The Confident Podcast
The Confident Podcast, presented by Lead and hosted by certified coach and Lead President Lisa Tarkington, is your go-to resource for mastering confidence and leadership. Whether you're battling self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or just looking for a space to feel understood, this podcast offers real conversations, practical tools, and expert insights to support your growth. You’re not alone in your journey—no matter where you are in life, you'll find motivation, connection, and strategies to step into your full potential with confidence.
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The Confident Podcast
EP 191 | Part 2: Confidence, Sobriety and the Power of Second Chances
This is Part 2 of 2.
In this week's episode, our host Lisa Tarkington continues her conversation from last week with Adam Wittbrodt, Marc Tarkington, and Peter Buist about sobriety and self-discovery. These courageous men delve deeper into the emotional challenges of recovery, from confronting the deceptive nature of alcohol to rebuilding their lives on foundations of self-love and genuine relationships. Together, they share the tools that helped them navigate life’s hurdles—like journaling, gratitude, and community support—while breaking down the outdated stereotypes surrounding men’s mental health. This episode is a powerful reminder of the importance of emotional resilience, accountability, and the profound role of connection in personal growth and recovery.
- 0:00 Becoming Sober
- 13:57 Men's Mental Health Testimonials
- 20:40 Overcoming Challenges Through Spirituality and Fitness
- 30:41 Journey to Sobriety and Support
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That's the beauty of recovery. It's not a secret. It's not some recipe that you have to be a certain club to get into. It's available and it's free for everyone. But nobody can make you do it. It's up to you to get to that choice, to surrender whatever you want to call it, to get there.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Confident Podcast.
Speaker 2:I am Lisa Tarkington, your guide to mastering confidence and leadership. As the business and life coach, keynote speaker and the driving force behind LEAD, I am here to help you break free from self-doubt, silence the imposter syndrome and step into your power as the person you're meant to be. If you press play today, it's because you're ready for something bigger. Each week, I'll bring you real, raw conversations and actionable insights that will empower you to redefine your leadership, reclaim your confidence and transform into the unstoppable force you've always known that you could be. This isn't just another podcast. It's a journey we're on together, so buckle up and let's dive into this transformation. Your next level awaits. Hey everybody, welcome back for another episode of the Confident Podcast.
Speaker 2:I am Lisa Tarkington and this is part two of two of the episode where we are going to be talking about becoming sober, the stories of Adam, mark and Peter three individuals in my life who have just been so inspiring and if you haven't listened to part one yet, please head over to the podcast to check that out before we dive into today's podcast, because it's just kind of keeping the conversation going. We had so many great things to talk about, so much to elaborate on and I really wanted to have a real raw, inspiring journey for all of you guys to hear. And these guys brought it and I appreciated their honesty. I appreciated them just sharing with you some really great resources, advice, how they got to where they are today, and if you meet these men in public, if you see them on social media, you can see that they're doing very well for themselves.
Speaker 2:But that wasn't always the case. They all struggled in some way, but all of their stories are very relatable to many, and so what I want to do with this episode is really just take you into part two so that you can really learn more about their journey. So let's dive into it. So obviously we're on the Confident Podcast, and so did drinking like be affected? Did it affect your confidence and self-love? Was it a reason why you did certain things that you lacked it Like any elaboration with that piece?
Speaker 3:you did certain things that you lacked. It like any elaboration with that piece. I mean, yeah, like alcohol has this wonderful side effect of making you feel confident all the time. You know, and that was one of the reasons I was drinking a lot was because I just didn't like myself and I could drink at night to make all those feelings go away. In relationships it kind of creates this false sense of intimacy with other people you're drinking with and you think you're having this close, emotional good time with this person, but it's not there when the alcohol is not there. So once you get sober you realize you've got to go after those things for real and like without any help from substances or liquids. And it makes everything that much more meaningful when you can do it sober and you get closeness with people and, uh, it's like better than anything else, then I can even think of better than drinking.
