RE 581: The BEST Way to Feel BetterRE 581: The BEST Way to Feel Better
Recovery Elevator
Paul talks about connection and nature as the most reliable ways he’s found to feel better, while Lydia shares her candid journey through early drinking, motherhood, relapse and a renewed, community-based approach to sobriety. The conversation focuses on moving away from shame and towards small, consistent acts of connection and self-care.
47:35•6 Apr 2026
The Best Way to Feel Better: Lydia’s Second Chance at Sobriety
Episode Overview
- Talking honestly with another person is presented as the most reliable way to feel better, especially in early sobriety.
- Shame and self-hatred may push someone into stopping, but they are described as unhelpful for building a satisfying alcohol-free life.
- Connection through community spaces such as Café RE and sober retreats gives structure, accountability and a sense of belonging.
- Small acts of self-care – rest, simple pleasures and treating emotional crashes as part of the process – help carry people through tough months.
- Time spent in wild, unmanicured nature is shared as a powerful second way to soothe the nervous system and quiet the mind.
“I keep proving to myself that I can live through it and that there is another day and another hour and another emotion right around the corner and that it's possible.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This Recovery Elevator episode follows Lydia, a 41‑year‑old from near Seattle, as she talks frankly about a life where alcohol once felt like her "glass slipper" and how she’s learning a different way to feel okay. The tone is honest, funny in places, and very down to earth. Paul Churchill sets things up by sharing what he calls the best way to feel better: talk to another human.
He explains that on days when his self‑talk is brutal, interviewing someone for the podcast consistently lifts his mood within minutes. As he puts it, connection beats isolation every time. Lydia’s story will resonate with anyone who’s juggled parenting, pressure and a secret dependence on booze. She describes early drinking in Poland, mum‑wine culture in the US, and the chilling moment she realised she was driving drunk with her three‑month‑old daughter in the car.
Her first four sober years were powered by guilt and shame – and she’s very clear that "self‑hatred… has no place in recovery." When she went back to drinking, the monitoring, sneaking and lying made it obvious the problem had returned. What shifted this time? A small sticker – "even the word impossible says I’m possible" – a pact with her husband, and a booked spot on a Costa Rica sober retreat that became her accountability anchor.
With support from the Café RE community, plenty of early bedtimes, ice cream and saying no to overload, she’s learning to ride emotional waves without numbing them. Along the way you’ll hear about puppy yoga, baby sea turtles, and what it means to "bring Costa Rica home" by building community and everyday joy. Paul also shares his second best way to feel better: time in wild, messy nature.
If you’re wondering whether connection and small, consistent wins could help you feel better too, this one’s worth your time.
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