Ever wondered what it feels like to reclaim your life from alcohol? This episode of Recovery Elevator, titled 'Memories of Alcohol', takes you on a journey through the highs and lows of sobriety. Hosted by Paul Churchill, the episode features Charlie, a 32-year-old software engineer from London, who shares her story of giving up alcohol and rediscovering herself. Charlie opens up about her last drink on December 28th, 2024, and how her life has changed since then.

She reflects on how she used to drink for happiness, confidence, and relaxation, only to find herself feeling miserable, doubtful, and shaky. Her story is a testament to the subtle yet profound changes that come with sobriety. She talks about how quitting alcohol has allowed her to enjoy sports, plan her wedding, and reconnect with her true self. Paul and Charlie discuss the societal pressures to drink and the misconception that moderation is a solution.

They highlight the importance of community support in maintaining sobriety. This episode is not just about quitting alcohol; it's about embracing a healthier, more fulfilling life. So if you're curious about what an alcohol-free life could look like, tune in and get inspired by Charlie's journey.

Charlie shares her journey of quitting alcohol and rediscovering herself in this inspiring episode of Recovery Elevator.

Reclaiming Life: Charlie's Journey to Sobriety

Today we have Charlie. She is 32 years old from London, UK. She took her last drink on December 28th, 2024.   Sponsors for this episode include: <a href= "https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?go=true&slug=elevator&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=2687&utm_term=elevator&promo_code=elevator&landing_page_img=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqYHezjI.jpg&aff_channel=podcast&discount_rate=10&discount_period=P1M&date_interval=P1M&percentage_off=10&amount=1&amount_spelled_out=one&unit=month&gor=start"> Better Help</a> – 10% off of your first month   In October of this year, we are going to <a href= "https://www.recoveryelevator.com/peru-2025">Peru</a>!  There are still spots available for this 11-day 12-night journey throughout Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Registration closes June 2nd which is the deadline for Inca trail tickets.   [02:50] Thoughts from Paul:   According to NCS solutions, who poll people about their drinking, the number of people who want to cut back on their drinking increases every year.   In 2025, 36% more people participated in Dry January than in 2024. A good reason why the numbers are increasing is reflected in a poem Paul shares called Memories of Alcohol by an unknown author.   So much of the work we do is reframing how we view alcohol. Subconsciously it is still deeply ingrained in our culture that drinking enhances our lives, but we have all learned that it doesn’t. Once the voice in our head starts telling us that a drink would be nice or we deserve a drink we can start giving it some tough love and tell it that no, a drink would not be nice and please give me some better ideas.   [05:09] Paul introduces Charlie:   Charlie is a software engineer from London and will be getting married in April. For fun, Charlie has rediscovered that she enjoys skiing, running and swimming.   Growing up, Charlie witnessed both parents struggle with divorce and use of alcohol and medications.  She started drinking when she was around 14. Charlie says everyone around her drank and seemed to be having a good time, so she joined in without thinking twice.   Around her mid-twenties, Charlie started to have a subtle undercurrent of doubt in her mind and a quiet voice suggesting that maybe she wasn’t the best version of herself anymore. Since she never had what others would consider a problem, she didn’t think her drinking was an issue.   Charlie began to find things weren’t going wrong for her, but they weren’t necessarily going right either. She felt stagnated. In an effort to try and make changes to this she removed alcohol from time to time and began to connect the dots between her stagnation and the alcohol use.   Charlies says she tried moderation, but it was exhausting. Her all-or-nothing mentality made it difficult. She also shares that she has had multiple stints of around 100 days without alcohol because she learned that was a good amount of time to feel many of the positive effects of quitting.   This time feels different for Charlie because she has leaned into the sobriety community a bit more. She has been listening to podcasts and reading books and learned that the key to maintaining sobriety is to find community. Since there are more people around her encouraging her and sharing insights, Charlie feels this time is indefinite as opposed to the other times when she had a finish line of sorts.   Charlies says since quitting drinking her positivity has returned and she is feeling like the younger version of herself now. She shares that it’s amazing how much you can fit into a day when half of it isn’t taken up by drinking or recovering from it.   Charlie’s parting piece of guidance: if you’ve never quit drinking before, what’s that worst that can happen?   Recovery Elevator It all starts from the inside out. I love you guys. We can do this.     <a href= "https://www.cafe-re.org/">Café RE</a> <a href= "https://www.recoveryelevator.com/merch/">RE merch</a> <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuWac9dxkn3J93xJOka3L2g"> Recovery Elevator YouTube</a> <a href= "https://appsto.re/us/z8w_5.i">Sobriety Tracker iTunes </a>

RE 524: Memories of Alcohol

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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 wondered what it feels like to reclaim your life from alcohol? This episode of Recovery Elevator, titled 'Memories of Alcohol', takes you on a journey through the highs and lows of sobriety. Hosted by Paul Churchill, the episode features Charlie, a 32-year-old software engineer from London, who shares her story of giving up alcohol and rediscovering herself. Charlie opens up about her last drink on December 28th, 2024, and how her life has changed since then.She reflects on how she used to drink for happiness, confidence, and relaxation, only to find herself feeling miserable, doubtful, and shaky. Her story is a testament to the subtle yet profound changes that come with sobriety. She talks about how quitting alcohol has allowed her to enjoy sports, plan her wedding, and reconnect with her true self. Paul and Charlie discuss the societal pressures to drink and the misconception that moderation is a solution.They highlight the importance of community support in maintaining sobriety. This episode is not just about quitting alcohol; it's about embracing a healthier, more fulfilling life. So if you're curious about what an alcohol-free life could look like, tune in and get inspired by Charlie's journey.

Paul Churchill

Paul Churchill

RE 524: Memories of Alcohol

RE 524: Memories of Alcohol

RE 524: Memories of Alcohol

Monday 3rd March 2025

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Recovery Elevator

Reclaiming Life: Charlie's Journey to Sobriety

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