Free Daily Podcast Summary
Recovery Elevator: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Paul Churchill
It's not a NO to alcohol — it's a YES to a better life! Bestselling author Paul Churchill interviews people who have successfully quit drinking, offering an honest, uplifting look at what an alcohol-free life can really look like. Each week, Recovery Elevator explores sobriety from fresh perspectives — no judgment, no lectures, just real stories from real people. Whether you're sober curious, newly sober, supporting a loved one, or already thriving in recovery, you've found your community. Topics include: how to stop drinking alcohol, alcohol addiction and dependency, whether moderate drinking actually works, what happens to your brain when you quit drinking, the role of spirituality in recovery, whether AA is right for you, tracking sobriety milestones, and whether addiction might be trying to tell you something. If alcohol is making you sick and tired, Recovery Elevator is your invitation to explore what life on the other side looks like — through candid conversations and inspiring guest stories.
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- 6 days ago59 min
RE 606: Think Happy Thoughts
Today we have Alysse. She is 51 years old, lives in Seattle, WA and she took her last drink on April 30th, 2006. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people [02:58] Thoughts from Paul: The topic for today's podcast is Think Happy Thoughts. This links well with the most prolific teaching we covered last week, which is The Golden Rule. The human brain is the most powerful manifestation machine on planet earth. What you put out there is what you get back. Removing alcohol from your life is a HUGE step forward, but then it all comes down to the mental state you choose. Author Jay Shetty has a book called Think like a Monk. He has a line about your thoughts that he wants you to ask if the thought is a seed or a weed. If it's a weed, let it go. If it's a seed, keep building on it. Add water, healthy soil and all of that. The MOST IMPORTANT part of thinking happy thoughts is AWARENESS. You have to first become aware of your thoughts. Paul shares that he uses journaling often. He writes about things he is looking forward to and tries to be aware of his thoughts throughout the day. We often think the answer to our problems needs to be complicated and located outside of ourselves. It's within and it starts upstairs. [08:01] Paul introduces Alysse: Alysse just turned 51 and recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety. She lives in Seattle, WA, is single, and has one son. She is considering going into business for herself and enjoys content creation and arts and crafts. Alysse grew up in a small town, attended a Christian school until her teens, and says she lived a sheltered life. She first drank during her sophomore year of high school and says she drank alcoholically from the beginning. Alysse briefly attended college before dropping out and working for the airlines. At 20, she became pregnant and hoped motherhood would improve her life. She abstained from drinking for most of her pregnancy, but afterward returned to substance use, which quickly became heavier. Alysse describes her 20s as a cycle of moving in and out of her parents' house, changing jobs and friend grou
- 1 weeks ago54 min
RE 605: The Most Prolific Teaching
Today we have Karen. She is 50 years old, from Chicopee, MA and she took her last drink of alcohol on January 13th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people [03:20] Thoughts from Paul: Paul loops back to episode 599 which was titled Romanticizing the Drink. He wants to bring that idea back into consciousness and gives us two things to remember the next time we get the idea that a drink would take the edge off or make life better. Number one, it is total bullshit. Number two, he wants us to start romanticizing the clear mornings. Romanticize less financial stress and a liver that is properly functioning. Through the recovery process, Paul shares that he has learned about so many different healing modalities: meditation, breathwork, yoga, goat yoga and many more. But none are more important than The Golden Rule (aka, love they neighbor). Most people in the modern world reject this teaching due to its simplicity. Basically, it is the idea that what you put out there is what you get back. [09:12] Paul introduces Karen: Karen is 50 years old and lives in Chicopee, MA with her husband of 25 years, and their two sons. She has been a nurse for 27 years. For fun, she enjoys hanging out with her dog, loves fitness and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Karen states that she was always a normal drinker until her mid-thirties when she fell into the "Mommy Wine Culture" trap. Her kids were older and she began drinking on the weekends at first, but it gradually crept into a daily habit. As Karen got into her forties, she started to feel the effects of drinking every day. Her insomnia on the drinking nights and the aches, pains and low energy began to catch up to her. She never believed it was the alcohol and instead assumed it was symptoms of perimenopause. Karen initially started trying to moderate the wine in an effort to save some calories and hopefully lose some weight. She says it didn't go well. On the days that Karen didn't drink she said it was boring and she was irritable. Late December 2023, Karen started feeling sluggish and was sick and tired of being sick and tired. She began to see that she was drinking faster than others when they were out to dinner. She checked her budget for the year and was surpri
