Addiction Unlimited Podcast

You know recovery is supposed to be more than just not drinking, but the day still feels like you’re mostly just getting through it.

You might just be missing the foundation that makes recovery actually feel like something.

Here’s what I know to be true: sobriety removes the alcohol. Recovery heals the patterns underneath it.

And those are two very different things.

But understanding the difference is one thing — living it on an ordinary Tuesday is another.

In this episode, I’m walking you through a full recovery-focused day — hour by hour — and showing you exactly what living in recovery looks like in practice.

We’re grounding it all in the three things addiction needs to thrive, and what you can do every single day to take them away from it. Not a perfect day. An intentional one.

If you’ve ever wondered what recovery is actually supposed to look like — or you’ve been sober for a while and still feel like something’s missing — this one’s for you, my friend.

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

The real difference between sobriety and recovery — and why it changes everything about how you approach your day

The three things addiction needs to survive — and how recovery dismantles all three of them

Why emotional isolation is just as dangerous as physical isolation — even if your calendar is full

Why 99% of recovery — especially early on — is nervous system regulation, and what that actually looks like in your morning

The eye contact story — and how breaking anxiety down into tiny pieces changed everything for me

What active participation really means — and how to tell the difference between showing up and actually doing the work

Why avoidance and procrastination aren’t laziness — they’re emotion regulation, and what to do about it instead

How to close your day with honesty and intention — without the shame spiral

This is the episode I wish I’d had when I first got sober. Hit play, my friend — let’s walk through the day together.

 

RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED:

Episode 420 — Why You’re Sober But Still Have the Same Problems

Episode 421 — Overwhelmed by Sobriety Advice? Here’s How to Actually Start

Episode 418 — Presence Is Not Participation

Recovery Accelerator — 4-Week Group Coaching Program: addictionunlimited.com/accelerator

Book a Call with Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call

 

CONNECT:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addictionunlimited/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

If you keep asking yourself “What am I doing wrong?” — this episode is for you.

Most people relapse dozens of times before they actually get it right.

And if that’s you, I know how exhausting that cycle is.

But here’s the truth: There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s not that you don’t want it badly enough.

It’s that the answer you need isn’t about actions and distractions.

It’s about the mindset shifts that create real, lasting change.

Today, I’m giving you the 6 non-negotiables that separate people who actually change from people who keep starting over.

This isn’t a checklist. This isn’t about doing more things.

This is about shifting how you think, how you show up, and who you become.

These 6 principles apply to recovery — but they also apply to life. Career. Relationships. Health. Any major transformation.

This is your personal code of conduct for real change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

– 2:43: Why discomfort doesn’t mean bad — it just means you’re working a new muscle

– 5:07: The real sacrifices recovery requires (and the ones you conveniently forget you already made)

– 7:11: How to stop controlling what other people think and start prioritizing what you know

– 9:17: Why brutal honesty is the only way forward — and how ego keeps you stuck

– 10:53: What willingness actually looks like (hint: your feelings can’t run the show)

– 13:15: Why you have to grow the fuck up — whether you feel like it or not

– 14:00: The bear analogy that will change how you think about your alcoholism

Listen in and decide: Are you ready to stop doing busy work and start doing the real work? Because that’s where actual change happens.

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

– Recovery Starter Kit

– Book a Free Consultation Call: addictionunlimited.com/call

– Related Episode: Why You’re Sober But Still Have the Same Problems

– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

 

The 4-Stage Recovery Roadmap and What to Work on at Each Stage

If you’re feeling stuck or confused about where you are in your sobriety and what you should actually be working on, this episode is for you.

I see it all the time: people trying to fix everything at once, or trying to skip ahead to the deep emotional work when they haven’t even built a stable foundation yet.

And then they relapse. Or they burn out. Or they just stay stuck in the same patterns.

Today, I’m breaking down the four stages of recovery—what you should be focusing on at each stage, and why you can’t skip ahead.

Here’s the thing: the timelines I’m giving you are general guidelines. They’re not rules.

For me, I spent way more time in Stage 2. I needed that time. But Stage 3 went faster for me because I loved that part of my process —it was hands down my favorite part of the steps.

