A Shot Glass of Recovery

Mark S 10,000 Days Sober: How the 12 Steps Saved My Life

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
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If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
Hey — if you’ve got a minute, sit with me. This is Mark’s story: a guy who drank for decades, hit rock bottom with court-ordered consequences, and then discovered that real recovery wasn’t about willpower or meetings alone, but about working the steps, getting honest, and letting a spiritual process do the heavy lifting.
He didn’t start sober by choice — he started because his life wouldn’t allow the old ways anymore. He resisted AA at first, sat in his car for meetings, and read the Big Book until it clicked. What followed was brutal honesty: long fourth steps, a raw fifth, discovering selfishness and dishonesty he’d hidden from himself, and then the relief of actually asking a power greater than himself to remove those defects.
The thing that lands with me is how practical it all is: step-by-step inventory, making true amends (not just saying “sorry”), and continuing work each day with step 10 and step 11 practices. He learned to stop living in resentments, to accept people as they are, and to pause and take things to God before exploding. Those little habits saved him one day at a time.
And it’s not just personal recovery — it became a life. After doing the work, he started sponsoring, carrying the message, and even taking AA meetings into places all over the globe. He’s sat in rooms from Oman to China, met recovering people everywhere, and watched how working with others protects his sobriety. That’s the “we” in the story: doing the steps and giving what you’ve been given.
If you’re curious or skeptical, know this: the book’s language guided him, but the real change came when he actually did the steps and lived them. There were no shortcuts — just persistent daily practice, humility, tough amends, and a willingness to be of service.
If this resonated, please subscribe, like, or leave a review — it helps the show reach people who might need it. If you want to support the podcast, consider a small PayPal contribution at paypal.me/a-shotglassofrecovery. And if you’re local (or adventurous), pop into the AA Solution Seekers meeting every day at 7 a.m. — say hello.
Thanks for listening. If Mark can rebuild a life, travel the world, and keep helping others, there’s hope for you too.
A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.
 
 
 
 

Olivia from London Lunchtime From Chain Pubs to Clarity

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
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If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
Hey friend — this episode is a warm, honest share from Olivia about how she found life on the other side of alcohol. She talks straight: the shame, the secrecy, the terror of waking up and obsessing about the next drink, and the tiny, steady moments that started to change everything.
Olivia explains the two voices she lives with — the cruel, loud self-critic that pushed her to drink, and the quieter, loving "higher power" voice she learned to hear through the program. Listening for that gentle voice, she says, became the difference between panic and peace.
She walks us through rehab, the early meetings, and the hard work of the steps — including the shock and clarity of a full Step Four and the freeing relief of Step Five. She’s honest about relapsing, what went wrong (isolation, toxicity, not doing the daily work), and how reaching out, getting a sponsor, and building a tribe of women helped her get back on track.
There’s real talk about mental health: how she learned to tell spiritual depression apart from clinical depression, and why the program isn’t a replacement for medical help when needed. She also shares how chronic fatigue and other life struggles fit into recovery, and how the tools she practices daily help her cope and stay present.
Olivia’s share is full of practical, down-to-earth suggestions she still uses — pray and meditate every day, read daily, call a sponsor, do meetings, do service, write inventories, and be honest. She stresses the little acts of self-care and self-compassion that rebuild a life: baths, cooking, gentle self-talk, and celebrating quirks rather than hiding them.
What sticks is her fierce encouragement to anyone new: throw yourself into the program, get a sponsor, get a tribe, and take it one day at a time. She didn’t believe it would work at first — but by doing the steps and practicing the daily routines, she found a life worth staying sober for.
If you need a real, unpolished example of how recovery looks — the ups, the relapses, the mess, and the miracle — Olivia’s story offers hope, humor, and practical steps you can try. You don’t have to be perfect; you just need to keep showing up.
 
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
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.
 
 

From Jail Cells to Joy: Daniel's 36-Year Sober Journey

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
Welcome to the speaker series on A Shotglass of Recovery. In this episode, Daniel Payne — an alcoholic with a sobriety date of September 25, 1989 — shares his raw, honest journey from prison and street life to decades of sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous. He talks about the moment AA first reached him in a treatment center, the role of prayer, the hardships of family trauma and criminal consequences, and how the 12 steps and sponsorship changed his life. Daniel opens up about college, cheating, relationships, fatherhood, work, and the many times alcohol pulled him back — and how AA, faith, and service helped him build a life he never imagined. This is a heartfelt, personal account filled with humor, humility, and gratitude for the program that gave him hope and purpose. Tune in for experience, strength, and hope — and a reminder that recovery is one day at a time.
A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery! Whether you're a first-time listener to A Shot Glass of Recovery or a loyal member from my 2 Sober Chicks days, I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.
 

From Rock Bottom to Rebirth: Matt W’s AA Journey

Hey — if you’re in need of a little hope today, this episode is for you. Matt shares his raw, honest story about hitting absolute rock bottom and finding life again through Alcoholics Anonymous. From the shakiness of that first “I need help” phone call to learning to pray at 3:30 a.m., his journey is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting.
You’ll hear about the small miracles that mattered — a bicycle that gave him freedom, a sponsor who told him to shut up and listen, and a grandmother who saw him when he couldn’t see himself. He talks about grief, shame, and that slow, steady shift toward faith and community. It’s a reminder that recovery can be messy, slow, and beautiful all at once.
If you love real recovery stories told like you’re sitting across from a friend, this one’s for you. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and get ready for some experience, strength, and hope.
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
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.
 

