Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories

Brad McLeod
  • 5.0 (97)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

The Sober Motivation Podcast – Real Stories. Real Change. Welcome to The Sober Motivation Podcast, the top-rated recovery podcast inspiring people to quit drinking, stay sober, and build a life they’re proud of. Hosted by Brad McLeod, founder of the Sober Motivation Community, each episode features real sobriety stories, life-changing conversations, and actionable tools to help you overcome addiction and rediscover purpose. Whether you’re new to recovery, sober-curious, or years alcohol-free, this show will help you find the motivation and mindset to keep going—one day at a time. With millions of downloads and a growing global community, Sober Motivation is where hope meets action. Topics include: quitting alcohol, relapse prevention, mindset shifts, personal growth, mental health, community connection, and rebuilding your life after addiction. If you’re ready to live alcohol-free and create real change, follow The Sober Motivation Podcast today—because sobriety isn’t the end of your story, it’s the beginning. Contact me anytime at www.sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    I Was Drinking at 7 A.M. and Hating My Life | Gary's Sobriety Story

    He had a loving family, a private school education, great friends, and every opportunity in front of him. Yet by age 33, Gary was drinking in 7 a.m. bars in Spain, waking up in hostels with no money, and wondering how his life had fallen apart. In this episode of Sober Motivation, Gary Mairs shares how alcohol slowly took over despite what many would consider the perfect childhood. From teenage binge drinking in England to years of anxiety, financial chaos, broken relationships, and undiagnosed ADHD, Gary opens up about the reality of alcohol addiction and the moment he finally decided enough was enough. In this episode: • Growing up in England and early binge drinking culture • When alcohol started feeling different • Living with undiagnosed ADHD • Alcohol addiction and self-medication • University drinking and drug use • Financial struggles caused by alcohol • Moving to Spain and taking the problem with him • Drinking at 7 a.m. bars • The emotional rock bottom that changed everything • Finding recovery through AA and daily habits • Rebuilding confidence, purpose, and self-respect • Why sobriety became the foundation for everything else If you’re struggling with alcohol, questioning your relationship with drinking, or searching for hope in recovery, this conversation is a powerful reminder that change is possible. Download the Sober Motivation App: www.sobermotivation.com Gary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobernsound/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m

  2. Jun 4

    I Wasn’t Drinking Every Day, But Alcohol Controlled My Life | Todd's Sober Story

    Todd looked like he had it all together. He had a good job, a family, a home, and no major public consequences from drinking. But inside, alcohol was taking up more space than he wanted to admit. In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Todd shares how weekend drinking, binge drinking, hangxiety, shame, and constantly thinking about the next drink made him question his relationship with alcohol. He talks about trying to moderate, why quitting felt extreme at first, and the moment his son asked if they needed an Uber home from a baseball game. That question changed everything. Todd opens up about what it was like to stop drinking as a dad, why life without alcohol did not become boring, and how sobriety helped him become calmer, more present, and more connected with his family. If you are sober curious, trying to quit drinking, questioning your alcohol use, or wondering if your drinking is “bad enough” to stop, this conversation will hit home. In this episode: Questioning your relationship with alcoholWeekend drinking and binge drinkingHangxiety and the shame cycleTrying to moderate drinkingSobriety as a parentQuitting drinking before rock bottomWhy alcohol steals time, energy, and connectionLearning how to have fun without alcoholTodd is the author of I Didn’t Believe It Either: One Dad’s Discovery That Everything Is Better Without Alcohol. Connect with Todd on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tkinney111/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min

  3. Jun 2

    I Never Hit Rock Bottom, But I Knew I Had to Quit Drinking | Mateja's Story

    “I never got a DUI. I never got arrested. I never lost my job. So how could I possibly have a problem with alcohol?” Mateja didn’t drink until she was 21. She had a successful career, a good family, and from the outside looked like someone who had it all together. But behind the scenes, alcohol was becoming harder to ignore. In this episode, Mateja shares her journey through college drinking, restaurant culture, blackouts, anxiety, and the realization that you don’t have to hit rock bottom to quit drinking. We discuss high-functioning alcoholism, sober curiosity, recovery, AA, social pressure, anxiety, and what life looks like after alcohol. If you’ve ever wondered whether your drinking is “bad enough” to quit, this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen now and discover what’s possible when alcohol is no longer running the show. Mateja on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mateja_violinist Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 3m

  4. May 26

    I Was Drinking Every Day — How Alcohol Took Over My Life | JB’s Sobriety Story

    For years, JB thought he could manage his drinking. What started as binge drinking slowly turned into drinking every day, hiding alcohol, drinking on the way home, anxiety, shame, and feeling completely trapped inside the cycle. In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, JB shares his full sobriety story — growing up in chaos, starting alcohol and cigarettes at a young age, struggling with addiction, daily drinking, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and what finally pushed him to quit drinking alcohol for good. This is an honest conversation about alcohol addiction, recovery, sober living, mental health, anxiety, shame, fatherhood, and learning how to live life without alcohol. If you’re sober curious, struggling with daily drinking, trying to stop drinking alcohol, or looking for recovery motivation, this episode is for you. Topics covered: • daily drinking • alcohol addiction • sober motivation • quitting alcohol • sobriety journey • recovery community • anxiety and alcohol • shame and addiction • sober podcast • getting sober • alcohol recovery story Download the Sober Motivation app for daily meetings, community support, sober tracking, journaling, and connection with others living alcohol-free. JB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodworthey/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m

