A Shot Glass of Recovery

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
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Welcome to the Speaker Series on a shot glass of recovery. This podcast is a place for real stories, honest conversations, and recovery lived one day at a time. The views and opinions shared here are simply our own personal experiences. I'm Liam Zoe, and I'm a recovered alcoholic.
Hey — pull up a chair. In this episode Zoe shares the starfish story that grounded her: you can’t save everybody, but you can absolutely change the life of the one in front of you. She takes us from the shame and secrecy of childhood and a life of running and hiding, through the awful, funny, and human moments of active drinking, to that first trembling confession in a meeting and the slow, messy work of real change.
Zoe’s honesty is breezy and warm — she talks about wetting her pants, moving 50-plus times, the scramble for the next drink, and the unexpected mercy of people who stepped in and saved her life. She also gets real about the fourth step, the fear underneath everything, and learning to find her assets as well as her defects. Recovery, for her, turned out to be less about perfection and more about showing up for others.
Service and sponsorship became Zoe’s lifeline. She thought she’d have sponsees cleaning her car; she got neighbors and lost friends, hospital rooms, funerals, cups of tea, and tiny miracles instead. Being the one who tosses starfish back into the ocean — one person at a time — is her assignment, and it changed everything. She calls herself a ‘day walker’ now: present, a little less controlled, and oddly delighted by birds and small kindnesses.
This episode is full of grit, humor, and the steady hope of the promises in the Big Book — new freedom, new happiness, and the surprising ways God shows up when we stop trying to plan every detail. If you’re in the rooms, thinking about service, or just curious what recovery looks like up close, Zoe’s story is a generous, laugh-out-loud, tear-in-the-eye reminder that one person can make a difference.
Thanks for listening. If you’d like to support the show, you can make a voluntary contribution through PayPal at a shot glass of recovery — every bit helps keep these stories coming.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Hey friend — this episode is a heartfelt walk through one man’s messy, honest road from a 25-year drinking career to a life rebuilt in Alcoholics Anonymous. Peter M shares how a few arrests, a couple of DUIs, and the painful wobble of shame finally pushed him to pick up the sickeningly small phone that led him into the rooms.
He talks adoption, family drama, and that first glorious, dangerous buzz that hooked him. But this isn’t a tale of blame — it’s about owning choices, doing the soul-searching work (yes, the Steps and inventories), and discovering the freedom that comes from willingness and service. Peter isn’t sugarcoating it — recovery took work, boundaries, humility, and a whole lot of other people showing up when he couldn’t show up for himself.
If you want a raw, relatable story about being struck sober, learning to live in your own skin, and finding the joy and responsibility of carrying the message to others, sit back and listen. You’ll find humor, humility, and a reminder that recovery isn’t perfection — it’s waking up a little every day and choosing differently.

paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
 
Welcome to the Speaker Series on A Shot Glass of Recovery. This podcast is a place for real stories, honest conversations, and recovery lived one day at a time. The views and opinions shared here are simply our own personal experiences.
Hey friend — grab a seat. This episode is a raw, unfiltered conversation with someone who survived childhood trauma, decades of drinking and relapsing, and some really scary moments behind the wheel, and somehow found her way to a quieter life and real sobriety. She grew up in Toronto, struggled through eating disorders, drugs, and alcohol, and lived the on-again, off-again cycle for years until a hard stop finally landed her on January 2nd as her sobriety date.
She tells it like it is: the moments that would make anyone feel hopeless, the rehab attempts, falling down drunk at meetings, losing her license, and even a terrifying car accident — all of it. Then the surprising turns: moving out to Cape Breton, living off-grid with moose and bears, thinking it would hide her problems, and realizing that the real work had to be done inside.
What shifts everything is community and being honest. She went back to AA, found a sponsor (and later learned she didn’t know everything), did 90 in 90, discovered codependency, worked the 12 steps the women’s way, and slowly rebuilt boundaries with family. She got honest about Graves’ disease and grief, leaned into online international meetings when needed, and learned how to set limits — even when it meant saying no to a sibling asking for money.
This is a story about messy humanity: relapses, blackouts, hospital bracelets she didn’t remember, and deep shame — but also about resilience, chosen family, service, and small daily victories. She talks about grief (losing her beloved aunt and other mother figures), the power of getting down on your knees when you’re desperate, and the surprising strength that comes from asking for help.
If you’re tired of perfection talk, she’ll make you feel less alone — she calls herself always recovering, not recovered, and she’s gentle with herself while still doing the hard work. Living off-grid hasn’t been an escape from life so much as a place to practice being present, sober, and kind to herself. And yes — she still gets the occasional “dirty thought,” but now she talks about it instead of drinking it away.
Thanks for listening — and if this episode moved you, the show accepts voluntary contributions via PayPal at A Shot Glass of Recovery to help keep these stories coming. Every donation helps cover production costs and keeps this space open for more honest conversations. If you’re walking your own path, you’re not alone — and this episode is proof that change, even when messy, is possible.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Welcome to the Speaker Series on A Shot Glass of Recovery — a place for real stories, honest conversations, and recovery lived one day at a time. I’m Rajneesh (Peppa), and I’m most definitely an alcoholic. It’s an honor to share how the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Big Book, and a whole lot of prayer helped save my life.
I grew up in a Sikh family, born in Eldoret, Kenya, and moved to the UK at 12. I lost my dad to this disease and didn’t truly understand alcoholism until the pandemic pushed me into recovery. My sober date is January 6, 2021. I drank for 30 years, hit rock bottom at my mother’s funeral, and finally found humility, honesty, and willingness in the program.
The Big Book and getting a sponsor changed everything. I learned how the 12 Steps are practical tools — not perfect fixes — that taught me to own my fears, resentments, and defects of character. I’m still working the program day by day: morning prayer, quiet hour, inventory, amends, and service. Some days I’m fired up and ready; others, ego or perfectionism sneaks back in. That’s okay — this is spiritual progress, not perfection.
Recovery gave me back real relationships: my daughter came into AA two years after me, and I’m now a grandmother to an adorable 12-week-old who’s already showing me new ways to love. I get to show up for life again — to be present, to do service, to carry the message. I sponsor women and learn from them; I make amends when I can; and I keep asking God to remove my shortcomings so I can be more useful to others.
If you’re struggling, you don’t have to do this alone. There are meetings online and in person, people ready to help, and a program of action that actually works if you’re willing. Thanks for listening to my story and to A Shot Glass of Recovery. If you’d like to support the show, you can make a voluntary contribution via PayPal at A Shot Glass of Recovery — every little bit helps keep these stories of hope coming.

paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Hey friend — thank you for tuning in to A Shot Glass of Recovery. I’m Lisa M., and this little podcast is my way of carrying the message: we work the 12 steps, we listen to each other, and we show up for recovery — one short, honest conversation at a time.
If this show has helped you even a little, you already know what it means to hear a fellow talk about real recovery. You can listen wherever you are, whether you need a reminder, connection, or a gentle nudge to keep going.
Keeping the podcast alive takes time and money (just over $700 a year), and I’m asking for a little help so I can keep bringing these episodes to you for free. With over 15,000 downloads, the love and support has mostly come from my home group, AA Solution Seekers — you know who you are, and I’m so grateful. Even one dollar from every listener who can give would make a huge difference.
There’s absolutely no obligation — the show will be free for as long as I can keep it going. If you can, please consider contributing, and if not, please keep sharing, subscribing, and listening. Every listen, every share, and every dollar helps carry this message and the wonderful life AA has given us.
Thanks for being part of this. Your support, in any form, keeps the mic on and the message moving. — Lisa M.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Welcome to the Speaker Series on A Shot Glass of Recovery. This podcast is a place for real stories, honest conversations, and recovery lived one day at a time. The views and opinions shared here are simply our own personal experiences.
 
