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Today we have Greg. He is 44 years old, lives in Champaign, IL and took his last drink of alcohol on September 18th, 2026.
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Mark your calendars! Registration for the 10th Anniversary Find Your People Retreat opens on April 1st, 2027. The retreat happens August 11th– 15th, 2027.
[02:52] Thoughts from Paul:
Paul shares with us the news that NFL Quarterbacks Drake May and Dak Prescott have recently become part owners of Athletic Brewing Company.
One of Paul’s goals with RE is to eradicate the shame and the stigma around addiction. Because those two things are just as dangerous as the drug alcohol itself. This new partnership at Athletic Brewing is a huge step forward with that goal. This signifies a major tipping point on why this whole project with RE started over 10 years ago. Alcohol is shit. It is poison and will rot you from the inside out.
NA beers are becoming cooler by the day. The culture around drinking is changing and changing quickly.
DISCLAIMER: Please remember that only you can make the decision whether or not NA beers fit into your life. Some people find them triggering. Err on the side of caution and if you’re in early sobriety, you may want to wait a little while before trying them for yourself.
[06:35] Paul introduces Greg:
Greg is a college professor who teaches theater and film. He is married with two boys and enjoys running, swimming and music.
Greg’s first experience with alcohol came at a family Christmas party when he was 12 or 13. Sneaking rum into his eggnog gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling. After a traumatic breakup in high school, he turned to his parents’ liquor cabinet, drinking alone because he felt rejected and isolated.
After turning 21, Greg began drinking every night. He knew it was a problem, and his girlfriend eventually warned him that he might have to stop altogether. Instead, he tried countless moderation attempts. Working in Chicago’s theater and restaurant scenes where drinking is part of the culture, his alcohol intake grew over time.
After moving to Los Angeles, Greg suffered with anxiety and depression. He began day-drinking and secretly hiding vodka. Even after being fired from his bartending job, he struggled to make a lasting change. Graduate school brought structure and some of the happiest years of his life, but alcohol remained part of his daily routine. For the next 15 years, he typically drank five to ten drinks every night.
Life brought moves to Brooklyn and El Paso, marriage, two children and his career. Through it all, Greg continued drinking. When a knee injury took running away, alcohol became a way to manage pain and fill unstructured time. Over the last year, stress and changing work demands pulled away more of his guardrails. His drinking escalated and sometimes began in the morning. He was sneaking vodka into professional settings and drinking during the night to get back to sleep.
After waking from a nap and feeling broken, Greg told his wife he couldn’t keep living this way. He asked her to call a detox center, realizing that getting help felt less exhausting than continuing to drink. Before going, he began burning the ships, telling his family and the musicians he played with at church what was happening.
At seven days sober, Greg is beginning to experience more presence and energy. Peace is still a work in progress, but he is taking the first steps toward a life that no longer revolves around alcohol.
Greg’s advice for those newly sober or thinking about getting sober: “You may not be ready yet. I wasn’t ready for a very, very long time. But when you come to that moment where something tells you that you’re ready, just grasp it, seize it.”
Recovery Elevator
You took the elevator down.
You got to take the stairs back up.
We can do this.
