RE 571: From Passive to Active Recovery
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Veronica. She is 52 years old, lives in Alabama and she had her last drink on May 1st, 2000. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: – claim your $100 enrollment bonus Upcoming Events with Recovery Elevator February 21st – 28th we are traveling to . The event is full, but you can email to get on the waiting list. August 12th – 16th we will be having our annual retreat. Registration opens on April 1st at 9am Eastern Time. October 17th – 24th we will host our [03:07] Thoughts from Paul: Paul...
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RE 570: Your Mission is to Explore
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Savanna. She’s 32 years old from Minneapolis, MN and took her last drink on May 4th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: – THE social app for sober people Every Sunday on , we post a roll call graphic and then you guys put your day count on there. It’s a space for members to be loud and proud about their recovery as well as being there to support others. [02:30] Thoughts from Paul: Last week, Paul talked about how we want to end our relationship with alcohol. This week, he addresses the question “what do I...
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RE 569: Change Your Relationship With Alcohol?
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Sean. He is 33 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He took his last drink on January 22, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: – THE social app for sober people – 10% off of your first month #sponsored There is one spot left on our sober travel trip to . This journey is scheduled for February 21st – 28th. Email if you would like to join us. Join us on January 10th for the start of our . This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [03:00] Thoughts from Paul: ...
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RE 568: Showing Up
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Sarah. She is 49 years old and lives in San Diego, CA. Sarah took her last drink on August 6th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Pick up your copy of Paul’s newest book . You can get it on Amazon, listen to it on Audible or order it at your favorite bookstore today. Join us on January 10th for the start of our . This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [02:00] Thoughts from Paul: This is the first podcast of the new year and...
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RE 567: Dolce Vita: The Good Life
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Jenn. She is 52 years old, from Washington, DC and she took their last drink on September 3rd, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: – the social app for sober people Join us for our Dry January course at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and connection. [01:13] Thoughts from Paul: Today Paul talks about the origin of the title to his new book which will be released on January 1st. What he has learned over the years in his own recovery and...
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RE 566: You're Not Too Far Gone
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Kristine. She is 34 years old from Toronto Canada, and she took her last drink on May 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: – the social app for sober people Café RE is now a registered 501c3 nonprofit. Please visit the website or email if you are interested in making a yearend donation. Join us for our Dry January course at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. Paul’s new book will be released in both in print and audiobook...
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RE 565: Everything
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Nathan. He is 45 years old from Harrisburg, VA and took his last drink on January 24th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: – 10% off of your first month #sponsored – the social app for sober people Get your 2026 started off poison free and join us for our Dry January course at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul’s new book both in print and audiobook. He would love to...
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RE 564: Hot and Cold
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Yeimy. She’s 30 years old, from Rhode Island and took her last drink of alcohol on January 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: – the social app for sober people – 10% off of your first month #sponsored January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul’s new book and he’d love to have you on the launch team. Email to join. Registration for Recovery Elevator’s Dry January course is open. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. [03:30] Thoughts from...
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RE 563: You’re Not Alone
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Jack. He’s 39 years old from Phoenix, AZ and took his last drink of alcohol on June 23rd, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: – 10% off of your first month #sponsored - sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Registration for Recovery Elevator’s Dry January course opens today. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. now has its own coffee created with 25% of each bag sold will be donated to the nonprofit . January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for...
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RE 562: A Shooting Star
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Emily. She is 43 years old from Sacramento, CA and took her last drink on December 20th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: – 10% off of your first month #sponsored – code RE20 saves 20% off your order Registration for Recovery Elevator’s Dry January course opens on December 1st. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. There are plenty of teachings throughout the month, but the best part of the course is that it’s community-based. It’s all about building connections over our...
info_outlineToday we have Emily. She is 28 years old from Denver, CO and she took her last drink on April 25th, 2025.
This episode brought to you by:
Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored
Exact Nature – 20% off your order with code RE20
Starting Wednesday, October 1st, if you sign up for Café RE you get a free month! Café RE is our alcohol-free community who recently got non-profit status and we’re all about having fun and kicking ass without alcohol.
[03:45] Thoughts from Paul:
Paul has said many times that quitting drinking was the hardest thing he has ever done, but that’s not true. Today he shares with us 20 things that are harder than quitting drinking.
This is the short list of what is harder than quitting drinking and Paul feels that it can all be summarized with this:
Continuing to poison yourself with alcohol is harder than quitting drinking and that’s exactly how we have to frame it. Regularly ingesting poison takes a bigger toll on your overall health than quitting drinking.
[10:14] Paul introduces Emily:
Emily is originally from Delaware but currently lives in Colorado with her boyfriend, two dogs and two cats. She works in tech sales and for fun she enjoys all things outdoors including skiing, backpacking, camping and has recently gotten some paddleboards and golf clubs.
Emily was against alcohol while growing up, began to experiment when she was 16 or 17. She thought it was a great way to escape the regimented lifestyle she was living.
In college, it was normal to drink from Thursday to Saturday. Emily didn’t see it as a problem because everyone around her was drinking the same way. She was able to maintain good grades and work multiple jobs while in college.
Emily was working in the bar and restaurant scene and decided to continue doing that after graduating. At age 23 Emily applied to work for a liquor supplier and got a job in Connecticut. When all of her bar tabs and Uber rides were being paid for and the way that alcohol is glamorized in the industry, Emily was never forced to see the negative impact her drinking was having on her life.
During the COVID pandemic, Emily was supplied with a lot of alcohol and the only thing she needed to do was make cocktail videos since everything was shut down. Her apartment complex became party central.
Soon after everything began opening back up, Emily was laid off by the company she worked for. She and her fiancé moved to Colorado where she got another job working in the wine and liquor industry. This company did not foot the bill for her drinking like the last one. Emily says she and her partner both drank heavily, and it was a toxic relationship. Once she ended that she decided that she was going to become a better version of herself but didn’t change any of her habits.
Emily met her current partner around age 26. She began to notice her drinking habits more around him because he does not drink much. Emily began trying to moderate during the week and then drinking like she wanted to on the weekends when she would blackout and suffer from hangovers.
Before going to her cousin’s wedding in April, Emily told herself she wasn’t going to get drunk. She ended up drinking more than she planned, and it was a disaster. The next morning when she woke up, she decided she needed to quit and immediately began burnings the ships with everyone she knew.
Emily threw herself into recovery by attending her first AA meeting, listening to podcasts, reading books and joining Café RE. Emily says that by quitting drinking she did lose a portion of herself, but it was a portion that she wasn’t happy with. Since quitting Emily says her sleep has improved, the mental clarity she has gained has been amazing and she is now able to trust herself.
Emily’s parting piece of guidance: tell people you love and trust. Lean on people, community is everything.
Recovery Elevator
You took the elevator down, you gotta take the stairs back up.
We can do this