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How do you stay grounded when someone you love is unraveling?
In this powerful episode, we sit down with returning guest, Craig Williamson, author of Regarding Substance Abuse & Addiction, to talk about what it was like to walk a 17-year journey alongside his son's addiction—a journey that ultimately ended in heartbreaking loss.
Craig opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of parenting a son who battled addiction, how it affected his marriage, and the deeply human lessons he learned about control, grace, expectations, and what it really looks like to love someone without enabling them.
Whether you've experienced addiction in your circle or not, this conversation is filled with universal lessons for anyone who wants to grow stronger through life's hardest challenges—without losing themselves in the process.
Listen now if you're supporting someone you love through addiction, mental health struggles, or any kind of personal crisis
Here are some of the things we explore and you'll learn about from this episode:
- What it really means to let go of control—and what to do instead
- The difference between enabling and loving with healthy boundaries
- How to stay grounded when you're dealing with chaos
- The role of expectations in emotional pain—and how to shift them
- The connection between personal identity and unshakable joy
- Why self-care isn't selfish—it's your first responsibility
- Preparing your life's foundation before crisis hit
- Powerful lessons on grace, compassion, and emotional strength
More about craig williamson & Resources Mentioned:
Craig Williamson is a speaker and the author of Regarding Things That Matter and Regarding Substance Abuse & Addiction, a book offering real-life insight into the complex world of addiction from the perspective or a parent. After walking alongside his son through a 17-year battle with substance use disorder, Craig now shares the emotional, spiritual, and practical lessons he learned in hopes of helping other families navigate this difficult journey with more clarity and compassion
- Craig's Website: craig-williamson.com
- Craig's Book: Regarding Substance Abuse & Addiction
- Craig's First Appearance on the show: Understanding Addiction - Ep. 80
- Craig's Substack: https: craigawilliamson.substack.com
Main Takeaways & Golden nuggets of wisdom from this episode:
This episode was rich with insights and golden nuggets. Here are just a few:
- Control is an illusion. You can only control yourself. We often exhaust ourselves trying to manage the outcomes, choices, and emotions of those around us—especially when they're struggling. But the hard truth is, we can't control someone else's journey, decisions, or healing timeline. What we can control is how we show up, how we respond, and how we care for ourselves along the way. Responsibility isn't about blame—it's about claiming our personal power to act in alignment with who we want to be, no matter what's happening around us.
- You can love someone and still reject their behavior. That's what healthy boundaries look like. One of the biggest myths we fall into is believing that love means unconditional tolerance. But love is not the absence of boundaries—true love includes accountability. You can fully love someone and still say, "That behavior is not okay with me." Setting a boundary isn't rejecting the person—it's protecting your peace and the relationship from unnecessary damage.
- If you stop taking care of yourself because someone you love is struggling, you become part of the problem. When someone close to us is hurting, it's easy to put our own needs on hold. But if we run ourselves into the ground trying to keep someone else afloat, we lose our ability to help at all. Neglecting your well-being doesn't make you more compassionate—it just adds another person to the crisis. The stronger your foundation, the more you'll be able to support others without burning out.
- Anchor your joy to your identity as a child of God, not your circumstances. Life is unpredictable. People will disappoint us. Circumstances will shift. If your happiness is only tied to everything going well, you'll be constantly shaken. Craig shared that his joy was rooted in his identity as a child of God—and because of that, he was able to remain grounded, even when the circumstances weren't great. When you know who you are and where your value comes from, you can hold onto that peace no matter what storms come your way.
"If you stop living your life in a matter that moves you towards your best self because someone you love is struggling, you are part of the problem." - Craig Williamson (Recounting Life Lessons: Loving Someone Who Has an Addiction - Ep. 93)
For an in-depth exploration of these takeaways and more, be sure to listen to the full episode below.
Tips for applying these takeaways:
Want to apply these insights to your life? Here are some actionable steps you can take today:
- Trade control for responsibility. When things feel out of control, our natural instinct is to try and fix or manage everything around us—especially the people we love. But lasting peace doesn't come from control; it comes from taking full responsibility for how you show up. Choose one area in your life where you feel the urge to control an outcome, and shift your focus to what's within your control—your mindset, your reactions, your boundaries, or your energy. Even just identifying this shift can give you more clarity and power than you realize.
- Set boundaries that come from love, not fear. Boundaries aren't about pushing people away—they're about protecting your peace and preserving the relationship. When you set a boundary, you're saying, "I love you and I love me too." Practice setting a boundary this week that is rooted in what you will do—not what someone else has to do. You don't need to justify or overexplain. Just stay grounded in love and truth. The more you practice this, the more confident and calm you'll become in high-stress moments.
- Put your oxygen mask on first. If someone you love is struggling, it's easy to forget yourself and throw everything into helping them. But when you stop taking care of yourself, you add another person to the crisis—and that doesn't help anyone. Start with just one small daily act of self-care, even if it's only 10 minutes. That might mean taking a walk, praying, journaling, going to bed on time, or eating something nourishing. Ask yourself, "What do I need to feel like myself again?" Then give yourself permission to honor that need without guilt. The stronger your foundation, the more support you'll be able to give without burning out.
- Stay anchored in who you are—not in what's happening. When your peace or joy is tied to external circumstances, life will always feel unstable. The key is learning to anchor your joy and sense of worth in something unchanging—like your identity. Craig shared how his identity as a child of God became a grounding force for him during the darkest moments of his life. Make it a practice to do things that reinforce your identity as a child of God.
Listen now if you want to set boundaries while still having compassion for someone who's struggling
final thoughts:
Craig's story is on of unimaginable loss—but also of incredible strength, resilience, and clarity. His journey reminds us that even in the darkest chapters of life, we can still choose how we show up. You don't have to control the outcome to live with peace. You don't have to have it all together to grow. And you can be okay, even when someone you love is not.
If this episode helped you, share it with someone who needs it.
Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes as we and people from all walks of life share their experiences and we identify the lessons, blessings, and success principles that life is providing—lessons that we can all take advantage of and learn from if we pay attention.
If you're ready to step into your full potential, make sure to listen to the episode and share it with someone who could benefit from this powerful message. And don't forget to subscribe to Recounting Life Lessons and jump onto our Insider email list for more insights, actionable tips, and empowering stories.
We are Sione & Alana
Co-Hosts and Owners of
Recounting Life Lessons
We're a married couple from Hawaii who are now living in Vancouver, Washington.
Two things that we are passionate about are:
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Our favorite ways to uncover success principles and life lessons are by sharing stories from our own adventures and interviewing inspiring guests from all walks of life on our podcast.
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