by Paul Churchill | Sep 23, 2019 | Podcast
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Rose took her last drink on March 12, 2019. This is her story.
Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! The book is out! Pick up your copy on Amazon here!
On today’s episode Paul talks about Recovery Elevator Bozeman Retreat that took place this past August. One of the speakers at the retreat was a spiritual teacher that Paul has worked with, Elaine Huang, you can find out more about her here.
And a BIG thank you to the sponsors of the retreat.
Nutzo, an organic 7-nut seed butter, that provided a jar of said butter to everyone that attended!
Rise Brewing Co., provided Nitro Cold Brewed Coffee!
Fire Brew, an apple cider-based health tonic, provided shots for everyone!
And tajín, a seasoning blend of lime, chili peppers and sea salt, provided a bottle of zing for all!
The cool thing is that these sponsors wanted to be a part of this event. Thank you to Odette who worked hard in setting it all up!
SHOW NOTES
[22:20] Paul introduces Rose.
Rose is 37 years old. She is from New Zealand but is currently living in France. Rose is a physiotherapist by trade, but her degree is not recognized yet in France so she is teaching English. She is a newlywed and they have a 3-year-old son. For fun Rose likes to cook, sing, be outdoors, and go to gigs.
[25:20] Give us a background on your drinking.
Rose started drinking as a teenager. She says she grew up in a loving family but that everyone was a boozer, that it was normal. At 18 she went off to university but dropped out after 2 years because it was getting in the way of her drinking. She moved cities in search of new drinking friends and for the next 5 years was in an abusive relationship. Rose says she spent a good chunk of her 20’s getting out of, and recovering from, that relationship.
Rose then spent time on a friend’s large sailing boat and sailed to Fiji, continuing her drinking. She then went home and started studying to become a physiotherapist. Rose says she slowed her drinking down while she was studying.
[28:25] What happens next?
Rose got her degree, got a great job in a hospital where she wanted to work. In 2016 she had her son. She says after the birth of her son she fell into the ‘mommy drinking’ culture. Rose also started to feel like an imposter. Promoting health at work but doing the very opposite personally.
[32:20] Was there anything in particular that led you to ditch the booze?
Rose says a big part of it was moving to France in 2017. She found France’s drinking culture to be the polar opposite of New Zealand’s which made her feel out of place. Even though she knew she needed to stop her drinking ramped up at the beginning of this year after the death of a close friend.
[35:15] What happened on March 12th?
Rose says she had started to drink during the daytime, when she wasn’t on pick-up duty with her son. She also started smoking cigarettes. She started feeling guilty about not being present as a parent. She reached out to an American friend she had met on that sailing ship that was posting about being sober. This friend led her to Café RE.
[38:50] How did you do it?
Rose says she told her husband, creating some accountability. Her husband was very supportive. The removed all the alcohol from the house and Rose declined engagements for a while. She joined Café RE and jumped in and starting participating and getting involved.
[48:50] How have things changed in an alcohol-free life?
Rose says she’s a better mother, she’s present. She has an increase in self-love and self-worth.
[55:05] Rapid Fire Round
- What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?
Pineapple and lime sparkling water.
- What are some of your favorite resources in recovery?
I loved The Joy of Being Sober book. I also really love Josh Korda’s Dharmapunx podcast. There is a New Zealand woman named Lotta Dann and she has a book, and blog, by the same name called, Mrs. D is Going Without.
- What’s on your bucket list now that alcohol isn’t part of your life?
A lot more travel, I love to travel. To be able to help someone else get sober.
- And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?
Connect, connect with people. Look for the similarities and not the differences.
- You might have a drinking problem if…
You’re drinking wine out of a coffee mug just so the neighbors won’t know because it’s 11 AM on a Monday.
Upcoming retreats:
Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020
You can find more information about this event here
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Cafe RE– Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free
Sobriety Tracker iTunes
Sobriety Tracker Android
Sober Selfies! – Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com
“Recovery Elevator – You took the elevator down, you have to take the stairs back up.”
by Paul Churchill | Sep 16, 2019 | Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe to the Recovery Elevator Podcast Apple Podcasts | | More
Dan took his last drink 370 days ago. This is his story.
Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! The book is out! Pick up your copy on Amazon here!
On today’s episode Paul talks about how this journey into a new life without alcohol can be fun. In fact, he says, it must be fun. If you’re not having fun right now that is ok, you are not doing anything wrong. Recovering your true self, a life filled with inner joy and abundance, can only be done with love. You can’t fight darkness with darkness.
Here are some strategies to invite love into your life…stop comparing yourself to others, get off social media, tell yourself ‘I love you’, listen to your body, put on headphones and dance.
SHOW NOTES
[9:30] Paul introduces Dan.
Dan celebrated 1 year of sobriety on July 28, 2019. He is 37 years old and lives in Cottage Grove, MN. He is a teacher and teaches middle school math. He has 5-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and a 10-year-old daughter. Dan is married and they just celebrated 13 years. For fun Dan likes to exercise and hike.
[16:20] Give us a background on your drinking.
Dan had his first drink in high school and bartended through college. He says his drinking just carried over into what he calls ‘his adult life’ and it just stuck with him. He wasn’t a binge drinker; it was more of cracking a couple beers open every night after work.
Dan started to become depressed, getting anxious if he couldn’t drink his beers each night. He says he had some suicidal thoughts.
[20:45] What did that depression feel like?
Dan got to the point where he was finding no joy in anything, including alcohol, his job or his family. He confided in a friend about his depression and that was the start of his journey into sobriety. When he confided in his wife, he felt that he was surrendering and ready to get help.
[24:00] When did you tell your wife and what happened after that?
Dan says he made the commitment to stop drinking last summer and told his wife after about a week in. Dan says his wife overheard him listening to the Recovery Elevator podcast and that was the beginning of their conversation about his drinking and depression.
[26:35] Talk to us about the 1st week, the 1st month.
Dan made a doctor’s appointment a couple weeks in to talk about his depression and was prescribed anti-depressants/antianxiety medication. He was worried about how he would feel once taking the medication but says it has really helped him. Dan listened to the RE podcasts daily and would reach out to his wife when he was struggling at all. He also told his oldest daughter that he was quitting drinking alcohol.
[35:30] With a year away from the alcohol how has the depression been?
Dan says it has gotten better. He is going to sit down with his doctor and discuss if he should come off the meds, he says he was scared to go on them in the beginning and is now a little worried about coming off them.
[37:25] What’s on your bucket list now with a year of sobriety?
Next summer he’s going to finish up the Superior Hiking Trail and possibly do a ½ marathon.
[38:44] You haven’t mentioned AA or 12-step, did you not go to AA during this last year?
Dan says he never put it out of his mind or took it off the table, and that he even looked up when and where meetings were; but that he never went to a meeting.
[40:40] Rapid Fire Round
- What’s a lightbulb moment you’ve found on this journey?
My lightbulb moment was that I needed to fail a few times before I was actually able to be successful with it.
- What is a gift that sobriety has given you?
The biggest gift is time.
- What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?
Well my beer fridge has now became a sparkling water fridge.
- What are some of your favorite resources in recovery?
I definitely have to say Recovery Elevator, plus my friends and my family.
- And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?
It would have to be that there is so much freedom once you have given up alcohol.
- You might have a drinking problem if…
You have a fight with your girlfriend, decide to move out, and realize that you have only packed a camera and a swimsuit.
Upcoming retreats:
Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020
You can find more information about this event here
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Cafe RE– Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free
Sobriety Tracker iTunes
Sobriety Tracker Android
Sober Selfies! – Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com
“Recovery Elevator – It all starts from the inside out.”
by Paul Churchill | Sep 9, 2019 | Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe to the Recovery Elevator Podcast Apple Podcasts | | More
Brandi took her last drink on July 17, 2019. This is her story.
Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! The book was released 2 days ago! Pick up your copy on Amazon here!
On today’s episode Paul talks about one of his pet peeves…the word “ONLY”. For example, when someone says they have ‘only’ been sober for 3 days, 10 days, 2 weeks, etc.… We need to change this way of thinking, any amount of time away from alcohol is a major win.
The word ‘only’ equals limited, represents a lack of, and we want to be careful with this idea and energetic vibrations that encompass the word.
SHOW NOTES
[9:30] Paul introduces Brandi.
Brandi is from Franklin, TN. She is 48 years old and works in healthcare. She has a 12-year-old daughter and for fun Brandi likes to make her own greeting cards, write poetry, and ride horses.
[14:50] Give us a background on your drinking.
Brandi says she drank some in high school and college, but that she didn’t really enjoy it. She says it wasn’t until she was 33-34 years old that she started to see alcohol as a problem.
In 2012 she started to notice how alcohol was impacting her life, her physical wellbeing, her job, and the people around her. 2 years ago, she was drinking about 2 bottles of wine a night, every day.
[23:00] Where do you think your self-loathing came from?
Brandi says it came from a lot of things; missed moments with her daughter; lost time; missed conversations.
[33:30] Tell us how the last 2 weeks have been?
Brandi says they have been good. She felt a little of the pink cloud. She’s been trying to do things differently, like getting up earlier. She started a morning routine that includes her affirmation books.
[39:00] What’s your plan moving forward?
Brandi says she is going to be better at reaching out to people. She plans on getting back to some meetings that she has gone to in the past. Getting back to her morning routine. She wants to slowly get back to the things she enjoys doing for fun. Brandi says a big one for her is stepping outside her comfort zone.
[40:40] Rapid Fire Round
- What’s a lightbulb moment you’ve found on this journey?
How many times have I thrown wine glasses away.
- What is a memorable moment that sobriety has given you?
Sitting with my daughter, watching Disney movies, just being goofy and she put on Elton John and we just started dancing.
- What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?
Unfortunately, it’s Diet Dr. Pepper, but lemonade takes a close 2nd.
- What are some of your favorite resources in recovery?
My friends that know me, my affirmation books.
- What’s on your bucket list in an alcohol-free life?
I used to travel; I want to go find a really cool place to take my daughter. I want to do the things I used to do with her and start making memories. Also, to get back into making my cards again and moving forward with dreams I had at making that part of my lifestyle.
- And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?
Even if it’s hard to step out, to reach out, it doesn’t have to be huge, just that one little thing that will change your path.
- You might have a drinking problem if…
Before you buy that next bottle of wine you have to figure out where you are in your rounds through your wine stores so you don’t hit one too soon.
Upcoming retreats:
Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020
You can find more information about this event here
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Honey
This episode is brought to you by the smart shopping assistant Honey. Get Honey for free at www.joinhoney.com/elevator . Honey, the smart shopping assistant that saves you time and money when you’re shopping online
Connect with Cafe RE– Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free
Sobriety Tracker iTunes
Sobriety Tracker Android
Sober Selfies! – Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com
“Recovery Elevator – Alcohol is shit…and we both know it.”
by Paul Churchill | Sep 2, 2019 | Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe to the Recovery Elevator Podcast Apple Podcasts | | More
Aisha took her last drink on July 28, 2017. This is her story.
Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! The book comes out in 5 days! This is also Paul’s 5-year alcohol free date! Pick up your copy on Amazon September 7, 2019!
On today’s episode Paul talks about celebrities that have ditched the booze and why this group of the population is affected by addiction way more than the average population.
SHOW NOTES
[9:30] Paul introduces Aisha.
Aisha is 42 years old and lives in Atlanta, GA. She is a lawyer, married and has a 10-year-old. Aisha enjoys reading recovery/addiction memoirs along with fiction.
[14:50] Give us a background on your drinking.
Aisha says that a big part of why she drank was that she was trying to fit in. Both of Aisha’s parents were alcoholics. She is African-American and Hispanic and was raised in rural America where she didn’t see a lot of people that looked like her.