- 2 weeks ago56 min
RE 604: We're Tired of Poisoning Ourselves
Today we have Cricket. She is 40 years old, lives in Chattanooga, TN, and she took her last drink on July 27th, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help The new book This Is How We Quit is now available on Amazon. Throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. If you are in your first 90 days of sobriety and want to share your story on the podcast, please email info@recoveryelevator.com . [02:32] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that one of the hardest things for him while doing the RE podcast is focus on his side of the street. This means not directing anger, frustration outwards towards things like big alcohol, big pharma, etc. We think modern society is how we're supposed to live, but it's mentally, physically and biologically destroying us and even the animals and nature around us. What do we do to focus more on our side of the street? You're already doing something about this by making the decision to stop poisoning yourself with alcohol. The next step is to come together as a community. Come closer to your fellow human beings. The addiction tries to trick you into believing you are alone, but you are not. Come see us in Café RE, go to a 12-step meeting, keep listening. You're not alone. [09:15] Paul introduces Cricket: Cricket is 40 years old, lives in Chattanooga, TN with her cats and works in a restaurant downtown. She enjoys reading and writing and loves good TV shows. <
- 3 weeks ago53 min
RE 603: The Opposite of Addiction is Still Connection
Today we have Hannah. She is 35 years old, from Chapel Hill, NC and she took her last drink of alcohol on August 9th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus The new book This Is How We Quit is now available. Throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. Happy 12th Soberversary Paul! [05:14] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares that he first heard the quote "The opposite of addiction is connection" from author and speaker Johann Hari over ten years ago. He feels this concept is so important in the recovery space. Paul gives us a couple of ideas to mentally explore and this whole concept is definitely an action item. When it comes to finding your people, leverage sobriety. The camaraderie of sobriety rivals many groups. When it comes to finding your people, don't forget to find yourself. Start speaking kindly to yourself and think about not poisoning yourself with alcohol. Another important connection is the one that we have with nature and the stars. This refers to the creatures and trees in your own backyards. If people aren't your cup of tea, getting a dog is a great opportunity for lots of love and connection. [11:34] Paul introduces Hannah: </p
- Aug 31, 202644 min
RE 602: Know Your Water
Today we have Jordan. He is 35 years old from Las Vegas, NV and he took his last drink of alcohol on July 20th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people Today, we are celebrating the launch of the compilation book This Is How We Quit with a live event via Zoom. Everyone who registers for this free event will receive one free month of membership in Café RE. And throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. Coming in September, Café RE will be hosting Ditching the Booze: Emotions. It is a four-week live course, every Wednesday in September at 8pm Eastern [02:51] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a field guide to water. Yes, there is way more to it than just H2O. There are a lot of options out there and while many of the names are used interchangeably, there are actually differences. Let Paul know which water you prefer to drink in the comments section on Spotify or comment on the RE Instagram page under this episode's post. [07:12] Paul introduces Jordan: Jordan is 35 years old, lives in Las Vegas, NV. Jordan is a field installation lead for a modular home company. He has two children and has been married for five years. For fun he enjoys skateboarding and spending time with his kids. <span style= "font-family: 'Arial',sa
- Aug 24, 202649 min
RE 601: The Most Encouraged Drug
Today we have Mitchell. He is 30 years old, lives in Missouri, and he took his last drink on April 6th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Next Monday, August 31st, we are celebrating the launch of the compilation book This Is How We Quit with a live event via Zoom. Everyone who registers for this free event will receive one free month of membership in Café RE. Coming in September, Café RE will be hosting Ditching the Booze: Emotions. It is a four-week live course, every Wednesday in September at 8pm Eastern [01:50] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares a YouTube video from Seth Capehart MD about The World's Most Encouraged Drug. He gives a brief history of alcohol, that we have been consuming it for thousands of years as humans. It used to serve a vital purpose then, because fermented beverages with a low alcohol content were safer to drink than water. Eventually engineers figured out to provide clean drinking water, but the alcohol consumption stuck around. The doctor shares what alcohol does to our bodies. It taxes the liver and wrecks our hormones. The doctor says if you were trying to create a hormonal environment that would make you fat, weak, and tired, alcohol would be perfect that. He says it's the most invisible, yet visible problem he's encountered in medicine. The next time you find yourself rom
- Aug 17, 202646 min
RE 600: What Happens After You Quit Drinking?
