From Rock Bottom to Resilience: Josh Connolly's Journey of Addiction, Recovery, and Transformation

Everyday Leadership

"I was drinking and using drugs a lot. And by the time I was 24, I'd had four children in a marriage that had broken down. And I didn't want to be here anymore."

Today, we welcome Josh Connolly, a resilience and well-being coach, breathwork practitioner, and author of the new book "Its Them, Not You: How to Break Free from Toxic Parents and Reclaim Your Story" Josh shares his extraordinary journey from addiction and near suicide to becoming one of the most influential voices in mental health.

Josh delves into his childhood struggles, growing up with an alcoholic father, and his battle with substance abuse. He discusses how his search for belonging led him down dangerous paths, including involvement in gangs and football violence. Josh opens up about hitting rock bottom at 24, with four children, a broken marriage, and deep in debt, before making the life-changing decision to get sober.

Key topics discussed:

• Childhood and growing up with an alcoholic parent: Josh discusses his experiences as a child of an alcoholic father and how it shaped his early life.

• Addiction and recovery: Josh shares his personal journey through substance abuse, hitting rock bottom, and his path to sobriety.

• Fatherhood and breaking generational cycles: The conversation covers Josh's experiences as a father and his efforts to break the cycle of addiction in his family.

• Anger management and emotional intelligence: Josh discusses the importance of understanding and properly channelling anger as a catalyst for positive change.

• Breathwork and mental health practices: The episode touches on Josh's discovery of breathwork and how it has become a crucial tool in his personal growth and professional work.

• Transitioning from personal healing to helping others: Josh talks about how he moved from focusing on his own recovery to working in corporate settings and helping others with their mental health.

• Redefining resilience and leadership: The conversation explores new perspectives on what it means to be resilient and how to be an effective leader in today's world.

The conversation also touches on the importance of creating safe spaces for men to share and the transformative power of breathwork. Josh shares his transition from personal healing to helping others and his proudest achievement of getting and staying sober. The conversation concludes with a discussion on authenticity, legacy, and the new definition of resilience and leadership.

Connect with Josh Connoly

• LinkedIn |Instagram

• Website

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-leadership/id1467901267

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0TuBkXzawOIl05yxbEPTIj

Connect with Me

• Website |Youtube |Instagram |LinkedIn

• Email: [e-mail]

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We’re always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts, send us an email at [e-mail]

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-leadership/id1467901267

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0TuBkXzawOIl05yxbEPTIj