Hey friend — I'm Pax, and I'm an alcoholic. In this episode I take you through a life that went from business successes and bravado to psychiatric wards, homelessness, and losing both legs, and then — slowly, stubbornly — back to life through Alcoholics Anonymous. I’ll share how the program held me when I was at rock bottom, how I learned the brutal honesty of the Steps, and how a true surrender — especially Step Three — flipped my life from trying to control everything to trusting something bigger than me.
 
Expect gritty honesty, some hard laughs, and a few moments that might sting. I talk about the crushing allure of alcohol, the delusions I lived in, and the painful choices that finally made me hand over my will and my life. I’ll also share how the fellowship kept coming back with love, how the Big Book and meetings helped me grow spiritually, and why losing the things I thought defined me turned out to be the gift I needed.
 
If you’re new, curious, or deep in recovery, this is for you: a reminder that nobody’s journey is neat, that setbacks can be part of waking up, and that we don’t have to walk through it alone. I’m imperfectly perfect, and I’m living proof that grace, service, and a living relationship with a Higher Power can rebuild a life you thought was gone. Come sit with me for a while — there’s hope here.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Hey friend — I’m Beth, an alcoholic from Atlantic Highlands, NJ, and this episode is me pulling back the curtain on what recovery actually looks like: messy, humbling, and full of tiny miracles. I talk about growing up performing, living a double life, and the day the first drink kept demanding more. If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I just stop?”—I get you. I lived that.
I share how the Big Book and sponsorship didn’t just give me a checklist, they gave me a language for what was happening inside my head: the allergy to alcohol, the hijacked thoughts, the victim stories, and how those old patterns showed up in relationships, work, and even the little things like walking the dog. I tell stories from the Jersey Shore, jail stints, the hospital gurney, and the day people actually helped me instead of shaming me — because we don’t shoot our wounded here.
We walk through the steps I’ve lived — the powerlessness of Step One, the slow, willing coming-to-believe in Step Two, and the surrender of Step Three. I talk about the hard work of 4–7 (putting the stuff in black and white), and what Six and Seven really mean: not self-improvement, but surrender, humility, and letting God do the heavy lifting so I can be useful to others.
This episode is also about emotional sobriety — learning that feelings make good servants but terrible masters, that I don’t have relationships, I have reaction-ships, and that pausing when agitated gives God room to work. I share practical tools that keep me sober: meetings, a sponsor, prayer, daily reading, service, and showing up even when I don’t feel like it.
If you’re in the thick of it or just curious, this is an honest invite: you don’t have to be perfect to find peace. Recovery is one day at a time, and sometimes it’s a lot of little choices to stay right-sized. Thanks for listening to A Shot Glass of Recovery — if this episode resonated, consider supporting the show with a voluntary PayPal contribution to A Shot Glass of Recovery so we can keep sharing real stories of hope.
Love, Beth — and remember: the truth will set you free, and you don’t have to do this alone.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Welcome to the Speaker Series on A Shot Glass of Recovery. This podcast is a place for real stories, honest conversations, and recovery lived one day at a time. The views and opinions shared here are simply our own personal experiences.
I like to welcome one of our own, Double N Jen, Jen from AA Solutions Seekers and the Beaches Home Group. Take it away, Jen.
Thanks so much, Kelly. Hi, everyone. Jen, alcoholic. My sober date is October 6, 2024, and as of today I m 575 days sober. I grew up in Etobicoke with a dad who drank heavily despite being successful, and though I came from a good home, I struggled with anxiety, undiagnosed ADHD, and an eating disorder in my teens that led to multiple inpatient stays. Drinking became my way to feel comfortable and social, and it quickly took over my life.
I married young, had a son after a long fertility journey, and tried to keep everything together while juggling a demanding career and a life that often revolved around alcohol. The loss of my dad to cancer in 2008 and the emotional toll of a controlling, verbally abusive marriage pushed me deeper into secrecy and resentment. Over the years, booze became a hidden, constant companion—sneaked into coffee cups, poured into water bottles, and timed around breastfeeding and parenting.
After my marriage ended, my drinking escalated during the pandemic. I experienced painful lows: a suicide attempt, DUIs, job loss, and the traumatic discovery that a close friend had died by suicide in my home. By 2024, I was drinking all day every day—four bottles of wine and a mickey of vodka were my routine—and my life had unraveled. I hit rock bottom when family intervened, and my mom insisted I go to AA.
I found AA on September 2, 2024, and though I stumbled at 30 days, I committed to the program: meetings, a sponsor, working the steps, and honest amends. Step Four helped me connect the dots of my resentments, self-pity, and character defects; Step Five was a powerful release; and Step Nine began the slow work of repairing relationships—especially with my son. I learned the hard truth: I cane powerless over alcohol, and the first drink is always the worst drink.
Sobriety has brought tangible changes: better sleep, restored connections, meaningful work opportunities, and the daily practice of prayer, meditation, and service. But recovery isnypass pain; it lso brings ongoing challenges, like living with the consequences of the past and doing the daily inventory of Step Ten. I rely on my sponsor, my higher power, my dog Wrigley, and the rooms of AA to keep me honest and grounded.
This is a story of shatteredness, accountability, and slow rebuilding. If you like to support the show, you can make a voluntary contribution through PayPal at A Shot Glass of Recovery. Every donation helps cover production costs and keeps these stories of hope and recovery coming. Thanks for listening, and I hope Jen story brings encouragement and connection to anyone who needs it.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Hey friend — this episode is like sitting down with someone who’s been through the fire and came back with both hands full of grace. Paula Parton tells her story raw and real: growing up in an alcoholic home, getting court‑mandated to meetings at 14, hitting the kinds of lows that make the Big Book speak to your bones, and slowly — through fellowship, the 12 steps, and the kindness of strangers — finding a life she never thought possible.
She talks honestly about the agony of loving someone still drinking (including her son), the tiny acts of compassion that became her salvation, and the way the AA program and a Higher Power helped her turn a devastated past into the very tool she now uses to serve others. There are moments of heartbreak, surprising tenderness, and hard-won humor — and through it all she keeps coming back to one simple invitation: say “maybe,” keep the bridge light and tight, and let the program do its work.
If you’re carrying shame, a secret, or fear about someone you love, listen to Paula. She’ll remind you how fellowship, honesty, and compassion can change everything — sometimes in ways you can’t predict. Bring tissues and bring curiosity. This is hope told like a friend would tell it.

