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Darryl Duke
Darryl Duke Quick Facts
Main Areas: Mental Health/ Alcohol and Ddrug AddictionCareer Focus: Author and Speaker
Darryl Duke grew up in York, Pennsylvania. He had a difficult childhood with little guidance from his parents and found it hard to form friendships. Despite having fears and insecurities as a teenager, Darryl won a Golden Gloves Championship at sixteen, but it did little to boost his self-confidence and self-esteem. It was soon after this that he found alcohol temporarily could, and it slowly became a part of his life.
However, after years of drinking, Darryl woke up one morning hung over and knew he couldn’t go on living like he was. He went to Alcoholics Anonymous and used the Twelve Steps to stay sober and live a spiritual life, but eventually, his search would pull him in a new direction.
Although grateful for what AA did for him, Darryl is no longer a member. As his beliefs in life changed, so did some of his views on substance use and recovery.
It is now Darryl’s hope that his life experiences help others find greater happiness and meaning in their lives.
“Some people say life is hard and has no meaning. Maybe life has no meaning except for the meaning we give it. I found that having a sense of purpose in our lives helps. I define my purpose as helping others. I’ve also found that by helping others, we help ourselves. In this sense, we’re all one. Life can seem hard at times, but if we use those times to grow stronger and our experiences from those times to help others, we begin to see how easy life can be and that it does, indeed, have meaning.”
—Darryl S. Duke
Other Programs & Highlights
If you’re reading this, something must have caught your attention—and maybe there’s even a reason for it. My hopes are that whatever the reason, the words “alcoholic” and “God” don’t deter you from reading the entire book. This is because my story isn’t about alcoholism or addiction and has nothing to do with the God of the Bible. In its most basic form, this is a story of change through growth, both spiritual and personal, and how it helps us become more confident in ourselves, to love ourselves, and finally to be happy with who we are. —Darryl Duke
In this well-written part memoir, part self-help book, Darryl Duke invites readers along on his personal journey from fear to belief in himself.
Darryl experienced a lot of uncertainty as a child and used his imagination to escape the fears he felt. As he grew into a shy and insecure teenager, he often acted out in vain and pretentious behaviors as a way to overlook his fears and feel better about himself—something he would continue to do into his adulthood.
He would also find that alcohol made him feel better about himself. And although he didn’t drink every day, it would eventually become a problem for him. Finally, after many unsuccessful attempts to quit drinking on his own, he went to Alcoholics Anonymous.
For several years, AA and the Twelve Steps helped Darryl face his fears and grow more confident, and he also began to love himself. But when he longed for answers that AA couldn’t give him, he searched elsewhere.
It was during this search that he started to believe more in himself, and the possibility that something created life for a reason. A combination that finally enabled him to be happy with who he was and filled him with a sense of purpose.
Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Darryl Duke
“When we change the thoughts and beliefs we have about life and ourselves. We can change our lives and ourselves for the better.”
“When I think back on my growth. Both personal and spiritual. One of the biggest turning points in my life was being able to say thank you to a compliment because I believed it”
“I told my wife the other day. I have chronic immaturity, of which there is no cure. If I can live with it, so can you.”
Getting Started With Darryl Duke
My hopes are that someday, Creating Our Path (COP) discussion groups will become a reality and help end the shame and stigma associated with addiction.
“We don’t have to call ourselves alcoholics or addicts to attend COP meetings. We can be problem drinkers, a person with a substance use disorder (SUD), or simply someone who’s no longer happy using a drug. All I wish COP meetings to be is a place for people and, if so inclined, their family members, to come together and help each other grow.” —Darryl S. Duke
Basic Concepts of Creating Our Path
1. We are capable of creating our happiness through the Six Selves
Self-Awareness– Accepting that we need help in understanding the patterns and emotions behind our thoughts and behaviors. Knowing our strengths, but also where we need to grow.
Self-Improvement– Changing negative thoughts and behaviors to positive ones. Seek knowledge in a variety of subjects. Search for answers needed to grow as a person. Be open-minded to others’ values and beliefs. Practice love, kindness, understanding, and tolerance toward others.
Self-Confidence– We need to learn the difference between having a realistic confidence in our own judgment, ability, power, etc., and having an excessive or inflated one. What are we good at? What do we like about ourselves? What do we need to do to grow in our self-confidence?
Self-Esteem– How do we view our self-worth?
Practice love, kindness, understanding, and tolerance toward ourselves.
Self-Love– The instinct or desire to promote one’s own well-being; regard for or love of one’s self.
Self-Actualization– The realization or fulfillment of one’s talents and potentialities; considered as a drive or need.
2. We are capable of changing ourselves for the better
We understand the power of changing any negative thoughts and beliefs we hold about ourselves, others, and life in general.
3. We are capable of changing our lives for the better
We understand how important behaving and living differently is to our sobriety and happiness.
4. We are capable of loving ourselves and others
We become more receptive and accepting of love. We are able to cultivate unshakable self-worth.
We are able to forgive ourselves and others more quickly.
5. We are capable of being happy with who we are
We realize how being happy with ourselves sustains us in times of uncertainty and unwanted circumstances.
We are able to laugh at ourselves and embrace all that we are.
