Recovery Elevator | Stop Drinking, Start Recovering. | Alcohol, Addiction & Life In Sobriety

Gracie took her last drink on September 29, 2018.  This is her story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  The book is out!  Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here!  You can get the Audible version here! On today’s episode Paul talks about connection.  Human connection is an innate need to create a social bond with others.  For those that found a temporary connection with alcohol and are now trying to ditch the booze now find them facing disconnection head on.  You are listening to the inner voice that isn’t craving alcohol, but is craving connection.  How to connect…ask for connection every single morning.  Aim for 50% to be external connections, and the other 50% internal.  If a connection is built within, we can go through difficult times in life and still feel that warmth.  If you address the internal connection the external connection solves itself. SHOW NOTES   [14:25] Paul introduces Gracie.    Gracie grew up in the Midwest and is currently living in Chicago.  She is 32 years old and is a nurse. 

Patty took her last drink on July 19, 2017.  This is her story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  The book is out!  Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here!  You can get the Audible version here! On today’s episode Paul talks about the two main sources of unhappiness and how hope is sending us barreling off a cliff.  On the surface hope is great.  But where is it located on a timeline?  In the future, not in the now.  If hope isn’t serving us, then what?  Throttle back on the hope and lean into ‘this moment’.  SHOW NOTES   [12:00] Paul introduces Patty.    Patty is 665 years old and is originally from Fairbanks, AK.  She currently lives in Corvallis, OR.  Patty has 3 children in their forties and 7 grandkids.  She worked at a university for 30 years and is now retired.  For fun Patty likes to hike, kayak, and sailing.    [13:55] Give us a background on your drinking.   Patty says she was 14 years od the first time she got drunk, and that she was a black-out drinker her very first time.  It wasn’t unti

Kelly took her last drink on October 27, 2017.  This is her story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  The book is out!  Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here!  You can get the Audible version here! On today’s episode Paul talks about his idea of opening an in person, wellness retreat center in Costa Rica.  And while he has been working to create space for this idea and concept, and believes that the body is on board, there is still some discomfort getting out of his comfort zone.  The fact is, we all have rough days, including Paul.  He says it’s important to give the body permission to feel the feelings, and also to give the body permission to allow them to go.  If this retreat center is something you’d be interested in attending email Paul at info@recoveryelevator.com .  Paul also addresses the question of, when do you know it’s a good time, after quitting alcohol, to start tackling other substances, behaviors, thought patterns, etc.?  Paul’s advice is to go slow and to be patient, your body will k

Dan took his last drink on July 28, 2018.  This is his story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  The book is out!  Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here!  You can get the Audible version here! On today’s episode Paul talks about how we need to read his book, and others like it, with pride.  We have to shred the shame and ditch the stigma.  He shares a letter he received from someone that attended the Recovery Elevator Retreat in Bozeman recently, and as she was reading Alcohol is Sh!t on the plane the lady sitting next to her asked about the book.  And she was able to share.  Turned out the lady was on her way to help her daughter who had relapsed and needed to hear everything she had to say.  SHOW NOTES   [10:10] Paul introduces Dan.    Dan is a father of 3, has a daughter in college and the youngest is 14.  He works as a retail executive.  He lives in New York and enjoys cycling.    [12:45] Give us a background on your drinking.   Dan says he started drinking in high school and drank all through co

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

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

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 tha

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 alcoholic

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

Joy took her last drink on July 12, 2014.  This is her story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book!  Launch date, September 7, 2019, is less than a month away!  On today’s episode Paul talks about the phrase ‘spontaneous sobriety’.  What is it?  What does it mean?  Spontaneous sobriety means quitting drinking without any formal treatment such as rehab, inpatient treatment, or out-patient treatment.  12-step programs are not formal treatment due to the fact you can go when you want, work with, or without, a sponsor, and there is not a formal way to work the steps.  The majority of people get sober without formal help.  According to the NESARC about 50% of all people that recovered from alcohol dependence did so completely on their own.  So how does one spontaneously ditch the booze?  The listen to their body, read books, listen to podcasts, attend 12-step meetings, read blogs, talk to their therapist, join online recovery groups (like CaféRE), etc.…  You talk about it; you burn the ships.  SHOW NOTES   [10:40] P

