I was listening to two friends on a podcast talk about their journey with substances (drugs and alcohol), and then when I came home to have an editorial planning meeting with Mike about our podcast (which looks like me saying, “What do you want to talk about?” to him while we clean the kitchen) he said:
Why don’t we talk about alcohol and sobriety?
Part of the reason our marriage works is because we have these glorious moments of being totally synced up (and then the other part of it is because we work at making it work).
I’ll be honest: I knew this conversation was a long time coming. I knew it would be powerful because Mike and I have somewhat unusual relationships with substances.
What I did not expect is that it would be hard to hear about Mike’s past.
I assumed that because we’ve talked about his past with drugs and alcohol A LOT, I wouldn’t have a hard time hearing him talk about it on this episode.
I was wrong.
Today’s episode is pretty different than a lot of our other ones, but it’s really important.
You’ll hear:
- Why I wasn’t alarmed when I first learned of Mike’s history with making money in illegal ways (and why I actually thought it might bode well for our future).
- What my parents taught me about alcohol and why it kept me from wanting to rebel by using it.
- Mike’s unconventional approach to getting clean that didn’t involve ever setting foot in an AA meeting.
- A few unsettling stories that, even though I’d heard them before, made my stomach turn.
In This Episode
- Mike’s past relationship with drugs, alcohol and smoking [9:26]
- How he realized things needed to change [16:44]
- What life in college looked like for Mike [25:50]
- Our thoughts on the legalization of certain drugs [27:51]
- Some personal stories of Mike’s experiences [33:26]
- His perspectives as a non-drinker now in social situations [37:55]
- How drinking alcohol affects Kate and who she follows now to learn more about a sober life [41:10]
- Why we really wanted to bring this conversation and topic to you today [44:47]
- What made Mike decide to become a better person [49:22]
- The best way to make lasting changes for a lifetime [63:37]
Selected Links from the Episode
Order Kate’s New Book!Kate’s First Book, Money: A Love Story Get On The Origin ® Waitlist!
Melissa Urban’s Podcast, Do The Thing (Holly Whitaker Episode) Tell Better Stories When They See Us on Netflix 13th on Netflix
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Connect with Kate & Mike on Instagram!
People Mentioned
Andrew Yang Gabby Bernstein Aydian DowlingPodcast Details
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iHeartRadio
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