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
Hey — this episode is a tough, beautiful listen. Scotty shares the honest, heartbreaking, sometimes messy story of how he went from drinking alone at a corner table to showing up day-by-day in AA. He talks about childhood trauma, violent nights, coming so close to death he was in ICU, and the times strangers and small mercies pulled him back from the edge.
He walks us through the awkward, stubborn early days in meetings, picking the wrong sponsor, then finding Pete — a patient, no-nonsense mentor who helped him work the steps. There’s real talk about step work: the terror of Step Four, the relief of making amends, and the ongoing challenge of character defects and emotional sobriety.
Scotty doesn’t pretend it’s all fixed. He still has days that are hard, admits he cries, and confesses the struggle to truly forget old hurts even after forgiving. But he also shares the routines and tools that help him stay steady — daily Step Ten work, gratitude lists, little acts of service, and a simple meditation (the St. Francis prayer) that brings him real calm.
This is a speaker you’ll feel close to — the kind of voice that’s honest, self-deprecating, warm, and full of hard-won hope. He talks about amends, funerals, family friction, and the small victories that add up. His story is a reminder that recovery is daily, imperfect, and human.
If this resonates, the show gently asks for support — subscribe, leave a review, or drop a dollar in the PayPal basket to help keep these stories available. It’s also an open invite to pop into the AA Solution Seekers meetings (they meet every day at 7 a.m.) if you want to say hello and find community.
Thanks for listening — Scotty’s closing is simple: keep showing up, keep doing the work, and one day at a time really does add up.