We we've all heard about carrying baggage and that we should be putting that baggage down. Today is a return of the group episodes and we're going to ask the guys from South Africa, the US, and Australia to share their ideas not on baggage but on stuff that should have been put on a compost pile. Because compost piles turn into fertilizers which can be used to grow and learn from.

Are you stuck in the rut of trying to prove to people that you have changed? They still call you the addict, the black sheep of the family, the loser, etc. Today's episode is a walkabout in It Doesn't Define Me Park. The focus of this episode is to see ways your past can define how people see you today and then how you view your future.

Today's episode looks at a common situation that I run into with guys early in recovery and that is learning to be aware. By this I mean growing in awareness and understanding of how they ended up in addiction and with the consequences of that addiction. This is not about behavior modification, this is about awareness that brings understanding of our wound and finding healing and finding true heart change and transformation.

After more than two weeks in the hospital and recovery from three surgeries, I share the things I learned in this extended physical recovery. As you listen to my 12 key points in this recovery I other you to take notes to compare what you're doing in your recovery.

How do you handle the changing winds in recovery? Today we look at various winds that can affect our journey of recovery: contrary winds, hindering winds, head winds, driving winds, etc. We are reminded by an African proverb that "The wind does not break a tree that can bend." We are also reminded that "A tree that refuses to dance will be made to do so by the wind."

Today's episode is the first of two parts in which we look at what keeps you anchored in recovery. Outlining the various aspects of the definition and the purpose of an anchor. And looking at how each of those aspects can be a benefit to our recovery as well as a detriment to our progress in recovery. The pros and cons. Next week we'll look at the winds in recovery.

In today's episode we look at Socrates quote "Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and weak minds discuss people." What are you discussing in your daily conversations? What emotions and feelings do you have about people and events that keep your mind weak. And how do these things weaken your recovery. Take an inventory of "What You Talkin' About?"

Deepak Chopra said "Balance is the secret ingredient to a happy and meaningful life." In this episode we look at that and five other quotes to build our own plan to create balance in our life. We talk about the balance between work and pleasure, between giving and receiving and between seriousness and levity. Get out your journal and start taking action ideas as you build balance in your life by finding it inside.