About three minutes ago, I recorded episode #43 for my audio podcast subscription thingy.
This is a continuation of my new series of audios, where I read letters I’ve received from professionals about what it’s like to drink and do their job. Doctors, lawyers, musicians, pastors. The first audio was from a therapist.
Today’s audio is “What’s it like to be a pastor who drinks?”
Pastor K (the now sober pastor) outlines what she sees as the challenges of being a drinker in her profession.
It won’t be long before you see a pattern …
I’m posting the entire audio here, because it’s short. This audio will be available for 48 hrs. Click below to listen:
[this link has been removed]
click here to try a podcast subscription (1 month trial) – and of course, when you get bored of me, you can cancel whenever you want
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Happy Day 50 to Dawnfair79!
Happy Day 50 to Janx!
Happy Day 50 to Dori!
Happy Day 100 to Phi!
Happy Day 100 to Connie!
Happy Day 180 to Denise!
Happy Day 180 to HealthHappiness!
Happy Day 180 to ChangingMyLifeAt60!
Happy Day 200 to Primrose!
Happy Day 200 to Sadie!
Happy Day 365 to KristinRecovering!
Happy Day 400 to Mr. Belle!
Belle, you asked for feedback on what we might have heard as a common theme with these podcasts. I think some common elements among the professionals and everyone else on this blog are 1) perfectionism and it’s accompanying impossible-to-please self-talk, 2) using alcohol as reward or “medicine” for our daily efforts and difficulties, 3) taking care of others while forgetting any kind of self-care, 4) fear, shame, and feeling alone with it all “because no one else could possibly be living such a lie while actually having so little self-control. And as you’ve said before, this is all Wolfie telling us shit that is just not true…it just isn’t. That’s my favorite line of yours. Love you and your blog and all the other “liars” who don’t want to and don’t have to anymore.
Ah, that feeling of being a fraud. Of covering up those dark areas that no one should be seeing, because their lives are “perfect” and ours aren’t. Thank you, Janett and Pastor K, for reminding us that even the “good examples” in our midst can struggle with the dark.
Hi – it’s Janett (the sober therapist from the previous podcast) – Belle gave me a heads up that these professionals stories would be similar in theme – I guess I didn’t realize how on track that would be. I can SO identify with this – the silent voice telling me I’m a fraud – the expectations we think others have of us to be pillars of our community – ones who don’t have any problems – and of course we do because we are everyone. How the drink became the thing that we looked forward to the most, but which causes us the most shame. Ugh – it’s just so heavy. What a journey right? So much struggle and pain, but so many gifts in the darkness. Thanks Pastor Kay for sharing your story. And thanks Belle for bringing these stories to us.