michaelkrowne

I had the opportunity to sit down with the incomparable @tjwoodward_ this afternoon.

We talked about navigating shame, failure (and success), and the oddly controversial idea that “you are enough.” Chatting with TJ is always a joy, and I tend to walk away smarter than when I arrived.

This episode of his #unharmable talk show airs in October.
Follow TJ and @conscious.recovery for more.

michaelkrowne

10,000 people and counting.

When someone finds the courage to ask for help, figuring out how to finding ethical, qualified care shouldn’t be the thing that stops them.

That’s why we founded @faeblstudios: so we could help the best rehabs in America become as visible as possible, because I believe everyone deserves the same shot at a second chance that I got.

michaelkrowne

There was a time when leaving behind any kind of financial legacy felt completely out of reach, let alone leaving part of my estate to causes I actually care about.

The last 7 years of building my comeback have changed that. And as part of the estate plan my husband and I are putting together through @trustandwill we’re leaving a portion to the LA Opera and the LA Ballet.

Even though apparently nobody cares about those anymore.

Sorry, @tchalamet

michaelkrowne

I’ve got my team is doing a listening tour right now: talking to people across the addiction treatment industry to hear what’s keeping them up at night.

One facility founder said something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about: “it’s lonely at the top.”

And I mean…. Yeah, that tracks.

People who work in treatment are already carrying emotional weight that most people don’t relate to. Couple that with everything that comes with running a business and it can definitely feel like you’re on an island.

I feel it running my companies, absolutely. There are things I have to think about every day that nobody else thinks about. There’s weight I carry that I can’t really put down at the end of the day. And it can get lonely.

Honestly, I don’t have a tidy solution here. I just thought it was worth saying this outloud.

Does that resonate with any of you? Let me know!

michaelkrowne

Millions of Americans - many of whom are in recovery - are going to stop receiving their SNAP benefits tomorrow. This is devastating.

I know first hand how important these benefits are. Long before I started my companies, I relied on SNAP to fill the gap between what I was earning and what I needed to get by.

I wasn’t “gaming the system” and neither are these people.

So, starting tomorrow, your friends and neighbors are going to need your help. Time to step up and give back.

michaelkrowne

You might think that cuts at government agencies aren’t that big of a deal.

You’d be wrong.

SAMHSA is the backbone of the addiction treatment industry in the United States; it’s the agency that makes so much of the treatment, and prevention, and research, and insurance coverage possible.

And this administration is gutting it with no plan for ensuring that the life-changing services and research and access that it provides can continue.

The call is coming from inside the house.

michaelkrowne

Yesterday the Trump administration fired more than 100 people from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the federal agency that leads efforts to treat and prevent addiction and overdoses in the US. To date they’ve arbitrarily fired more than half the staff at this tiny but incredibly important agency.

While they were doing that, I was attending a conference hosted by MSNBC to understand what we can all do to fight back against these dangerous and potentially life-ending policies.

The disease of addiction doesn’t care who you voted for, where you were raised, or where you went to school. And it requires all of us to fight for the lives of those who are still struggling.

michaelkrowne

Want to know the secret to building the life you always wanted?

Spoiler: There’s no secret.

Wake up. Show up. Do whatever “100%” looks like that day. Go to bed grateful.

Do that 365 times in a row.

michaelkrowne

If you`re in recovery, don`t spend another day believing in anything other than the promise of your potential.

I believe in you. You should believe in you too.

michaelkrowne

Don`t underestimate the power of your presence in someone else`s life.

Sometimes seeing you have the courage to show up is all someone else needs to take a first step.

michaelkrowne

Success and sobriety don’t always happen in a straight line. They certainly didn’t for me.

But they are both available to anyone who is willing to put in the work.

michaelkrowne

Let’s dispel the myth that resilience, recovery, or building an exceptional life after rock bottom is reserved for the rich and well-connected.

When I got sober I had one sock, $28 bucks, and a backpack.

Addiction doesn’t discriminate, but neither does recovery. And willingness, perseverance, and faith certainly don’t either.

The honest truth is that if you think you’re done, you’re done. But if you believe you can rebuild, you’ll discover what you’re really made of.

michaelkrowne

“People don’t change.” “You are who you are.” “You can’t escape your past.”

Have you heard this “common wisdom” before?

I’m here to tell you that the people who tell you that are full of sh*t. They’ve never been to the edge of the abyss and come out the other side stronger and more resilient than before.

But I have. And I know that you can too. Hope, willingness, and consistency can transform “stuck” to “unstoppable.” Keep going.

michaelkrowne

I’m not supposed to be here. I was given a second chance at life.

And because of that, I care deeply about the work that I get to do every day - because it’s about helping other people get their own second chance.

I am grateful that I get to live a life of purpose today.

michaelkrowne

Without tools, you can only rebuild for so long before everything collapses.

I spent most of my adult life stuck in a cycle of build, burn, repeat. Until I finally did something radically different and found the tools I needed to break free of the cycle.

It wasn`t easy, but it worked. Now I teach other sober aspiring entrepreneurs how to do exactly the same thing.

michaelkrowne

There`s two ways you can look at it: your past - your mistakes, your tough times, your failures - are an albatross around your neck OR they are the irreplaceable lessons that make you uniquely valuable.

You choose.

michaelkrowne

Passing through London on our way to a friend’s wedding in Ireland and thought I’d share a little gratitude.

Still blows my mind that I get to live the life I live today.

Show up. Do the work. Don’t quit before the miracle happens.

I did it. You can too.