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The lure of prestige has been the downfall of many on the recovery journey. We can get to feeling so good about ourselves that we fall into that old trap of wanting to be seen as the “number one man or woman” in the eyes of others. How can we remain true to our purpose and avoid the trap of pride? Can we practice humility without feeling humiliated? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on staying in integrity on the recovery journey and avoiding the desire to look good doing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fifth Tradition tells us that, “Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic/addict who still suffers.” When we first get into recovery, we learn we need to focus on ourselves in order to heal and grow. But, we quickly find that being of service to others is an essential part of our own healing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on balancing self and other in a healthy way as an ongoing part of a successful recovery journey. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody has ever stopped drinking or drugging if they didn’t want to. The motivation and commitment to get clean and sober is essential for success. Even though those of us walking a recovery path know that this alone is not enough, we also know it is foundational for living a life of freedom. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding and sustaining the motivation and commitment to sober living Join the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been said that nobody can do our inner work for us, but we cannot do it alone. This is one of the paradoxes of addiction recovery! We need the company of others on the recovery path in order to truly thrive. This can be challenging to many who are new to addiction recovery because we can be used to doing things “our way”! After all, our was was the best way, right? Well maybe... But if we are willing to become “one of the bunch,” we will discover the group to be a profound healing influence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path to freedom and peace through the power of community. Become a part of the Spirit of Recovery podcast community on Facebook connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the old song tells us, you got to "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." For those of us on a recovery journey, we have learned that sometimes we need to hold onto things and sometimes we need to let things go. Fortunately for us in addiction recovery, we make a spiritual practice of taking personal inventory as a way of life. We discern what to hold on to and what to let go of. If we find we are wrong about something, we let it go, we promptly admit it. If we persevere in this practice, we find a meaningful purpose in life. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on “when to hold ‘em” and “when to fold ‘em” on the path to purposeful living. Find Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, when in early addiction recovery we are not inclined to trust others or other peoples' ideas of how things should be done. We are often used to OUR way of doing things and can find it difficult to consider a new approach. But, once we make the commitment to clean and sober living, we have an opportunity to learn and trust a recovery process that has worked for many others. We get to decide if it will work for us. (And fortunately, we have a whole community of support to do it in!) Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning to trust the process of recovery on the way to a life that is happy, joyous, and free. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get into addiction recovery, we learn to be mindful of our actions. We work to see more clearly the things we do, and to make better decisions about our actions. One thing we hear a lot in recovery circles that is essential in this work is the phrase, “Do the next right thing.” Now, this sounds like a great idea, but what does that actually mean? How are we supposed to know what the next right thing is anyway? The short answer is: check in with your Higher Power. But that can be easier said than done, right? Well, today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on moving from aimlessness to freedom by doing the “next right thing.” Be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook and connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev. Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many gifts of addiction recovery come to us when we are willing to work for them. We often hear those who have been around for a while saying things like, “It works if you work it.” And part of that work is facing the wreckage of our past. To do so we must combine right intention with the guidance of a trusted advisor in order to get real results. We must “do the work”—but how do we go about doing this work? How do we know what to do? Or when? How do we know if we are avoiding the work that will lead us to freedom, but don’t realize it? Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding our way from complacency to freedom through the willingness to do the work. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and become part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we first get into recovery, we learn we need a Higher Power in order to grow and change. Some of us are put off by all the “God talk” that we are encountering, but that’s before we really learn what it means to find a Higher Power of our own understanding. It’s the “of our own understanding” part that is critically important. But once we have found something that works for us (even temporarily) we must learn how to rely on and be guided by this Power. And in doing so, we find we can live with a new confidence. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning to trust our Higher Power in all things. Connect with Rev. Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and join the Spirit of Recovery community Leave a review and like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we grow through our addiction recovery journey, we often come face to face with old habits that are hard to break! And we’re guessing you have had that same experience, most if not all of us have! But fortunately, once we are a few steps down the recovery path we become willing to make new choices that support our new--and much better!