Speaker 3:But um, the question was about confidence in alcohol I mean you gotta, you gotta earn it back, because when you get sober you're starting at the bottom and every choice you make is going to get you to where you want to be, as long as it doesn't involve your drink or drug, and it's kind of like starting over, which is a wonderful chance. You know, not everybody gets one, but honestly I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's the best thing I've ever done in my entire life.
Speaker 2:Did you guys have anything there I've ever done in my entire life, did you?
Speaker 1:guys have anything there. Yeah, you know, I think one of the most important things we have to do is make that amends to ourself. And I didn't love myself, I didn't. I was going to tell you guys before.
Speaker 3:I'm a crier. I get emotional.
Speaker 1:the first few years of sobriety I cried a lot and I did not love myself. I didn't know what that meant and so how can you give away something you don't have? And so for me it was a multifaceted amount of actions. I couldn't just go to a 12-step program. I was in counseling, I needed the spiritual side of it and what I learned so much about myself and I said earlier I was 45 years old and I was an adolescent, an infant really, in self-care actions, and so I didn't know how to deal with anger, resentment, fear I had.
Speaker 1:You know you learn through counseling things like fear of abandonment and it goes back to childhood things. You know I had, through counseling, things like fear of abandonment and it goes back to childhood things. You know I had parents that divorced really young and it just those things that I was never really given tools to deal with emotional life on life's terms and you know you didn't get that job, or maybe you know you didn't get that job or maybe you know I did. I mean I had so many successes college, marriage, first home, kids and I really I developed this sense of that I am in control and everything I do is my, I'm responsible for that and that was part of my addiction was always chasing happiness. I was always the next people, place, thing or event I was finally going to make it thing or event. I was finally going to make it, and those things would happen, and guess what? I really wasn't happy and those things can be moments of happiness, but not true peace and contentment. That learning to conflict, resolve, deal with your anger, fear, all these, you know, different emotions that we have. That was what I was lacking. And so today I can sit and really share this story with anybody and then help them, give them tools to, in turn, do the same thing in their life.
Speaker 1:Because, yeah, like you know, like Mark said, I just I did not love myself and alcohol gave me a way to escape from that and not have to worry about who loves me and who doesn't.
Speaker 1:You would forget, and then I would black out and wake up the next morning with all the guilt and all the remorse of like I did it again, yeah, and not to be in that cycle. Remorse of like I did it again, yeah, and not to be in that cycle. You know when Adam was talking about that cycle, man, I can remember promising myself I'm not going to drink tonight and then do it anyway, and then wake up the next morning underneath my desk you know, maybe there was vomit there. Maybe you know I ruined a lot of laptops spilling alcohol because I would pass out literally my drink on there. It was a cycle of just madness. You don't love yourself, you don't. So we have to relearn to do those things, and I think the most important amends we've got to make is that one to ourselves. We did a lot of damage, and so it takes time to recover that.
Speaker 2:And forgive yourself.
Speaker 1:And forgive yourself absolutely. That's a big one, yeah, anything.
Speaker 5:Confidence I had. None of you guys are talking and I'm like, yep, that's me, that's me, that's me. So part of the process of gaining it back was making amends to myself for things like Peter was saying. And I had to start. I always talk about getting the shovel out because there was a lot that I had to dig through, so I had to take care of all that before I could even get to building something new.
Speaker 5:Building something new, uh, and that the process of building took uh, four, four realms that I think about, and if I don't, they're never in complete balance. It's impossible to maintain complete balance, but I think of physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. So if I'm not focusing on all four of those things each day, then I'm, I'm going backwards. So, uh, fitness, as you guys know, is a huge part of my life. It's what I do for a living. It's one way I can fulfill my purpose, which builds confidence for me and just life in general. The intellectual side is so I geek out about studies about the human body and how to build muscle and how you know, uh, the topic about in a really controversial topic in fitness is about the GLP ones. So think of, like your Eurozempics and stuff like that for weight loss. So I read all these studies and I've structured my Instagram to be not doom scrolling but educational. So based on who the places I follow, they're credible. So I've built learning into my day. I drive an hour one way to work, so basically I use that time.
