Reads and Recovery: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Trusting Others: When Self-Sufficiency Fails Us

"I want help, but let me tell you how to help me." Classic Rachel! Whether I’m relying on my husband, sponsor, doctors, friends and family, or my Higher Power, I am constantly negotiating how others should help me. I become teachable when my self-sufficiency  reaches its limits, and humility and desperation force me to surrender. Only then does my life change in beautiful ways I never could have planned. I struggle to let go of control while still hoping things will get better. Recovery only exists when I’m willing to accept help, trust the process, and don’t try to do life alone. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779] Visit my Recovery Upcycling Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling [https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling]

Relief Is In the Seeking, Not the Understanding

What does it mean to rely on God? If you've ever struggled with the idea of faith, wondered how to accept God into your life, or felt like you needed proof before you could believe, you're not alone. In this episode, I explore Step Two of Alcoholics Anonymous: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." I talk about what sanity means, why open-mindedness and humility matter most, and how relief is in the seeking not the understanding. Just as science accepts unseen forces like dark matter and dark energy because of their effects on the universe, we can learn to recognize the evidence of a Higher Power in the peace, hope, and transformation that seeking Him brings. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779]

Stop Rehearsing the Worst: Walking Toward Fear Creates New Evidence

I don't become brave before I act. I become brave because I act. Every time I walk toward fear, my brain collects evidence that I can survive it. Confidence is learned. Before a difficult conversation or situation, my mind writes the ending before the story even begins. I rehearse failure, rejection, embarrassment, and loss while my emotions respond as if those imagined outcomes are  real. Understanding the emotions beneath my anxiety can change the way I approach challenges. Sometimes what looks like anxiety is really insecurity, fear, or even excitement. By slowing down and identifying what I’m actually feeling, I can stop reacting to the stories in my head and start responding to the reality in front of me. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779]

Stay Curious To Stay Present

For 42 years, I sleepwalked through life. My body was present, but my mind was elsewhere replaying yesterday and worrying about tomorrow. Alcohol was my favorite escape, but there are many ways to leave the present moment, like busyness, tv, books, and social media. In this episode, I discuss what mindfulness actually MEANS to me and the need to pair that with introspection to attain emotional sobriety. The Twelve Steps teach me that recovery is more than putting down the drink. I can show up for my life physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I learn to keep my head where my feet are while also exploring what's happening inside me. Curiosity becomes courage while each decision I make bridges the world outside of me with the world within. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779]

Learning How to Stay Instead of Escape

When life becomes overwhelming, my first instinct used to be escape. Alcohol promised relief, but it only delayed my problems until they returned bigger than before. In this episode, I explore the difference between escaping reality and creating a healthy pause before responding to it. That pause is where wisdom grows.Using the image of a pressure cooker, I share why emotional pressure needs a release valve. Whether it's walking without distractions, prayer, gardening, journaling, or simply resting before reacting, healthy coping lowers the pressure so we can face problems with clarity. Recovery has given me the ability to stay present and move through life's challenges instead of running from them.Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779