Successful Life Podcast
by Corey Berrier
Successful Life Podcast | Addiction Recovery, Sobriety & the 12 Steps The Successful Life Podcast is a recovery podcast hosted by Corey Berrier, featuring honest conversations about addiction recovery, alcoholism, sobriety, the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and personal transformation. Each episode explores practical recovery tools, spiritual principles, sponsorship, relationships, mental wellness, and what it really takes to build a meaningful life one day at a time. Corey shares personal experiences from long-term recovery, solo episodes on the challenges and victories of sober living, and interviews with people whose lives have been transformed through recovery. Whether you’re newly sober, working the 12 Steps, supporting a loved one struggling with addiction, or simply looking for personal growth, you’ll find hope, practical guidance, and authentic conversations that remind you you’re not alone. Topics include: • Addiction recovery<b
Episodes
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Time Takes Time: Honesty When the Outcome Is Out of Your Hands
Three years ago, Corey Berrier made amends to his stepdaughter. Shortly afterward, Corey and his wife separated for good, and he was no longer able to communicate with his stepdaughter. He stayed in touch with her dad, but years passed without hearing from her. Then an unexpected text arrived…
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Mental Health Belongs in the Recovery Conversation
In last week’s episode, “Intention Without Alignment Is Just a Wish,” Corey talked about living his values through service. This week he asks whether recovery communities make room for people who live with mental illness as well as addiction. He shares a personal account of a missing friend and...
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Intention Without Alignment Is Just a Wish
Last week on The Successful Life Podcast, Corey shared how three and a half years of showing up in recovery helped him move from isolation toward friendship and connection. This week, he follows that journey into his working life. After repeatedly searching for the right career opportunity, Corey...
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Getting Comfortable With Myself: Three and a Half Years of Showing Up
In last week’s episode, Corey asked what to do when fear returns after a brave decision. This week, he looks at what happens when you keep taking those steps over years. He shares how he moved from attending recovery meetings while emotionally on the outside to building friendships, serving other...
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Keep Climbing When Fear Comes Back
Last week on The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier talked about taking the first step despite fear. This week, he asks what happens when you wake up the next day and the fear is still there. Corey reflects on his first seven years attending AA while keeping himself emotionally on the…
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Stop Looking Down: How to Keep Moving After You Face the Fear
Last week, Corey compared his fear of climbing onto roofs with spending his first seven years emotionally outside Alcoholics Anonymous. He attended meetings and experienced some of recovery’s benefits, but he had not completely stepped into the fellowship. This week, Corey continues that story by...
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Climb the Ladder: Why Recovery Requires More Than Going to Meetings
You can study roofing, learn the terminology, and watch other people inspect roofs—but eventually, you have to climb the ladder. Recovery works the same way. In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier compares overcoming his fear of climbing onto roofs with his first seven…
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Sober but Still Surviving: How Recovery Heals What Alcohol Couldn’t
Getting sober stops the immediate damage—but it doesn’t automatically heal the wounds that caused us to drink or use drugs in the first place. In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier explores the important difference between simply being sober and actively living in…
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A Closed Mouth Doesn’t Get Fed
The patterns affecting our relationships, careers, and recovery often began long before we recognized them. In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier explores how childhood dysfunction, neglect, addiction, people-pleasing, and the fear of abandonment can shape the decisions we...
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The Cliff Between Fear and Freedom
What if getting sober feels like standing on the edge of a 30-foot cliff—terrified, frozen, and unable to trust what’s waiting on the other side? After returning from an unforgettable recovery trip to Cherokee, Corey shares how his fear of jumping from a cliff reminded him of the fear he...
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Rejection Isn't the End : Take the Next Right Action
Rejection can make you question everything—your recovery, your career, your relationships, and even your place in the world. But what if rejection isn’t proof that you’re failing? What if it’s simply part of the process leading you somewhere better? In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast,...
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The Gifts of Sobriety
Sobriety doesn’t mean life suddenly gets easy. Relationships still fall apart. Money gets tight. Jobs change. Fear shows up. Life still happens. But sometimes the hardest moments in recovery become the greatest gifts. In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier shares how his...