Aisha didn’t really start drinking until she started law school and she started drinking alcoholically after she started practicing law. There were a few months when she had the FBI watching her house because of a threat she had received, during those months she was so scared that she was drinking every day. Because of her experience with alcoholics in her family she knew where her drinking was going, and she knew she needed to quit.
[22:34] Did you have a rock bottom moment?
Aisha says her bottom was when she “missed the toilet”, literally. She knew she needed help then, but didn’t stop drinking at that time. She did however go to an AA meeting.
[26:15] Tell us more about your AA experience.
Aisha says when she went to AA, she was legitimately looking for help. After listening to the speaker share, she felt like she could not relate. She didn’t let that stop her from going back, but after some condescending comments at another AA meeting she went back to drinking.
[28:15] What do you think finally pushed you over the edge to start logging in the time?
Aisha didn’t let the bad experiences she had had at AA stop her from trying other meetings. She went to a lot of meetings and finally found one that she felt loved and welcomed at.
[40:55] How has the wanting to fit in changed since getting sober?
Aisha says she is much more purposeful. She is much more focused on the whys of doing things. She is also much more open to feed back from others.
[46:30] In the last 2 years have you had a difficult moment where you thought you were going to drink and how’d you get through it?
Aisha says she has not, and she know she is very fortunate. She says that the smell of alcohol disgusts her now. She has, however, had moments of fomo and has wished she could drink with friends at times.
[51:20] Rapid Fire Round
- What is a memorable moment that a life without alcohol has given you?
Going on vacation with her family and her daughter and waking up early with her and remembering everything.
- What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?
Mango Bubly
- What are some of your favorite resources in recovery?
The stories in the back of the AA Big Book; A Girl Walks Out of a Bar; and people…I really enjoy the Café RE Facebook group.
- What’s on your bucket list in an alcohol-free life?
I have a lot of changes that I am in the process of making in my life personally, I don’t want to put them out on the podcast. But I think that in the next year there are some things in my life that are going to look very different.
- And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?
This is truly life and death, but it is also one day, one moment, one second at a time.
- You might have a drinking problem if…
You’re dropping a deuce, and you think you’re on the toilet, and when you get up, you’re not even close to the toilet.
Upcoming retreats:
Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020
You can find more information about this event here
Resources mentioned in this episode:
ZipRecruiter
This episode is brought to you in support by ZipRecruiter. Right now, my listeners can try ZipRecruiter for free. Visit Ziprecruiter.com/elevator
Connect with Cafe RE– Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free
Sobriety Tracker iTunes
Sobriety Tracker Android
Sober Selfies! – Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com
“Recovery Elevator – Alcohol is shit…and we both know it.”
by Paul Churchill | Aug 26, 2019 | Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe to the Recovery Elevator Podcast Apple Podcasts | | More
Sarah took her last drink on June 13, 2019. This is her story.
Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! Pick up your copy on Amazon September 7, 2019!
On today’s episode Paul talks about how there is always a ‘plan B’. Plan A…aka the way we want life to work out, the way we hoped things were going to work, actually work out 0% of the time. Everyone has these hiccups.
The fact that you are listening to this podcast means you are already into plan B. Most people that have a goal to move into an alcohol-free life have a plan A, which looks something like this…quit drinking and never look back. It doesn’t matter how many plans you have because we now have hundreds of plans to chose from.
You don’t have to go out looking for your plan, schedule some down time and let the plan come to you.
SHOW NOTES
[8:33] Paul introduces Sarah.
Sarah is 44 years old and is from Vancouver, WA. She is engaged to be married and has no kids. Sarah is a chiropractor. For fun Sarah loves anything that has to do with health, she loves to exercise and go on long walks with her fiancé.
[10:00] Give us a background on your drinking.
Sarah had her first drink when she was 12 years old. She didn’t drink heavily from that point on but her drinking really escalated when she started working in the restaurant business while attending the University of Texas. She was 22 years old at this time. At the age of 17 Sarah got a DWUI.
