RAW Recovery Podcast

In today’s Daily Trudge, we’re talking about something that changes everything in recovery — your voice.

The moment you start telling the truth — your truth — healing begins.

For years, addiction kept us silent. We lied, hid, or played roles to survive. But recovery gives us something far more powerful than perfection — it gives us a voice.

And with that voice comes truth — not the polished kind, but the kind that sets people free.

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m digging into Justification — that sneaky little voice in recovery that always has a reason, an excuse, or a way to twist the truth just enough to feel okay.

Justification is the mind’s defense against accountability. It says things like, “I deserve this,” “It’s not that bad,” or “At least I’m not as bad as I used to be.”

But every time we justify, we trade honesty for comfort — and recovery dies a littl...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m going back to the roots of recovery — the time before AA had a name, a book, or a Big Book promise.

We’ll look at Dr. Carl Jung and Dr. William Silkworth — two men who helped shape the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous without ever sitting in a meeting.

Dr. Silkworth called alcoholism “an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind.” Dr. Jung told a hopeless drinker that only a spiritual experienc...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about a truth most of us wish wasn’t true — recovery does not equal comfort.

Sobriety doesn’t promise easy days. It promises real ones.

The path of recovery will stretch you, humble you, and sometimes hurt. But every uncomfortable step — every awkward share, every hard amends, every painful truth — is where the actual healing happens.

Comfort never changed anybody. Courage did.

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In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about why recovery is the ultimate pay it forward.

Someone carried the message to us when we were lost, broken, and ready to give up. They didn’t do it for credit, applause, or money — they did it because someone once did the same for them. That’s how recovery survives.

Every time we share our story, help a newcomer, or simply show up, we’re keeping that chain of hope alive. We can’t pay back th...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about one of AA’s greatest reminders of humility: “Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”

In recovery, leadership isn’t about control — it’s about service. Whether you’re making coffee, chairing a meeting, or guiding others through the Steps, the goal isn’t power — it’s purpose.

We serve because we were once served. We give back because someone gave to us.

In this episode, I’...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about something deeply personal — how we are loved back to health in recovery, and what alcohol tried to take from us before we made it here.

Alcohol doesn’t just rob you of time or money — it takes your peace, your laughter, your relationships, your integrity, and if it can, your soul. It isolates, it destroys, and it convinces you that you’re beyond saving.

But then, someone reaches out a hand...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about what keeps recovery alive — us.

The Big Book gives us the plan, the Steps give us the path, but it’s people who give it a heartbeat. Every time we share honestly, help someone new, or show up when we’d rather not, we keep recovery breathing in the world.

We are the heartbeat — carrying hope from one soul to another, keeping this thing alive one day, one meeting, one act of service at a tim...

In today’s RAW Talk, Tyler and I talk about how the Promises of AA actually come true — and the real secret is simple: help someone else.

We love reading the Promises — freedom, happiness, peace — but they don’t just show up because we’ve been sober a few days. They unfold as we reach out to others, one act of service at a time.

When we stop living just for ourselves, something shifts. The fear fades, the resentment lifts, and joy ...

In today’s Daily Trudge, we’re looking at AA’s Tradition 5: “Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.”

Somewhere along the way, it’s easy to forget that this is what we’re really here for. It’s not about who makes coffee, who’s right in a debate, or who runs the best meeting. Our purpose is simple — to reach the person who’s still dying inside and show them that hope is real.

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about Discernment — that quiet, powerful ability to tell the difference between my will and God’s will.

In recovery, we’re constantly bombarded by voices — fear, ego, emotion, instinct, and spirit — all fighting to be heard. Discernment is what helps us pause, listen, and choose the path that brings peace instead of chaos.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being guided.

In this episode, w...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “Freedom of Choice.”

Recovery gives us something we hadn’t had in a long time — the power to choose. We get to decide how we respond, what we believe, and who we become. But with that freedom comes responsibility — to make choices that build us up instead of break us down.

In this episode, I talk about how freedom of choice is one of the greatest gifts of sobriety — and how using it wisely...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about the difference between pain and suffering — and why it matters so much in recovery.

Pain is part of being human. It’s the growing, stretching, and healing that comes with life. Suffering, though — that’s what happens when we fight the pain, when we replay it, and when we refuse to let it teach us.

In this episode, I share how learning to accept pain (instead of resisting it) has helped m...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “Self Love vs. Love of Self.”

There’s a big difference between loving yourself and being full of yourself. True self-love is about acceptance, humility, and care. “Love of self” is when ego starts calling the shots again.

In this episode, I’ll unpack how recovery helps us find that healthy middle ground — where we treat ourselves with respect, not arrogance; where confidence grows from gra...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “We Do Not Need to Live With Regret or Shame.”

So many of us drag around the weight of the past — the things we did, the people we hurt, and the mistakes we made. But the truth is, recovery gives us permission to stop living there.

In this episode, I talk about how regret and shame keep us stuck, how making amends frees us, and how grace lets us move forward without constantly reliving wha...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “The Work Between the Miracles.”

Recovery has its big, beautiful moments — the breakthroughs, the freedom, the laughter that comes back. But most of the time, it’s not fireworks — it’s daily work. It’s the small, consistent actions between those miracles that keep us grounded and growing.

In this episode, I share what it looks like to keep showing up even when the excitement fades, how to ...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “It’s None of Your Darn Business!”

One of the greatest sources of stress in recovery is trying to manage things that aren’t ours — other people’s opinions, choices, or problems. The truth is, most of what we worry about is none of our business!

In this episode, I talk about how learning to “stay in our lane” brings peace, why gossip and judgment pull us out of spiritual alignment, and how ...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “Freedom of Choice.”

Recovery gives us something we hadn’t had in a long time — the power to choose. We get to decide how we respond, what we believe, and who we become. But with that freedom comes responsibility — to make choices that build us up instead of break us down.

In this episode, I talk about how freedom of choice is one of the greatest gifts of sobriety — and how using it wisely...

In today’s Daily Trudge, I’m talking about “It’s Not a Matter of Giving — But How and When!”

In recovery, we learn that giving isn’t just about generosity — it’s about wisdom. Sometimes, we give too much of ourselves too soon, or to the wrong things, and end up empty. Other times, we hold back when we could’ve made a difference.

This episode explores how spiritual growth teaches us balance — giving from love, not ego; giving when g...