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The Masks I Wore in Sobriety (And How They Nearly Cost Me Everything)
What if the biggest thing keeping you stuck isn’t alcohol or drugs—but the mask you’re wearing? In this deeply personal episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier shares the raw truth about recovery, authenticity, and what it took to rebuild his life after years of believing he had...
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Living Sober
What does it really mean to live sober? In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier shares his personal experience of long-term sobriety, why simply quitting alcohol isn’t enough, and how working the 12 Steps, helping others, and building a recovery community completely...
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Am I an Alcoholic? 10 Questions That Could Change Your Life
Have you ever wondered, “Am I an alcoholic?” It’s one of the most searched questions about alcohol, and in this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier shares his personal experience with alcoholism and recovery while walking through 10 honest questions that many people ask…
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How to Stop Drinking: My Story, What Worked for Me, and How Recovery Changed My Life | Successful Life Podcast
In this deeply personal episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier shares his own journey from active alcoholism to long-term sobriety. Rather than offering medical advice or claiming there’s only one path to recovery, Corey explains what finally worked after years of failed attempts,...
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Recovery, Ego, and the Masks We Wear
After moving from Raleigh to Wilmington, I expected a change of scenery. What I didn’t expect was questioning my identity all over again. In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, I share what it’s been like starting over in a new city, building new relationships in recovery, and realizing...
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From Felony Charges to Recovery & Redemption | Stephanie Nicholson on Sobriety, Accountability & Second Chances
In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier sits down with Stephanie Nicholson to discuss recovery, accountability, legal consequences, honesty, and rebuilding life after a felony conviction. Stephanie shares the story of a drinking-and-driving incident that resulted in the…
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Recovery Can’t Wait with Chris Budnick
In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier sits down with Chris Budnick, Executive Director of Healing Transitions, to discuss addiction recovery, homelessness, detox services, peer-led recovery, and rebuilding lives through community support. Chris shares the story behind...
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From Prison to Purpose with Nick Jones
In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier sits down with longtime friend and entrepreneur Nick Jones for a direct conversation about addiction recovery, entrepreneurship, personal responsibility, faith, leadership, and building a life after prison. Nick shares his journey from...
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From Addiction to Ownership: How Chef Scott Crawford Rebuilt His Life
In this episode of The Successful Life Podcast, Corey Berrier sits down with chef and restaurateur Scott Crawford for a direct conversation about recovery, leadership, and building a business with real standards. Scott shares how addiction nearly cost him his life, what finally pushed him to get...
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From Addiction to Elite Sales Communicator | Brian Burton on Mastering Communication & Personal Transformation
In this episode of the Successful Life Podcast, host Corey Berrier sits down with Brian Burton—general manager at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, founder of Blue Collar Closer, and host of the Waste No Day Podcast. Brian shares his journey from a struggling technician to becoming a high-level...
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Recovery, Purpose, and the Missing Piece: B Reeves on New Waters, 12-Step Discipline, and Transcendental Meditation
After a five-month break, Corey is back with B Reeves from New Waters Recovery for a conversation on sobriety, mental health, treatment, meditation, and purpose-driven work. B shares what New Waters Recovery actually does, from detox and residential treatment to psychological assessments, and...
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Authenticity Beats Outcomes Every Time
Ever notice how hard you grip outcomes when you’re nervous—then watch everything slip anyway? We dig into a counterintuitive truth that changed our lives: releasing control doesn’t make you careless, it makes you effective. From sobriety to sales calls, first dates to job interviews, we connect…
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Developing a Leadership Mindset: Gratitude, Empathy, and Human Connection
In this episode of the Successful Life Podcast, host Corey Berrier dives into the importance of gratitude, empathy, and human connection. Reflecting on the busiest plumbing day of the year, he shares personal anecdotes about reconnecting with old friends and the transformative power of gratitude....
