I Love Being Sober

Do you know that you’ll have a 67% chance of making it to five years if you stay in therapy for a year? Tim Westbrook, MS, discusses how essential it is to follow your recommended treatment plan to avoid a relapse. Your goal should be to make it a year. You NEED the accountability, connection, and support to live a kick-ass sober life. The key is your willingness to follow the plan that’s tailored for you. Be willing to take suggestions even if you disagree with them. Listen to this episode for more tips on how to avoid slipping.

“You will believe without a doubt, you will achieve what others doubt.” That is a quote from my guest today, Tony Grebmeier.

Tony built up a multimillion-dollar business in ShipOffers, which was ranked as one of Inc. 5000's fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., all while battling addiction with drugs and alcohol.

Tony's determination and resilience led him to not only build a successful business but also to become a beacon of hope and motivation for others. As the host of the Be Fulfilled Podcast: The Real Stories Behind Success, Tony has spent six seasons redefining what it means to be truly successful.

In today's episode, we'll dive into Tony's story, exploring the highs and lows of his journey. Whether you're on a personal or professional path to fulfillment, this conversation is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to help you climb your own success mountain.

• [04:17] One of Tony's best gifts from recovery was learning he has no control over other people's opinions.
• [05:12] When Tony was drinking, he had no idea that people could change and go into recovery.
• [09:07] Tony shares the circumstances of going to his first meeting which led to 15 years of recovery.
• [10:05] He focuses on figuring out what he can do today to be 1% better and that's all that matters. It's easier to be honest and truthful.
• [11:42] Tony was 2 years old the first time he drank.
• [13:51] When he was 36 years old, it was the time to make a change in his life.
• [19:04] His first 90 days of sobriety included calling his sponsor and going to meetings everyday. He missed a couple days of not checking in, but he made his meetings and did his work.
• [20:41] He needs one thing to focus on. No drinking, no drugging.
• [23:08] Tony talks about battling addiction while building ShipOffers.
• [28:34] It's our job to put the initiative in so we don't have to worry about how it works out.
• [33:06] When life throws Tony a curveball, he starts with gratitude.
• [37:26] Ego. Tony says that when egos are in play there's nothing else going on.
• [41:27] Fulfillment is everything to Tony.
• [42:01] He also has a book coming out called, The Power of Fulfillment. True empowerment and fulfillment comes from identifying what I want to be today when I wake up in the morning.
• [48:43] Serving and getting into action is one of the greatest gifts.
• [50:51] The Be Fulfilled Master Class is all the work that Tony's been doing. It's free, and it's mostly about taking ownership of your life.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Camelback Recovery
• I Love Being Sober YouTube
• Tony Grebmeier
• Tony Grebmeier (303) 999-5007
• Be Fulfilled Podcast
• Tony Grebmeier Facebook
• Tony Grebmeier LinkedIn
• ShipOffers
• Be Fulfilled

I’m happy to introduce you to Amy Moore, a beacon of hope and transformation in the world of addiction recovery. Amy's personal journey from struggle to sobriety ignites her passion for healing others. Her heart-centered approach turns interventions into acts of love, promoting family unity and personal growth through education, group therapy, and compassionate support.

When she's not in the therapy room, Amy embraces life and nature with open arms. Whether she's hiking with her family, snowboarding, or capturing the beauty of a sunset, she finds joy and renewal in the great outdoors. A cornerstone of her recovery community, Amy shares her story and wisdom through speaking engagements and podcasts, spreading hope and offering a roadmap to long-term sobriety.

Listen in as we learn more about Amy's inspiring journey and her mission to bring light to the lives of those battling addiction, one heart, one family at a time.