  5. May 22

    I Was Drinking 3 Bottles Of Wine A Night | Jessica’s Sobriety Story

    From the outside, Jessica looked like she had it all together. But behind closed doors, she was drinking 3 bottles of wine every night, blacking out, throwing up before work, and quietly falling apart while trying to convince herself everything was fine. In this episode of The Sober Motivation Podcast, Jessica shares her journey through hidden alcoholism, mommy wine culture, trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, addiction in motherhood, and the moment she finally realized she couldn’t keep living that way anymore. We talk about: • using alcohol to finally feel accepted • the loneliness behind addiction • high tolerance and hidden drinking • blackouts and trying to moderate • postpartum depression and emotional isolation • recovery, connection, and rebuilding life without alcohol If you’ve ever felt trapped in the cycle, exhausted from hiding your drinking, or wondered whether life without alcohol could actually get better, this episode is for you. Sobriety gave Jessica something alcohol never could: peace, presence, and connection. 🎙️ The Sober Motivation Podcast shares real stories from people who have quit drinking alcohol and rebuilt their lives in recovery. Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaguerrieriauthor/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m

  6. May 20

    Luke Didn’t Know Who He Was Without Alcohol to 7 Years Sober

    Luke spent 14 years selling alcohol while it was slowly killing him. Three rounds of rehab. Hospital visits. Drinking in the morning. On December 30, 2018, he had his last drink. In this follow-up, Luke walks Brad through what changed in the seven years since. The scene with his daughter screaming "Dad, don't go" as he drove away in tears. The AA foundation that carried him through year three. The therapist who leaned in and asked the one question nobody had ever asked him: what about you? You'll hear about: working in the liquor industry while drinking yourself to death; getting sober as a divorced dad; outgrowing AA without losing the gratitude; the daily self-care pillars that hold long-term sobriety together; what 7 years alcohol-free actually feels like. Connect with Luke on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dadonthemock Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min

  7. May 14

    From Hiding Vodka in the Bathroom to 6 Years Sober: Jimmy's Story

    Jimmy used to drive his car around the corner, sit alone, and drink vodka all day instead of going to work. At home, he hid bottles behind the sink and inside the toilet cistern, sneaking off mid conversation to top up. He started drinking at 14. By his mid twenties he was going through three bottles of wine a night. A miscarriage, lost jobs, and a spontaneous flight to Mallorca all came and went. Nothing stuck until he hit a hospital detox at 40, during COVID lockdown, and decided he was done. Six years later, he's married, working as a gardener and photographer, and showing up for his life. You'll hear about: the cough medicine trick he used to manage withdrawal; what hiding vodka really did to his relationships; the AA member who told him he wasn't an alcoholic; what 6 years sober actually feels like; the one thing that finally stuck. If you've ever hidden your drinking, this one's for you. Find support: www.sobermotivation.com Jimmy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 12m

  8. May 11

    Quitting Drinking Saved My Life | Stephanie’s Sobriety Story

    Stephanie never thought she had a serious drinking problem. She was successful, working in healthcare, maintaining relationships, and doing everything she could to keep life together on the outside. But behind closed doors, alcohol slowly became the way she coped with anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness, and major life changes. What started as gray area drinking eventually turned into hiding alcohol, drinking alone in parking lots, blackouts, hospital visits, rehab, and feeling completely trapped inside her own mind. In this episode, Stephanie shares her powerful sobriety story, including growing up around alcohol, trying to moderate her drinking, relapsing after rehab, and the heartbreaking moment her father stayed beside her through withdrawal without judgment. She also opens up about how sober community and connection finally helped her stop fighting alone. This conversation is for anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, struggling to quit drinking, battling anxiety tied to alcohol use, or wondering if life without drinking can actually get better. In this episode: Gray area drinkingAlcohol addiction and recoveryAnxiety, depression, and alcoholRehab and relapseLearning how to cope without alcoholThe progression of drinking over timeSober community and connectionRebuilding life through sobrietyIf you’re trying to quit drinking or stay sober, this episode will remind you that recovery is possible — even when things feel hopeless. Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steph_kan_do_this/ Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291 Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
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Hosts & Guests

5
out of 5
97 Ratings

About

The Sober Motivation Podcast – Real Stories. Real Change. Welcome to The Sober Motivation Podcast, the top-rated recovery podcast inspiring people to quit drinking, stay sober, and build a life they’re proud of. Hosted by Brad McLeod, founder of the Sober Motivation Community, each episode features real sobriety stories, life-changing conversations, and actionable tools to help you overcome addiction and rediscover purpose. Whether you’re new to recovery, sober-curious, or years alcohol-free, this show will help you find the motivation and mindset to keep going—one day at a time. With millions of downloads and a growing global community, Sober Motivation is where hope meets action. Topics include: quitting alcohol, relapse prevention, mindset shifts, personal growth, mental health, community connection, and rebuilding your life after addiction. If you’re ready to live alcohol-free and create real change, follow The Sober Motivation Podcast today—because sobriety isn’t the end of your story, it’s the beginning. Contact me anytime at www.sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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