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Secrets make you sick. We talk a lot about the masks we wear in life. All the things we do to create one picture to the outside world as we try to hide who we really are on the inside. The truth is, as long as you are hiding something, the more uncomfortable and unhealthy you will be. Because secrets make you sick. Mark shares his phenomenal story of  becoming aware of his own mask and what he was hiding from the world. He understood his sexuality, but recognized that being involved with women allowed him to keep that mask firmly in place. After two failed marriages, suicide attempts, and a dramatic battle with drug addiction he finally realized his last secret had to come out or he was going to lose the battle. He built up the courage and came out as sober. His path has taken many twists and turns and he remained dedicated to finding his way and creating a routine that makes sense for him. Now, he shares his story through his blog, and his best-selling book: My Suicide Race. Follow Mark on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/markaturnipseed/ Buy the book: My Suicide Race: Winning Over the Trauma of Addiction, Recovery, and Coming Out Join the Addiction Unlimited Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

It seems like nearly everyone is running around the planet stuck in anxiety and worry. Especially since coronavirus started. 40 million people in the United States suffer from anxiety. It is the number one mental illness. Thoughts start swirling around your head, what’s going to happen, will it be okay, I can’t pay my bills, can I stay sober… and the more they swirl, the more you can blow them out of proportion and make them feel much bigger than they are. Early in my recovery I was taught to “get things right-sized”. Meaning, get clear on what is happening, what my thoughts are about it, and what is the ACTUAL situation. Not what I’m catastrophizing about it, but what it really is. In this episode I’ll talk about some quick strategies to get your thoughts in order, be realistic, and how to change the story you are telling yourself from one of doom and gloom and worry, to one of reality, preparedness, and truth. You have two opportunities every week to connect with me live. Every Friday on Facebook in the Addiction Unlimited Facebook group, and every Sunday on the Clubhouse app for Sober Sunday. (Clubhouse is only available for iPhone users at this time.) Don’t forget to share this episode with someone else and I’ll see you live on Friday and Sunday! Join the FB group here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited  

When he had to get a prescription for pain medication, his doctor told him he couldn’t become addicted because he was a cop. Like seeing all the tragedy of addiction makes you immune to it’s powers. Brock’s story could easily be a movie. Police officer and undercover agent, run over by a truck in the line of duty, and that led to multiple surgeries and pain meds. The opioid epidemic in the US is in the headlines every day. It is devastating our communities and young people, and it has changed our society and how we view medications. Brock shares his journey from the job he loved and lived for, through his demise and all the pain and drama of addiction, to his rising and reclaiming of his life. When I tell you  that people with addiction are strongest people ever built, I mean it. And Brock is further proof that we are made of something so powerful, when we put our minds to it, there’s nothing we can’t overcome. Find Brock here:  https://www.chasethevase.com/ Join our FB group here: facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

Your biggest responsibility in life is to be the best version of yourself and be responsible for your own life and behaviors. I came across this fantastic article by Anthony J. Yeung, on Medium and I wanted to share his insights and how we can adapt it to our selves and our lives. We spend a lot of time watching other people and making judgements about how and what they do. But, are you aware of what you are doing and how you are doing it? Are you showing up and being the person you want to be in your life? You know yourself better than anyone else. You can tell other people whatever you want. You can create a picture of your life to portray and manipulate the picture you want others to see… but what is your actual truth? You’ll love this quick checklist of 7 things to check yourself. Link to Anthony J. Yeung article:  https://medium.com/mind-cafe/7-little-things-that-can-tell-you-a-lot-about-someone-7a5f51157c3d Join us in the Facebook group:  facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

