371 Recovery Without Rock Bottom: Reclaim Your Life From Addictive Behaviors

Hey Friend, thank you for downloading the episode, my name is Arlina and Ill be your host.

On April 23 I will be celebrating 31 years of continuous sobriety. Its always a time for reflection and as I look back, I want to share the top 3 things that have been key in maintaining my sobriety.

The first is that I have made sobriety my number 1 priority. It comes before my husband, my job, and even my kids. I know that if I dont take care of my mental and emotional well being, that my sobriety could become vulnerable, and thats a risk Im just not willing to take. Theres an old saying that no matter how far down the road you go, youre still the same distance from the ditch. I am very clear that I cannot drink like a normal person, despite how long Ive been sober. Sobriety is the foundation of this life I love so much.

Another component to my sobriety has been community. I have surrounded myself with other people who also have made sobriety their number 1 priority. Theres an idea called the contagion theory, that was developed by researchers at Harvard. It says we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. We tend to adopt the beliefs and habits of the people we spend the most time with.

And lastly, maybe most importantly is something I dont think I talk about enough, which is the role that spirituality plays in my life. Im pretty allergic to anything religious, so thats not what Im talking about. I mean no disrespect to religious people if that works for you. I just needed to come to an understanding of what it means to connect to a God of my understanding, which in short is universal law but also a power rooted in love. I have had spiritual experiences that were so profound, theres no other way to explain them. They actually happen so frequently in the recovery community we often refer to them as God Shots. They are like little reminders that we are not alone, and there is a greater power working in our loves.

If you have had a spiritual experience that youd like to share, just leave a comment on the blog at odaatchat.com or you can DM me on Instagram at arlinaallen

And as always, if you find yourself in need of support along your sobriety journey, please reach out to me to find out if sober coaching is right for you. Just visit soberlifeschool.com and book a no obligation call.

Today I have a special guest, Andrea Seydel who is the author of Recovery Without Rock Bottom Reclaim Your life From Addictive Behavior. She is also the host of the super popular, Saving You Is Killing Me Podcast.

Andrea shares how living with an addict led her to a very dark place of self-doubt, and shame that nearly cost her everything. I dont think we talk enough about how destructive addiction is for the family members, so today is an attempt to rectify that. And honestly, I dont think I know a single person in recovery who hasnt suffered from codependency to some degree so this will be a helpful episode for all involved.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Andrea.

=J