RE 572: Plans Change
Recovery Elevator
Today we have Jack. He is 45 years old and from Los Angeles, CA. He took his last drink of alcohol on December 31st, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: – THE social app for sober people. Sign up and get 10% off: [02:47] Thoughts from Paul: Last week Paul talked about the intentional phase of sobriety: choosing what you want to explore next and how you are going to fill the void left by alcohol. Looking at Lewis and Clark, we know that no expedition goes according to plan. So this week we will talk about setbacks because they’re part of life. Maybe...
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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...
info_outlineToday 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:
Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored
Pick up your copy of Paul’s newest book Dolce Vita. 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 AF Ukelele Course. 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 maybe you are a new listener. Paul wants to cover some basics and let you know what we are about.
Recovery Elevator is about quitting drinking. The goal isn’t cutting back, moderation or putting the beast back in the cage. It’s full send on zero alcohol consumed.
Recovery Elevator is also about embracing that there is no right or wrong way to ditch the booze, just don’t do it alone. No explanation needed her, we get it. What you’ll find here and in Café RE is there is no judgment. We all know where you are and have been there ourselves.
Recovery Elevator is the podcast, courses, Dry January, sober travel, merch, Instagram and more.
Café RE is the non-profit alcohol-free community – it’s the social app for sober people. We’ve got 25+ chats each week, Accountability Partner pairings, in-house AA meetings, book club, movie club, etc.
[06:27] Paul introduces Sarah:
Sarah is a painter and lives in San Diego with her partner and two daughters, 17 and 19. For fun, she enjoys surfing with her partner, backpacking with her older daughter and loves living on the beach.
Sarah says she grew up in an idyllic childhood. Her parents drank but not to excess. She recalls that she was a worried child with a tendency towards overthinking and had a addictive personality to many things.
Drinking wasn’t part of her story while in school. She was on the cross-country team from seventh grade until she was a sophomore in college. After an injury took her out of the sport, she began to participate in parties more. She quickly recognized that drinking took away some insecurities and inhibitions and enjoyed that aspect but realized she couldn’t moderate. Sarah developed a “take it or leave it” attitude towards alcohol but developed an eating disorder. Food became the replacement for alcohol when it came to self-medicating.
After a divorce, Sarah made a new friend that was going through the same things. She confided in him about her eating disorder and he helped her find treatment for it. While in the process of recovering from the ED, she started using alcohol again and would replace meals with beer. Sarah began asking God, “why are we having me have another problem?” She knew she was meant for better things but was having a hard time stopping the addictions.
Sarah used prayer to try and find the help she was after. She began going to AA, listening to podcasts and working herself to try and gain the tools to decide the addiction wasn’t an option anymore. She was able to gain some traction but relapsed after several months of sobriety. In spite of being upset about being back at day one, Sarah learned to just keep showing up for herself and others and stopped beating herself up.
Sarah has removed food and alcohol as options for coping. When she needs to get away, she utilizes the beach and the ocean. She enjoys the studio space with her art to help her get out of her head.
Recovery Elevator
You took the elevator down
We gotta take the stairs back up
We can do this.