Out of Gas - now what?

**Podcast Summary: Out of gas? Now what?** Mike and Glenn are back in the coffee shop, bringing you another real, raw, and unfiltered conversation. Seemingly, they have it all together—especially when you consider that between them, they share 18 1/2 years of continuous sobriety (Mike with 7 1/2 years and Glenn with 11). But they don't buy into "Facebook sobriety." The reality is that life still happens, challenges arise, and sometimes the tank just runs completely empty. This episode dives deep into what happens when you feel like you're running on fumes, how to recognize the red flags of a mental relapse, and why we simply cannot do sobriety or life solo. The Reality of an Empty Tank When you are constantly digging, giving, and taking care of business—balancing work, personal projects, and sobriety (our number one priority)—the pressure adds up. It's an exhausting, hard-to-define stress. - **The Give and Get Balance:** When we give, we empty the tank. When we get, we fill it. Too much give and not enough get will slow us down. - **The "Jar" Analogy:** We all need a trusted advisor or accountability partner. They can read the label on our jar when we are too blinded by stress to see it ourselves. It doesn’t matter how "qualified" they are; it matters how invested they are in you. - **Feelings Are Not Facts:** Like a Ferris wheel, sometimes we are on top of the world, and sometimes we are at the bottom. Action Plans: What to Do When the Fuel Gauge Hits E Awareness is the first and most important step, but awareness must be followed by action. When you feel empty, sometimes the "next right thing" isn't found on your standard to-do list—it's self-care. If you are going through a hard season, try throwing these tools at the problem until something fills you back up: 01. **Find a Meeting:** Go to connect with others and realize you aren't alone. Compare your problems with others to gain perspective; everyone is carrying stress. 02. **Take Time for Self-Reflection:** Know where your fuel gauge is. 03. **Connect with a Trusted Advisor:** Lean on your accountability partners. 04. **Practice Gratitude:** Find the things you are thankful for. 05. **Do the Next Right Thing:** Fix the immediate problem in front of us. 06. **Prioritize Sleep:** Sleep drives clarity. If you need to punch out and go to bed at 5:00 PM to take care of yourself, do it (while still honoring your core responsibilities). 07. **Pray and Meditate:** Turn inward and upward. 08. **Absorb the Shock:** Learn to suffer better. You don't have to like the situation, just understand where you are. 09. **Focus on Serving:** Shifting your focus to helping others causes self-pity to pass. 10. **Use Audio and Environment:** Listen to good music or go to church. 11. **The Mikey Special (The Hard Reset):** Unplug, take a respite, and tell the world you are temporarily unavailable so you can rebuild your foundation and bounce back. Key Takeaways & Summary Your sobriety length is not a shield. As Glenn notes, 11 years doesn't automatically guarantee year number 12. To protect your recovery, watch out for old alcoholic behaviors and compulsions, and find healthy ways to relieve stress. **"If you think like you used to think, then you will drink like you used to drink."** - **Analyze:** Take time to figure out where you are. - **Plan:** Put together a proactive plan to de-stress. - **Pivot:** Move from reactive to proactive. - **Connect:** Have conversations with others. Getting help is what fills the tank. **STAY AWARE.** *Enjoying the show? Drop us a line or share your thoughts with Mike and Glenn at www.sober.coffee.*