Fun in Sobriety

Dylan reflects on the importance of performing a searching and fearless moral inventory, irrespective of 12-step recovery.

Dylan explores how to navigate the spirituality of steps 6 and 7 of 12 step recovery from an agnostic/atheistic standpoint, and what this means in practice.

Dylan reflects on his organic use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles when finding his way through his own recovery and how he has begun to utilize this process in his work with others seeking recovery from addictions. This episode is a discussion of how ACT informs his approach to the first three steps of the 12 step program.

Dylan contemplates what it means to recognize we don't have control over our response to alcohol and how the concept of surrendering to this idea leads to recovery - and how mindful awareness of what this means can lead to a deeper experience of surrendering to a lack of control at a fundamental level.

Dylan discusses what the concept of emotional sobriety means to him as well as what it means to be in recovery and to feel comfortable within his own skin.

Dylan reflects upon the significance of being in the moment, consciously present of the here-and-now, and how this informs spirituality and the ability to enact change in life

Dylan sits down to talk with Michelle B about getting sober in the late 1990s, being a single mother in early sobriety, relapsing after two decades of long-term-sobriety and what it took to come back and find recovery again.

In this episode of Fun in Sobriety, Dylan contemplates the idea of acceptance and self-compassion, both in early sobriety and what these ideas mean to him today

In this episode, Dylan ruminates over what it means to let go of character defects and how this manifests in the form of detachment from negative self-talk

Dylan sits down with an old friend, Mike C to chat about his life experiences, his relationship with alcohol and his decision to give up alcohol as well as thoughts on living a secular and atheistic life, free will and the nature of consciousness.Link to Mike’s audio and video production company Northwest Live!

Today Dylan contemplates the idea of transcending the self and the connection to humility and the leveling of pride that comes with the awareness that we are not our worst deeds - that our worst experiences do not define who we are as a person but rather they are experiences we have had; and how this manifests in viewing ourselves in context rather than in being attached to these experiences as self-definition.

Dylan sits down with friend and colleague Amanda Collins soon after her 10yr sobriety day to chat about sobriety, counseling and what it means to live a spiritual life.

Dylan discusses the need for humility when approaching the concept of being an alcoholic and what this means from a pragmatic perspective in finding recovery.

If you find yourself in a 12-step program, it is easy to get distracted by the personalities and personal histories shared by others, especially if you focus on all the things that are different about them and their experiences from your own. In this episode, Dylan shares some thoughts on how and why it is important to focus on the similarities between his own and others' experiences, not allowing the myriad of differences to get in the way - especially when it comes to spirituality and humility.

The concept of turning your will and life over to the care of "God" or a Higher Power is confusing and difficult, especially when the god-concept holds very little tangible meaning in your life. Dylan describes his own attempts to square his own agnostic/atheistic approach to successfully embracing the 3rd step.

Dylan contemplates the idea of "first thought wrong" in recovery and when to relax and begin to trust himself again.

Some random ruminations on spirituality and what it means to be spiritual and an atheist in recovery

Dylan and Eric L chat on Eric's 6month sobriety birthday - a discussion about the challenges of early sobriety and getting sober, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/3de11dd6-1507-4cd6-99eb-8d541c738328

Episode Notes Dylan contemplates what it means to move forward in sobriety, facing and embracing the worst aspects of our lives, our histories, in hopes of finding recovery. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/0bf9961d-ee9c-42ab-96f0-7f5b34233f6e

Dylan reflects upon the holiday season and feeling nostalgia and joy despite the general 2020 atmosphere of life. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/5e185989-9a41-4687-9558-6b57f2661492

In this episode of the Fun in Sobriety podcast Dylan chats with Joy Z about growing up in sobriety, having relationships and living abroad. As always, the Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/3f5b6f73-7897-4c0c-ae1f-98b8fbeba03f

Dylan reflects upon how he navigates the current climate of escalating tension and anger just below the surface of the world today. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/f455f9c3-fa86-491e-b714-d1dbbd72614c

Dylan reflects upon his 11year sober anniversary...

It's Easter 2020 and Dylan reflects upon the roll Easter played in his recovery story (spoiler, it wasn't great) and how Easter feels today, 11 years later. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/79286c84-7501-42a8-814b-f2963c84dbf9

Dylan chats with Liz D, an ex-pat currently living under quarantine conditions in the Czech Republic, about her path to recovery and maintaining sanity and sobriety in isolation. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/0a7796ae-636e-4fad-953a-fe83bc567c17

A short reflection on staying grounded and sober during these days of social isolation. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/8402407a-0dba-4b72-a407-e4187da33042

Dylan talks with Stacee about struggling with addictions and mental health issues within the 12 step approach to recovery, resentments and seeking a fulfilled life. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/a2bf3804-ca8e-481d-8d74-cbec831abb22

This is a candid episode of the fun in sobriety podcast. Dylan shares personal experiences and his reflection upon the parallels between his own childhood and that of his children and how they both influence and reflect his recovery. The Fun In Sobriety podcast is a part of the Ease-Drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/4296c865-9c83-4a8e-959a-b6b6b8a14500

Dylan talks with Duane Q about her experiences growing up in small-town ID, coming out to her family as gay and HIV positive at a very young age and the ensuing years of hopelessness and alcohol & drug abuse, eventually forming the A.L.P.H.A. nonprofit organization in Boise ID, dedicated to the promotion of sexual health. https://alphaidaho.org/ Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/d249b06d-0285-45d4-852c-63b771aad8c2

Dylan ruminates on the difficulty in finding a concept of a Higher Power that does not compromise a rational view of how the universe operates, eventually arriving at a functional notion of spirituality and a HP that does not rely upon magical thinking.