Speaker 5:I listen to audio books, I listen to podcasts Instead of just jamming out to music all the time, which is my old MO. So that's the intellectual side. The emotional side has been building relationships where anybody I share with like you were all part of my support group, so you know part of my story. You're now part of my network, my safety net, so I share openly being vulnerable because it strengthens my network. And just part of that emotional maintenance is sharing my emotions, how I feel right. So let's just talk about the podcast, the emotions that come into it. You know, the more I speak in public, the easier I feel, less anxious coming into it, but you still get those butterflies right. And then it's almost. I don't want to say it's, it's like a high, but when I finish it it's like that was awesome, you know.
Speaker 5:So just talking about my emotions, like I just did, throughout the day, I talk with my clients, I talk with my wife, talk with anybody who will want, who wants to listen, and then the spiritual side is meditation and prayer, right. So, regardless of your religion, there's a talking and listening basically. So those are parts of my, my daily maintenance and kind of what's helped me build confidence back into my life. I have a question for you, though. Maybe we can talk another time.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, totally ask me a question.
Speaker 5:So I always question like there's this, it's a teeter-totter between confidence, arrogance, so what's the best way to be like confident and humble at the same time? Like this is, I feel, like a whole conversation because, there's so many layers to it and it's something I always am conscious about, because I don't want to be perceived as arrogant and I feel like I struggle a little bit with my confidence because I don't want to come across like overly confident or like I don't know. You guys know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, it's an easy question. Always that question am I humble or not? What does that look like? Is it my will or my higher power's will? Am I confident or am I cocky? I think cocky is more like pride. Lost all those sudden lovely sins. So yeah, great question Well.
Speaker 2:I'll answer that for you guys just really quickly. So first off, I'll say, just like level space of when I think of you guys, I've never thought any of you guys as cocky and the reason why is because you are willing to be honest. So people that are cocky are the ones going around kind of pompous about certain things but not telling the real story, like I'm confident I have all of this, but not sharing the story behind it. All of you guys walk around, you're at a different level, but you're also not willing to say like this is how I got there. Right Cocky would be is that you're never willing to share that right, and the difference of why you guys care so much is is because you had never willing to share that right, and the difference of why you guys care so much is because you had your journey to find self-love. You never had that.
Speaker 2:At one point you all were struggling with it and I think people that come out of the womb just never being told that they have to work towards something, they're the more of the cocky ones. You've all had to work towards something. You all had to work towards being sober, right, and so it's giving yourself that credit and also just being very. You use the word humble, but I think of humble as you're vulnerable, you're kind, you're caring and you show up for yourself and other people. Cocky people aren't showing up for other people Like, and all of you guys show up and people look to you as role models because they're like that's what I want to inspire to be, but they're not inspiring to be because you have you're not billionaires that have like jet setting off right. They want to be like you because you're honest, confident people, because you've worked towards that. So does that help a little bit with that? Okay, cool, yeah, and I think all of you guys have done that.
Speaker 2:I mean even you guys sharing your stories like had I not known like all these things, I would have been like I'm bringing on three confident guys who like right, but I think the reason why I even wanted you guys on this podcast was because I was like I want the real story, because people see you in.
Speaker 2:You know we all live in Michigan. People see you in town and think like, oh my gosh, they're just such great people you are. But you also had to work towards that, right, you had to go through the darkness to get to where you are and I don't think, like I've said this multiple times and I think it's getting more open with things. But I love that we're being more talkative about guys with self-love, guys with confidence like you know, being married to someone who's always been open towards me, or on that it's really opened my eyes to like these need to be part of conversations. You know we talk so much about women in those areas, but men struggle too and it just looks different and you guys hide it more, you know, and in different ways. So anything else you guys would share on that?
Speaker 1:No, I think you hit it, you know, and I'm I'm probably a little older than these guys, you know.
Speaker 2:Young at heart, right, right.
