Proper Use Of Our Instincts (The Daily Trudge)Proper Use Of Our Instincts (The Daily Trudge)
RAW Recovery Podcast
Host Dion talks through Step Four and the "proper use of our instincts", showing how fear twists natural drives into defects and how honest inventory helps. Mixing humour with candid stories, he reflects on sex, money, codependency and learning to be a genuine part of the recovery community.
46:38•30 Mar 2026
Proper Use of Our Instincts: Fear, Defects and Step Four on RAW Recovery
Episode Overview
- Instincts like security, sex, and social connection are natural, but problems arise when they are pushed beyond their proper function.
- Fear often sits underneath defects such as jealousy, greed, anger and control, turning instincts into liabilities.
- Without a searching and written moral inventory, it is hard to gain lasting sobriety, contentment, or a faith that works in daily life.
- True partnership means being one among many – a friend among friends and a worker among workers – rather than dominating or over-depending on others.
- Thorough, honest Step Four work becomes the first tangible sign of a genuine willingness to change and move forward in recovery.
“"These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour the foundations of whatever sort of life we are trying to build."”
Curious about how others manage their sobriety day by day? This RAW Recovery / Daily Trudge episode follows host Dion as he chats live about "the proper use of our instincts" through the lens of Step Four in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Speaking straight from lived experience, Dion points out that instincts themselves aren’t the issue – it’s how far they get pushed.
He reads from the 12x12 and unpacks how our natural drives for "sex relation, for material and emotional security, for companionship" can morph into defects like self-pity, dishonesty, jealousy, and greed when they’re ruled by fear and ego.
As he bluntly sums it up, "These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour the foundations of whatever sort of life we are trying to build." You’ll hear him joke his way through “Dion’s daily funnies” before heading into heavy topics like codependency, revenge fantasies, and the temptation to chase sex or money when alcohol is taken away.
He admits his own past patterns – running people off, keeping a mental "shit list", wanting to control others – and contrasts that with what recovery looks like today: being "a friend among friends, a worker among workers, a useful member of society." The style is loose, conversational, and interactive, with Dion responding to live chat (including some playful back-and-forth about him saying "doo-doo").
Underneath the humour, there’s a clear message: Step Four is about seeing where instincts have "far exceed[ed] their proper function", writing it down honestly, and letting that be "the first tangible evidence of our complete willingness to move forward." If you’re working on character defects, feeling stuck in fear, or wondering why relationships keep blowing up in recovery, this episode offers raw honesty, some laughs, and plenty of food for thought.
How are your instincts working for you – or running the show?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.