So don’t get hung up on the timeline.

What matters is that you’re doing the work required in each stage before you move on to the next one. You get out of this exactly what you put into it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

–>  3:17: What Stage 1 actually looks like—and why the only goal is “don’t drink today”

–>  6:03: How to navigate Stage 2 when you’re asking “Who am I without alcohol?”

–>  11:05: Why Stage 3 is about rebuilding what matters and letting go of what doesn’t

–>  14:11: What it means to shift from surviving to thriving in Stage 4

–>  16:50: Why you absolutely cannot skip stages—and what happens when you try

Listen in and figure out where you are right now. Then focus on the work that actually matters at this stage—so you can build a life so powerful, so clear, so good that you’ll never want to leave it.

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

Recovery Starter Kit

Book a Free Consultation Call: addictionunlimited.com/call

Episode 421 – Overwhelmed by Sobriety Advice, Here’s How to Actually Start

Cozy Earth – Use code ANGELA for 20% off

You know what’s keeping you from getting sober? All the advice telling you how to get sober.

Everyone’s got a different rulebook.

The old-timers say meetings every day, get a sponsor immediately, work the steps to a tee.

People like me say do it your way—you don’t have to follow the doctrine perfectly.

And newer recovery voices are teaching completely different avenues to recovery.

And you’re stuck in the middle, just trying to figure out how to get through today without a drink, paralyzed by all these options, wondering which path is “right.”

Here’s the truth nobody’s telling you: There is no wrong way.

I’m giving you the three universal foundations that every strong sobriety is built on, and showing you how to stop waiting for permission and just start.

You’ll learn:

Why success rates prove the program doesn’t decide—YOU do (and what recent research actually shows)

The three universal foundations every strong sobriety is built on

How to pick your path when everyone’s telling you something different

What to actually DO today to start building your sobriety

Remember, a program doesn’t determine your success. You do.

A program doesn’t work or not work.

YOU work. YOU show up, do the things, follow guidance… or you don’t.

Your success is your decision.

In this episode, I’m cutting through all the noise and breaking down exactly what you need to start your recovery journey today—no matter which path or program you choose.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EISODE

Free Download: Daily Plan

→ Recovery Starter Kit

Step-by-step lessons, worksheets, checklists, and conversation starters for the hard talks. Walks you through building the three foundations with actual tools, not just concepts.

Book a Call

→ addictionunlimited.com/call

Not sure where you are or what level of support you need? Let’s talk. We’ll figure out what’s the right fit for you right now.

Related Episode:

Episode 418: You’re Not Doing the Work, You’re Just Watching Other People Do It

 

You quit drinking. So why do you still have all the same problems?

You quit drinking. That’s huge. But if you’re sitting there wondering why you still have all the same problems you had when you were drinking – I can tell you exactly why.

Drinking was never the actual problem. It was a symptom.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between sobriety (removing alcohol) and recovery (healing the patterns underneath the behavior).

Because putting down the drink is just the starting line, not the finish line.

We talk about why you’re still making the same shitty choices (just without alcohol), the patterns keeping you stuck that have nothing to do with drinking, how to identify what you’re actually feeling when emotions are totally foreign, and the one thing that separates people who heal from people who stay stuck.

Here’s the truth: most people think quitting drinking is the finish line. It’s not.

Sobriety removes alcohol. Recovery heals the patterns.

If you quit drinking but you’re still people-pleasing, self-sabotaging, avoiding discomfort, or reacting emotionally to everything – you’re just living your drinking life without alcohol.

Same patterns, same problems, just without the numbing agent.

This one’s raw, real, and no fluff. Just the truth about what it actually takes to heal.

In this episode, I share:

3:30: Why drinking is only a symptom of bigger problems

8:03: The patterns you need to heal (and how to identify them)

13:14: What to do when you can’t even recognize what you’re feeling

15:10: Why action – not information – is what actually changes your life

Listen in, and if you’re ready to take big action and get big results, I have three coaching spots open this month. Book a call at addictionunlimited.com/call.

And check out this episode about how presence is not equal to participation:

You’re Not Doing the Work — You’re Just Watching Other People Do It