Man Up, Sober Up: Ryan Penley's "Aim Up" Blueprint For Rock Bottom Recovery

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Today, I sit down with Ryan Penley—author of Man Up, Sober Up and host of The Next Fix—to map out what real recovery looks like. Mr. Penley walks me through a hard-earned story: early wins, a move to Las Vegas, a catastrophic injury, and a doctor-driven opioid spiral that ends in diabetes, and eventually a coma with blood sugar off the charts. We talk about dry versus sober, why location changes rarely fix addiction, and how faith and a 72-hour Baker Act window gave him just enough margin to start a plan.

We dig into his core message: “aim up” every day with perpetual, incremental progress. Mr. Penley explains how tiny, repeatable wins compound—resetting routines, tracking pain points, and choosing the next right action. We also unpack rechanneling addictive energy into meaningful pursuits like fitness and service. Mr. Penley shares his own transformation (significant fat loss, becoming a trainer) as a template anyone can adapt without turning health into another unhealthy obsession.

For families, we get practical about boundaries that help without enabling. Mr. Penley’s “boots-to-ground” tactic is simple and strong: set a recurring check-in (same day/time each week), show up like clockwork, and keep support on your schedule—not whenever the addicted person demands cash or rescue. We outline how predictable care builds trust while protecting your own stability.

We close with resources and next steps. Mr. Penley’s My Rock Bottom Recovery community on Facebook, his The Next Fix podcast, and his book Man Up, Sober Up all focus on the better end of recovery—purpose, projects, and people. His bottom-line mantra is clear: “Perpetual, incremental progress is unstoppable.”

https://www.ryanpenley.org/

Website: https://coupleonukes.com

Exodus, Honor Your Heart, & Thrive Alcohol Recovery: https://www.coupleonukes.com/affiliates/

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*Couple O' Nukes LLC and Mr. Whiskey are not licensed medical entities, nor do they take responsibility for any advice or information put forth by guests. Take all advice at your own risk.