THE PROFOUND JOURNEY
FROM ADDICTION TO ABUNDANCE
Hello Friend,
Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Profound Journey, I am honored and humbled to have you here with me.
If you’ve found your way to this page, there’s a good chance you - or someone you dearly love - are struggling with some form of addiction and it is tearing your life apart. Or, you are deeply concerned that is it about to destroy everything you love and cherish: your relationships, your business, career, your very life. Everything you have worked for is at risk of being destroyed by your alcohol abuse or other addiction. You have come to the right place.
Wherever you are on this path: welcome. This is a safe place for you. A place free from judgment and shame, and full of compassion, understanding and a burning desire to free you from your substance abuse and liberate you to live the life you are intended to live. A healthy, vigorous, abundant life - free from the tyranny of your addiction.
Why The Profound Journey Exists
The purpose of The Profound Journey is simple and bold: to help you break free from addiction so you can live an abundant life.
The premise of The Profound Journey is this: you are not your addiction, and you will not find lasting healing by medicating symptoms. Together we will go much deeper. We will explore the root causes of addiction - those often-hidden wounds, patterns, beliefs and experiences that keep you trapped.
In my own life experience, discovering and addressing the root causes is what finally opened the door to freedom.
Addiction is a cruel master, is it not? But victory, recovery and a life of meaning and abundance are possible.
As we will see, addiction is complex. There are many forms of it, and many potential causes. In this newsletter we will explore such topics as:
childhood trauma
brain chemistry
anxiety, depression and mental health
is addiction a disease?
is addiction a result of poor choices?
is addiction a moral failure?
addiction and spirituality
addiction and Christianity
disillusionment
bewilderment
stress - at work, at home and every where in between
people-pleasing
living out of alignment with your deepest values and true self
the environmental factors that contribute to, or trigger, addiction
addiction as the response to human suffering
Each of these - and more - can be a contributing factor to substance abuse. By uncovering and understanding them, we can begin to heal.
My Story, Briefly
For me it was alcohol. I struggled with alcohol abuse for more than 15 years. Man, did I struggle. I have said, texted and done things I will forever regret. I have hurt family and friends deeply (it will take years, if ever, to restore their trust and their relationships, but thanks to their forgiveness and grace, things are slowly on the mend), I seriously risked and jeopardized my career, I lost A LOT of money and lost a lot of years I will never get back. (How about you? Any regrets? Things you wish you could take back or undo?)
But God is good and God is faithful, and it is my prayer that this newsletter redeems those lost years by helping you with your addiction journey.
There were many layers, and several root causes of my alcohol abuse, that’s what made it so difficult. Unraveling all the layers and dealing with each one took time. Some of the layers included brain chemistry, childhood trauma, spiritual disillusionment, stress at home, stress at work, along with diagnosed depression and anxiety. The depression and anxiety were suffocating and I didn’t even know I was suffering from them until I was very late in my 50s to early 60s. Wow, did I ever medicate my depression, anxiety and misery! It’s been quite a learning adventure, that’s for sure. It took a lot of work over numerous years to sort it all out, but I’m grateful for the journey to where I am today. The hard work was worth it, and, I believe, it will be for you too.
I will share more of my story in a future issues/issues, but for now I simply ask for the grace to say: I understand your struggle, and I want to walk with you toward healing.
Today, I am at peace, rebuilding my life and living a life of joyful abundance - and by abundance I don’t mean financial wealth, but something far richer.
It took me years to peel the layers of the onion, so to speak, of my alcohol abuse. It is my goal, through The Profound Journey, to expedite your journey from addiction to abundance. You, and all the people you love, have suffered long enough.
A Note About Spirituality
Please know that I am a spiritual person. Specifically, I am a Christian and I believe there is a God-shaped space in our hearts that only God can fill. Nothing on this earth, no relationship, possession, or accomplishment, can fill that space, that vacuum. Only God can fill that space. You do not need to be a Christian to benefit from The Profound Journey, just know that I am a spiritual person. I believe God and spirituality are an important part of the solution and I will be writing about the spiritual aspects of this profound journey in future issues.
A Few Comments Before We Begin:
I will avoid using the words “alcoholic” or “addict”. To me, those are “identity” words, and I do not believe addiction is your identity, who you are. Your identity is as a precious child of Almighty God who happens to have a serious struggle. Your addiction or substance abuse is NOT your identity.
I will generally use the terms ‘addiction’ and ‘substance abuse’ interchangeably.
Certain words will be defined very intentionally. You’ll find these definitions powerful and essential on your path to freedom.
I occasionally have a sense of humor, so when those rare instances come up, I’ll give you a gentle heads-up.
I expect to post 3-4 times per month.
As Dr. Gabor Maté says: “Don’t ask why the addiction, ask why the pain.”
I invite you to join me as we begin this profound journey - ‘from addiction to abundance’ and to build this community of mutual concern and shared vision together.