“This is an album that helps to combat addiction, fears and anxieties and serves as a reminder that with the bad comes the good and to hold onto your loved ones as you travel through the ups-and-downs of life” – Alan Cackett, British Country Music Hall of Fame (shantellogden.com) Addiction touches everyone. Whether it’s a family member, co-worker, spouse or neighbor-  everyone has a story to share about how their lives have been touched by alcoholism and/or drug addiction. All of the stories are sad and often heartbreaking, but they are also powerful and inspiring. As people with addiction we do better when we stick together and support and love one another. And when we find amazing people who also want to love and support us, it’s a huge victory. In Shantell’s own words she writes, “It’s my job to tell the truth about what I see and feel—and tell stories about real life. Whether I’m playing for you live or you hear it on TV or in a film, I want my songs to move you.” An entire album fully funded by fans and supporters, her music takes you on a journey with One Step Closer: Songs to Recover By. Find Shantell and the album here: https://shantellogden.com/ Join us in the Addiction Unlimited Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited  

Self-esteem feels like this elusive ‘thing’ we want, but aren’t really sure how to get it. You know your self-esteem isn’t great. You can see how it’s holding you back in your life. But how do you change it? What are the actual steps you take on a daily basis to make it better? You’re in the right place. It will not surprise you that I approach this from a different angle than all the reading you’ll do online. There are some fantastic tools and blogs and suggestions you’ll find when you search this topic. But what stood out to me in all of those lists was that everything was surface level. One thing I can tell you for sure is that your self-esteem is NOT surface level. It’s deep down inside of you. Your self-esteem is a reflection of your deepest and innermost thoughts about yourself and WHO you really are.  It’s fantastic to practice positive affirmations and healthy self-talk. But if you want to get serious, you have to take action on a deeper level. It doesn’t matter how many positive affirmations I do in the morning telling myself how awesome I am, if all of my actions throughout the day don’t support that statement. I’m going to take you on this journey of understanding how every little thing you do throughout your day builds, or breaks, your self-esteem. And I’m going to tell you how to fix it. Join us in the Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited  

“It’s a lonely situation if you don’t have support.” – Mike Collins That’s the understatement of the century! We can all agree that life can feel daunting and very lonely if you don’t have a tribe. As people with addiction, this is especially important. I need to be connected with people who think like me, who can relate to my habits and have a laugh with me about the insanity of it all. One thing that stands out in this episode is when Mike talks about the family dynamics of giving up sugar, how people respond, and the effect it has on mood. Just like giving up alcohol. Here are a few episode highlights: Mike talks about his history with addiction, and states that after kicking his alcohol addiction, he developed an addiction to sugar. He says that treating it like a substance addiction rather than a diet or lifestyle change can be easier for people. Sticking to the outside aisles of the grocery store is a good way to eliminate sugar from your diet since it contains fruits and veggies, dairy products, meat and other proteins, etc. Much like alcohol, sugar is treated as something to consume when you’re celebrating an event or bonding with friends and family. It can take a long time to recover from sugar addiction, and it often leads to intense downturns in mood when you stop consuming it. Mike discusses the difficult family dynamics that can be at play when going 100% off sugar, especially when your close family members are not on board and don’t want to cut sugar out of their diets. Find Mike here: https://sugaraddiction.com/

Everybody is recovering from something. Sobriety is stopping the substance, recovery is healing. There are so many pieces of life and self that are affected by drinking. Our personalities change, our responses to people and life change, and our ability to bounce back changes. Sobriety is putting the substance down and getting a clear mind and body. Recovery is the healing part. In this episode I’m going to get a little personal. I use my personal story of my first heart break that led me to going out and drinking, all the feelings I couldn’t cope with, and how it affected my life in the long-term. This is a deep-dive into all the ways your life is affected by all the circumstances and consequences that come with drinking and using drugs to numb our feelings. Inadvertently, we numb our lives. Then we sit back and scratch our heads wondering how we ended up in these lives that aren’t what we thought they were going to be. Sound familiar? You know I don’t like to focus on the problem, I want to focus my time and energy on the solution.  