The 12 & 12 Part 18 : Step 10 — Resentments that hijack us VS Emotional Sobriety

The 12&12 a Study with Lisa and Friends: Part 18
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Hey friend — pull up a chair and crack open your 12 Steps and 12 Traditions to page 90 with us. This episode of A Shot Glass of Recovery dives into Step 10: how resentments hijack our lives, why we get stuck replaying the same painful tapes, and simple daily tools that actually help us get back on the beam.
We talk real: emotional dry benders, that nagging replay loop in your head, and the difference between reacting and responding. There are honest shares from folks in the room — the wins, the slips, and the tiny practices (like pen-to-paper spot checks and calling a sponsor) that keep us steady. You’ll hear about restraint of tongue and pen, the nightly inventory that keeps a small problem from becoming a huge one, and why forgiveness and making amends are practical choices we can make the same day.
It’s not about perfection — it’s about progress. Expect warm, down-to-earth stories, practical tips (the balance-beam checklist is a gem), and reminders to check our motives, sidestep emotional booby traps, and keep humility at the center. Whether you’re new or you’ve got years, there’s something here to help you grow, stay connected, and keep coming back.
So listen in, laugh when we do, cry when we do, and take whatever helps. We’re in this together — one day (and one spot-check) at a time. Serenity prayer to close, and we’ll see you at the next meeting.
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
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
You can also support the show by liking, subscribing, and following it on your favourite platforms. Leave a 5 star review while you're there! There is nothing I love more than your engagement so please email me at ashotglassofrecovery@gmail.com and let me know how this show has contributed to your unique journey in recovery. Let me know if I can celebrate a milestone with you and give you a shout out. Would you like to be a guest? Drop me a line by email.
 
 

The 12 & 12 Part 19: Spot-Check Serenity: Nightly Inventories That Actually Work

The 12&12 a Study with Lisa and Friends: Part 19
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Hey — glad you’re here. This episode of A Shot Glass of Recovery walks through Step 10 from the 12 Steps & 12 Traditions with the warm, real-life vibe of a group meeting. We talk about spot-check inventories (the quick midday or nightly check-ins), how to handle snarky texts and hurt feelings, and why getting honest about our motives actually frees us up to show up better for ourselves and others.
There are lots of practical takeaways: highlight phrases that hit you, try different ways to track inventory (apps, phone notes, or old-school pen and paper), reach out to another alcoholic when you’re stuck, and use inventory to turn failures into lessons — not into self-pity. You’ll hear people share relatable stories about hospital stress, workplace misunderstandings, sponsorship guidance, and how humility and gratitude open space for a higher power.
If you’re trying to stay present, stop future-tripping, or finally build a habit of daily reflection, this episode is a gentle, funny, and encouraging nudge toward changing one day at a time. Give it a listen and maybe try a spot-check tonight — your future self might thank you.

Ali H from Fellowship of the spirit : From Despair to a Fruitful Life

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
 
Welcome to the speaker series on A Shotglass of Recovery. In this powerful talk, Ali walks us through his raw, honest journey from the depths of addiction to discovering a life of meaning through Alcoholics Anonymous. He shares the pain of early drinking, the shame of years in and out of the rooms, and the moment of surrender that changed everything — a prayer that came from deep desperation and led to a spiritual awakening. Ali talks about the practical steps he took: trust, clean house, and help others — and how those simple actions opened the door to a living relationship with a higher power. He reflects on marriage, fatherhood, career struggles, relapses, and how the program held up in life’s valleys, not just on the mountaintops. With humility, warmth, and a storytelling style that feels like a conversation with a friend, Ali invites newcomers to get a sponsor, dive into the steps, and discover the love story at the heart of AA. This episode is an intimate, hopeful reminder that recovery is possible, messy, and deeply beautiful.

Marie‑France’s 37‑Year Recovery Story

A Shot Glass of Recovery
Welcome back to A Shot Glass of Recovery!  I’m glad you’re here. 🌟SEASON 4 IS all about speakers from 2026 at AA Solution Seekers.
paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery
If you love the show, I’m asking for your support. Drop a 1$, 5, 10 or 25 in the virtual pay pay basket at paypal.me/AShotGlassofRecovery .  Any amount will help me afford to fund this project and continue to bring you great speakers, the Big Book Study, Literature studies on recovery, workshops and Lisa shots that contain a wildcard of variety.
Welcome — grab a seat and stay awhile. In this episode Marie‑France, a longtime member of AA, shares her honest, unpolished journey from feeling forever out of place to nearly four decades sober. She talks about growing up in a home touched by alcoholism, getting lost in substances and jobs, hitting a bottom that finally led to detox and treatment, and the humble beginning of a life she never thought possible.
 
She’s real about the messy middle — the relapses, the shame, the therapy that wasn’t enough — and about the moments of grace that changed everything: a fired job that turned out to be a lifesaving push, a small women’s detox that started it all, and the simple power of being welcomed into rooms where people held her until she could hold herself. Marie‑France opens up about the tools that keep her steady now: service, sponsorship (and the limits of what a sponsor can be), meditation, a daily spiritual practice, and the traditions of AA that let anyone in with a single requirement — the desire to stop drinking.
 
She also gets tender about forgiveness — how letting go of resentment freed her — and about the importance of boundaries, compassion, and the daily work of staying connected to a higher power. There are practical takeaways here for newcomers and old‑timers alike: show up to meetings, find your people, read the chapter to the agnostic if you struggle with the idea of God, and remember that sobriety is lived one day at a time.
 
Marie‑France’s story is a reminder that recovery isn’t a straight line and that the gifts of sobriety — choice, serenity, and connection — are worth more than any past high. Whether you’re just starting, coming back, or supporting someone you love, this talk offers warmth, humility, and the clear message that you are never alone. If it helps you make it through another 24 hours, then she’s done her job.