Coach Spotlight Cam Piasecki
For anyone that doesn't already know me, hi! My name is Cam Piasecki, and I'm a grateful recovering addict and alcoholic, the founder of New Foundations Recovery (NFR), and a huge believer in creating accessible recovery services. I started NFR as a way to give back to the recovery community after everything it gave to me. It’s what keeps me grounded and focused; above all else, it’s what keeps me resilient. It has given me everything I have today, including an incredible wife and partner who was there for me during the worst of my addiction, and now an amazing son.
Prior to NFR, I was an M&A tax attorney with one of the largest global consulting firms before transitioning in-house for a large publicly traded research and technology company. Those experiences taught me a lot about how to operate successfully in a professional environment but I always wanted to do something that felt more meaningful.
It still feels crazy to look back on how my life was before recovery. Not a single aspect of that life was manageable near the end. The most important thing at all times was maintaining my external appearance so that I could justify the chaos I created. Every day was a battle just to get up and go through the motions, counting down until I could get home and check-out.
Now, my recovery incorporates self-care in a way that brings me back to center. In building awareness of myself and my tendencies, I’m learning that it's not selfish to take some of the time I need if it means showing up better for everyone else. If I don’t schedule time in advance to do the things that support my grounding I find it’s easy to fall into unhelpful patterns, which for me, typically looks like people pleasing. When I notice that’s ramping up I know I need to take a step back and get in touch with where I’m at.It’s a work in progress, but I have found certain practices that help to take the edge, especially during stressful times. Taking time to disconnect from my devices, going for a run, playing tennis, spending time with people that keep me accountable, and simply reflecting on the beauty in my life are a few of my go-to practices.
The holidays are tough. It's a time of the year notorious for drinking, unstructured time away from work, less obligations, and lots of potentially stressful family dynamics stacked back-to-back in a four-week span. As we head into the holiday season, I plan to check-in with myself throughout, schedule the time I know I need to show up for everyone else effectively, and write in massive letters on my whiteboard that IT’S ONLY TEMPORARY, like everything else in my life that tends to create stress.
What used to be an opportunity to check-out for a few weeks from a reality I hated has now become a chance to redefine my level of resilience, focus on the amazing things that recovery has given me, and stay grounded throughout. Every difficult situation is an opportunity to redefine our resilience and come out stronger. When I do what I know is right, instead of acting in a way that feels good in the moment, I'm reminded of why I entered recovery in the first place. It is by self-forgetting that one finds.
We at NFR are here as a support and a resource as we head into these next few weeks, whether you are a client or not.