney #FitnessAndRecovery #PersonalDevelopment #Mindset #RecoveryPodcast #SpiritualGrowth #PostTraumaticGrowth #Leadership

In this powerful episode of the Recovered Leader Podcast, host Sicily Owings sits down with performance marketing executive, speaker, and recovery advocate Kara Burns to explore the intersection of addiction recovery, identity transformation, and leadership development.

Kara shares her raw and unfiltered story of meth addiction, incarceration, relapse, and long-term recovery, and how she rebuilt her life into one rooted in purpose, discipline, and high-level leadership. From federal prison to leading high-performing teams and generating eight-figure monthly revenue in affiliate marketing and lead generation, this conversation highlights how recovery can become a true leadership advantage.

Together, Sicily and Kara dive deep into:

• How addiction and recovery shape identity and self-worth
• The role of habits, discipline, and recovery infrastructure in long-term sobriety
• Why a compelling future and sense of purpose are critical for staying sober
• The connection between self-leadership, emotional sobriety, and success

• How mentorship, environment, and community accelerate transformation
• Turning pain into purpose through service, contribution, and leadership
• Why people in recovery often have a unique “superpower” for impact and resilience

This episode is for anyone navigating:

• Addiction recovery or relapse prevention
• Identity shifts after trauma or adversity
• Building healthy habits, systems, and self-discipline
• Stepping into leadership, purpose, and personal growth

If you're ready to move from survival to self-mastery, purpose, and impact, this conversation will challenge you to rethink recovery—not as a limitation, but as a foundation for extraordinary leadership and transformation.

Tune in to learn how to:

• Rebuild your identity after addiction
• Create sustainable recovery through habits and structure
• Channel intensity into purpose-driven leadership
• Take radical ownership of your life and future

Kara Burns is a performance marketing executive, speaker, and recovery advocate who turned adversity into purpose. With over a decade of rebuilding her life after prison and addiction, she now leads with resilience, faith, and a mission to help others unlock their potential and create lasting impact.