Addiction Recovery

66: Meeting Makers Make It

• Steven T. Ginsburg • Season 1 • Episode 66

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Thinking about skipping a meeting because the holidays feel busy and bright? We bring that impulse into the light and show why daily meetings act as a real buffer between you and relapse—the truth is simple: the distance to relapse is the distance between meetings. When life gets good, the disease whispers that you’re “fine” or “too busy,” but community cuts through that lie and keeps you grounded in the solution.

Meetings work because they dissolve isolation, put principles over personalities, and turn service into steadying momentum. One hour can interrupt cravings, shrink anxiety, and make room for honesty. Even if you’re introverted or hesitant to speak, there are gentle starting points: join a Zoom meeting, listen quietly, and trust the old line—take the body and the mind will follow.

Access has never been easier. The Meeting Guide app offers local in-person options, and platforms like Everything AA and 24/7 Zoom rooms across AA, NA, CA, CODA, and Al-Anon mean support is always nearby. You can join a Harlem meeting from a treadmill in Arizona, keep your rhythm on travel days, and help your family find support through Al-Anon or Nar-Anon.

The message is simple and urgent: don’t let up. Choose the next right hour with people who understand. If this helps, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a meeting today, and leave a quick review so more people can find their way to the room.

Helpful Links:
Learn more about Restore Detox Centers
Filling the Void book by Steven T. Ginsburg
Overcoming the Fear and Lies of Addiction e-book
How to Love and Set Boundaries Without Enabling Addiction e-book
Call Us for Addiction Recovery:  1-800-982-5530

DISCLAIMER:
Welcome to the Addiction Recovery podcast, brought to you by Restore Detox Centers. We are dedicated to providing valuable and insightful information on addiction recovery. However, it is essential to understand that the content shared in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, we cannot guarantee its completeness or suitability for individual circumstances. The topics discussed in this podcast are based on general knowledge and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

It is important to note that the views and opinions expressed by the podcast hosts, guests, or contributors are their own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Restore Detox Centers. We strongly advise listeners to consult with qualified professionals, such as addiction counselors, therapists, or medical practitioners, before making any decisions or taking any actions based on the information provided in this podcast. Please be aware that listening to this podcast does not establish a client-provider relationship with Restore Detox Centers.

Steven Ginsburg:

Do not let up. Do not let complacency be a part of the equation. Do not rest on your laurels. Be intentionals and pursue it vigilantly.

Steve Coughran:

This is the Addiction Recovery Podcast with Steven T. Ginsburg, founder of Restore Detox Centers in Sunny, California. Enjoy your experience. Steven, happy holidays. This time of year is so magical. And I want to talk about a topic you always repeat over and over again, which is meeting makers make it. Because right now, when you know it's a good time of year, maybe people are taking a little bit easy at work, uh, spending more time with friends and family, there may be the temptation out there to think maybe I could skip one meeting. And it's the holidays, it's Christmas time. You know, why not just like rest on my laurels here a little bit? What are your thoughts on that? And why do you always repeat that phrase, meeting makers make it?

Steven Ginsburg:

