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Sober Friends

E263: Service Work in Recovery: You Haven't Been Nominated to Drink Coffee

Sober Friends

Matt J

12 Steps, Spirituality, Personal Journals, Mental Health, Sober, Recovery, Health & Fitness, Addiction, Religion & Spirituality, Alcohol Free, Sober Curious, Alcoholics Anonymous, Dry January, Society & Culture, Sobriety

4.3722 Ratings

🗓️ 3 February 2026

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Send us Fan Mail Service work in AA recovery isn't about giving back - it's about belonging, commitment, and staying sober. "I don't even drink coffee." "That's fine. You haven't been nominated to drink coffee. You've been nominated to make coffee." Steve heard this exchange at his Thursday night men's meeting, and it might be the greatest line about service work ever spoken. Because that's exactly what service work is - doing something that isn't about you, that gets you connected, tha...

Transcript

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0:00.0

He remember when he was early on, his sponsor signed him up to be coffee maker.

0:08.0

And it's just one of the greatest lines I've ever heard.

0:11.0

And he was bitching and complaining to his sponsor because he didn't want to make coffee.

0:14.0

And he said to his sponsor, I don't even drink coffee.

0:18.0

And his sponsor said, that's fine.

0:20.0

You haven't been nominated to drink coffee. You've been nominated to make coffee. And the sponsor said, that's fine. You haven't been nominated to drink coffee.

0:22.3

You've been nominated to make coffee. And I just thought that was the best line. Like, yeah, so what?

0:27.5

You don't drink coffee.

0:34.0

Welcome to the Sober Friends podcast. My name is Matt.

0:38.4

Steve's over there. And we're the place that is talking about recovery, sobriety, sober curiosity, all of that stuff.

0:49.1

Really, I don't know.

0:52.6

I'm not trying to make it out to be with a B.R. and I guess I'm trying to do an intro that is a lot more fun. But you know, you know why we're here. You probably would listen to this before. And if not, you're in for a great ride. We're going to talk a little bit about service work today. I think you and I know quite a bit about service work.

1:11.7

Some people think early on that it is something to be afraid of. I'm not one of those people.

1:18.5

I didn't have a problem doing service work. My one problem is something I'll get into. What's going on, Steve? Do you dig out? I did. Um, and I, as I'd like to tell people,

1:32.2

I actually like this weather, you know, we've had a big snowstorm up here in Connecticut,

1:36.7

had about 15 inches, 16 inches of snow at my house. Um, and I actually like it. I've been out

1:43.1

last couple days. I got woods in the backyard trying to break in a trail that, because to break in a trail that the dog and I can get on because the dog, I mean, she's a golden retriever, but it was still too high. It was just too much for her to do. So we've been out there for the last few days trying to break in a trail so that we can walk in. I got snowshoes, so you've been snowshoeing out there. Because everything, the streets are tough. I don't have sidewalks in my neighborhood, so if I walk her in my neighborhood, I'm in the road. Roads are narrow. But I actually like doing this. I went down to my buddy Chuck's house, helped him dig out.

2:19.2

I like the cold.

2:20.4

It doesn't bother me.

2:21.3

So it's all good here.

2:22.9

I know people hate it, but I like it.

2:26.4

Yeah, I'm one of those people who's not crazy about the cold.

...

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