Speaker 1:Well, when you grew up in the 80s, you know, in my parents' age, you didn't talk. Men did not talk about feelings. They provided and they had to be strong and they weren't allowed to cry or be emotional, and so I didn't grow up with those. I mean, I was kind of a latchkey kid. There's a lot of times my friends were all the same, we all raced each other playing outdoors and we didn't have helmets and we didn't have all these guided safety helicopter parenting that we see a little bit more of today, and I'm guilty of that a little bit as a parent.
Speaker 1:So when you grow up without, like I mentioned earlier, any kind of emotional tools to deal with life on life's terms, of course, addiction is a very easy one, whether it's drugs, alcohol, people use sex, they use food, there's no limit to it. Gambling's a big one today. Anything that creates this high that gets you away from your reality, you know, and so we as men, I mean I feel responsible to help others find tools, and not everybody that I talk to has an active addiction, but everybody can certainly benefit from some type of. Let's talk about what self-care is and what is the actual actions that I do, and I talk about those things. So what do I do? Every morning? I get up, I do a devotion, I read some recovery-related material, I write a gratitude list every single day. It's hard to be resentful when you're being grateful. I journal most days and then I pray. I am still very active in recovery programs, so I still do that five to seven hours a week and then I work with other men mentoring them through recovery, and it's just.
Speaker 1:You know, it doesn't have to be recovery, it can be whatever is important to you in your life and how you can give back. And you know, as I listened to Adam share earlier, I was like this is what recovery to me is about Learning from him about what his tools are and how he goes about his day and what he does. That's how I learn and I take that nugget and I put the little bit of that and he's in my network now, just like he mentioned that we're in his. And that's the beauty of recovery. It's not, it's not a secret, it's, it's not some you know recipe that you have to be. You know a certain club to get into. It's available and it's free for everyone, but nobody can make you do it. It's up to you to get to that choice, to surrender, whatever you want to call it, to get there.
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Speaker 2:One of the things I am most proud of is how I continue to put personal development at the forefront of my growth. I know this is something many people struggle with, because we don't always know where to start. There's almost too much information out there. It can become overwhelming and requires research to ensure credibility. I also want something that's accessible anytime and that I can pick back up where I left off. Not only has this been my personal experience, but I've had countless individuals reach out to me for resources. This is why I'm so excited to share with you Lead Within, an online membership platform created for adults, parents and teenagers. It empowers adults in their personal and professional growth, guides parents to nurture resilience in their children and supports teenagers throughout transformative phases. If you are struggling with confidence, self-doubt or stress, lead Within offers practical tools. This platform has content covering a wide range of topics and interactive learning resources. With continuous updates of fresh content, your growth journey never ends. Today, we are offering you 50% off your first month of membership. This takes the cost down to just $5. So visit leadconfidentlyorg, backslash leadwithin, and use the promo code podcast50. Again, that's promo code podcast50 to unlock your potential today. Together, let's thrive, grow and lead with confidence.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's actually funny that you bring up not funny, but like the choice piece because I think I just pound that in everybody's head that listens to this podcast of like we have a choice, right, like you have a choice of how you live, what you choose. It's not easy, right, self-love is not easy. Confidence isn't easy. Self-respect isn't easy. Deciding to go to the gym versus like sleep in right, like all of these decisions that we make throughout the day, like it's a choice that we have to make, and you guys all made that decision six to nine years ago to really change your lives. You know, and you're here now talking about it, and I think that's what's what people don't see is it's doesn't just happen overnight. Right, like you guys went through really crappy years to finally say like enough's enough. And so if I had to ask you guys and I don't mean to put you on the spot, but like in three words, describe your journey when you started verse three words to now, what's the difference?
Speaker 3:This isn't totally related, but just listening to you speak there and about making choices, like I know, it seems like you have to hit rock bottom to make a chance like this. But you really don't. You know, I've had a few friends that got sober without ruining their lives like I tried to or millions of other people tried to. It really is a choice. Sometimes it takes us longer than it should to make that choice, but it really is up to you. You don't have to completely ruin your life, your relationship, your career. If you need help to get sober, just start by telling somebody. That really gets the ball rolling.
