Perfection sounds tempting when you’re changing your relationship with alcohol—one decision, clean break, no looking back. But real life is messier, and that’s not a failure; it’s feedback. We open up about black-and-white thinking, the shame spiral that follows a slip, and the surprising power of calling your stumble what it truly is: a data point that can teach you how to move forward.

Together we reframe the numbers—26 days sober out of 30 still bends your story toward freedom—and we unpack why resilience beats perfection every time. I share personal moments of promising “not tonight” and drinking anyway, and how that didn’t shock God or erase my progress. Grace isn’t fragile. It holds when our plans don’t, and it invites us to get up again, learn what triggered us, and take the next right step. If faith is part of your journey, you’ll find encouragement in Proverbs 24:16 and a picture of a God who isn’t keeping score but cheering you on. If you’re approaching this from a secular angle, you’ll still get concrete tools to shorten the gap between a slip and your reset.

You’ll leave with a simple plan you can use the moment you stumble: call someone, go to a meeting, pray honestly or ground yourself with music, and focus on minute-to-minute choices that rebuild momentum. We talk about tracking triggers, rewriting “I ruined everything” into “I tripped, now I’m getting up,” and seeing progress as a steady climb where the falls grow shorter over time. If you’ve stumbled—or worry you might—this conversation offers practical steps, a kinder mindset, and a sturdy hope that lasts.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review with one takeaway you’re putting into practice this week.