Ever thought that struggling means you're failing? Think again. In this compelling episode of Recovery Elevator, Paul Churchill sits down with Daz, who took his last drink on November 5, 2018. Daz, a 43-year-old musician from Vancouver Island, shares his story of battling addiction and finding strength through struggle. With two little girls and a passion for recovery knowledge, Daz opens up about his journey from his first drink at 13 to where he is now.

Paul dives into the idea that struggling doesn't mean you're failing—in fact, it's a sign of growth. Daz’s tale is filled with moments of doubt and resilience, underscoring the importance of community support and mindfulness in his path to sobriety. This episode isn't just about quitting alcohol; it's about realizing that every struggle is a step towards a better life.

If you're facing your own battles with addiction or supporting someone who is, Daz’s story offers hope and practical advice for navigating the tough times. Tune in and discover how saying no to alcohol can lead to a life filled with accomplishments and joy.

Hear Daz's inspiring story of finding strength through struggle and achieving sobriety on Recovery Elevator. Tune in for hope and practical advice.

Daz's Journey: Finding Strength in Struggle on Recovery Elevator

Daz took his last drink on November 5, 2018.  This is his story.  This coming January Recovery Elevator is going to Thailand and Cambodia for 12 days.  Space is limited.  You can find more information about this event <a href= "http://recoveryelevator.com/events">here</a> On today’s episode Paul discuses the double negative, not failing.  If you find yourself struggling to say no, to picking up a drink, you are not failing.  If you are not failing you are succeeding, accomplishing, flourishing, overcoming, conquering, thriving, winning, realizing your goal to become alcohol free.  Think about an accomplishment in your life that you are proud of.  Did that come without a struggle?   Most likely it did.  That struggle did not represent failure.  Growth is a big part of that struggle.  SHOW NOTES [10:30] Paul introduces Daz.  Daz is 43 years old, has been married for 5 years, and has 2 beautiful little girls.  He is from Vancouver Island and has lived in Vancouver for the last 17 years.  For fun Daz plays guitar, writes and records a lot of music, and his latest addiction is knowledge in recovery. [13:31] Give us a background on your drinking. When Daz was 13 he had his first drink, and first drunk.  At the age of 15 he was introduced to smoking pot which very quickly became a daily thing.  An honor roll student until his senior year of high school, when other drugs were introduced, and things really started to nosedive.  Daz didn’t start drinking regularly until he was 19.  It then quickly became a daily thing, helping him come out of his shell and be more social.  It became a staple that stuck with him through his 20s.  Daz hit his rock bottom on April 20, 2005.  He had gone through a really dysfunctional relationship and his life had completely veered off the path that he had expected.  He was ready to throw in the towel on life.  Daz called his parents at 2AM and told them he didn’t know what to do, that he thought he wanted to just go and finish it off.  His parents got him to come home and that was his first attempt to get sober. It lasted a couple weeks, through the Christmas holidays, and he attended his first AA meetings while there.  When he got back to Vancouver things went back to the way they had been for about another year.  He was struggling to get by, working in bars and drinking on the job.  Found himself in legal trouble and soon couldn’t pay his rent.  Daz says he was one step away from living on the street. [19:00] That was early 2007, bridge the gap for us.  Daz entered a 2-month treatment center and says that was the beginning of him starting to stand up and dust himself off.  It gave him time to think about what he was going to do with his life.  He worked in the fitness industry for a couple years. He started to slide back into drinking but had enough of a foundation at this time, and had left some of the other drugs behind, that things were starting to get on the right path.  He moved from the fitness industry into the software business and started performing music in the evenings.  This gave him something to be excited about and even though he was still drinking he now felt he had a purpose. Daz met his wife 7 years ago, 1.5 years later they had their first baby, and 2-3 years ago he went to the doctor and was told he had a fatty liver.  [21:55] What happened next? He now has his 2nd baby and a fatty liver.  His doctor told him if he didn’t stop drinking, he would be dead in 10 years.  That was the motivation Daz needed.  He had gone through the 12 steps of AA while in the treatment center but just never felt like that was for him.  What he found was something called, Neuro Recover, which is an IV treatment where the person is hooked up to an IV for 8 hours a day, for 10 days.  He says he soon realized that being sober is not just about not drinking, it’s about rebuilding your body.  After a few months Daz went back ‘out’.  When he was ready to try again, he came with more of a plan and was going to include community.  He did the IV treatment for 3 days.  On day 5 he was having back and leg pain, anxiety, and feeling frustrated.  Daz says he was almost ready to go get alcohol.  Instead of going to the store for alcohol he recalled reading that L-glutamine can help with alcohol cravings.  Having some in his cupboard he drank some and says that instantly the craving was gone.  Daz started attending SMART Recovery soon after.  [32:32] What are your qualms about AA? Daz says his biggest qualm is the powerless aspect.  He feels to overcome addiction you need to be empowered.     [39:16] What would you say to someone looking to get sober, that has tried AA, and is looking for something else? Daz would suggest the SMART Recovery community, RE Café’ Facebook groups, L-glutamine.  He would tell them to stay connected with people, and that diet is important.  [44:14] What are your thoughts on relapse? Daz says he doesn’t think relapse is a bad thing, that it is just part of the process.  He says people shouldn’t be too negative about it as long as you are continuing on and learning to understand yourself, the body, and how it works.  [47:41] Where does spirituality come into play on this journey? Daz is not a religious person, per-se, but he thinks it’s really important for people to stop and look inward, and turn other things off.  [48:50] Rapid Fire Round <ol> <li>Worst memory from drinking?</li> </ol> Driving down the road and not being able to keep his hands on the steering wheel because he was shaking so badly. <ol start="2"> <li>What is your plan moving forward?</li> </ol> My plan moving forward is to finish my website that I have been working on, like I said, it’s EmpoweredNotPowerless.com.  Continue going to SMART meetings and I have some people that I am close to and to just continue to help each other. To continue to lead by example.      <ol start="3"> <li>What is your favorite resource?</li> </ol> Get yourself some glutamine, don’t leave out the supplementation part of recovery.  You’ve been killing yourself for years and your body needs to heal itself.  I would also shout out Omar Pinto and the SHAIR podcast.  Another book I would recommend is Addicted to the Monkey Mind.  <ol start="4"> <li>What parting piece of advice can you give to listeners?</li> </ol> When it feels like it’s impossible, it’s not. <ol start="5"> <li>You might have a drinking problem if...</li> </ol> You need to pull over on the side of the road because you can’t control your shaking.    Upcoming retreats: Bozeman Retreat – August 14-18, 2019 Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020 You can find more information about these events <a href= "http://recoveryelevator.com/events">here</a> Resources mentioned in this episode:   <a href= "https://www.recoveryelevator.com/cafere/">Connect with Cafe RE</a>- Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free <a href="https://appsto.re/us/z8w_5.i">Sobriety Tracker iTunes</a> <a href= "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.recovery.sam.sobrietycalculatorPro"> Sobriety Tracker Android</a> Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com   “Recovery Elevator – It all starts from the inside-out.”

