I went rucking today for an entire mile and a half by myself! I’m trying to build strength, and it’s absolutely a “no pain, no gain” situation. Afterward, before heading home, I sat on a park bench and was surrounded by birds singing. Before I even had a chance to exhale, I started recording my podcast for the day.

My topic today, “Easy Does It,” is easier said than done. Even when I’m walking, I have to remind myself to relax my shoulders, breathe, slow down, you’re not in a race. I’m repeatedly reminded in life to let go of my tension. Yoga, dog training, vestibular recovery, doing the dishes (without braking any) have all taught me that, and yet I’m twisted up like a rubber band no matter what I’m doing. I want to do as much as possible in the least amount of time.

Stroke recovery is teaching me to stop between tasks and check in on how I’m feeling. Sometimes, like today, I talk about slowing down, but don’t actually do it. I’m holding myself accountability and sharing it out loud because I know I’m not unique in this. “Easy Does It” echoes the same idea as yesterday about slowing down to the speed of joy. I’m still figuring out where that line is between doing the next right thing and just busying myself to avoid stillness.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#EasyDoesIt #StrokeRecovery #OneDayAtATime #NoPainNoGain #RecoveryJourney #SlowDownToGrow #MindfulMovement #VestibularRecovery #ProgressNotPerfection #NextRightThing

Our inner dialogue can be shaped by the voices around us, especially the critical ones. I can latch on to a passing comment from a stranger and fester in it. Today I noticed that what I feed myself is what I’ll come to believe. If I dwell in shame or defensiveness, those beliefs grow stronger. But if I stay grounded in present moment within my little footprint on the earth, in addition to faith and community, I feed myself the gentle truth of who I am, worthy of compassion.

Belief grows from what we repeatedly give our attention to. That includes the spaces we create for peace, the people we surround ourselves with, and the quiet ways we talk to ourselves when no one else is watching. When I plug into recovery meetings, my higher power, and my podcast, I’m recharging my battery. As I heard this morning, it’s like plugging into a power source, and the longer I stay connected to what heals me, the longer I hold onto the faith that fuels me. We are what we eat, yes. But we also become what we feed our minds and spirits.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#FeedYourFaith #InnerHealing #RecoveryJourney #MindfulLiving #SpiritualGrowth #CompassionOverCriticism #BeliefInAction #EmotionalSobriety #HealingEnergy #RechargeYourSoul

Where does fierce determination come from? I always thought those people who never stop and drive themselves to triumph each day have unbelievable will power. But how is that possible? Will power is depleting, so they must depend on something inexhaustible. The two sources that came to mind are faith and desperation.

I heard someone say this morning that desperation is a gift, and in my recovery journey it has been exactly that. That feeling of confusion, fear, and hopelessness can fuel determination just in knowing the alternative tied to giving up. Desperation is a sense of full depletion, and yet it can fuel us remake ourselves. And honestly, desperation can trigger and fuel faith as well. My determination comes from consistently seeking faith, because faith doesn’t deplete when I seek it.

When I’m bored, I feel some emotions that mimic desperation. Boredom, I’ve determined, is not a sign that I need to find something to do. It’s a signal that something is depleted within me. The restlessness, frustration, and emotional exhaustion is an invitation to self-reflect and lean in to faith.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#FaithInRecovery #GiftOfDesperation #FierceDetermination #EmotionalSobriety #RecoveryJourney #WillpowerVsFaith #MentalHealthHealing #InnerStrength #SpiritualGrowth #BoredomAndBreakthrough

After my stroke, and on the day I medically retired, I sat crying on my front stoop feeling defeated. I thought, “What do I have left?” But then came the answer, “my voice.” I had lost my ability to speak during the stroke and regained it thanks to a clot-busting medication. Since then, I’ve felt this deep responsibility to use my voice, but not just with my podcast. In recovery, I also began expressing myself through painting, sewing, sketching, and upcycling. I love to transform old broken jewelry, scrap fabric, and other materials into something beautiful and meaningful. Creativity became another frequency of my voice, one that speaks of resilience.

Through recovery upcycling and creativity, I’m healing while also making the invisible parts of me visible through my art. I’m reclaiming pieces of myself that felt thrown away long ago. Whether it's sketching an eye with a tear, restoring a cracked bracelet with a little wood filler and gold paint, or creating a bowl sculpture out of shell necklaces, I’m expressing what words can’t always reach. Creativity has given me structure, peace, and inspiration. I don’t have to be an artist to become one.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#CreativeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #ArtAsTherapy #FindingMyVoice #UpcycledArt #HealingThroughArt #RecoveryJourney #EmotionalExpression #MakeSomethingBeautiful #VoiceThroughCreativity

Timing is everything, even in recovery. I’ve spent years in crisis mode, responding immediately, and maximizing productivity. But that urgency clashes with my healing. I’m learning to pause in stroke recovery, just like I do in sobriety. I’m an excitable person, and excitement triggers my vestibular symptoms. Instead of rushing to do whatever is right in front of me, I’m practicing awareness by checking in with how I feel before doing anything. It’s not easy, but it’s helping me avoid the crash that comes from doing too much, too fast.

Sitting at the pool today with no urgent plans reminded me that not everything needs to be done right away. My reflex to handle things immediately is deeply ingrained, but I’m learning to wait, to rest, and to trust that things will get done in their right time. Slowing down gives me space to recognize what’s actually important and what’s just a habit of urgency. Recovery has been a difficult lesson in learning when not to do and just be.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

For more information, visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#RecoveryJourney #TimingIsEverything #VestibularWarrior #SlowDownToHeal #MindfulRecovery #ChronicIllnessAwareness #EmotionalSobriety #RestIsProductive #ListenToYourBody #HealingTakesTime

Summer always gives me this feeling of freedom, like a whole season of celebration. But with that comes memories of drinking. Sitting in a kiddie pool with wine beside me, mowing the lawn with wine in a water bottle, going to the beach, and sitting at outdoor restaurants was all connected to alcohol. And even though I don’t crave it anymore, those memories still pop up when the season changes. The key difference today is that I don’t entertain the thought. I recognize the memory for what it is, and I let it go. I used to think that if I wanted something, I had to do it. Now I know that I don’t have to listen to my “wanter.”

In early sobriety, I got to learn how to do all my “firsts” without drinking. Each season had its own unique challenges: going to the pool, celebrating holidays, going to a baseball game, enjoying fall festivals, etc. I also got to learn how to feel for the first time without drinking. Learning how to laugh, cry, and be angry without it leading to a drink gave me new perspective. I was experiencing life on life’s terms. Today, I get to feel joy, grief, and excitement without fear or regret. Living sober means letting myself be in the moment without needing to alter the inside of me.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

For more information, visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#emotionalsobriety #seasonaltriggers #overelation #sobrietyjourney #soberliving #summersober #recoveryawareness #feeltoheal #alcoholfreelife #soberandfree