On today’s episode of the Addiction Unlimited Podcast, host Angela Pugh talks to guest Kelsey Moreira, the founder of Doughp and Shark Tank alum, about how she got sober, what inspired her to quit the tech business after a decade to be an entrepreneur, and what life is like now after 5 years of sobriety. She left a tech job, got sober, started an edible cookie dough company, went on Shark Tank, made the Forbes 30 Under 30 and she hasn’t turned back. Talk about taking advantage of your sobriety! Tune in as we discuss: Our culture glamorizes drinking in your 20s, and at 24 Kelsey was in AA meetings with people who were twice her age. Kelsey’s alcoholism was dismissed because she was very “high-functioning” and continued to get good grades in school and do well at Intel.  In the 2000s, there were many reality TV shows that featured people drinking to excess and behaving sloppily, and it contributed to the culture of unhealthy drinking habits. However, there have now been changes in the culture that have made it “cool” to stop drinking. Resources Mentioned: Angela Pugh Instagram Forbes 30 Under 30 Kelsey Moreira Twitter Doughp

Just because you don’t drink anymore, doesn’t mean you’re going to lock yourself in your house and never come out. Giving up alcohol, and everything it represents is really overwhelming. The fear of not knowing what to tell people, not knowing how people will respond to your life change, and will you EVER have fun again?!? Society tries to convince you that alcohol is necessary in everything you do. You connect with friends over cocktails, you calm your nerves with alcohol, you deal with social anxiety with booze, sleep issues, and everything in between. The truth is, there are millions of people EVERYWHERE who don’t drink! At some point, you understand that being sober is an asset, not a liability. Duke Rumeley wanted to provide a clean and sober safe space where people can still get out, do the sporting events, concerts, and music festivals that you love, and do it all with sober people. Find Sober AF Entertainment here: www.soberafe.com Follow me on Instagram! Join our Facebook group!

Do you think back on some of the crazy things you did while drinking and feel overwhelmed with guilt and embarrassment? Feelings are overwhelming. Especially when you don’t know how to cope with them. Every feeling serves a purpose and one of the greatest gifts of recovery is learning to recognize feelings, NOT panic, and use them as an opportunity to improve. Feeling bad about things you’ve done in your past gives you ammunition to punish yourself and that’s a dangerous trap. Look at feelings as feedback. See yourself taking in the feeling, seeing what you need to work on, and moving forward from there. You can’t evolve and grow without discomfort and mistakes. That’s how we learn! Focus your energy on who you want to be in your future instead of what you did in the past. You can’t change the past, it’s over, it’s done. And you full power of who you become from this day forward. Through January 23, 2020 sign up for Sober Society Membership 6 Week Signature Coaching Program info Join the free Facebook group

When you think about your “addictive personality”, do you automatically make a cringey face?  I see it all the time. This is a journey of being relentless and diligent to create the life you want. Not apologizing for who you are, not worrying about what others think of your journey, but being comfortable and confident in where you’re going and who you want to be. I know many of you struggle to see yourself clearly in your new sober life and to believe you are capable of pulling it off. And no one can make you believe in yourself to create a vision of an alcohol-free life and to be the person that makes the plans and does the deal… but you. The good news is, that same inner-strength that I found in myself also lives inside of you. In today’s episode, Coach Alyssa Rocco shares her journey of recovery and all the insights she’s discovered on the way. From an eating disorder, codependence, people-pleasing, love addiction, and everything in between! This is another testament to how powerful we are when we step back and recognize who we REALLY are, then make a plan to be consistent, feel all the feels, and following-through no matter what. Read Alyssa’s Bio here.  Follow Alyssa’s Insta here.  Join our private Facebook group here! Follow the pod on Insta here! 

Have you ever heard some of these terms; happiness by subtraction, process of elimination? It’s easy to get caught up in adding things to our lives, but what about removing the things that aren’t serving you? Do you have friends that don’t bring out the best in you? The bar or person’s house that every time you go there you practice behavior you aren’t proud of? People that drain your energy? How different could your life and outlook be if you removed some of these people, places, and things from your life? Imagine how much more relaxed you would be and how good you would feel about making smart choices and waking up with a clear mind. By simply removing a few things from your life you can make significant changes. What can you take away, to add to your happiness? Join the 5 Day Go-Dry Challenge! Follow me on Insta! 