--way of living. As we do the work of walking a recovery path, we begin to let go of that which no longer serves us, and take up new ways of being that bring hope and light into our lives. In this episode, we share our experience, strength and hope on letting go of old habits and opening the door to a whole new way of being. Join the Spirit of Recovery community on Facebook and connect with Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes courage and integrity to walk an addiction recovery path. If we persist, we will come to know ourselves as the spiritual beings we truly are. But before we get to that wondrous discovery, we must trek through the wreckage of our past. As we say in the rooms, "If you walked 10 miles into the woods, you gotta walk 10 miles out of the woods." In order to move into the Light, we must face our Shadow. Fortunately we have a program of recovery that works, and we have each other to walk with us along the way. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on finding a path through the Shadow to the Light. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and connect with the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us in addiction recovery can affirm that we've never let go of anything that didn't have claw marks on it! Even when we were, in essence, clinging to a sinking ship! But we eventually find that we become willing to try a new way, our lives begin to change. When we can truly “Let Go” and allow a higher power to provide guidance and direction, our lives begin to become amazing. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on learning how to let go, trust a Higher Power and build a wonderful new life. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and connect with the Spirit of Recovery community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early on in our recovery journey, the idea of a life of peace and joy might seem impossible. The good news is that we can live such a life! But first we must learn to trust a Higher Power so we can start to move away from the disarray of an undirected life, opening the door to sanity and hope. The program of recovery gives us tools we can take up and use in our daily lives that assist us as we find our way to a Higher Power that works for us. “God as we understand him,” as we read in the Big Book. Today we want to share our experience, strength and hope on coming to believe in a Higher Power. Join Rev Dan Beckett and Rev Michelle Vargas on Facebook and be a part of the Spirit of Recovery community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At any point on our recovery journey we have the option to begin again. We can call, “time out” and get a “do over!” Go back to basics! Our Higher Power gives us the ability to leave behind that which no longer serves us and move ahead with a clean slate. And as we do, it can be helpful to refocus ourselves on recovery Step 1. It’s been said Step 1 is the only step we need to get 100% right. What does that mean for us today? And how can a new beginning support us on our journey? Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength and hope on energizing your life with a fresh start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has your trust ever been shattered? Have you ever felt betrayed by an authority figure? Many of us in recovery will say yes to those questions, but do we want to spend the rest of our lives in distrust and fear? No, so how do we regain trust if we have lost confidence in another? Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on regaining trust in our higher power and in others around us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addiction recovery, we learn that we need to make “conscious contact” with a higher power, but we don’t stop there. We continue and learn how to be of service to others by carrying the message of recovery to any who seek it. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning to be of service as a natural outcome of spiritual awakening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the old song tells us, sometimes we need to hold on to things and sometimes we need to let go. Fortunately for us in addiction recovery, we make a spiritual practice of taking personal inventory as a way of life. If we find we are wrong, we promptly admit it, and if we persevere in this practice, we find a meaningful purpose in life. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share “when to hold ‘em” and “when to fold ‘em” on the path to purposeful living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early in addiction recovery, many of us are not inclined to trust others or other people’s ideas of how things should be done. But once we make the commitment to clean and sober living, we have an opportunity to learn and trust a recovery process that has worked for many others. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on learning to trust the process of recovery on the way to a life that is happy, joyous, and free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we get into addiction recovery, we learn to be mindful of our actions. “Do the next right thing” sounds like a great idea, but what does that actually mean? How are we supposed to know what the next right thing is? Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on moving from aimlessness to freedom by doing the next right thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing we need in order to grow in our recovery is to walk our path with principled honesty. This can be more challenging than it sounds at first! But if we are willing to show up and do the work, we can drop the heavy load we have been carrying and enjoy a lightness of being that will transform our lives. Join Rev. Dan and Rev. Michelle as they share their experience, strength, and hope on lightening the load through the power and practice of truth with integrity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices