Arlina Allen is many things. A Silicon Valley executive, she is also a writer, the host of The ODAAT Chat podcast and the founder of Sober Life School. Sober since 1994, she's been married for 21 years and is the mother of two teenage boys.
"When I was 25 I hit rock bottom.
I had managed to alienate my family and all my friends. Although I was ambitious, my drinking and using was getting the way of my sales career. My heart was broken after ending a relationship and I had no evidence that I would ever feel different.
I stood at the abyss and I had to make a decision.
Through a series of fortunate events, I managed to find a community of people who had overcome their addictions and were willing to help me do the same.
These people changed the entire trajectory of my life.
I started out feeling lost, full of self loathing, demoralized and hopeless. But after a short time, my life began to transform. I felt a new zest for life. I began to see life beyond addiction. It was as if the veil in front of my eyes had lifted and I could see a path to the life I had always dreamed of.
All I ever needed was the right information, the right support and the willingness to do the necessary work. For that, I will be forever grateful.
After this type of “near death” experience, it is human nature to want to shout the message of recovery to the entire world."
In this episode, we talk about long-term sobriety, dating cops and why it's so important to share your story with the world.