Lost & Found: From Teen Drinking to 24 Years Clean | My Conversation with Jess Lopez

Hey everyone, Will here. Today's episode is terrific. I sat down with Jess Lopez, who's got 24 years sober and now helps others find their way to recovery. Her story starts like many of ours - first drink as a young teenager, living a double life in high school, and trying to keep it all together until it fell apart. Luckily, she was smart enough to catch it early! Unlike many of us. What made this conversation powerful was how Jess opened up about stuff we all struggle with: - That moment when withdrawal symptoms make you realize "this is real" - Having to "cocoon" herself from the world to get sober - Losing family to alcoholism and deciding to break that cycle - Learning how to actually live life without the bottle We get deep into: - Why it's so hard to be vulnerable without alcohol - The real challenges of early sobriety - Finding joy after putting down the drink - Why cookie-cutter recovery programs don't work for everyone Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jess Lopez 02:46 Early Experiences with Alcohol 06:30 High School and the Escalation of Drinking 09:37 Recognizing the Problem 14:34 The Turning Point 19:04 Cocooning and Self-Discovery 24:21 Supportive Relationships and New Beginnings 30:19 The Ongoing Journey of Sobriety 33:35 Navigating Vulnerability and Alcohol's Role 35:54 The Journey to Recovery Coaching 39:44 Building a Supportive Recovery Environment 43:36 Understanding Emotions in Sobriety 48:38 Finding Joy and Self-Compassion 52:18 The Shift Towards Openness in Recovery 56:39 Integrating Healing and Self-Discovery 01:01:39 The Importance of Individualized Approaches 01:11:34 Connecting with Jess Lopez and Resources For those of you wondering if you can live a full life without alcohol, or if you're early in recovery and feeling lost - this episode is for you. Jess brings both personal experience and professional insight as a recovery coach. Trust me, if you're anywhere on the recovery journey - whether just thinking about it or years in - you'll want to hear what Jess has to say about finding your way to a life beyond alcohol. New episodes drop weekly. Hit subscribe so you don't miss the conversation that might just change your life. Come Follow Jess! https://www.instagram.com/mysobersunrise/ https://mysobersunrise.com/ And if you haven't yet, come follow along with me on Instagram where I post daily. https://www.instagram.com/thewillpowerpodcast/