Speaker 5:To elaborate on that too. It made me think about, like what, how does someone know that they have a problem, and you know that type of thing? It was a problem for me just going through, going back to the cycles. It was like I didn't have back then I didn't want to change. So, uh, the choice, and you know, makes me think why is it some people's takes going to jail? Why is it some people, can you know, and it would be interesting, I just, you know, philosophically thinking.
Speaker 3:I'm like.
Speaker 5:I wonder what the differences are right. So the three words pain, regret, deceit for my past health, gratitude and love, love that Big love, love, that Big difference. So it's like the darkness of night or the light of day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, did yours come to mind? Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, no, this is great stuff. So before it was, fear was my number one Fear, loneliness and pain. And I didn't realize. You know, it's easy to go. Anger was my problem, but a lot of my anger or my emotional response came from fear fear of financial, fear of abandonment. I didn't want to get divorced. You know, I was a product of divorce as a kid.
Speaker 1:So today my words are love, they are connection and relation. I kind of put as one, because when I started relating to people and that was that connection, and then spirituality is majorly important in what I do every day, because I had to admit that I was powerless. I was powerless over alcohol, but really what I discovered is I'm powerless over to do anything in my life and without God or whatever your higher power of your choosing for me, I couldn't do this and I had to really accept that and that helped me get out of myself and this whole idea that I'm in charge. So spirituality was really that's the thing every single day that I open up my life with is giving it to God and growing that relationship there. And when I got him on my team, there isn't anything we can do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, same with you. It was like that negative versus positive, right now too right, anything come to your mind.
Speaker 3:Sure of verse, positive right now, too right, anything come to your mind. Oh sure, I guess back then it would have been deceit, loneliness, fear. I mean I could go on. There's hundreds of words I could describe my past with, but these days I try to focus. I mean God is obviously number one, but the three words I would use would be honesty is a big one for me. I got to be honest in everything I'm doing. Honesty is a big one for me. I got to be honest in everything I'm doing. Um, humility, not getting too big for my britches, as my mom would used to say to me when I was a kid. And uh, I guess this goes to honesty. But like integrity, like everything you do, make it matter. Like don't just waste time, don't just do it, cause whatever reason, like make it count.
Speaker 2:Those are all really good, yeah, well, and I think it also shows the journey right. Like it shows like where, like you know, and I think we all like I don't know about you guys, but I'm picturing literally like dark, like a dark color when you guys were saying all of those words, and that I'm picturing like the stepping stones to get there just kept getting lighter and lighter and lighter, and now you're a lighter person for everybody around you. So when you guys think about like how you I mean, life happens still. You guys still have things going on Like it's not always bright, it's not always perfect, you still have tough days, you still have challenges. Like relationships are tough, like our careers are all hard, so how do you? What's like all hard. So how do you? What's like what's? How do you handle those things now? Because before it was you know drinking and you know drugs but, and obviously probably other things, but like what? What now? How do you do that?
Speaker 3:well, like what Pete was saying just a minute ago is that you know, when you got God on your side, anything is possible, and like everything starts and ends with your spirituality and your higher power and so like, yeah, life's going to come at you, things are going to happen. But if you really do believe in what you believe in, you know nothing can stop you. As long as you got that on your side and you've proven to yourself that alcohol is not going to help or whatever your advice is, you can literally get through anything. I've not felt one time since I've been sober that I can't do this, like not even once, and my whole life was I can't do this for 26 years before then.
Speaker 1:So I've been a runner and one of the few positive things I had before I quit drinking was running and it's maintained, and so I love to be outside and running has gotten harder on my body. So I do a lot more hiking and one of my best ways to deal with if I've got some situation in my life that's hard, that's overwhelming, that I'm fearful about. I go for a walk in the woods and I literally, if you run into me out there and you see me talking to myself I'm fearful about. I go for a walk in the woods and I literally, if you run into me out there and you see me talking to myself, I'm praying out loud and I literally do it out loud and I pray about all the situation and then I let it sit and just walk in quiet and like a meditation and it brings me so much peace. I often find um, my prayer starts out angry, um, as I'm working through it and then by time I get to the meditation part, it's like my higher power is like you know, okay, I understand here's, here's the path to walk through this Um and it's, you know, I, I you can almost do a whole podcast on um, the power of, of spirituality, because you can pray and you're going to have Santa Claus prayers and hope that they're going to show up.