Tiffany took her last drink on July 14, 2018.  This is her story. On today’s episode Paul talks about the DUIs he didn’t get.  For those of you that may not know what a DUI is…it is Driving Under the Influence, with a BAC that is higher than .08.  Those missed DUIs, going all the way back to one in 2006, in which he was following behind a friend that was drunk behind the wheel, rolled his vehicle and passed away with a BAC of .33…were a contributing factor in Paul telling himself he didn’t have a drinking problem.  He told himself he didn’t have a drinking problem because he didn’t have any DUIs.  Paul has said, ‘the only line you can cross, but cannot come back from, is death’.  He hopes that Adrian’s story can help save the life of someone listening to this podcast.   SHOW NOTES   [16:05] Paul introduces Tiffany.    Tiffany is originally from Connecticut but has been in Maryland for the last 10 years.  She is a property manager and a licensed captain.  She is 35 years old, single and has no kids.  She enjoy

Daz took his last drink on November 5, 2018.  This is his story.  This coming January Recovery Elevator is going to Thailand and Cambodia for 12 days.  Space is limited.  You can find more information about this event here On today’s episode Paul discuses the double negative, not failing.  If you find yourself struggling to say no, to picking up a drink, you are not failing.  If you are not failing you are succeeding, accomplishing, flourishing, overcoming, conquering, thriving, winning, realizing your goal to become alcohol free.  Think about an accomplishment in your life that you are proud of.  Did that come without a struggle?   Most likely it did.  That struggle did not represent failure.  Growth is a big part of that struggle.  SHOW NOTES [10:30] Paul introduces Daz.  Daz is 43 years old, has been married for 5 years, and has 2 beautiful little girls.  He is from Vancouver Island and has lived in Vancouver for the last 17 years.  For fun Daz plays guitar, writes and records a lot of music, and his lates

Arlina took her last drink on April 22, 1994 and has been alcohol free for 25 years.  This is her story. On today’s episode Paul discuses an article that a listener sent him regarding the term, ‘sober curious’.  This article was published in the New York Times and can be found here.  What is sober curious?  The term is pretty straight forward, it refers to those that are curious about exploring a life without alcohol.  But it can be unpacked even more.  To some, sober curious may mean that they never had a drinking problem, but they had a problem drinking.  In the article the author describes the sober curious as young professionals that are kind of, just a little bit, addicted to booze.   Paul feels that that bulk of this demographic of sober curious people are what would be referred to as high bottom drunks.  They are beginning to experience consequences from their drinking and they are becoming curious to what a life without alcohol would look like.    SHOW NOTES [9:30] Paul introduces Arlina. Arlina is 50

Odette, took her last drink on December 17, 2018.  This is her story. On today’s episode Paul talks about control and how it relates to the level of an addiction.  The more our drinking gets out of control the more we try and control our external environments.  This is the main driver why control is such an important concept to deepen with so we can become aware of the level of control we placing on the external environment.  We are left with 2 choices.  Option 1 is to do nothing, and that is not what this podcast is about.  That leaves us with option 2.  Get ready to saddle up.  Once an addiction is been acknowledged it can no longer be ignored, and it cannot be addressed without making major life changes.  Changes like a new self-image, your perception, a new consciousness, your ideas and beliefs, your entire life’s foundations.  That’s a lot of change, and as humans we resist change.  SHOW NOTES [8:10] Paul introduces Odette.  Paul first chatted with Odette on episode 128, which came out on July 31st 2017,

Mark, took his last drink on April 19th, 2019 - This is his story. On today’s episode Paul shares the status on his upcoming book release!  Alcohol is Sh!t should be launched the end of July – to mid-August.  Graphics for the front cover, the back, and the eBook are done.  Thanks to everyone that voted on the tagline and subtitles…this is what we came up with; How to ditch the booze.  Reignite your life.  Recover the person you were always meant to be.  Paul also talks about calming the mind through meditation.  The word meditation comes from the word meditacioun, which means to ponder, and it has been around for a very long time.  What is meditation?  Meditation is about letting thoughts go.  It is about loosening the energetic ties to the past and the future.  It is about being present and focusing on what is, the reality you are currently witnessing.  Meditation is about lowering brain waves to a more relaxed state.  Meditation is a skill and it takes practice.  What meditation is not.  Meditation isn’t no