2020 has challenged the best of us. Pushed beyond our limits, fear of the future, financial insecurity, job loss, death- it’s been a lot. As we enter this new year with some light at the end of the tunnel and hope for some sense of normalcy, it’s important to close 2020 on a positive note so we can start 2021 the right way. January 2021 is a powerful month for us and we have a lot of activities to get you started on the right foot, set up for success from the very start. In honor of #dryjanuary, we are doing a 5 Day Go-Dry Challenge. In 5 days, we are going to build your foundation for strong sobriety. We’ll create a simple blueprint for you to work from, whether you are 3 days sober, 6 months, or 10 years. You can sign up for the challenge at https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/5day. In this episode I cover some of the differences in the stages of alcoholism, how we use it wrong, and binge drinking. You have to be clear where you are, and who you are, if you want to move forward with success. You’ll also get some pointers on how to change a negative outlook on 2020 into a positive one, and how to get your mindset in a healthy place to move forward and do more in 2021. If you aren’t grateful for where you are, you aren’t ready to move forward. Sign up for the 5 Day Challenge for a ton of support in our popup Facebook group (opens next week) and then we’ll move into my free webinar to set your New Year Intentions. Let’s embrace 2020 and be thankful for the good parts, then let’s move into 2021 fresh and strong! Join the 5 Day Go-Dry Challenge for Dry January! Follow me on Insta:  @addictionunlimited Join the Facebook group here!  

You wonder why you can’t accomplish something or why it always feels like one step forward, two steps back, and it may be because you are sending yourself mixed messages. Let me start by giving you a definition of dissonance- Lack of agreement, inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one’s actions and one’s beliefs. When you say one thing, and do another. Or you make a decision in your head, but your actions don’t support that decision. You are sending yourself mixed messages. And we are terrible at sending others mixed messages without even realizing it. When you say you’re okay, but all your behavior and attitude clearly show you are not okay. Mixed messages. When you say you aren’t drinking anymore, then you go to the party or meet the drinking friends at the bar because you don’t want to be different. Well, stopping drinking is different. So, do you want to be different, or do you want to be drunk? Quitting drinking is different, so you’re going to have to be different to support your decision. When you say you aren’t drinking anymore then go with the drinking friends to the drinking places, you are sending yourself mixed messages. This is what makes you feel like you are losing your mind. You can’t figure out why you can’t stop drinking and oftentimes it’s because your words and your actions don’t match. This creates confusion for you because you are trying to do two opposite things, it creates confusion for your brain because it doesn’t know which thing it’s supposed to support you in- and everything is a mess. Because your messages are all over the place. Sign up for the 5 Day Go-Dry Challenge to create your sober blueprint and STOP the yo-yo sobriety! Join our Facebook group!

We so often screw up decisions because we are stuck in seeking instant gratification. You feel bad and you want it to go away right now. You feel a craving and you want to eliminate it this second. You feel uncomfortable and you want to change it instantly. Recovery isn’t instant. Recovery is a long game. You’ve heard all these sayings, your whole life- good things come to those who wait- anything worth having is worth fighting for- the best view comes after the hardest climb. All of these are telling you that it will be hard! It will be uncomfortable, it will take commitment and probably some tears and you are going to have to challenge yourself. Instant gratification doesn’t require any of that. It’s the easy way out and that’s why you don’t get long-term rewards from it. This is why you will find yourself in the same spot over and over again, because instant gratification doesn’t create change. When you want to change your life and grow as a human being, it’s not about instant gratification anymore. It’s about what is best for me moving forward? Let’s get some solutions.   Powerless & Powerful Guided Recovery Journal click here!  Follow me on Insta!  Get you Recovery Tools here!  

Expectations are premeditated resentments. When I started this journey of recovery, this is yet another piece of my puzzle that I didn’t understand or recognize. I had zero understanding that I put all these expectations on people and outcomes and situations- and then ended up mad when it didn’t go the way I thought it should go. I know you are going to relate to this, too- because it’s human nature! It is something everyone does. Addiction or no addiction- these expectations are out here running wild in the streets. Expectations get us in a couple of ways- one is the expectations we put on others. Expecting a certain response from someone or a certain greeting when you walk in the room- expecting an outcome that you pre-determine in your head. The other is, the expectations you put on yourself. The bad thing is, when our expectations are not met, it leaves us bummed. Sad, mad, disappointed- and then we can’t even enjoy the situation as it is. 95% of people are really good. And sometimes we are careless, and sometimes we make mistakes, and sometimes we disappoint and hurt one another. That doesn’t make us bad, it just means we are human. Join the FB Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Powerless and Powerful Journal:  https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/powerless-and-powerful-recovery-journal Holiday Gift List: https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/blog/giftlist

