Every man carries forces that pull against each other. It could be the urge to numb out and the call to face it, the inheritance of his father's failures and the responsibility to break the chain. For Michael Millin, those opposing forces weren't a metaphor. They were the difference between a life lost to addiction and the 17 years of sobriety he's built since hitting bottom with his back against the wall. Today, Michael and I talk about generational trauma, the instability of growing up with a father who came in and out of his life, and what it actually takes to stop running from the pain you've spent your whole life numbing. This is a raw conversation about alcoholism, faith, and the lie that we have to wrap our identity up in being broken. Michael shares how he went from mocking Christianity to wrestling honestly with God, how a single sober friend changed the trajectory of his life, and why enablers do more damage than they'll ever admit. If you've ever told yourself you weren't okay, this one is for you.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 - Episode Introduction 01:04 - Fatherhood, addiction, and absent fathers 04:06 - Growing up with addiction and instability 05:33 - Ryan's recovery experience and AA discussion 06:28 - Watching a father relapse after 15 years sober 09:24 - Rock bottom, poverty, and getting sober 13:39 - What rock bottom actually looked like 16:03 - Recovery, Indonesia, and spiritual searching 17:18 - Christianity, marriage, and life transformation 20:29 - Finding an outlet and building a meaningful life 21:51 - Addiction, purpose, and destructive patterns 23:37 - Fatherhood and defining a personal mission 26:49 - Turning childhood pain into purpose 28:50 - Faith, doubt, and searching for God 32:43 - Generational cycles and breaking family patterns 35:56 - Accepting hard truths and personal responsibility 39:50 - Addiction, identity, and becoming okay internally 41:50 - Family trauma and inherited suffering 44:20 - Native American heritage and generational impact 50:30 - Spiritual warfare and healing 51:16 - The story behind A Life of Opposing Forces 53:20 - Surfing, sharks, and feeling alive 59:16 - Lessons from being new on the journey 01:00:10 - Relationships, faith, and changing direction 01:01:55 - Where to connect with Michael

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