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Overcoming The Fear of Rejection
Fear of rejection can run your day without saying a word. I’ve felt it in rehab bunkhouses, in church pews that taught guilt over growth, and across kitchen tables where a homeowner just wanted their AC to work and their evening back. That same fear fuels the masks we wear, the discounts we offer...
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I Wasn’t A Fraud, I Was Just Drunk And Terrified
What if the confidence you’ve been chasing is really a mask that’s wearing you down? I open up about imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, and the years I used alcohol and drugs to feel like I belonged. The stories aren’t pretty—Vegas couches, dangerous company, and the slow erosion of...
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Overcoming Relapse and Addiction
In this episode of the Successful Life Podcast, host Corey Berrier takes a deep dive into the challenging topic of relapse and addiction, sharing his personal journey and insights. Corey discusses the struggles of maintaining sobriety, the pitfalls of relapse, and the exhausting cycle of…
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Lead with Ego?
Ever notice how the same habits that stabilize recovery also stabilize your pipeline? We dig into the leadership mindset that sits beneath selling, sobriety, and self-mastery, and why the strongest credibility comes from consistency, not a job title. From the first minute, we challenge the blame...
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From Resentment To Responsibility: Building Character Without Shortcuts
What if your job title isn’t who you are, and the real proof of character shows up in the choices you make when no one is watching? We dig into that question through the lens of recovery, responsibility, and the everyday habits that either build integrity or break it down. From asking for help to...
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I Thought I’d Crush It And Almost Blacked Out
Ready for a reality check that actually sticks? I walked into a firefighter tryout convinced I’d breeze through on grit and lifting strength—and nearly blacked out during the PACER test. That moment of shock became a catalyst: exposing my cardio blind spot, deflating my ego, and forcing a return…
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Tried to fix everyone and just broke my own sanity
The hardest truth we learned in recovery wasn’t about alcohol—it was about control. For years we tried to push, persuade, and rescue our way into peace, only to end up exhausted and resentful. Then two small words flipped everything: let them. Let them choose. Let them stay. Let them go. Let them...
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Recovery gave me more than alcohol ever did
What if the most radical form of freedom is simply waking up clear—and staying that way? Corey opens up about life on both sides of the bottle and what changed when he traded chaos for consistency: mornings that don’t start in shame, a mind that doesn’t spin stories, and relationships built on...
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Breaking the Chain
Ever wonder why you keep falling into the same relationship patterns? Or why certain childhood memories still sting decades later? The truth might be uncomfortable: you're living out scripts handed down by your parents—scripts they inherited from their parents before them. This episode dives deep...
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From Chaos to Freedom: The Power of Personal Responsibility
Ever caught yourself saying "I'm responsible" while your life crumbles around you? That's what I call the illusion of responsibility—looking put-together while avoiding ownership of the chaos within. As a recovering alcoholic, I've mastered the art of deflection, blaming everyone from my boss to…
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Who Would You Be Without Your Patterns?
What if the patterns keeping you stuck aren't even yours to begin with? From our earliest moments, our minds absorb everything around us like wet cement—every word, every glance, every reaction forming the foundation of how we see ourselves and the world. The most profound revelation in...
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Beyond the Illusion: Why Control Is Costing You Your Peace
Freedom awaits beyond the grip of control. Drawing from raw personal experience, I explore how the desperate need to control our circumstances, relationships, and even our pain becomes the very prison that holds us captive. Control is seductive because it promises safety in an uncertain world. We...
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Face Value: Ditching The Masks That Hide Your Real Self
What version of yourself do you bring to work? To family gatherings? To your closest relationships? For many of us, these questions reveal uncomfortable truths about the different masks we wear throughout our lives. We don't put on these masks with malicious intent. They emerge from our deepest...
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James Piacentino | Preventing Addiction Through Genetic Testing
Could the opioid crisis be solved through genetic testing? What if doctors could identify your addiction risk before prescribing pain medication? These questions drive the innovative work at Thrive Genetics, where personalized medicine is revolutionizing how we approach pain management and...