Holiday season comes the same time every year, there is no excuse for not being prepared. This season will probably be a little different because of corona virus but don’t sit back and do nothing, and wait for the overwhelm to crush you when you know it’s coming! Holiday stress isn’t only about the parties and drinking. There is added stress of preparation for travel or people staying in your home, any cooking or baking you are doing, the grocery shopping for all the cooking and baking, and of course the holiday gift shopping! Being surrounded by family members we don’t know all that well, being in crowds, social anxiety- all of it is exaggerated and at a higher level than normal. Did I even mention the financial stress of all of that??? Money, money, money going out every direction. What I want you to focus on the next couple of weeks is getting a plan together for yourself. Not just thinking about it haphazardly, but really mapping out a plan to protect yourself, your sobriety, and keep your stress manageable so you don’t end up vulnerable to the drink. When we are rundown, physically tired, emotionally exhausted, stressed out, spread thin- this is when we are most vulnerable to drinking. When you are compromised and exhausted, this is when the committee has it’s best opportunity to break you down and talk you into a drink. I’m going to give you an action list- don’t F around and put it off and never do it. If you want to protect your sobriety and stay sober then you’ll take the action necessary to do so. Sober People Gift List:  https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/blog/giftlist Join the Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Powerless and Powerful Guided Recovery Journal: https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/powerless-and-powerful-recovery-journal  

Selfish. Excessively concerned with oneself with no regard for the needs or feelings of others. I’m sure we have heard this a thousand times, people telling us how selfish we are- all you think about is yourself, all you care about is you. The problem is, when I was drinking, and even early in my recovery, I didn’t really understand what that meant. Of course, I had a clear understanding that I was selfish, but I didn’t recognize all the ways that manifested in daily life. It doesn’t feel good to be self-centered and selfish because it stems from insecurity. We all recognize some ways we are self-serving. But you may not see all the small ways this behavior comes out or the effect it has on the people around you. A big part of this growth for me was my self-esteem. I couldn’t respect anything or anyone when I didn’t respect myself. Think of yourself as a thousand piece puzzle. Some pieces are bigger than others, but we are made up of a lot of pieces. We are all a combination of positive pieces as well as pieces that need work. You already know you are kind and loving and generous, and now it’s time to look at a couple of these pieces you can improve. Follow me on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/addictionunlimited/ Get your Powerless and Powerful Guided Recovery Journal here: https://www.myrecoverytoolbox.com/powerless-and-powerful-recovery-journal Join the FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited  

When you are transitioning from a drinking life to a sober life you have a lot of questions. Not only about what life will be like, but about a whole bunch of other random stuff that you don’t think about until you are in the middle of it. I get questions in the Facebook group, on Instagram, by email, you name it, people reach out to me there. Typically I use these questions for live videos and that’s how I answer them, and today I’m using some of those questions in a podcast episode. I took 3 of the most frequently asked questions about living a sober life, and I answered them in this episode. I get asked about relationships, marriage, non-alcoholic beer and wine, dating in sobriety, how to make friends and what is the best program to attend?? I wish I could give you a magical answer to every question to make sobriety easier so you could all live happily ever after. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. What I can do is give you my opinion, share with you what I did and how I did it and why it worked or didn’t work, and I can give you a fresh perspective on old topics. Living a recovery lifestyle works a little differently for all of us. There are key foundational pieces you have to have to in place and the rest is a process of figuring out how it works for you. Something that really bothers me, may not bother you at all. And vice versa. That’s why we have an open conversation and listen and learn from one another. Join the Facebook group:  www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Follow me on Insta: instagram.com/addictionunlimited Order my new Powerless and Powerful Guided Recovery Journal here!