From the age of 22 her drinking got worse. When she was 30 years old, she found herself calling in sick to work because she was hungover.
[12:00] So you decided to have a change of location and profession?
Sarah says it was one of the best decisions she made, but that looking back it was her thinking that she needed to get out of her current environment. She started chiropractic school and took her drinking right along with her.
Her drinking continued to escalate and she ended up missing a really significant clinical entrance exam. She drank too much the night before and slept through it. She wasn’t allowed to take a makeup exam and had to wait to take the exam. This is when she first tried AA.
[13:15] What were your initial thoughts about AA?
Initially it was awesome. Sarah still has some really great feelings about AA. She says she’ll never forget when she walked into her very first meeting and a man telling her she never had to drink again. Sarah says that was a lightbulb moment for her.
[14:00] Bring us up to speed from 32 years old to 44.
Sarah had on and off sobriety attempts during that time, ranging from 6 months to 2 years. And she says that, of course, her life always got better.
She was questioning if she was an alcoholic because she could stop at a couple drinks, sometimes. But she realized that her drinking always had consequences. She decided, along with her fiancé, to quit drinking.
[16:40] What do you think you started back up after your 6 mo., 9 mo., 2 years?
Sarah felt like she would hit a wall, that she couldn’t label herself a full-blown alcoholic so she would find herself going back out. She would always end up back at the same place, lack of motivation, sick, tired, depressed, and a chaotic life.
[18:40] What effect has not drinking had?
By day 3 Sarah noticed she was sleeping better. She enjoys her work and being with patients. She has her motivation back. She isn’t waking up with guilt and shame anymore.
[22:00] What are some of the obstacles that you have overcome in the last 41 days?
Sarah says that around day 13 and a couple weeks ago she was hitting a wall emotionally.
[25:17] How has it been to have a fiancé as an accountability partner?
Sarah says it’s been really amazing. She had to tell him a number of times that drinking was a problem for her, and when things got really bad, he finally got it. He was willing to go on the journey with her. It wasn’t just ‘her’ drinking, it was ‘their’ drinking.
[28:00] What have been the challenges to do this with a significant other?
Sarah says the first challenge was that she wanted to make sure he wasn’t stopping to drink just for her. She says she needs the support but that she didn’t want to feel responsible for that decision. The challenge was making sure that they both had their own ‘whys’.
[29:00] What is something you didn’t think you’d have to work on?
Sarah thought that the problem her and her fiancé had with communicating would go away and she learned that they still needed to work on those skills.
[29:40] Have you explored why you drank?
Sarah says she drank because she wanted to feel included and connected to other people. She says she also drank because it got her attention.
[30:30] What is something memorable that you have been able to do in a life without alcohol?
She has noticed that she is way more invested in her life and in her chiropractor practice. She cares about her patients.
[32:20] What’s your plan moving forward?
To continue on this journey. Sarah also says her love for reading has returned.
[33:30] Rapid Fire Round
- What is a lightbulb moment you’ve had on this journey?
All of a sudden, I’m noticing the world around me.
- Is there anything you would have done differently when quitting drinking?
This time, no. It has all gotten me here.
- What is your favorite alcohol-free drink?
Lately my fiancé and I have been making virgin Bloody Mary’s.
- What is your favorite resource in recovery?
As of now it is Café RE. It really is a safe environment for me to connect with people.
- What’s on your bucket list in an alcohol-free life?
We want to travel to Germany. I have never really wanted to travel and now I do.
- And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners?
The biggest thing I was afraid of was that I was going to miss out on something, and none of that is true.
- You might have a drinking problem if…
You wake up somewhere that you never would have been if sober.
Upcoming retreats:
Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020
You can find more information about this event here
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Cafe RE– Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free
Sobriety Tracker iTunes
Sobriety Tracker Android
Sober Selfies! – Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com
“Recovery Elevator – It all starts from the inside-out.”