Steve, thank you. Uh, I have a big smile on my face because you're talking about one of the things that is nearest and dearest to my heart. Uh, one of my gifts for my anniversary this year was a plaque from some of my peeps who I adore. And the plaque said, Meeting makers make it, and it's sitting at the house at restore. And the reason why I say it is because it's true. Uh, there's a guy who I love in our home group, his name's Roger. He'll love that I said his name. Uh, he's coming up in 13 days. He's gonna take 49 years of sobriety. 49, 49 years in a row, nights and weekends included. And where do you find Roger? You'll find him right at a meeting. Why? He doesn't want to drink. You know, this is not a disease that's gonna go away. Uh, it's a remission and a reprieve. It's based and it's contingent on daily footwork, and one of the most imperative and important parts. And I believe at this point of my journey, at this point of my journey, I am now just firmly entrenched in the camp of a meeting a day is is really what I believe is best. First and foremost, best for me. Does it mean it's best for everyone else? It's not my place. Do I suggest it? Do I support it? Of course I do. Because was there really a day where I didn't drink and drug? Uh no. I was high every day, all day. So why would there be a day where I don't go in and participate in my remission, my reprieve, and my recovery and take in a meeting? And then quick footnote again, you triggered me and I told you I had a big smile on my face. Quick footnote. And here's why I don't believe there's ever really a day to skip a meeting. Okay, so right now, as we talk in real time, brother, it's 11:36 here in San Diego. So in about 24 minutes, sorry, there's gonna be about a thousand, and that's hardly an exaggeration, Zoom meetings that I could literally jump on on my phone or my tablet if I'd like to, or if I was at home on my computer. Literally. And while I was just recently away in Arizona for Thanksgiving, Saturday morning, 8 a.m., I am literally at the gym and I jump on. It was so beautiful. There was a great Zoom meeting in Harlem, and I jumped right on at the gym, had my whole workout, totally was at the meeting, turned my camera on when I shared, turned it off when I was done sharing, met a whole new group of people. They asked me to come back this Saturday, and I'll be back on that meeting again. And in the midst of the Thanksgiving holiday at 8 a.m. at the gym, I went to a meeting, a Zoom meeting. And if it's no meeting or Zoom meeting, I'll take a Zoom meeting every time. It's a contact sport. I want us at in-person meetings, but meeting makers make it a day at a time.

Steve Coughran:

Okay, so I've never been to a meeting like that before. So, what's so magical about these meetings? Is it just the habit of going that gives people more strength to like maintain sobriety for the day, or is there something inspirational, or is it like accountability? You have to go to the meeting and say something, like you reaffirm your commitment to being sober. Like what happens that makes the meeting so powerful?

Steven Ginsburg:

So you never have to share at a meeting. I believe if we're called on to share, I believe we should step up and be of service because service is better for the server than the served, and we should share no matter how we feel. Even if we don't feel like sharing, share that. Uh so I think if we're called on, we should share, but we don't have to. But I'll tell you where there's so much, such a blessing and so much healing and so much of the solution and in the daily reprieve that is bolstered and strengthened through meetings is that I suffer from a disease that wants to tell me on a daily basis what you don't have a disease, right? You're doing good, your wife loves you, you've got these beautiful kids, you've got this business, you're helping people, you're doing this podcast, all the things. The dogs are happy, come on, right, disease. And when I, number one for me, when I get into community, when I am with my people, when I am with my brothers and sisters in Trudge, my favorite word in the big book, walk with purpose. That's what trudge means. And I am in a meeting, I am able to diffuse my built-in forgetter within the context of that hour. It's an hour, an hour out of my day. Do you know how many things I waste an hour on? Right. How many times I go to the gym, how much I'm on social media, how much I'm listening to music, how much I play Xbox. I have no shame in admitting that. You're gonna tell me I don't have an hour to check in and to do something that helps keep me safe against this fatal disease that I suffer and am blessed with from a day at a time. Uh I do. And so meeting makers truly make it because it keeps us on course. The accountability is there, we are a part of. If we are restless and irritable and discontent, a meeting will cure what ails us. If we feel that we're more focused on the differences rather than the similarities, a meeting will cure what ails us. If we feel like we're gonna pick up a drink and a drug and we go to a meeting, I assure you, during that hour, we will not pick up a drink or a drug, and most likely we will not want to by the time that hour is done.

