The Yes-Man Trap: When Pleasing Others Destroys Your Integrity

You’re the “nice one.” The “helpful one.” The one who never rocks the boat. But here’s the truth: every time you say yes out of fear, you abandon yourself.   In this episode of the 1000 Days Sober Podcast, I explore the invisible cost of people-pleasing—especially when alcohol is involved. From parenting moments with my daughter Zia to money conversations with my wife Liza, I reveal how my fear of conflict used to rule my life—and how I reclaimed my voice by learning to say no with love.   This isn’t about being selfish. It’s about restoring your integrity. It’s about dropping the fear-driven yes… and choosing a boundary from SELF.   You’ll learn the difference between conscious kindness and covert self-betrayal, and why honouring your truth—especially in social settings—is one of the most courageous things you can do.   If you’ve ever poured a drink you didn’t want, stayed at a party you didn’t enjoy, or said yes just to avoid being judged… this one’s for you.   Much love—and STRIVE on! Lee     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #PeoplePleasing #Boundaries #AlcoholFreeLife #SelfLedLiving #QuitDrinking #SayNoWithLove #EmotionalSobriety #SelfIntegrity #TheLiquidLie #DailySobrietySupport

When Thad Wong moved in with his future wife, his secret relationship with alcohol was exposed—and everything changed.   In this deeply reflective conversation, Thad shares how he went from numbing the pain of “not being enough” with alcohol and marijuana to building a life of spiritual connection and embodied strength through internal martial arts and the 12 steps.   We dive into the heart of wu wei, the Chinese concept of effortless action, and how Thad’s practice of qigong and Bagua Zhang helped him shift from doing to being. He opens up about surrender, rebuilding trust, and why healing requires facing your inner dragons—not just quitting alcohol.   If you’re stuck in the loop of overachieving, overthinking, or overdrinking—this one’s for you.   — Visit Thad’s world: www.martialwellness.net Follow him on Instagram: @martialwellness     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #martialartshealing #qigong #BaguaZhang #12steps #wuwei #alcoholrecovery #spiritualsobriety #IFS #selfledliving #sobrietypodcast #mensmentalhealth #emotionalresilience #healingjourney

You wake up with a pounding head, your stomach in revolt, your Sunday in ruins—and you call it normal. But what if your hangover isn’t a side effect… but the entire point?   In today’s episode of the 1000 Days Sober Podcast, I pull back the curtain on the madness we’ve normalised: choosing to poison ourselves for a memory we barely remember, then laughing about it like it’s some kind of badge of honour. From Stereophonics gigs to vomit-streaked bedsheets, I share a personal story of what it means to wake up to the Liquid Lie—and what freedom really looks like.   If you’ve ever planned your weekend around being sick, this one’s for you.     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #HangoverTruth #AlcoholAwareness #SoberLiving #QuitDrinking #AlcoholFreeLife #HangoverCulture #SelfLedLiving #SobrietyJourney #LiquidLie #ReclaimYourWeekend #NoMoreHangovers #SovereignVow #MentalClarity #BreakTheCycle #PresenceOverPoison #RethinkAlcohol

It doesn’t happen all at once.   Your child doesn’t rebel. They vanish.   Little by little—at school, at practice, behind the bathroom door—they stop being who they are and start becoming who the world wants them to be. And most of us never notice… until it’s too late.   In honour of World Youth Skills Day, this episode goes deeper than coding or AI. It explores the quiet death of self-worth that leads our children to wear masks, people-please, and eventually drink to fit in.   We unpack The Echo—that flicker of truth that follows every performance—and how, as parents, we can either help our kids hear it… or teach them to ignore it.   And it all starts with us.   —   #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #AlcoholAwareness #TheEcho #ParentingWithoutAlcohol #GenerationalHealing #ConsciousParenting #CycleBreakers #SobrietyJourney #SelfLedLiving #AlcoholFreeParenting #WorldYouthSkillsDay #LiveUnblended #AlcoholRecovery #InnerChildHealing #AlcoholReliance

You can’t have what you want—but you can experience what you have. This Preston Smiles quote stopped me in my tracks during one of my hardest seasons. I was stuck in fear, chasing the illusion of a “better future”… only to realise that everything I wanted was already around me—love, connection, enoughness.   In today’s episode, I invite you to stop searching for a feeling tomorrow and start noticing what’s already real—today. Because the truth is, if you’re too focused on your future, you’re missing the people who love you now.   Let’s stop trying to fix emotional pain with material goals—and instead, learn to feel the love that’s already here.     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #AlcoholFreeLife #LiveInTheNow #PresenceOverPerfection #SelfLedLiving #QuitDrinking #SoberCurious #EmotionalSobriety #HealingNotHustling #SpiritualSobriety #FutureTripping #TheLiquidLie