Melissa, with a sobriety date of October 29, 2018, shares her story. Paul shares one of his favorite emails.  Dale from Pittsburgh says…Paul, you son of a bitch.  You have completely ruined alcohol for me. Your experience with alcohol may no longer be the same after listening to the podcast!  Don’t worry about the how…that always solves itself.  SHOW NOTES [11:00] Paul introduces Melissa.  Melissa says that sobriety is the most badass gift she has given herself.  The biggest milestone.  She is from Vancouver Canada.  She is 44 years old and has a 12-year-old son and a 1-year old rescue dog.  Melissa has been a business owner for the last 5 years.  For fun she likes to walk in the forest.  [16:20] What is something you want to try out in sobriety?  Scuba diving!       [17:30] Give us a background on your drinking. Melissa had her first drink when she was 15.  She got drunk the first time she drank and the kids at school thought she was cool.  Her parents got divorced when she was 16 and she took the roll of mo

Sara, with a sobriety date of January 16, 2019, shares her story. On today’s episode Paul shares an internet meme that he saw and loved… “Only in my pain, did I find my will.          Only in my chaos, did I learn to be still.          Only in my fear, did I find my might.          Only in my darkness, did I see my light.” Starting to see a theme, Paul added a few lines…          Only through my self-loathing was I able to love myself. Only through my fears was I able to see how little it has ever served                   me.  Only through guilt was I able to see that all humans make mistakes, and I’m human. Only through shame did I realize I don’t owe anyone in life an explanation, ever again. Only through my failures was I able to see what I was doing wrong and then make the necessary corrections.  Only through blacking out was I able to recognize the misery with living without light.  Only with a crushing headache after a heavy night of drinking was I able to appreciate a clear mind. Only through my addict

Chris, with a sobriety date of February 12, 2019, shares his story. On today’s episode Paul shares 8 strategies that you can implement when you are going through hard times.  Everything can, and will, change.  You’ve overcome challenges before. Recognize this life situation as a learning experience, AKA an opportunity. You may not be getting what you want, but you are getting what you need. Lighten up, do not take yourself to seriously. You can self-medicate with kindness to yourself. Don’t make it worse by taking on other people’s tough times. There is always something to be happy for.   SHOW NOTES: [13:40] Paul introduces Chris.  Chris has been sober since February 12, 2019 and is 35 years old.  He is a technology trainer for a finance company.  He is divorced and has three boys, ages 15, 10 and 7.  For fun Chris likes to sing and play guitar in a band, he also does improv and stand up comedy.  Since getting sober he is exercising a lot.  [14:20] When did you start drinking? He had his first drink, tequil

Tim, with 2 days of sobriety, shares his story. On today’s episode Paul talks about 2 articles that discuss alcohol use.  Links for these articles can be found following the show notes.  The first article, published on May 7, 2019 in USA Today, says that alcohol use is soaring worldwide, with the average adult now consuming about 1.7 gallons of pure alcohol per year.  Just in the past 27 years the total volume of alcohol that people consumed globally increased by 70%.  Even though on a global level alcohol consumption is increasing, if you are listening to this podcast you have made it further than 95% of people out there.  You are starting to make changes.  On the brighter side, an article published on January 17, 2018 in Bloomberg, reported that Americans drank less alcohol in 2018, for the third straight year.  Total cases of beer, wine and spirits consumed in the US dropped by .8% in 2018.  This was the third straight year that there had been a decline in consumption.  So globally people are consuming mor

Nick, with 101 days of sobriety, shares his story. Paul is asking the listeners what they want to hear on the podcast.  Do you want more interviews with industry professionals, such as recovery coaches, authors, and wellness leaders?  Or do you like the podcast just the way it is with Paul interviewing sobriety badasses?  Leave a review on iTunes and let Paul know!  On today’s podcast Paul shares that he was recently interviewed on a podcast called, Self Made and Sober by the host Andrew Lassise.  Andrew asked Paul what was the difference between his first 2 ½ years of sobriety and from September 7, 2014 on.  According to Paul, that was a fantastic question with an easy answer.  The first 2 ½ years of sobriety was from January 1, 2010 through August 2012.  On 1/1/10 Paul made a declaration to go 30 days without alcohol.  When day 30 hit Paul was at a crossroads.  He had started to lose weight, feel good, his face was less puffy, life just got better.  So, he decided to go another month.  Going into month 3 th