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Hungry for More Than Just Another Hit
What are you truly hungry for? That's the question that drives this deeply introspective exploration of how our brains become trapped in cycles of avoidance and momentary pleasure. Your brain doesn't distinguish between sources of dopamine—whether from sugar, alcohol, or avoiding difficult sales...
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Breaking Free: The Dopamine Reset
Have you ever caught yourself mindlessly scrolling your phone, finishing an entire bag of chips without noticing, or having "just one more" drink that turned into several? You're not alone, and it's not entirely your fault. Our brains are wired for reward, and modern life is designed to exploit...
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Breaking Free: The Hidden Addictions
Socially acceptable addictions like alcohol and food hide in plain sight while society celebrates escaping emotions and mocks those trying to break free. • Most addicts don't look like stereotypical "addicts" but are regular people numbing themselves with wine and food • Food and alcohol work on...
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Breaking Free from Comfort
Comfort is slowly killing us, but we don't even recognize it as an addiction. What happens when society's most celebrated coping mechanisms become our greatest chains? In this transformative episode, I pull back the curtain on the socially acceptable addictions that hide in plain sight: food and...
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Fetching Millions: How Tom Howard Builds and Sells Companies Without Ego
Ever wonder what's holding back your business growth? The answer might be staring back at you in the mirror. Tom Howard, owner of multiple successful HVAC and plumbing companies and ServiceTitan executive, delivers a masterclass in ego-free leadership that transformed struggling businesses into...
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Looking in the Mirror Changed Everything About My Recovery
Have you ever found yourself staring into a mirror that refuses to lie to you? That's exactly what the Fourth Step of recovery feels like. When I first heard those words—"made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves"—I knew it would be difficult. What I didn't anticipate was how...
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Jared "The Plumber" Williams Money vs. Freedom: Finding Balance in Business
What happens when you finally achieve the financial success you've been chasing—only to realize you've lost everything else that matters? Jared Williams, host of The Jared Williams Show and founder of multiple successful plumbing businesses, takes us through his raw, revealing journey of...
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From Bodybuilding Glory to Spiritual Awakening: Toney Freeman's Journey
What if your greatest strength becomes your biggest obstacle to transformation? Toney Freeman, once known as "The X-Man" in professional bodybuilding, reveals the powerful journey that took him from bodybuilding glory to spiritual awakening. Toney's story begins with his strict upbringing as a...
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Sober But Miserable: Why Just Quitting Isn't Enough
The recovery journey begins with a simple truth: addiction isn't about substances—it's about escape. I spent years trying to run from pain, from reality, from myself. But as I discovered, no matter where I went, I took myself with me. My path through the 12 steps wasn't smooth. I approached...
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What If Everything You Thought About Success Was Wrong?
After years of chasing external definitions of success, I've completely transformed the Successful Life Podcast to focus on what truly matters: recovery from addiction, freedom from limiting habits, and authentic personal growth. This isn't about how much we can achieve or how much money we...
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Beyond Technical Skills: How Communication Drives $20,000 Days
What truly separates average technicians from those consistently bringing in $20,000 days? Contrary to what many believe, it's not experience or technical knowledge—it's masterful communication. The psychology of technical sales hinges on three critical components. Body language accounts for a...
About this show
Successful Life Podcast | Addiction Recovery, Sobriety & the 12 Steps
The Successful Life Podcast is a recovery podcast hosted by Corey Berrier, featuring honest conversations about addiction recovery, alcoholism, sobriety, the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and personal transformation.
Each episode explores practical recovery tools, spiritual principles, sponsorship, relationships, mental wellness, and what it really takes to build a meaningful life one day at a time. Corey shares personal experiences from long-term recovery, solo episodes on the challenges and victories of sober living, and interviews with people whose lives have been transformed through recovery.
Whether you’re newly sober, working the 12 Steps, supporting a loved one struggling with addiction, or simply looking for personal growth, you’ll find hope, practical guidance, and authentic conversations that remind you you’re not alone.
Topics include: • Addiction recovery<b
Hosted by
Corey Berrier
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