In this episode of the Fun in Sobriety podcast Dylan ruminates upon how willpower is not sufficient to maintain sobriety nor attain recovery and how the powerlessness of addiction provides insight into the nature free will in general. As always, the Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/d9d042d0-76d8-43b6-b37c-47f24214d9cc

Dylan discusses the ways in which his life has been and in many ways continues to be driven by fears and insecurities and ruminates upon how this has changed but yet still remains in his life of recovery. The Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/b4b3bd5f-9ebb-4eef-8df7-21dea53b5f98

Dylan reflects upon the significance of being honest, his struggle with self deception and lying throughout his drinking years and how rigorous honesty is a cornerstone of his recovery on a daily basis. As always, the Fun in Sobriety Podcast is a proud member of the Ease-drop podcast network Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/bff7d849-dfd4-446c-996d-c73e227404dd

This month, Dylan and Kaz review the 1945 Best Picture of the year, Billy Wilder's The Lost Weekend, a sprawling journey of hopelessness and alcoholic anxiety in a world before modern rehab and recovery options were understood. For many people, the only exposure to recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is through films and television. But how accurately is this being presented? Dylan sits down with his "normie" buddy Kaz to review several movies centered around recovery from drugs and alcoholism, with a focus upon how well these films portray these life changing events - as seen through the eyes of a viewer in recovery as well as someone who does not have personal experiences in recovery. Fun in Sobriety is a part of the Ease-drop podcast network Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/e74a289a-dab3-4173-a6d7-8216430a935f

On New Years Eve Dylan reflects upon the fleeting nature of life and how his awareness of the ultimate pointlessness of life actually fuels a positivity and a sense of spiritual connection within his recovery.

On Xmas Eve Dylan reflects upon his own pragmatic sense of faith and spirituality and how these serve as the bedrock to his recovery.

Dylan reflects upon feeling uncomfortable in his own skin, the feeling of disconnect that he has carried throughout his entire life - of being the loneliest person in a crowd - and other useful aphorisms that he has used to feel sorry for himself through the years and how he attempts to work with/around these unhelpful sensations in order to maintain a sense of connection with others and to stay sober.

Dylan and Steve sit down and chat about getting sober in the late 1970's, navigating early sobriety in small town Idaho with hardcore AA folks all but preaching at him.

On the cusp of his 10th Thanksgiving during sobriety, Dylan reflects upon the agitation of holidays and how he incorporates this as part of his own recovery

This month, Dylan and Kaz review MIchael Keaton's inaugural foray into dramatic acting, the 1988 film Clean & Sober, the story of a Philadelphia based commercial real-estate salesman hell bent on cocaine and booze filled self destruction until he finds himself hiding in a rehab center to avoid prosecution for embezzlement (but curiously not for the 2nd degree murder of a nameless woman in the films' open). Featuring Morgan Freeman as the no-nonsense rehab center counselor and Kathy Baker as an inexplicable romantic ne 13th step interest. For many people, the only exposure to recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is through films and television. But how accurately is this being presented? Dylan sits down with his "normie" buddy Kaz to review several movies centered around recovery from drugs and alcoholism, with a focus upon how well these films portray these life changing events - as seen through the eyes of a viewer in recovery as well as someone who does not have personal experiences in recovery. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/1dd5c65f-6d0d-4879-b3a0-4844a06419a5

It's another case of the Sunday blues. Dylan reflects shares a bit of how he handles the Sunday Blues - those feelings of restlessness and malaise and general dissatisfaction - with something resembling grace and gratitude.

Dylan and Angela discuss growing up with childhood trauma, eating disorders, losing religion and the challenges atheists face in active recovery. AA Beyond Belief podcast: https://aabeyondbelief.org/podcast-2/ Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/ab78baea-e34c-494c-90c9-d71d492f3f9a

On the heels of a recent visit with his 94yr old grandmother Dylan reflects upon his own mortality, nostalgia for the past and how to navigate disappointments and regrets in recovery

This month Dylan and Kaz sit down to review the 2012 Denzel Washington movie Flight!

Released on the heels of Andy's 10th anniversary of getting clean from Heroin and opiates, Dylan sits down with comedian Andy Gold to discuss addiction, hitting rock-bottom and how Andy lives a life of recovery and comedy. Find out more about Andy here http://andygold.org/ Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/c0631635-77c4-4b02-9375-85a3fc058280

Dylan reflects upon control and acceptance and how these impact him in different ways in his life and how he handles the natural resentments that arise in life.

Dylan sits down with Kelsey K to discuss being hard-headed, mental health, spirituality and different approaches to recovery. The podcast Kelsey references at the open of the show is The Last Symptom (https://www.thelastsymptom.com/podcast-1) from Brian Barnett Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/50fe5e43-2670-4c54-a79c-0e980b1a3667

Dylan talks about his own history with drinking to avoid fears and insecurities throughout a significant period of his life and how this contributed directly to his bottom.

This month, Dylan and Kaz review the 1994/1995? indie movie classic: Drunks staring Richard Lewis, Parker Posey, Sam Rockwell and like a dozen other recognizable and unknown actors portraying a group of people attending an AA meeting in Times Square. For many people, the only exposure to recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is through films and television. But how accurately is this being presented? Dylan sits down with his "normie" buddy Kaz to review several movies centered around recovery from drugs and alcoholism, with a focus upon how well these films portray these life changing events - as seen through the eyes of a viewer in recovery as well as someone who does not have personal experiences in recovery. Support Fun in Sobriety by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/fun-in-sobriety Find out more at https://fun-in-sobriety.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/fun-in-sobriety/6f4f042a-e169-43f9-85f5-dc893b397563

Dylan reflects upon maintaining sobriety and active recovery while being surrounded by alcohol and people partying/drinking to excess