Join us as Denise McDonald recounts a powerful wake-up call in the ‘Step 1 Denise Lived Experience Series’. In this episode, Denise shares the moment her sponsor bluntly told her, “I’m going to have to fire you because you’re wasting my time.” Denise was shocked, angry, and didn’t understand how someone could give up on her so easily. As she walked to her car, furious, she realized that maybe her sponsor had a point—she wasn’t participating, wasn’t speaking up in meetings, and wasn’t fully committed to her recovery. This moment of confrontation pushed Denise to reflect on her own effort and sparked the desire to prove her sponsor wrong.

Step 1 of Alcoholics Anonymous is about recognizing our powerlessness, but it also requires us to take action. Denise’s story highlights how tough love and honest fee ...