Speaker 1:But one of my favorite sayings I learned in recovery was faith can move mountains. Don't be surprised when God hands you a shovel. You're responsible for the actions. He will determine the outcome. If we just sit on our hands and hope that he's going to make our lives better, it ain't going to happen. That's not how it works. You have, you are responsible for the actions.
Speaker 2:I love that. Anything for you.
Speaker 5:Fitness has been a huge part, like he mentioned running, for me it's been weightlifting. Um I've. I'm my workout partner from years ago when he passed away.
Speaker 5:It was really difficult because that was our you know, where him and I connected and we joked around and then, with him gone, it was like it became a place of pain. And that's literally what I use for, and it's not just for like anger, sadness, it's I say mad, sad or glad, because whenever I weight lift and there's science that backs exercise, not just weight lifting, and the release of endorphins and dopamine, which was what we all chased getting high I go through that process and I just I'm. When I'm done, I feel better. Yeah, I just feel better, and so that's a huge component of my life physical activity in general, just moving. Like he said, walking that's huge.
Speaker 5:And for the stuff that you know maybe I can't and for the stuff that maybe I can't tackle mentally on my own, I talk to my wife. I have the inner circle that I rely on, and then there's literally thousands of people out there that if I picked up my phone and was like hey, I need to talk about some pretty heavy stuff right now, they would take time for me. I'm certain of it. That's awesome. I can guarantee this guy would, I'm certain of it.
Speaker 5:That's awesome. I can guarantee this guy would.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 5:So that's just knowing that I have that in my pocket.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 5:Just a phone call away. It's that safety net. And then the main thing is not to just know that I have it, but to use it yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, we have to use it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay. So two last questions, because I could probably talk to you guys for another hour, but like time is time is of the essence on the podcast, so we've been talking for a while, which I love. So what advice? So two questions. First one what advice would you give to someone who's thinking about or trying to become sober or you can flip it and what advice would you give to someone who has a family member who they see struggling and they don't know what to say or what to do? You can pick either one. What would you end with?
Speaker 3:It's tough because I've had friends and even family members who need help that still won't get it. So there's really nothing you can say to somebody to make them do it. Unfortunately they've got to want it themselves. But I try to live as an example. I like to draw comparisons between how bad my life was and where I'm at now. I'm free to do whatever I want. Honestly, there's nothing I don't think I can do based on where I'm at in life. So I'd say try it like, take the leap. You know it's, you won't regret it.
Speaker 3:Honestly, Like, if you, if you really give it the full attention it requires no half measures, go all in, you will be pleasantly surprised with the results, whether that's the 12-step group or IOP or just working with the small group, there's a hundred ways to do it and I won't tell anybody exactly how to do it, because what works for me might not work for you. But just get rid of that fear. It's really that fear that keeps us from doing what we want to do in life and a lot of people won't admit it. But if you speak that out and tell someone or journal it or confide into somebody and just take that first step because it's impossible to do on your own.
Speaker 3:I believe Like listening to Pete and Adam. That's where I heard the voice of God, like through my sobriety. He doesn't just talk to me in my head or anything. You listen to other people and if you're trying to do it on your own or just white knuckle it, it's not going to work out for you. It'll save you the struggle. So, yeah, lean on other people, jump in, just do it. Kind of would be my advice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what about you guys?
Speaker 1:to end I would find somebody, um, in recovery and in in this day and age with social media.
Speaker 1:You know we have a local Facebook page, um, in our community that I see all the time um, either it's a family member looking for somebody or somebody saying, hey, I've got a problem with drinking or drugs and I need to go.
