The High Cost of Anonymity Podcast: Exploring the Cost of Keeping Your Life Experience to Yourself

I came across a YouTube video of Ryan Holiday of the Daily Stoic Podcast, if you haven’t heard of it, check it out. What he talked about on the video was “These Simple Words Will Help You Through Life’s Most Difficult Situations.” The one that stood out the most for me was Amor Fati- loving everything that happens. I need to hear and remember this because I tend to complain about all the struggles...

I keep having the same conversation with a few buddies that are still out there running and gunning... they say, “man, you’ve been sober so long I figure you’d have it figured out by now” or ”I’m surprised you’re still struggling, I might as well keep drinking and using!” In other words, they’re saying, since you don’t use anymore, shouldn’t your life be easy and amazing all the time, lol! It soun...

Victoria's story is a great example of how easy it is to perpetuate the stigma and hide in plain sight under the guise of high achievement and professional expectations.  There is a fine line between professionalism, career dynamics, and feeling comfortable enough to live authentically without repercussions.  I loved hearing how she navigated self-disclosing that she was in recovery from alcoholis...

I was sitting on the patio at Panera Bread watching news coverage of the Lebanon explosion when suddenly, I was overcome with emotion. Normally, I would shove it down as quickly as possible and move on. I'd tell myself, ”quit crying... there's nothing to be so emotional about. It's not that I couldn’t feel compassion towards someone else’s misfortune. It is more because I am uncomfortable with dee...

I'm not sure this could get any more stereotypical. A young white boy raised in a mobile home park by a single mother struggling with mental health and an alcoholic father who was never around. In the 6th grade, this young boy finds that selling drugs gave him a strong dose of the attention he never knew he craved. Later, this turned into a life of cooking meth, selling every drug his clientele re...

I had a great conversation yesterday with Dr. Melissa Briggs-Phillips aka MBP (I just made that up!) with Behave Forward, Next Generation Behavioral Health in Columbus OH.  Our interview will be out in the next month or so on this podcast so keep your eye peeled! This convo was perfect timing for me because of where I am in my own personal journey.  Many of Melissa's clients are middle-a...

Taylor shares a powerful story of early success in business, how his drug and alcohol use got out of control to being arrested multiple times, and eventually attempting suicide. All this while flying under the radar so no one was aware of his struggle.  Finally, after multiple rehab stays and a ton of chaos, Taylor shares how he found recovery and was introduced to yoga, despite every attempt to i...

It’s funny, I recorded this episode months back but for some reason never published it. Well, now I know the reason. This morning, in my journal, I was trying to articulate what I’ve been feeling with regards to a couple conversations I had this weekend. The through line seemed to be, “why do I keep ending up in the same predicaments? Why do all my relationships keep ending the same way? How is it...

I wanted to check in from Struggle City... Now that it's in my rear view mirror, I feel a lot better, lol! I am not out of the woods yet but getting close. I am about nine days in, on 30 meetings in 30 days. I have started meditating daily. I am on day four of Wim Hof’s breathing techniques and a few cold showers... Holy crap they work! I feel much calmer. It is funny what happens when you priorit...

One of my favorite peeps, Maegan Kenney, joins us to share her addiction story and how she’s navigated the path to becoming a Doctor of Psychology. Full disclosure, one on of the reasons I love Maegan so much is because she is the host of the Addictionary Podcast... a favorite podcast of mine, where I’ve been a host and is responsible for me finding a number of valuable recovery resources I never...

I have to say, I’m in a place I’ve never been before. I’ve got nervous energy for days, a consistent knot in my gut and a bit of a cloud hanging over my head. I’ve never really identified with the words anxiety and depression but this is as up close and personal as I’ve ever been with them. Before anyone gets to worried while reading this, I am doing Ok. I am simply at a place in my life I’ve neve...

Arissa and I grew up in the same town and ran in similar circles. Looking back, it’s funny how, what one thinks as “normal,” is relative. As Arissa put it, “if you didn’t party like me, get out the way”! OK, maybe I paraphrased a bit. There seems to be this common thread among all people... we attract what we are... as functional or dysfunctional as we may be. In other words, we tend to gravitate...

Perfectionist!? How is that possible, I’m not overly neat, I perform below my potential, I’m typically non-judgmental and the exact opposite of what I consider, a perfectionist. However, I am not very nice to myself. All my perfectionism lives between my ears in form of being self-critical. I talk a lot of crap to myself, I beat myself up and I’m never good enough in my own eyes. What’s crazy abou...

Yo fam! Ever get into a place where you feel super annoyed at everyone and everything and yet, you know that you created all the problems and discomfort yourself!? Yep, that’s exactly where I’ve been hanging out lately. What’s even more annoying is that I know this intellectually and still find myself feeling backed into a corner where the only way out is to use. And don’t get it twisted, I did al...

I didn’t know it until recently but Myric and I are related. She is the cousin of my father and his siblings. It was interesting to hear her talk about growing up and visiting my grandparents home when my father, uncle and aunts were younger. I’ve been paying so much attention to the theme of how mental health and addiction is a family disease. Part of the process is looking back through the gener...

Eric Thomas the Hip Hop Preacher text me a message talking about motivation and discipline.  What happens when you're no longer motivated to do something?  What do you do when you "don't feel like doing it today?"  His answer, "you will never be able to always be motivated therefore, you must rely on discipline.  When motivation fails you, your discipline kicks in." Discipline...

Heather Parady - from a 5th grade education to street ministry then remedial classes at a community college to a masters degree in counseling and mental health. Heather is unconventional and loves every minute of it! So much so, she started a podcast called the Unconventional Leaders Podcast. Here she explores the unconventional aspects of leadership and what sets people apart. Heather has had hug...

"Imagine, standing on the side of the highway, covered in blood, and thinking about how you are going to tell your mother you killed someone?" Angela was one of the very first interviews I ever had and due to my high-level tech skills, I couldn't figure out how to get the audio off of my wife's computer and onto the podcast.  Well my friends, here it is... FINALLY!  I also must say, I fa...

Trauma and Addiction Therapist, EMDR Specialist, Mother, Survivor, and valuable resources in Columbus Ohio.  Sarah has helped me tremendously with learning about trauma.  Specifically, helping me understand that traumatic experiences can be as simple as being scared of the dark as a child or witnessing your parents argue to more extreme examples like being abused in a relationship or exp...

I went LIVE on Instagram Saturday to share what I realized after a conversation with my wife and being considerate of their time.  I had a podcast interview scheduled from 11-1 today and they rescheduled.  The person gave me a heads up so it wasn't a surprise. So I told Sarah, "if he reschedules, I'll do some work anyway."  What transpired was this. My buddy rescheduled, I got a lat...

Trait 2: We became approval seekers and lost our identity in the process.  Trait 3: We are frightened by angry people and any personal criticism. Oh boy, these are some goodies!! I've been an approval seeker all my life.  If I could get you to like me or if I could get you on my side, then, I would feel safe.  The problem was, I had to become a chameleon just to fit, and in turn, ev...

For every trait we talk about in this series, there is also an opposite that is often, just as powerful.  For example, Trait 1: We became isolated and afraid of people and authority figures.  Although we may be afraid of people and authority figures, we may also be authority figures that use fear to intermediate people in our family or people we manage.  I also share how this trait...

Multipart series that addresses the family, codependency, and emotional sobriety.  A journey through parts of the Big Red Book of ACA, Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families.  I used to hear old-timers say in meetings, "the longer I stay sober, the narrower the path gets."  I didn't understand what they meant at the time.  All I was focused on early in my recov...

Oh, this could get interesting!   I had my wife, Sarah, on the podcast.  Anytime I think about having her on as a guest, I get nervous.  She brings a TON of value, helps a lot of people and many identify with her... but oh do I worry that we are going to get into a fight, lol!  We are both on a recovery path, love personal development, and self-reflection, but we often come at...

How often do you look at someone's post on Facebook or Instagram and say to yourself, "man, they really have a great life... or family... or great... whatever."  "If I just had that car... then... everything would be OK!" "Man, if I just had a six-pack and a full head of hair, my life would be totally different!" Intellectually, most people also know that social media is just a highlight reel of t...