Recovery Rewired Series : Recovery is Repetition

Recovery Rewired Series : Recovery is Repetition

Curious about how others manage their sobriety journey? This final instalment of the Recovery Rewired series brings together everything Lynette Larue has been unpacking about how the brain relates to alcohol, and asks the big question: once you can see your patterns clearly, how do you actually change them? Lynette breaks it down with a simple but challenging idea: "Recovery is repetition. Not perfection. Not willpower. Not motivation.

Repetition." She explains that the brain learns through lived experience rather than clever ideas, so reading books and having lightbulb moments won’t shift much unless they’re backed up by small repeated actions. You’ll hear the story of May, a Tribe Sober member who used to reach for wine every evening without thinking.

Instead of trying to become a whole new person overnight, May focused on tiny shifts: waiting three minutes before acting on an urge, swapping the first glass of wine for sparkling water with lime, listening to a podcast while cooking, adding a short walk after work. Each little change became a “vote” for her future self. Lynette also introduces the reticular activating system (RAS), the brain’s filter that highlights whatever you focus on.

Keep staring at deprivation and the brain will show you more loss; look for evidence of change — a clear-headed morning, a craving surfed, a difficult conversation handled sober — and the brain starts to believe, "Look what we just did. I can do this." Community support sits at the heart of the episode.

Lynette explains how hearing others say, "I got through my first sober holiday" or "I rode out that craving" gives your brain fresh proof that a different life is possible. Anyone who’s alcohol-free, sober curious, or stuck in the "I know better but nothing’s changing" loop will find practical, down-to-earth ideas here — and a gentle challenge to tweak just one habit by 10%. What small repetition could you start today?