Speaker 1:The cup of coffee I had with a gentleman that was in recovery saved my life because immediately I felt this connection when I shared and then he shared back, I understood that he understood, and I could have that same conversation with somebody who wasn't in recovery and I would be like you don't understand me. And there's just something about that knowing what it's like, having experienced the desperation that we've each shared today about our darkest days, that another addict whether, like I said, alcohol, drugs, sex, food, whatever your thing is find somebody in that and it's really not hard today with social media and the internet. And that will give you a synopsis of what it's going to take, because it's. You know, like I said, I go back to everything that I've learned and that I do today. I didn't invent. Somebody else shared it with me and it resonated with me and, like Mark said, my program isn't the same as his, but man, I can relate to everything he says Other people.
Speaker 5:So I think about because, like Mark said, you can't make that choice for anybody else but if I was talking to myself in the using days else, but if I was talking to myself in the using days, one thing I think about is how, how I felt, uh, and I'm the name of a song comes to mind it's terminally unique, right? Oh yeah, uh, I thought I was terminally unique, like nobody knows what I'm going through.
Speaker 5:Nobody, nobody knows the pain that I felt, you know, in this moment in my life or in this moment of my life, and nobody knows how hard it is to quit using this stuff and these were all internal, that self-talk that I had. Uh, I would say to them you know, you're not unique. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands, probably millions of people that can relate to you. We are more alike than what we think. And just give it a shot. And to the people that love someone who's struggling, that love someone who's struggling, sometimes love can actually enable my mom. She cared, she still cares a great deal about me.
Speaker 5:She did then, but because of where I was with my using, she would, actually she was enabling me at times. And you know, eight and a half years later, she's still like down on herself about it and that's one of those things that I can't ever erase. You know, it's like burnt into her memory and it's burnt into who I am now. But I can say just love from a distance for some from you. Sometimes you have to right, those are great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was getting emotional hearing all of those things because obviously, like I'm married to someone who went through it, I hear you guys and I know what you guys went through and you just want to be the solution, right, you just want to fix it.
Speaker 2:You want to make y'all love each other like love yourself, and I know that it doesn't work that way, but it still doesn't hurt my soul, you know, to hear when people don't love themselves. And so you guys actually asked my or answered my last question I was going to ask was resources and what should someone like do? And it is really like finding people in recovery. There's, there's. What did you say?
Speaker 3:Just the community. Community yeah.
Speaker 2:Like you guys and we'll put all of these in the description too and I'll get some from you guys, but there's so many things in local communities to people that want to support you. It's just taking that first step of being vulnerable and asking for help is kind of like the synopsis that I kind of took from today. So just thank you guys so much for being on this podcast and sharing your story with so many individuals who are going to be able to hear this into the audience. Just thanks for hanging out with us and thank you guys again.
Speaker 1:Awesome, thank you. Pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for tuning into today's podcast all around part two of two about becoming sober and the journeys of Mark, adam and Peter three individuals who I just adore. Their takeaways were amazing, their stories were amazing and I feel very inspired. I think it's also really great as someone who is married to Mark. One of the guests is to also remind myself that they are all on their journey. I can support and I can love as much as possible, but we all have a choice in how we choose and how we live, and all of them have been sober between six to nine years. It's an incredible, incredible, inspiring thing, and for any of you out there that are struggling or needing support, please check out the show notes, as we have some different resources for you and also know that I am always here to support anybody that needs it. I will get you in contact with. However, I can support you and we're all in this together, so continue to spread love and kindness to everybody that you meet and I hope you have a wonderful day and don't forget to take care of yourself. Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Confident Podcast. Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Confident Podcast.
Speaker 2:If today's episode resonated with you, head over to leadconfidentlyorg for today's show notes, along with discounts to our services. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button, leave a review and follow us on Instagram and YouTube. At the Confident Podcast. Your feedback means the world to me and it helps more people discover the show. And hey, if you're feeling inspired to dive deeper, let's connect. You can find me on Instagram at LisaTarkingtonOfficial. Drop me a message and let's explore how I can support your journey to confidence and leadership. Remember you have the power to choose confidence every single day. Keep showing up, keep striving and keep believing in your potential. I'm cheering you on and I'll see you next time.
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