RE 233: It’s Okay to Struggle

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It isn't a NO to alcohol, but a YES to a better life!  Best selling author Paul Churchill, along with Kristopher Oyen interview people who have stepped away from alcohol in their own lives. Each week this podcast does a deep dive into an exploration of what a booze free life might look like from various perspectives and opinions. 

If you are sick and tired of alcohol making you sick and tired, we invite you to listen to Recovery Elevator. Check out what an alcohol free life can look like as others share their own stories of sobriety. If you are sober curious, newly sober, supporting a loved one or living your best life already in recovery, then you are in the right place.

This podcast addresses what to do if you’re addicted to alcohol, or if you think you’re an alcoholic. Other topics include, does moderate drinking work, does addiction serve a purpose, what happens to the brain when we quit drinking, should you track sobriety time, is A.A. right for you, spirituality, and more. 

Similar to other recovery podcasts like This Naked Mind, the Shair Podcast, and the Recovered Podcast, Paul and Kris discuss a topic and then interview someone who has ditched the booze.

Recovery Elevator

Ever thought that struggling means you're failing? Think again. In this compelling episode of Recovery Elevator, Paul Churchill sits down with Daz, who took his last drink on November 5, 2018. Daz, a 43-year-old musician from Vancouver Island, shares his story of battling addiction and finding strength through struggle. With two little girls and a passion for recovery knowledge, Daz opens up about his journey from his first drink at 13 to where he is now.Paul dives into the idea that struggling doesn't mean you're failing—in fact, it's a sign of growth. Daz’s tale is filled with moments of doubt and resilience, underscoring the importance of community support and mindfulness in his path to sobriety. This episode isn't just about quitting alcohol; it's about realizing that every struggle is a step towards a better life.If you're facing your own battles with addiction or supporting someone who is, Daz’s story offers hope and practical advice for navigating the tough times. Tune in and discover how saying no to alcohol can lead to a life filled with accomplishments and joy.

Paul Churchill

Paul Churchill

RE 233: It’s Okay to Struggle

RE 233: It’s Okay to Struggle

RE 233: It’s Okay to Struggle

Monday 5th August 2019

About this podcast

Recovery Elevator

Daz's Journey: Finding Strength in Struggle on Recovery Elevator