Steve Coughran:

Yeah, I love that. And I and I can see how powerful those meetings are. And I just think like the rhythm too of just going to those meetings over and over again. So it's like the distance between relapse is really the distance between meetings, right? Because you're not gonna relapse, like you said, in a meeting. So, you know, if you need to attend five meetings a day, you know, that's gonna shorten your distance between, you know, a potential relapse. And I think there's a lot of power there. And sure, it may seem like so simple, like, oh, you know, it's just a meeting, really. Like, what am I gonna get out of the meeting? But there's so much power and simplicity. And now, especially with modern day technology, there's no excuse. Like, why not? You like you said, you're at a gym and you're in Harlem. Yeah, you're you're in California, but you are in Harlem virtually on a phone. I mean, it's crazy. The technology access.

Steven Ginsburg:

I mean, like, who wouldn't want and how and again, it triggers me. So, like, you understand I get excited, but like, how can you and one of the things I do at group a lot, Steve? Like, I'll I'll choose someone like either a team member or one of my sponsees or an alumni. I'll be like, and I'll be like, hey, this is not a loaded question on a group level. I want you to answer what's on your heart. Is your opinion of me that I am a busy human being? I will ask the individual and be like, busy, your kids, the wife, your church, the meetings, your program, the people you sponsor restore. Okay, perfect. When have you seen any of that come before my Lord and Savior and my sobriety? We haven't, a day at a time. Why? Because like St. Ginsburg, no, the disease is after me, full bore 24-7. The disease, you know, the terminator. That's what he does. That's all he does. That's all the disease does. So I've got to and want to and have the ability to take that time and thanks. And I'm glad you referenced it. It's a context sport. I want us going to in-person meetings. Okay, that box is checked. But any day we want, we can jump onto a Zoom meeting. It's so again, I'm looking at my phone. Now it's 11:42. We're minutes closer to another meeting. You can jump on, and those meetings, they are fulfilling. The solution is there. That meeting I went to in Harlem, dude, some guy at the gym, Steve, he's like, Are you on like a work? He goes, Like, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Is that like a work call? Because it's Saturday, the week of Thanksgiving. I'm like, no, it's an A meeting. And he's like, Are you okay? And I'm like, hey, sir, I'm gonna be when this meeting's over. And we both had a good laugh. What a beautiful thing to participate in my sobriety, to have the privilege to participate, my solution, to be willing and wanting. I don't have to, I want to. I'm 21 years clean and sober by God's grace and mercy. This comes first because my disease wants to kill me first. So I just want to implore people. You're out there in this walk, you're you're pursuing and obtaining sobriety. Do not let up, do not let complacency be a part of the equation. Do not rest on your laurels, be intentional and pursue it vigilantly because the enemy is on our heels. We've got to do our part. Yeah.

Steve Coughran:

And I mean, the consequences are like so great too. And, you know, my wife and I, we try like our best to do a little spiritual thought every single night, especially with the kids. And, you know, the other night we're talking to the kids, and it's like, all right, guys, stop playing with the dog. You know, like my son's wrestling with the dog, the dog's like, you know, jumping on him, biting him, and my daughter's like rolling around on the ground and like on her phone. I'm like, okay, guys, just stop, put all distractions away. Like, give me just five minutes. Yes. Like, think about how much time is in the day. And we are, I'm literally asking you for five minutes to give, like, give God some of your time to give back. Like, God gave it, gave you 24 hours today. Like giving him five minutes, which is ridiculously small. But it's just it's the small little things, you know, it's the small little habits. And even sometimes when we do these little like spiritual thoughts with the kids, I'm like, are they even listening? Are they even paying attention? But they are, and it's more of a habit and the pattern. I even think about you, like you're a very fit guy. Um, you've worked out for the majority of your life. Same thing is true with me. And it's just volume, it's just like the number of hours we've spent working out or in a gym over our life is like thousands and thousands of hours, right? Right. So I mean, but it just becomes a part of us, yes, you know, and and so I I love like I love how simple and how convenient meetings are. And maybe you could share a little bit about meetings from the perspective of somebody who may be thinking about, dang, I'm not a people person, I'm very introverted. I hate getting in front of people, I hate speaking up, and they're just like terrified of the thought of going to a meeting, either virtual or in person. What would he say to them?