• [04:07] Amy grew up on a farm in rural Colorado. They had a wood burning stove and used an extension cord for electricity.
• [05:18] Her dad was also drunk every single day. He was violent and came back from treatment even angrier.
• [07:09] She had a rough childhood and took care of her siblings. Cooking is her love language.
• [10:41] Amy wanted to be the best daughter while on her healing journey.
• [12:29] It's been great getting to know her mom after all of the previous trauma.
• [12:53] Amy was never going to drink and do drugs. She left home at 14 and was pregnant at 15.
• [14:02] She gave birth at 16 and got divorced at 17.
• [14:16] She was living in a program for teenage mothers and going to college.
• [15:02] A guy she was dating talked her into having a couple of drinks.
• [16:33] She couldn't stop drinking and she even started doing drugs.
• [21:45] She was out of control and even got into an accident with a bunch of police cars.
• [23:13] She lost custody of her daughter while she was in jail after this incident.
• [24:42] She was depressed and her mom recommended rehab.
• [25:09] When she was 21, she checked herself into the Salvation Army 6-month program.
• [27:38] She completed the Salvation Army program and still goes back and checks in once in a while.
• [30:29] Amy talks about how she was inspired to become an interventionist.
• [31:39] She did her first intervention in 2005. In 2012, she was offered an opportunity to train as an interventionist. She worked with this trainer for 3 years.
• [36:15] If a family is met with resistance by a loved one who they want to get better, an interventionist might be able to help.
• [37:33] Amy operates in a love first model of intervention.
• [38:12] Intervention is so the family can start healing and coming back together. Success around intervention is starting the conversation so that that person has no other choice but to go get help, eventually.
• [39:02] Reminding someone how much they're loved and how much of an impact they have on the world is powerful in getting the prefrontal cortex turned back on.
• [40:44] The prefrontal cortex is the thinking part of your brain. Alcohol and drugs have the ability to shut that off. Getting the brain to start working and being a participant in making decisions and being part of a plan is a beginning.
• [45:25] Amy shares a transformational story.
• [47:38] Know you're not alone and that there are people out there who really do care.
• [50:59] We learn about love meditation. Amy also says a lot of prayers.
• [52:58] Amy's morning routine is a 10 on the importance scale.
• [54:26] Amy wants to get the word out to everybody about resources and mental health.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Camelback Recovery
• I Love Being Sober YouTube
• Amy Moore Intervention Specialist
• Amy Moore LinkedIn
• Amy Moore on Instagram
• Contact Amy Moore (303) 915-7072

I have a deeply moving and inspirational story to share with you. My guest, Todd Belfer, has been on a remarkable journey of transformation and healing. Todd has been clean and sober for over two decades, successfully overcoming his struggles with drugs and alcohol. However, his path took an unexpected turn a little over a year ago when he faced the unimaginable pain of his son’s suicide. This profound loss led Todd to explore a realm he was once firmly against—psychedelics.

In this episode, Todd will share how this exploration has significantly impacted his life and recovery. Despite his initial reservations, Todd now advocates for the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, especially in dealing with grief and trauma. We discuss his journey to sobriety, the events that led him to reconsider psychedelics, and how these substances have helped him cope with his loss without jeopardizing his sobriety.

Join us in this complex interplay between addiction recovery and psychedelic therapy. We’ll talk about Todd’s experiences, from his initial concerns to his transformative sessions with psychedelics. He provides insights into how these experiences have helped him heal, why he believes psychedelics can be safe and beneficial for those in recovery, and what advice he has for others considering this path. This conversation promises to be both heartfelt and enlightening, offering hope and new perspectives on healing and recovery.

• [05:30] Todd shares how he married his drinking buddy. They had fun, traveled, and drank together. When his wife got pregnant, she looked at him differently and decided to leave.
• [07:10] Todd went to AA and loved it. Each meeting he let his guard down.
• [11:04] He slowly began to accept things and started doing the work of getting sober.
• [14:04] Todd was a staunch believer in sobriety at all cost.
• [15:01] He was in so much pain after his son passed. His wife at the time recommended trying ketamine or MDMA to deal with all of the grief and pain he was going through.
• [16:04] He went on a journey with her and connected with his son. It was a healing 5-hour experience where he felt love and connection.
• [20:20] The psychedelics really help the struggle of separating the ego and forgiving ourselves.
• [21:26] He also had an extremely profound hypnotherapy session.
• [25:33] Todd can wholeheartedly say that psychedelics aren't a gateway to relapsing.
• [28:48] Psychedelics gave Todd peace and comfort.
• [30:14] Psilocybin wasn't as profound for him as MDMA and ketamine.
• [32:02] Drugs and alcohol numb you out, where psychedelics bring you closer to your feelings.
• [36:42] Psychedelics have increased his ability to connect with people on another level.
• [42:01] Psychedelics aren't recommended for people new to recovery. Do it under professional care as an internal journey to expand.
• [47:54] Sobriety, 12 step recovery, and psychedelics and a professional manner is a beautiful combination that can heal so many people.
• [51:59] Trying a psychedelic experience in a spiritual and professional manner could release you from who you think you are in the life that you're living.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Camelback Recovery
• I Love Being Sober YouTube
• The Laundry List Podcast
• Todd Belfer (602) 332-8974

