Importantly, Alcohol Awareness Month is also about celebrating recovery and hope. Many events highlight stories of those who have overcome alcohol problems, putting a spotlight on the fact that people can and do recover – in fact, it’s estimated that as many as 20 million Americans (including family members) are living lives in recovery from alcohol-related issues.

Reading this book was deeply personal. Every chapter made me think more deeply about Ruger’s internal world. What would he say if he could speak? Would he joke about my weird human behaviors the way Enzo does? Would he notice emotional subtleties I might miss? This story strengthened my belief that dogs truly understand us better than we realize. It deepened my bond with Ruger, reinforcing my gratitude for his intuitive companionship and unconditional love.

Let’s be real: the biggest misconception about recovery is that it’s boring. That once you quit drinking or using, you’re doomed to a life of stale coffee, dull conversations, and awkward small talk in fluorescent-lit church basements.

But here’s the thing: no one quits drinking to be bored. We quit because we’re chasing something bigger. More clarity. More connection. More actual, real-life adventure—not the kind that ends with a blackout and a list of regrets.

Powered by Uncharted Nature. Mark Manson, the maestro of modern cynicism, returns with his provocatively titled Everything Is Fcked: A Book About Hope, and I dove into it with both high expectations and a healthy dose of skepticism. I had loved his previous work, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck, and I was curious to see how he’d dissect the elusive concept of hope this time around. 

Hey, I’m Mike. I’m 34 years old, three years into my ice climbing obsession, and almost six years sober. If you met me at a party before I got sober, you probably thought one of two things: “This guy’s hilarious!” or “Wow, this guy needs to chill.” I was always the loudest one in the room, the guy cracking jokes, challenging people to arm wrestle for no reason, and somehow always ending up wearing a lampshade on my head by the end of the night.

Nature is neutral. It doesn’t judge or hold grudges; it just meets you where you are.

When I left the East Coast and decided to set up life in Denver, I imagined hikes, new friends, endless sunshine. But what no one tells you is that Denver, for all its “outdoorsy” charm, can be hard to break into, especially when you’re not hitting the breweries. I found myself scrolling through “sober events in Denver” like a lost soul looking for a crew—one that wasn’t meeting up for pints or posting #SundayFunday beer flights. Spoiler alert: it’s slim pickings… very slim.

“Trust the process, trust the people involved, and above all, trust Mother Nature.”