What happens when a man loses his throne?   Not in some fantasy kingdom—but in the real world. When the job goes. The marriage ends. The body breaks down. The identity crumbles.   Today’s episode is dedicated to Stan’s father—a man who lost his eyesight, his sense of worth, and ultimately, his life. But it’s not just his story. It’s the story of thousands of men silently collapsing behind the bottle.   We explore how legacy burdens shape masculine worth, why alcohol so often steps in when purpose disappears, and what it means to reclaim your kingdom by living from SELF—not status.   This one’s for every man who’s ever wondered, “Who am I if I can’t provide?”   And for every woman who’s ever loved him.   #1000DaysSoberPodcast, #LeeDavy, #STRIVE, #STRIVEMethod, #AFAF, #SelfLedLiving, #MenAndSobriety, #MasculinityCrisis, #AlcoholRecovery, #IFS, #LegacyBurden, #FatherWound, #MasculineHealing, #ReclaimYourWorth, #AlcoholFreeAsFuck

It’s World Population Day—a time to worry about overcrowded hospitals, ageing societies, and resource collapse. But don’t stress… alcohol’s already solving the problem.   One drink, one fall, one suicide at a time.   In this short but savage episode, I unpack how alcohol isn’t just harming the drinker—it’s quietly shaving down our global numbers, one hospital admission at a time. From overloaded A&Es to violent assaults and sexual abuse, the data doesn’t lie: the liquid lie is a slow-motion culling, hidden in plain sight.   If you care about your kids, your future, or the people still waiting in hospital corridors—listen to this.   And then take the vow.     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #WorldPopulationDay #AlcoholAwareness #PublicHealth #SoberLiving #QuitDrinking #AlcoholFreeAsFuck #HospitalOverload #NHS #SovereignVow #SelfLedLiving #TheLiquidLie

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE   Did alcohol ever turn you into someone you didn’t recognise? For me, it wasn’t just the booze—it was the way I reacted to everything. Bees. Noise. People. I was a pressure cooker with no release valve.   On International Don’t Step on a Bee Day, I’m sharing the story of how giving up alcohol helped me reclaim my attention, my nervous system, and my humanity. This episode isn’t just about bees—it’s about presence.   ✅ What you’ll learn in this episode: – Why alcohol shrinks your window of tolerance – How presence (not perfection) is the first sign of healing – How being AFAF helps you stop reacting and start responding   This one’s about clarity. Breath. And noticing the sting before you squash it.   If you’ve been running on autopilot… it’s time to look around.   🎧 Ready to reclaim your attention? Try STRIVE Foundations today—email [email protected] to get started.   Subscribe, rate, and review if this episode resonated. Share it with a STRIVER who’s still swatting at life instead of breathing through it.   sobriety, alcohol-free, quitting alcohol, nervous system regulation, how to stop drinking, IFS therapy, trauma recovery, clarity, sobriety motivation, STRIVE Method, alcohol recovery, mindful living, daily sobriety podcast, sober inspiration, mental clarity, alcohol-free life, Lee Davy, 1000 Days Sober Podcast, emotional regulation, triggers and alcohol, living AFAF, attention, presence, don’t step on a bee, international bee day, quit drinking

You wake up with a pounding heart, a foggy memory, and a sinking feeling in your gut.   “Did I say something I regret?” “Did I break a promise?” “Why did I drink again?”   That’s the regret spiral—and it’s brutal.   In today’s episode, I walk you through 5 tools that can help you stop spiralling and start repairing. From radical compassion to healthy responsibility, you’ll learn how to transform regret into integrity and move one step closer to living a SELF-led life, alcohol-free-as-fuck.   This one’s for the STRIVER who wants to stop waking up ashamed—and start waking up aligned.   Let’s get you out of that spiral.     #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #TheLiquidLie #AlcoholAwareness #RegretSpiral #ShameHealing #AlcoholFreeLife #EmotionalSobriety #IFS #SelfLeadership #QuitDrinking #SobrietySupport #AlcoholRecovery

You stopped drinking, but you still can’t stop doing.   You grind through the weekends, chase one more task, skip rest, and call it “purpose.” But what if that’s not your SELF talking?   In this deeply personal episode, Lee Davy flips the script on hustle culture and exposes the hidden firefighter that drives overworking long after the alcohol is gone. It’s not passion. It’s panic. It’s not productivity. It’s protection.   Lee reveals how his workaholism was never about ambition—it was a trauma response in disguise. If you’ve ever skipped rest because “you can’t afford to stop,” this episode is for you.   We talk about: – How childhood shame becomes adult hustle – Why you’re not lazy—you’re scared to be still – How to tell if your work ethic is a PART, not your SELF – The cost of overworking on your relationships – A powerful vow to break the cycle today   This one isn’t about time management.   It’s about soul reclamation.   #1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #TheLiquidLie #WorkaholismRecovery #EmotionalSobriety #IFSHealing #ProductivityCulture #Overworking #StillnessHeals #SelfLedLife #TraumaHealing #AlcoholFreeJourney