<p><span>Today we have Jack. He's 39 years old from Phoenix, AZ and took his last drink of alcohol on June 23^rd, 2025.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>This episode is brought to you by:</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><a name="_Hlk195860230"></a><a href="https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?go=true&slug=elevator&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=2687&utm_term=elevator&promo_code=elevator&landing_page_img=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqYHezjI.jpg&aff_channel=podcast&discount_rate=10&discount_period=P1M&date_interval=P1M&percentage_off=10&amount=1&amount_spelled_out=one&unit=month&gor=start"><span><strong><span>Better Help</span></strong></span></a> <span><span><strong>–</strong> 10% off of your first month #sponsored</span></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.soberlink.com/partners/recovery-elevator"><span><strong><span>Sober Link</span></strong></span></a> <span><span>- sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus</span></span></p> <p><span><span> </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course</span></span> <a href="https://www.recoveryelevator.com/restore/"><span><strong><span>Restore</span></strong></span></a> <span><span>opens today. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze.</span></span></p> <p><span><span> </span></span></p> <p><a href="https://www.recoveryelevator.com/product/rise-up-whole-bean-coffee-12oz/"> <span><strong><span>Recovery Elevator</span></strong></span></a> <span><span>now has its own coffee created with</span></span> <a href="https://riseupcoffee.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqKK-Yc7t_ETUcv3UK3bPzdJ1ChkJZfakzv9gaAcGPOQL2JI4kt"> <span><strong><span>Rise Up Coffee Co.</span></strong></span></a> <span><span>25% of each bag sold will be donated to the nonprofit</span></span> <a href="https://www.cafe-re.org/"><span><strong><span>Café RE</span></strong></span></a><span><span>.</span></span></p> <p><span><span> </span></span></p> <p><span><span>January 1^st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book</span></span> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dolce-Vita-quitting-searching-Hangovers-ebook/dp/B0G2HPFKJD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12QXG4QBY4HBJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tplg5JalIuhrB5cKzd3MfXtITNKcA3JZ84FK73wkjsY.Hp_a1F6Gbc0-pxhgDTfAJVh055W0bUyf35Re4eGYuOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=dolce+vita+paul+churchill&qid=1764523411&sprefix=dolce+vita+paul+churchill%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-1"> <span><strong><em><span>Dolce Vita</span></em></strong></span></a><span><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><strong><span>[03:43] Thoughts from Paul:</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span> </span></strong></p> <p><span>Paul wants to do a check-in today. How are you doing at the end of 2025? How are you feeling after Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas? How are you feeling about yourself and your sobriety? This time of year can be a lot for many of us, but he wants to remind us all that we are not alone, even if you are listening to this podcast alone.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>Our drinking problem likes to tell us that we are the only one in the world that has or has had struggles with alcohol, but that's simply not true. More than ever are struggling, more than ever are quitting and more than ever are putting down the drink. Addiction wants us to feel alone. The first step is to recognize this voice; the next step is to join the growing movement into alcohol-free living. You are a part of this movement.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><strong><span>[08:42] Paul introduces Jack:</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span> </span></strong></p> <p><span>Jack is 39 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He works as a trial attorney and outside of work likes to help community organizations. In his free time, Jack enjoys playing music and spending time in nature.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>Jack was adopted as a baby after his birth mother arrived in the US from Mexico. His parents were very supportive and loving of Jack, but they share different viewpoints from him.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>Jack says he had his first experience with alcohol two years before his first drink at age 16. After an argument with his mother about going to a friends house, Jack had stormed into his room enraged. As he sat with his big emotions, he had the thought of "I need a drink" for the first time. His first actual drink came at high school graduation and he felt the desire to cut loose for the first time.</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>The drinking started as a weekend activity, but Jack says he really took to it. Drinking didn't make him tired; it energized him and took the stress away. Over the course of his college attendance, the weekend drinking with friends turned into daily drinking alone for Jack. He says he didn't feel normal unless he had a buzz