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The Rich Roll Podcast · May 18, 2026 · 1h 10m

Smile, Or You're Doing It Wrong: Andy Glaze On Relentless Positivity, PTSD, & The Healing Power Of Movement

Andy Glaze
YouTube

Andy Glaze, a firefighter paramedic and ultrarunner, discusses his descent into addiction, the turning point that redirected his life, and how movement became a catalyst for emotional healing. The conversation explores PTSD recovery, the limits of running as a coping mechanism, and the practical algorithm of personal transformation. Glaze doesn't hold back about his journey from rock bottom to rebuilding.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Curious

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The Limit of Single-Modality Healing
Glaze identifies the moment when running alone stopped being enough to manage PTSD and addiction, requiring additional therapeutic modalities.
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Novel

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The Algorithm of Transformation
Glaze frames personal transformation as a systematic process with identifiable steps, rather than a mystical or instantaneous shift.
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Highlights

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Movement as Emotional Catharsis, Not Just Coping
Glaze explores how running and movement initially served as escape from trauma and addiction, but also became the mechanism through which he processed and integrated that trauma.
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Firefighter Trauma as Distinct Stressor
Glaze's background in emergency response creates a specific form of trauma—repeated exposure to human suffering, moral injury, and operational stress—that differs from single-event trauma.
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Editorial

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Relentless Positivity as Both Shield and Sword
Glaze's approach to positivity—forcing a smile, choosing relentless optimism—functions as a recovery tool, but risks becoming another form of denial if it masks unprocessed trauma.
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References

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Smile, or You're Doing It Wrong — Andy Glaze — Glaze's memoir on positivity, resilience, and healing through movement

Misc

✧Firefighter paramedic background adds credibility to discussion of trauma and crisis response
✧Ultrarunning as both escape and redemption—the dual nature of the same tool
✧Vulnerability about addiction and relapse as part of recovery narrative
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