Today we have Dan. He is 44 years old from Denver, CO, and he took his last drink of alcohol in February of 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Over the last six months, we have been working on a book called This is How We Quit. It is a compilation of 24 sobriety stories that will be released on August 31st, 2026. To coincide with the release, Recovery Elevator is doing a free online event to celebrate the launch. More details on that event are coming soon! [03:15] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us his history with the guest today. They were close friends in high school; they played football together and drank plenty of beers at parties together. They lost communication over the years, but by happenstance and a lost wallet, they reconnected last year. Since then, they went on a trip to Sonora, Mexico to find reptiles and also went to their high school reunion together. [05:49] Paul introduces Dan: Dan is 44 years old, lives in Westminster, CO and took his last drink in February 2025. He was born and raised in Vail to wonderful parents and was close with his siblings. He is currently engaged and works in commercial construction sales. Dan enjoys spending time outside mountaineering, trail running and enjoying the arts. He recently rediscovered his love of reptiles and amphibians. Dan says he was very shy and reserved growing up. He had his first drink right before freshman year of high school. He felt a sense of ease and that he could talk to people. He recalls thinking that this was the solution and how normal people must feel all the time. Through high school, Dan's drinking was minimal and he doesn't feel he ever was loss in control. In college
- Aug 10, 202641 min
RE 599: Romanticizing the Drink
Today we have Art. He is 46 years old, from Wheat Ridge, CO and he took his last drink on November 28th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help The Find Your People retreat in Bozeman, MT starts this Wednesday. There are still spots available if you want to join us. Thank you to our sponsors of the upcoming retreat: Sober Link – Alcohol Monitoring Rise Up Coffee – Yummy Coffee We ❤️ Better Rhodes – Solid selection of AF drinks Beaglepuss – NA Beers with STYLE Athletic Brewing Company Café RE – Alcohol-Free Community 🌟 [03:40] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a post made in Café RE by a member named Brian. It explores the idea of romanticizing his drinking days and the transition to romanticizing NOT drinking. It reminds us that the brain is powerful. It is a manifestation machine. Next time y
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About Recovery Elevator
It's not a NO to alcohol — it's a YES to a better life! Bestselling author Paul Churchill interviews people who have successfully quit drinking, offering an honest, uplifting look at what an alcohol-free life can really look like. Each week, Recovery Elevator explores sobriety from fresh perspectives — no judgment, no lectures, just real stories from real people. Whether you're sober curious, newly sober, supporting a loved one, or already thriving in recovery, you've found your community. Topics include: how to stop drinking alcohol, alcohol addiction and dependency, whether moderate drinking actually works, what happens to your brain when you quit drinking, the role of spirituality in recovery, whether AA is right for you, tracking sobriety milestones, and whether addiction might be trying to tell you something. If alcohol is making you sick and tired, Recovery Elevator is your invitation to explore what life on the other side looks like — through candid conversations and inspiring guest stories.
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