SHAIR 90: “Don’t leave before the Miracle Happens” with Dawn Lutrell as Ellen!

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Listen to Dawn’s story now!

Dawn Lutrell joins us on The SHAIR Podcast. Dawn is a recovering addict, a comedian and an entertainer who does one hell of a job impersonating Ellen DeGeneres.

This year Dawn will be hosting In Recovery Magazine’s 3rd Annual Gratitude Gala event on November 18th in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Omar: First, we just want to get to know a little bit about what you do on a regular basis, what does your normal daily routine look like including recovery?

Dawn: I usually start the day with a good stiff black cup of coffee. I’m an early riser, so I’m at it pretty early, maybe sometimes before the sun comes up. I just take that time to be with my higher power and my prayers are usually conversational. I just try to have a conversation with God first thing in the morning, because I’ve been by myself, I’m going to train wreck the entire day, whether I want to or not.

We have to have a little meeting in the morning and I start out by listing all the reasons I can’t and then I wait for the reasons why I can. Day by day I just make a choice to say, “You know what? Let’s go with your plan, it sounds more like it’s going to work out than mine.” Tomorrow I may choose my own plan and who knows what could happen? Each day I just try to make the choice to do God’s will and not mine and be able to do whatever comes my way.

With that too, comes a good review of steps one through three for me, no, I can’t drink, God help me not to drink and let’s do this, clean and sober. That in check, I try to take the option of a drink or a drug off the table right away and just surrender. From there, it’s a complete tug of war for the rest of the day. You know what I mean?

Omar: Oh Yeah!

Dawn: Ten minutes after I’ve already taken it all back. It’s back and forth, but at least we start out good and then we just keep going. That’s how I try to start every day. Then from there I try to do a gratitude list, because I have so much to be grateful for. My life is good and I need to know that and remember that.

Omar: Beautiful, I love it. I know that initially the reason why we connected is because there is an event that’s going to be coming up shortly for you. It’s a gala event. Can you tell us a little bit about what’s coming up? What the dates are? What to expect?

Dawn: I sure can. November 18th in Scottsdale, Arizona, is In Recovery Magazine’s 3rd Annual Gratitude Gala. It’s a night of awards for people who go above and beyond in recovery. It’s also a way for the magazine to give back to all the people that have supported them in their mission throughout the year. It also raises funds for different charities around the area, for people to get into treatment and to get help. It’s pretty multi-faceted and pretty amazing.

Too, it’s people in recovery, people who work in recovery. It’s a chance for them to come together. That’s a pretty heavy job day in and day out being in the trenches. It gives them a night to just kick back, laugh and have a good time. I was actually gifted the opportunity to MC the event, which that’s like saying, “Here, I’m drunk, why don’t you drive?” Okay. I don’t know what that is. I’m going to MC the event and also do a little half hour set before the headliner comes out who is Alonzo Bodden. I think he’s been on Jay Leno and … That guy is all over the place, I can’t even list all the places he is. He was the winner of last comic standing and then returned as a judge to the show. I mean they might as well just thrown me up on stage with a guitar and say, “Hey, sing a song, Simon Cowell is sitting in the front row.” Thanks a lot.

Omar: No pressure.

Dawn: You couldn’t have gotten somebody that was never heard of, but no, you had to pick the last comic standing judge guy for me to get up there in front of, so that’ll be entertaining.

Omar: Hey, so if you want to attend this gala, where do I have to go?

Dawn: I would go to the In Recovery magazine Facebook page. I believe there’s links on there to purchase tickets. It is a ticket purchase. From In Recovery magazine website or Facebook you can get to that link.

Omar: Excellent, this is so exciting. Are you nervous?

Dawn: I’m very nervous. I’m actually terrified I think is the word that I’d like to use, but I don’t want to be catastrophizing, but yeah. It’s terrifying. That’s, again, faith, not fear, so I’m going to try that for a while and see if that works and just pray that whatever comes out of my mouth is okay during that night.

Omar: If you could give our newcomers only one suggestion, what would it be?

Dawn: Don’t give up before the miracle happens, hands down, absolutely not. Hang in there. Hang in there. Change is possible. Change is a gift that is possible for everyone. I don’t care who you are. Change is a gift that’s possible, just be a little bit willing. If you can’t be willing, be willing to be willing. If you can’t be willing to be willing, be willing to be willing to be willing. Sometimes it goes to that level, but oh my god, just hang in there.

Thanks again for your SHAIR, Dawn!

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Disclaimer – The opinions shared on this show reflect those of the individual speaker and not of any 12 step fellowship as a whole and though we discuss 12 step recovery and the impact it has had in our lives we do not promote or endorse any 12 step anonymous program.