Part of my sobriety plan is listening to podcasts. All kinds of podcasts, but one in particular: The Jocko Podcast.
Some of my favorite episodes are the ones where he interviews wounded warriors, men and women who survived physical and mental trauma in the most terrible human enterprise: war. These aren’t chest-breating muscle-flexing ego sermons. No. These guests share their struggles, failures and triumphs. It’s “Life” turned up “to eleven”.
Mike Day is a retired Navy Seal, survivor of severe childhood physical abuse, shot 27 times in a single engagement against 4 insurgents, where he prevailed, and is continuing to serve people today. He shares the highs and lows of his journey, with a perfect blend of pride, humility, strength and weakness. Well worth a watch/listen.
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Can’t tell you how many times I was listening to Jocko on my nightly walks in early sobriety, trying to bleed off the negativity I used to drink over, and the episode would be about someone who had overcome tremendous adversity. I remember thinking " If this guest could overcome a drug addiction after losing limbs to an IED, I’m not going to drink over a tough day at work". Helped me tremendously.
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He was inside a building. The fight was in a single room. A fellow SEAL and an Iraqi soldier were killed. When they and Day were shot, the team pulled back out of the building and prepared to drop a bomb on it, not knowing there were 6 women and children hiding in another room. Day saved their lives too.
Listen to the video. There’s a detailed account of what happened.