Real Recovery Alumni Spotlight
Marc M.
For this week’s Real Recovery Alumni Spotlight we spoke with Marc M, a New Life House alumni who just celebrated 6 years of sobriety. He is still involved with the house today and we took the chance to ask him some questions about his life with some time out of the house!
New Life House: Was New Life House the first time you tried to get sober?
Marc: Yes it was.
NLH: What was the catalyst that led to you coming in the house?
Marc: I was sick of trying and failing on my own and ready to try something new.
NLH: When you were in the house, what were your biggest struggles?
Marc: I didn’t like being told what to do initially, or sacrificing amenities like a cell phone, a debit card or the ability to roam freely and do what I wanted.
NLH: Do any of the decisions you made before the house still affect you? How?
Marc: I feel stronger because of the poor decisions I made prior to the house. I had to walk through the pain of repairing them and this helped me to grow.
NLH: How did going through New Life set you up for success?
Marc: The relationships that I built in the house have helped to carry me through tough times. In turn, I have been able to help out other men who are struggling that reach out to me.
NLH: Was there a specific part of the structure of New Life that you credit for helping you obtain long term sobriety?
Marc: The emphasis on AA, hitting meetings and remaining accountable has helped me immensely.
NLH: What did your work experience in the house look like and how does it apply to what you do today?
Marc: I worked as a busser in a restaurant which was extremely humbling and taught me how to accelerate through the ranks quickly. By the time I graduated, I was working as a server at one of the nicest restaurants in Los Angeles. I was taught not to settle and to walk through fear so that’s what I did. I pushed myself through school while working full time and I was able to transition into my new career as a Mortgage Banker.
NLH: What do you do for work now?
Marc: I work at Arcstone Financial as a Mortgage Banker and am the intermediary in financial transactions in the sale of real estate and refinancing of existing mortgages.
NLH: Now that you’re a number of years out of the house, looking back on your experience what did you get out of the program?
Marc: I learned that it is possible to live a rich life without relying on chemicals. I learned to work and have fun with a better quality of people who actually care about me, not just what I have .
NLH: Do you have any short term goals right now?
Marc: I am content in my career and personal life, but my goal by the end of 2017 is to own 4 investment properties.
NLH: What other hobbies do you enjoy?
Marc: I like to snowboard, cliff-dive, box and enjoy the good food that L.A. has to offer.
NLH: What is your current involvement in AA?
Marc: I have a steady regimen of meetings, I speak when asked, and I have great relationships gained through the fellowship.
NLH: What is your involvement like with the house now?
Marc: I show up as much as possible but with 5 years out, I’ve developed quite the full life and can’t make it as often as I’d like. No matter where I’m at though, I make it a point to every year take my AA cake at the house.
NLH: Thanks for talking with us! Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
Marc: Good saying I heard in the rooms – “Ships don’t sink because of the water around them, they sink because of the water that gets in them.” For the guys in the house, keep pushing through, a guaranteed better life awaits you. For the families, your loved ones are in an amazing spot.
Thanks for talking with us Marc!
Last Updated on February 23, 2024
