Episode 370– Phases of Recovery

 

Today we have Stephanie. She is from Pennsylvania, and she took her last drink on  January 2, 2020.

 

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Finding your better you with Odette

 

After ten years of being in recovery, Odette discovers that she never asked herself what recovery means to her. Success means different things to different people. When Odette decided to add alcohol to her recovery journey, she enjoyed counting days and celebrating milestones. Fear is a common theme Odette noticed among her sober soulmates,  fear of failure. 

 

Relapse has been part of Odette's journey, and she spoke about how common relapse is for those in recovery. As she searched for the reasons she relapsed, she discovered depression, perfectionism, and shame patterns. Shame dissolves hope, and without hope, you stop showing up. Sobriety for Odette is about walking toward herself and her truth.

 

Odette encourages listeners to define sobriety and recovery for yourselves. Stay in the game, and don't quit on yourself.

 

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[10:48] Stephanie is 42, a single mom of two boys, and lives in Pennsylvania. She loves running, cooking, and fund-raising. She is enrolled in nursing school. 

 

Stephanie describes year two of sobriety as different:  a little less pink cloud and more work. She enjoys running and cooking. 

 

Alcohol was an escape for Stephanie. She had a great 80's upbringing but did encounter some trauma that she rarely spoke about. The trauma influenced her relationships. She became the girl who could outdrink the boys.   Much of her early drinking years are a blur for Stephanie.

 

After separating from her son's father and her Dad's diagnosis, Stephanie realized she had a problem. She was drinking to cope and not eating. She started running, quit smoking, and lost 50 pounds. She recalls having blackouts and not remembering conversations with her kids. Getting healthy for them became critical to her, so her kids wouldn't have to care for her.

 

Community has always been important to Stephanie. She joined Café Re and has a group of friends in recovery. She bought the book, Alcohol is Sh!t, and once she finished the book, she knew "this was it."  She knew moderation wasn't enough.

 

Sobriety has opened Stephanie's mind to all kinds of possibilities. The pandemic forced her out of the restaurant industry, and she found a nursing school. She is now in her second year of nursing school, making excellent grades. She created the "merch" department for Café RE. She is passionate about service and gift-giving. Stephanie is focused, driven, and living a life of possibilities. Recovery isn't perfect. Life still has ups and downs, but recovery is worthwhile. She plans to incorporate recovery into her nursing career. "Find your people!"

 

Kris's Summary

 

Recovery to Kris includes mediation, podcasting, service, meetings. He is learning that recovery isn't a resume of self-awareness. Faith taught Kris to surrender. The quality of his recovery is because of the grace of God. Kris wants to keep learning. Recovery is an opportunity; it's a chance, and Kris will do his best. 

 

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