I have the immense pleasure of welcoming Dr. Srikumar Rao to the show today. Dr. Rao is a distinguished coach, speaker, and author who collaborates with top entrepreneurs, professionals, and senior executives, guiding them on their spiritual and professional journeys. His pioneering course, Creativity and Personal Mastery, has been a highlight at prestigious institutions like Columbia Business School. Dr. Rao's work has reached millions through his TED Talk, Plug into Your Hard-Wired Happiness, and his acclaimed books, including Are You Ready to Succeed? and Happiness at Work. His latest book, Modern Wisdom, Ancient Roots, continues to inspire those seeking unstoppable success. With a PhD from Columbia Business School and extensive media coverage, Dr. Rao is renowned for transforming ancient wisdom into practical exercises for today's intelligent professionals. I’m thrilled to have him share his insights with us today.

• [04:20] We learn how Dr. Rao created the Creativity and Personal Mastery course. He was getting his PhD at Columbia Business School.
• [04:49] He worked at Warner Communications and his career took off like a rocket. He worked on the advertising campaign for the movie The Exorcist.
• [06:26] He became head of communications at Warner Communications.
• [07:36] He had been doing a lot of reading and wanted to take the work of the world's great thinkers and put them into a course that would be acceptable to intelligent people in a post-industrial society.
• [08:15] He needed the course for himself. He created it and it did well. He moved the course to Columbia Business School, and it exploded.
• [09:33] He eventually began teaching the course privately and became a coach by accident.
• [10:01] Life is a spiritual journey. Addiction uses a dysfunctional mental model or idea of how the world works. The problem is we don't know we have mental models. Instead, we think this is the way the world works.
• [11:05] It's not the way the world works, it's our model of how it works.
• [12:01] We don't live in the real world. We live in a matrix. We experience the world the way we create it.
• [14:24] Think about your awareness like a flashlight. It illuminates whatever you shine it on.
• [16:01] We often shine our flashlight of awareness on the things that are wrong in life.
• [16:51] Consciously shine your flashlight of awareness on the many ways that you are truly blessed and fortunate.
• [19:57] Celebrate that the Universe is aware of you and working for you. A miracle doesn't have to bend the law of physics. All that's necessary is for you to have the conviction that the Universe interceded on your behalf.
• [21:29] Extreme resilience is when you bounce back extremely fast.
• [24:27] Asking yourself if there's a positive will move you to a different emotion. Is there something I can proactively do to make this a good thing?
• [29:36] Mindfulness and mental chatter. Having mental chatter isn't the problem, it's identifying with mental chatter.
• [34:51] Principles of personal mastery in a recovery journey. If you can reserve your mental chatter instead of becoming it, you'll have power you never had before.
• [36:01] When you become aware that you aren't your addiction, instead you're an observer of your addiction, eventually you'll have mastery and the addiction will drop.
• [37:57] Advice when struggling with relapse. Don't beat yourself up. Simply accept what happened and begin again.
• [41:44] The reason we feel overwhelmed is because there's a lot of mental chatter going on. Learn to focus on exactly what you're doing at that instant.
• [43:45] Don't label anything that happens to you as bad. Whenever a disaster happens, instead of thinking it's terrible, think about what you can do about it.
• [44:18] Focus on what is within your control, and you'll stop obsessing about what's not in your control.
• [44:57] Hardwired happiness. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. You accept the universe exactly as it is.
• [46:53] The if then model. If this happens, then I'll be happy.
• [47:26] Instead of realizing the model is flawed, we think we have the wrong thing on the side of the equation. When we recognize that the model is flawed, we begin recognizing peace and joy.
• [50:53] Whatever happens is fine.
• [52:10] Dr. Rao explains his coaching process and how it has two levels.
• [52:55] A transmitted presence elevates your level of consciousness.
• [53:44] You can decide after the first session if you are on a higher level or not.
• [01:00:39] You can learn more about Dr. Rao and his programs at his website.
• [01:02:22] You can also join Dr Rao's Community.

Links mentioned in this episode: