Addiction doesn’t always look reckless. Sometimes it looks rational.
Fast relief. Low cost. Immediate results.

What rarely gets talked about is what happens over time — the dependence, the identity loss, and the long road back to clarity.

In this republished conversation, I sit down with D.E. Foster of Uneven Life to unpack the realities most people never hear about. We get honest about benzo dependence and withdrawal, why intelligent people fall into addiction, and why denial can quietly steal years — even decades — from someone’s life.

This episode isn’t about fear-mongering or labels. It’s about truth, awareness, and what it actually takes to rebuild when the thing that once “worked” starts taking everything.

We cover:

• Why addiction often makes sense at first — especially for smart people
• The overlooked reality of benzo dependence and withdrawal
• Whether benzo withdrawal is worse than opiates
• How addiction slowly erodes identity
• Why honesty is the real turning point toward freedom

If you or someone you love is navigating anxiety meds, dependence, or the aftermath of withdrawal, this conversation offers clarity, validation, and hope.

Learn more about D.E. Foster’s work here:
👉 https://www.unevenlife.com

From white-knuckling life to walking with purpose, from silent struggle to true masculine leadership—this conversation is about calling men forward 🧭🔥

On The Next Fix, I sit down with Mike Van Pelt to unpack a real comeback story—one many men are living quietly.

Mike opens up about losing his sense of purpose as a stay-at-home dad, and how effort, discipline, and “doing the right things” weren’t enough. The real shift came through intimacy with God, brotherhood with other men, and the humility to ask for help.

This episode dives into:
• why willpower alone keeps men stuck
• how buried childhood wounds resurface later in life
• the role of faith in reclaiming identity
• the power of male community and mentorship
• family dynamics and the weight of leadership
• breaking cycles and building a legacy
• the True Man philosophy for modern masculinity

If you’ve been grinding but not growing…
If you feel called to lead but don’t know where to start…
If you’re ready to stop surviving and start becoming—

🎧 This conversation will meet you where you are.

Learn more about Mike and his work:
https://www.truemanlifecoaching.com/

Explore more episodes, coaching, and resources:
https://www.ryanpenley.org/

You are the leader of your family.
You can break the cycle.
Your comeback starts now.

Most people think surrender means losing.

Doug Fleener explains why surrender is actually the moment everything starts.

Doug Fleener went from addiction and bankrupting his family business… to rebuilding his life and leading at the highest levels of business. The turning point wasn’t willpower. It wasn’t control.

It was surrender.

This conversation digs into the moment denial breaks, why ownership is non-negotiable in recovery, and how one simple question — “What if?” — can turn fear into forward motion.

What if you stop fighting reality?
What if you ask better questions?
What if this moment isn’t the end — but the beginning?

Doug also shares the heart behind his upcoming book, Start With What If, and how small reframes can create immediate momentum in sobriety, life, and leadership.

If you want a daily reminder to ask better questions, Doug sends out his Daily and Weekly What If prompts here:
👉 https://www.dougfleener.com/newsletters

For everything Doug Fleener

👉 https://www.dougfleener.com

For everything from your hose:

👉 https://www.ryanpenley.org