Here's the thing about getting sober: you're doing it for yourself, but you don't have to do it alone.
I think most sobriety programs get community wrong in one of two ways. Either they make it mandatory and performative (share your feelings, prove your commitment, show up or you're not serious), or they skip it entirely and leave you white-knuckling through everything solo.
With that in mind, I'd like to share a vision.
The Phenomenal Community, launching in February / March 2026 will work differently. It'll be there when you need it, structured enough to be useful, loose enough to let you breathe. Whether you're working through the program independently or as part of a cohort, the community will be designed to support your transformation - not demand performance from you.
Here's how I think it will actually work.
Shared Spaces
Think of this as the main forum where everyone in Phenomenal connects. Solo members, cohort members, people at day three and people at year three - all sharing the same space.
What you'll find:
- Discussion threads on specific Phenomenal topics
- Resource sharing - what's working, what people are learning
- Real talk about the actual experience of getting and staying sober
- 24/7 Support - for those moments when you get lost or have questions
This won't be a place for performative sobriety or competitive day counts. It's where people doing the work will connect with others doing the work.
Cohort Spaces
If you join a cohort (groups that start the program together on the same timeline), you will get access to a private space just for your group.
This is where deeper connections will happen:
- You'll all be at similar stages, working through the same material
- Shared milestones create natural check-in points
- Private means you can have the real conversations without the whole community watching
- Accountability feels less like surveillance and more like "we're in this together"
Cohorts aren't for everyone, I know - some people prefer working independently. But for those who want that shared timeline and tighter connection, they'll be here.
Community Rhythm
You won't have to show up every day. You won't have to post to prove you're committed. Engagement will happen only when it's useful:
Check-ins:
Some people like daily accountability. Some check in weekly. Some only when they're struggling or celebrating. All valid.
Learning discussions:
When you're working through specific modules, you'll be able to engage with others exploring the same concepts. Ask questions, share insights, challenge ideas.
Crisis moments:
Sometimes you just need to say "I'm having a hard time right now" and have people who get it respond. The community'll be there for that.
Celebration:
Hit a milestone? Share it. I want the community celebrate real progress, not just "you showed up today."
Progress Tracking
How about a personal dashboard that tracks what's actually meaningful:
Streaks:
Not so much days sober, but streaks of engagement with the program, completion of modules, consistency with your daily practices. These matter because they show you're doing the work, not just existing in sobriety.
Badges:
You'll earn badges for real achievements - completing activities, reaching sobriety milestones, contributing meaningfully to the community. These won't be mere participation trophies. They'll represent actual progress in your transformation.
Acknowledgment Rewards:
This will be for peer recognition that means something. See someone share a breakthrough? Send them an acknowledgment. Appreciate someone's honesty or insight? Let them know. These build a culture of genuine support rather than empty cheerleading.
Your progress will be yours. You can share it with the community or keep it private. Either way, you can see how you're moving forward.
Solo Community Access
Maybe you're not a "group person." Maybe you work better independently. That's fine - you can still get community access, you'll just use it differently:
What you'll get:
- Full access to all shared spaces and discussions
- 24/7 support
- All the progress tracking and badge systems
- The ability to engage when it's useful, lurk when it's not
How to engage without obligation:
- Read without posting (perfectly acceptable)
- Contribute when you have something to say, not because you're supposed to
- Use the community as a resource, not a requirement
- Your transformation is yours - community enhances it, doesn't define it
The safety of lurking: Some of the most valuable community members rarely post. They read, they learn, they absorb. When they do contribute, it's meaningful. There's zero pressure to perform.
The Cohort Experience
Cohorts will start the program together and move through it on a shared timeline. I think this creates natural connection:
Shared milestones:
You'll all be hitting the same modules at roughly the same time, which means discussions will be relevant and timely. Week three's challenges will make sense to everyone because you're all in week three, for example.
Private spaces for real talk:
Your cohort will have its own private area. This is where you can be completely honest without the full community watching. Trust builds faster in smaller groups.
Accountability without judgment:
When everyone's on the same journey, accountability feels supportive rather than surveillant. "How's Transform going for you?" hits different when they're also working through Transform.
Collective progress:
There's something powerful about a group of people transforming together. Your wins become shared wins. Your struggles are met with "yeah, me too" rather than "you should try harder."
Community Principles
The Phenomenal Community will function because it's built on principles that actually respect you:
Respectful, welcoming, compassionate, and unique - These aren't just words. They're the unshakeable foundations of how we interact. No toxic positivity. No forced gratitude. No recovery theatre.
Honest conversation over performance - Say what's true, not what sounds good. The community values authenticity over inspiration porn.
Support without saviourism - We're here to help each other, not rescue each other. You're capable. We're just walking alongside you.
No drama, no doctrine - Just people doing the work, sharing what helps, being real about what's hard.
What do you think?
Let me know what you would like to see in The Phenomenal Community by commenting below. You'll need to join first (it's free), but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
