44: Noa Shaw: Alcohol and Drugs Stole His Happiness, and SoulCycle Brought It Back One Class at a Time

Summary: NOTE: This episode contains explicit language. Born in 1963 in the Bronx, Noa moved with his family multiple times before finally settling in Connecticut at age 14.  By this time, he had already been drinking for four years. And he had already attended 9 different schools, many of which he was kicked out of.  Despite the unwavering love of his family, Noa never felt comfortable in his own skin — he never fit in with the other kids and always felt inadequate when he compared himself to everyone around him.  After multiple fights, blackouts, car crashes, violence, dead friends, suicide attempts, family tears, failed marriages, empty bank accounts, failed stints in rehab, and brushes with the law, Noa finally found himself asking for help and wanting to change.  While life has not been a straight path from the bottom, Noa has worked for decades on creating and sustaining a beautiful and rewarding life filled with love, career satisfaction and overall contentment.  Noa learned early in his sobriety that perhaps one of his greatest innate gifts was his ability to connect with and inspire others to improve their lives. The ability to help other people is the single greatest asset he has had in helping himself stay sober, stay content and stay in the light.  Noa — now a cult favorite instructor at SoulCycle — will help you find what he describes as “Mental Wealth.”