Paul climbed Machu Picchu in 2014 while sobering up and the trek mentally and physically kicked my butt. In 2015, he dominated the trek becuase sobriety was with my every step of the way.
In this Episode Paul talks about speaking to the girls in the Peruvian Promises program, which is part of the non profit Peruvian Hearts about the topic of alcoholism. Although none of the girls in the orphanages and the Peruvian Promise program are alcoholics, several of their parents are. Portions of the donations submitted through the website and mobile app will be given to the Peruvian Hearts program in addition Paul will be organizing a trip in 2016 to the volunteer again.
Paul speaking to the girls of the Peruvian Promise program
Paul and Nate hitch hiking in El Salvador in sobriety! You can tell it's a little warm at the time this photo was taken!
I was headed to Cusco, Peru as a chaperone for a group of highschool students around this same time last year, and when I started drinking on the first flight I kept drinking all night and up until moments before meeting the students. It was insane, which is exactly what this disease is.
Alcohol is the most dangerous drug in the world and you probably don’t even realize it.
David Nutt, psychiatrist at imperial college in the UK and former Chairman of the UK advisory council on drugs.
- Kills 3 million people worldwide
- Was fired for suggesting alcohol was most dangerous drug
- In the USA alcohol is responsible for 1/3 of all traffic fatalities
- With homicides ½ were intoxicated and 2/3 of domestic violence victims
- You’re likely to be a victim is doubled as well
Harm score from
- Measures drugs on a score of 16 (9 measure harm to individual user and 7 measure societal factors)
- Heroine, crack, and Meth are more dangerous when only individual factors, but even so, alcohol is the 4th.
- Tobacco is the 7th most harmful drug. 9/10 people can handle alcohol, but 0/10 people can smoke. QUIT SMOKING NOW
- Important to not confuse legality with dangerousness. The reasons some drugs are legal are mainly cultural and political.
- Marijuana is the gateway drug? Nope. It’s alcohol and even more dangerous than ecstasy and LSD
When I found out one of my brother's best friends is an alcoholic I was blown away; an a little upset that we hadn't connected years before so we could have been working together.
Here are some of the resources that Elliot likes.
Like Elliot mentioned, if you would like to get in touch with Elliot, email info@recoveryelevator.com and we will put you in touch with him.
It's so depressing to imagine the amount of money wasted on alcohol.
Celebration
· Ashamed, didn’t want to tell anyone. 185 days of sobriety.
Accountability
· Goals
The research is conclusive. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal-setting with 267 participants. She found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down.
Goal: Quit drinking. Must have a date, a plan, details, etc.
Paul sums up his summer of 2014 and drinking career with one dream explaining why he decided his elevator had gone down far enough.
Points to discuss during Podcast
-It works! It's keeping me sober. Talk about every Monday at 6am goal and how someone reached out.
Fear of creating podcasts is no one will listen, mine is that people will actually listen.
Dream
Peace, Calm, unity, free
Gary Jules - Mad World Dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had which describes how Paul felt in the summer of 2014.
Repeating statements, words etc. Broken Record. Are you not listening to your own podcasts?
Addiction doing laps on ten-speed bike
Addiction can dunk a basketball
Doing pull-ups
Burpees
Taking a break, then buying performance enhancing drugs
Picture of my beautiful view while podcasting
The only way you're going to be able to quit drinking is to get outside of your comfort zone. If you are not willing to do this, then your chances of getting sober are bleak.
Show Notes for Episode 2: What is covered
· Why you are a lucky one
· Myths debunked
· Can I ever drink again?
· Comfort Zone
· Success Rates
· Answer to quit drinking
This is the link to where I found the percentages of alcoholics
Answering this question is easier than you might think........
Paul discusses his struggles with alcohol and his experiences in early recovery. Test Content