Living Sober Sucks, But Living Drunk Sucks More.

It is often said that you can't put a value on love, friendship, happiness or sobriety. Why not? If you have no way of establishing or referencing "what it's worth" you may not value something as highly as you should. You may also pay too much for something. Sobriety may be "invaluable," but it's also nice to have a Sobriety Savings Account and be able to say, "My sobriety is worth $14,827.00 to me." Have a listen to this podcast and you'll get an idea of what I mean. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

How are you helped when you talk about all the bad and wrong things you've done as a drunk? There is value in acknowledging your errors, working at restitution where required and stopping bad behavior. I'm a big proponent of expanding your Mental Health by doing more of what you're good at and more of what you do right instead of ruminating over the things you've done wrong. I hope this podcast lifts you up, and gets you thinking about what you are good at. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Biologically our brains are designed to seek rewards and avoid pleasure. I don't believe you need a degree in neurology or psychology to figure that out. Why do we do anything? To get a reward (pleasure, immediate gratification), or to avoid pain (physical pain, emotional pain, loss). These are natural, normal human drives. I share some excerpts from my book: Okay, I quit. Now what? in this podcast. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Every recovery system works 100%, until your next drink or use. "Success" statistics can be misleading. The only statistic that really matters is whether it works for YOU. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

This podcast isn't about computers; it's about human operating systems, but there's an interesting parallel. Mac and Windows computers perform many of the same functions. Either will give us the same outcome, but they do it on completely different operating systems. People are a lot like that. We all seek the same outcomes: Happiness, security, pleasure, contentment. And we each use different operating systems for getting the outcome we desire. We can share among each other by using bridging systems. Accepting that we all use different systems, and then bridging the gaps can bring us closer together and reduce prejudice. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Familiarity can be dangerous. When you become "too comfortable" with a situation you can become lazy towards it. It happens in relationships, with money, jobs, cars, homes and sobriety. Complacency can result in losing things. Losing a relationship, money, job, car or home. It's interesting that we will often work harder to regain or retain something we are about to lose than we had worked to get it in the first place. Small efforts can stave off complacency. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

People will always find a way to do something if they really "want to." When I was a drunk I always found a way to get my hands on beer, booze or dope. I've taken that same concentrated tenacity and use it towards accomplishments now. If you really don't want to do something then don't say it. Avoid using excuses and speak about reasons. When you express reasons you might discover ways to overcome or get around the reasons. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Drunk, stoned or sober, we are not the same person TODAY that we were 5 years ago. Changes take place ever so slowly that we may not notice them. But count on it, you will change. The question is: Will you evolve or devolve? As usual in my podcasts, I don't just dole out advice; I ask you to think about your own life and make decisions of your own. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Making excuses is not exclusive to drunks and drug addicts. Sober people use excuses all the time. There's a big difference between a reason and an excuse. Learn to think and speak in terms of reasons to get a better understanding of your own behaviors. When you understand the reasons behind a behavior you often have no more excuses. You can then decide whether you want to take some sort of action or not. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

What you pretend to be makes a big difference not only in how others see you and treat you, but how you feel about YOURSELF. Is it ever wise to adapt an image just to please others? You don't have to be fake or superficial, but sometimes we must (and do) present ourselves as being something we are not. "Fake it til you make it," is the old recovery axiom. We will often live "up to" or "down to" the image we project of ourselves. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Actions are supposed to speak louder than words right? But what you think and what goes on in your mind precedes your actions. Thoughts and actions work in collaboration. Sometimes action comes first, sometimes thoughts come first. It's easy to let your thoughts spiral out of control and propel your actions. Small actions can change your thinking in a positive way which can then propel you into more positive actions. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

As former drunks/addicts we do have the ability to rebuild our brain. Brain Plasticity is when regions rebuild and other specific regions begin performing tasks outside of their intended purpose. This doesn't happen automatically---you must actively exercise and challenge your mind. Hear how nontraditional pathways of expressing yourself may lead to better outward communication for you. This podcast/article isn't laden with dry medical and anatomical terms. I hope you find it entertaining and mentally stimulating. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Quite possibly the hardest part of staying sober isn't simply staying sober, the hardest part is accepting some of the harsh realizations about how your own life, relationships and behaviors will change. It isn't that sobriety sucks, it's that living in a world filled with booze and drugs while staying clean and sober can suck (at times). In this podcast I share a little of what has and has not worked for me. As usual in my podcasts, I ask you to think about your own life and make decisions of your own. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

As much as we would like to and as hard as we try, the reality is that we can't save everyone from themselves. The only way to save some people from themselves is to lock them in a cage or keep them on a leash. Is that the right thing to do? Your first concern is to save yourself then let others see you living well. Let them ask you how you do it. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

Life is filled with lies but they're not all bad lies. This is Part 1 of a 2-Part podcast. We'll take an honest look at what are the most common lies: Self-deception, mutually agreed upon lies and more. How do you react when you discover these lies? You can play along with the lies, become bitter or do what you believe is the right thing to do. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

What is "happiness' to you? Do you think you can ever find it? I present some quotes and thoughts on happiness, then ask you to do some thinking on your own. Maybe you don't have any valid reasons to be unhappy? So why not be happy? http://LivingSoberSucks.com

How do handle the lies you're told? How do you handle the lies you tell to yourself? We do have a choice as to how we deal with lies. I present some ideas and ask you to decide for yourself how you will deal with deception. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

People want to offer us advice, but some of it, if not a lot of it can be harmful, counterproductive and misguided. They mean well, but norms often think that "all you have to do is quit drinking and everything will be fine." In this podcast I don't offer advice, I present suggestions and ask YOU to practice making decisions on your own. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

It's not easy to see our own true reflection when we're mired in the midst of problems or a dependency. Here's a podcast that may help you see a better and more accurate reflection of yourself. I also offer a few ideas on how to get others to tell you what you look like through their eyes. http://LivingSoberSucks.com

It's wonderful to talk about all of our grand intentions but do we do anything about them? You're not weak, flawed, defective, lazy or stupid. It's not easy to follow through on our intentions. Here's a podcast that might stimulate your desire to get working on your "best intentions." http://LivingSoberSucks.com