ABOUT

A SELF-LED LIFE: Entrepreneurs in Recovery

Welcome!
 

A Self-Led Life is a life that is intentional— a life we design based on our truest needs and the unique skills forged by the fire of our struggles. Our  SLL group, created by Alex Shohet, owner of Red Door Life detox and recovery center in Los Angeles, CA, embraces the full spectrum of those seeking a self-led life- from those who have a vague sense of something they’d like to create in the future, to freelancers, to those who have built flourishing companies and are well along the way on the path of entrepreneurship. Everyone is welcome!
 

Entrepreneurship is a powerful component of recovery. As one realizes greater purpose in their life and begins to have a more rewarding experience in life, the urge to abuse substances diminishes. As our brightest dreams become reality, our darkness diminishes. Often our stories, though perhaps difficult, are a goldmine of wisdom and experience to build an impactful enterprise from. Just as these same stories that were perhaps difficult to endure have sharpened us in incredible ways, affording us skills that are extraordinary. As we begin to integrate all of this into our life, our journey out of the suffering of the past into the flourishing of our future truly begins. 

As a result of trauma and substance abuse, brain circuits are affected. Through support and connection— i.e. groups like ours, one can begin to grow new neural pathways in positive directions. We can connect to deeper purpose and potential and learn to re-design our lives in alignment with our best version of self. We can learn to see beyond our trauma lenses- the fears and distortions of our past, as we uncover our passions... and learn processes, methodology, and mindsets to achieve success. We work to normalize failure as part of the journey, emphasize growth mindset, and unlearn the messages of limitation we may have internalized. We study many interesting success stories of those further down the path we seek, in order to learn from their wisdom. We bring topics like emotional wellbeing, nervous system regulation, mental health, and principles of recovery to the table in our discussions about the many nuances of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship can trigger our deepest traumas, but it can also heal us and take us to heights that far outshine any darkness of our past.
 

Often our society pathologizes substance abuse issues and mental health struggles, but here in our SLL group (and at Red Door Life), we understand a deeper truth. Underneath the surface of these issues is tremendous energy. Some of the greatest creative forces of our world have struggled with addiction and mental health issues. What if, working together each week, we could learn to invest our energy in building our future, rather than in our symptoms and our suffering?  Together, we build a more compelling future as we fiercely defy the fate projected by our struggles and instead take control of becoming our fullest potential as we support each other each week in working towards our goals.