INSPIRE #1295: How to Kick Addiction & Why Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong! Plus a Guided Meditation (Laura McKowen, “We Are The Luckiest”)

SHOW INTRODUCTION:

If you’ve ever struggled with addiction, or know someone who has, then do we have the We Are The Luckiest show for you.

Today I’ll be talking with Laura McKowen, the author of a harrowing, brilliant, and beautiful look at living the sober life, “We Are The Luckiest”

And that’s just what I want to talk her about today, about why everything we think we know about addiction is wrong, and the surprising magic of living a sober life. 

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST BELOW:

OR WATCH THE VIDEO:

BOOKS BY LAURA MCKOWEN:

MORE ON LAURA MCKOWEN:

Laura McKowen, author of We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life, had a long, successful career in public relations and the Mad Men–esque drinking culture of advertising. After getting sober, she quickly became recognized as a fresh voice in recovery, beloved for her soulful and irreverent writing online and in print. She now leads sold out retreats and courses, teaching people to how to say yes to a bigger life. She lives outside Boston, Massachusetts with her daughter.

Laura writes an award-winning blog, hosted the iTunes Top 100 HOME podcast, and currently hosts Spiritualish, a show that provides an irreverent take on self-help. She has been featured in WebMD, New York Post, Bravo, the TODAY show, and more.

Laura has an MBA from Babson College and spent 15 years in advertising managing million-dollar accounts for Fortune 100 companies before transitioning to writing and teaching. She’s the founder of several online programs for sobriety and personal development and teaches workshops and retreats all over the U.S.

SHOW NOTES:

Laura McKowen Online:   Website

Key Points Discussed: 

• How long have you been living a silver life and when did you first realize that you had an addiction challenge? (03:17)
• Taking the quiz and how she convinced herself that things would be fine (04:22)
• Staying sober for ten months when she was pregnant (04:58)
• The drinking culture at her workplace and the role it played in her alcoholism (07:22)
• Taking ownership and how it can save one from being a victim (12:08)
• The importance of taking things one step at a time (16:35)
• Looking into our shadow self instead of pushing it away (17:17)
• Being on the train of “I’m about to drink” and the medical miracle that kept her from drinking (20:46)
• How she had to be honest and realistic to make it in her sobriety journey (26:50)
• The value of having interrupters and how they keep one on track (28:58)
• The pain of feeling the internal disconnection from her inner goodness and wisdom (34:02)
• Emotional sobriety: The biggest piece of work she had to do (39:30)
• If we lie to keep the peace, we start a war within ourselves (42:24)
• What’s the pregnancy principle? (43:48)
• Building a new life and how it requires a lot of care, attention and focus (45:20)
• The game that most of us think we’re playing is not the game we’re playing (48:24)

Related Podcasts:

INSPIRE #958: HOW TO FIND INNER PEACE – EVEN WHEN YOUR WORLD IS SPINNING! (Rolf Gates, “Daily Reflection On Addiction, Yoga and Getting Well”)

INSPIRE #843: HOW TO BLAST PAST NEGATIVE SELF-TALK & ADDICTION! (Darryl Strawberry, “Don’t Give Up On Me”)

SUPPORT INSPIRE NATION:

Help keep the show going! Every time you shop at Amazon through the link below, we earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

Or please consider making a donation through PayPal.

Thank You for being a part of this amazing movement!

SHINE BRIGHT!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.