#53: Although Collin (he/him) always thought of himself as someone who 'shows up' even on hard days, he realized he was running away from life with substance use. Now a recovery coach and avid long distance runner, Collin has honed the skills of showing up for himself and his community. For him, one of the most precious gifts of recovery is a high level of integrity poised with self-compassion, carried through all aspects of his life.
In this episode we discuss:
- How recovery is a choice, and it takes work.
- His acceptance that recovery does not prevent the plethora of unhappy emotions that come with being human, but now he has the tools to work through them.
- Finding the balance between cultivating self discipline & mental toughness with allowing yourself to have compassion. Moving away from a mindset of perfectionism and allowing yourself to make mistakes has been one of the toughest aspects of Collin's recovery journey.
- Realizing that you do have value and there is light on the other side. One of the greatest gifts in recovery has been helping others to see the value in themselves through Collin's work as a recovery coach.
- How his loss of identity as a student-athlete in college and then in treatment led Collin to pursue marathoning, as running was the one thing that made him feel positive during a low point.
- The positive impact of running on Collin's life, specifically how it shifted his focus from winning and attaining results to allowing himself to just be and recapturing a sense of purpose.
To learn more about Collin, follow him on Instagram: @wainleft or read about him in Runner's World: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a34851775/runners-world-member-collin-wainwright/
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If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health or substance use related crisis, the following resources can provide immediate help.*
If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, please dial 911.
*Note: The resources listed are provided for informational purposes only. This list is not comprehensive and does not constitute an endorsement by The Phoenix or the Rise Recover Live Podcast.
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