Steven Ginsburg:

First and foremost, what I'd say to them is that is your disease trying to throw a roadblock in the way of your recovery. You are gonna find nothing but love and support and adulation and solution at meetings. No meeting is perfect. We're gonna always run into things that happen at meetings. That's why they very eloquently and perfectly put principles before personalities where this fellowship and where our programs are concerned. All that being said, when there is a thought that is taking you captive, or there's a moment, or there's a circumstance that is trying to keep you from getting to a meeting or going to a meeting that is your disease, attempting to prey on you and put you in the proper posture so you can head into pre-lapse and then head straight into relapse. Don't buy into it, don't bite, don't do it. If you're thinking about going to meeting like, ah, I'm not gonna do it, for sure, for sure, go to that meeting, no matter what. Or you know, take the body and the mind will follow. Just present yourself, the rest will take care of itself. And hey, if you don't want to share and you have a you have a fear of people, don't share. If you need to like work your way into it, you need to start out with Zoom because you're more comfortable and there's a little more privacy and you feel a little more aninimity. Start with Zoom and then try an in-person meeting. Just take your or by the way, if you're in the middle of all that struggle, reach out to us. I want to talk to you. I literally want to talk to you and talk you to you to this and through this because there's a solution there, and it's always our disease that's trying to keep us from the solution.

Steve Coughran:

Well said. So, how does somebody actually find a meeting? I know you were referencing that just a minute ago. You're like, I'm looking at my phone or tablet. How do you like is there an app or like a website, or how do you actually find these?

Steven Ginsburg:

So, a couple answers. There's this remarkable, incredible app that is a meeting. It's called, it's literally called a meeting guide. And it has a picture of a chair, a blue background, and a big circle. Maybe I can even uh screenshot just the front of the app, Steve, and we can put it up on our blog. Yeah. That meeting through our locations will show us literally every meeting like that's indigenous to us physically, physical meetings. And it'll even reference some Zoom meetings, and that's a free app. And then there's another app-based program called the Everything AA app. And they have similar apps for NA or CA or CODA or Al Anon. And those apps will give us online schedules of Zoom meetings that we can jump on to. And Zoom meetings are 24-7. I have a Zoom home group in Texas. I have a great Zoom meeting that I love that's at 11 at night our time that's in Dubai. That Harlem meeting I went to when I was in Arizona, that was 8 a.m. I will be back on that this Saturday morning. I am in love with that group. So there's so many meetings out there, and I want people to experience it. I want people to just understand how rich and robust and remarkable this community that we are blessed and chosen for is and what is out there because it is everywhere. It is so accessible, but the disease wants to push us away from it.

Steve Coughran:

And can somebody who maybe is a parent or a loved one, they're they're not dealing with addiction issues, but they have somebody who is like, can they attend these meetings or is this only for like select individuals?

Steven Ginsburg:

Listen, you certainly can. And the chairperson or secretary will let you know. If it's a closed meeting, all that means is if you don't identify as an addict or an addict or an alcoholic, it means they'd ask that you would just listen and observe because it's a closed meeting. If it's an open meeting, you could even check in and share and identify as a loved one or one in support of. And if you are a loved one or someone in support of, I would really, I want to implore people, please look into Al Anon. Please check out or Nananon, which is for narcotics. Uh, the support for the family members of those of us who are sober in those programs is so imperative, so empirical, and such remarkable work for those who are helping and coming alongside people like myself.

Steve Coughran:

Awesome. Great episode. Thank you, Steven, so much for talking through this with me. I think it's super valuable. Um, meeting makers make it.

Steven Ginsburg:

Amen. Steve, thank you. You bring so much joy to my heart tackling that today. Uh, we love you. We are for you. Have a safe and sober day, and we want to hear from you, Steve, and everyone. Thank you so much. God bless you all.

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Steven T. Ginsburg

Host
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Steve Coughran

Co-host