In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores why sometimes not knowing can actually make you calmer, more focused, and more creative. Continuing the theme of counterintuitive brain science, she builds on previous Think Thursday episodes like The Paradox of Freedom, Novelty for Habit Change, and last week’s Defensive Pessimism to show how Selective Ignorance helps protect the brain’s limited capacity for attention, energy, and emotion.

What You’ll Learn

• Why so many principles of neuroscience and psychology feel counterintuitive at first
• How your brain filters 11 million bits of information every second through the reticular activating system
• Why constant news, emails, and notifications drain your mental energy
• How dopamine drives curiosity and why too much novelty burns it out
• What studies show about the benefits of “information fasting” and reduced mental input
• Practical ways to practice Selective Ignorance to improve focus and reduce stress

Key Quotes

Practical Takeaways

1. Curate your inputs. Follow fewer, higher-quality sources.
2. Schedule mental quiet. Set “ignorance hours” for digital silence.
3. Replace input with reflection. Journal, walk, or sit in quiet thought.
4. Remember the enough threshold. Progress comes from applying what you already know, not learning more.

Studies and Sources Mentioned

• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits – Selective Ignorance and focus
• Levitin, D. (2014). The Organized Mind – The attention economy
• Stanford University and University of London – Research on multitasking and IQ
• Killingsworth, M. & Gilbert, D. (2010). Science – Mind-wandering and happiness
• Psychological Science (2015) – Information fasting and creative problem solving
• Desimone, R. & Duncan, J. (1995). Annual Review of Neuroscience – The biased competition model of attention

Related Think Thursday Episodes

• Defensive Pessimism—How Planning for the Worst Helps You Do Your Best
• The Paradox of Freedom
• Novelty for Habit Change
• The Neuroscience of Mental Rest
• Silence Is Golden
• Neurodivergence and the Brain’s Energy Economy

This week, Molly welcomes back Ian Andersen, co-founder of Sunnyside, for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on the evolving landscape of alcohol health and behavior change. Ian shares the backstory of Sunnyside’s growth from its origins during the pandemic to the recent launch of Sunnyside Med, a new initiative designed to support individuals seeking more structure and support in reducing their alcohol consumption.

If you're feeling challenged during “More Sober October,” or you’ve ever felt like you're behind the curve while the media insists everyone is drinking less, this episode offers reassurance, insight, and practical next steps.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Sunnyside was founded and how its inclusive, non-prescriptive model fills a critical gap in alcohol support
• What Sunnyside Med is and who it's designed to help
• The disconnect between public alcohol trends and personal struggles
• How the cultural narrative around moderation is evolving
• Why sustainable change requires systems, not shame
• The psychological barriers that often prevent progress and how to overcome them

Quotable Moments

“Just because the news says people are drinking less, doesn’t mean you feel less stuck.” – Molly Watts

Resources and Links

• Learn more about Sunnyside: www.sunnyside.co
• Get details on Sunnyside Med: https://www.joinsunnysidemed.com/
• Visit Molly’s site for courses and coaching: www.mollywatts.com

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

This week on Think Thursday, we’re exploring an idea that turns conventional wisdom on its head: defensive pessimism. While it may sound like a negative mindset, it’s actually a powerful, evidence-based cognitive strategy that helps anxious or overthinking brains perform better, reduce stress, and follow through on goals more effectively.

Defensive pessimism isn't about catastrophizing or giving up. It's about anticipating obstacles and using those thoughts to prepare instead of panic. In this episode, you'll learn how this approach taps into the brain’s natural tendency to predict outcomes, and how making one critical shift — understanding the difference between prediction and probability — can dramatically improve your results.

We’ll talk about:

• What defensive pessimism is and why it works
• The neuroscience of prediction and how it affects your behavior
• Why your brain’s “what ifs” might be trying to help you
• A simple three-step process to start using this strategy today

Whether you're trying to build a new habit, overcome self-doubt, or just want to feel more in control of your daily life, this mindset can help you stop overthinking and start planning with confidence.

Want more support?
Join the Alcohol Minimalist Facebook group or email Molly directly at [email protected]. 
We’d love to hear how you’re using defensive pessimism to create change.

In this week’s episode, Molly dives deeper into the More Sober October theme: Who are you without the drink? If you've ever felt like you're at war with yourself when it comes to drinking decisions, you're not imagining it. Molly unpacks the neuroscience behind this inner conflict and introduces listeners to the concept of our two selves—the automatic self and the intentional self.

Referencing Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Molly breaks down how System 1 (your fast, emotional, habitual brain) and System 2 (your slow, rational, goal-focused brain) influence your drinking choices. This science-backed framework explains why your default drinking habits feel so hard to break and why it’s absolutely possible to rewire your brain to make intentional, value-aligned decisions.

Whether you’re navigating more alcohol-free days this October or simply trying to understand why it’s so hard to say no sometimes, this episode offers practical insight and compassionate encouragement.

Key Topics Covered

• Why identity and habit formation go hand-in-hand with your drinking story
• The difference between your default (automatic) self and your intentional self
• How Kahneman’s System 1 and System 2 thinking applies to alcohol habits
• Why the brain resists effortful thinking and defaults to the familiar
• How to start training your intentional self to become your new default

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• Join More Sober October with Molly: More Sober October Info

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores why the brain doesn’t experience minutes the way the clock does. Our perception of time is not fixed—it stretches and compresses depending on novelty, memory, attention, and emotion. That’s why childhood summers feel endless while adulthood years can seem to vanish.

Molly unpacks the psychology and neuroscience of time perception, including how prospective and retrospective time work, why novelty sharpens attention and stretches moments, and how emotions like fear, boredom, and joy distort our sense of time. She also shares fascinating phenomena like the “stopped clock illusion” and highlights how mindfulness can expand our sense of presence and create richer memories, making life feel fuller and more meaningful.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between prospective time and retrospective time
• Why childhood feels longer than adulthood
• How novelty, memory, and dopamine influence time perception
• How emotions like stress, boredom, and joy distort our experience of time
• Why mindfulness slows down prospective time and lengthens retrospective memory
• Simple practices to stretch brain time and savor everyday moments

Key Quote:

“Clock time is rigid—sixty minutes is always sixty minutes. But brain time is elastic. Two people can live the same number of years yet experience them very differently depending on how much novelty, presence, and emotion they build into their days.”

References and Resources:

• Eagleman, D. (2009). Brain Time: The Temporal Dimension of Experience
• Wittmann, M. (2016). Felt Time: The Psychology of How We Perceive Time
• Consciousness and Cognition (2019): Mindfulness meditation and time perception
• Previous Think Thursday episodes: The Power of Reminiscing, The Science of Awe

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, Molly explores how deeply alcohol can become tied to our identity. 

Phrases like “wine mom,” “party girl,” or “craft beer enthusiast” may sound harmless, but they often reinforce the idea that drinking is part of who we are rather than something we do. Molly explains how self-schemas shape our beliefs, why identity disruption can feel unsettling when you change your drinking, and how to navigate the friction that comes with rewriting your personal story.

You will learn about the psychology behind identity labels, the concept of status quo bias, and four evidence-based tools to help you separate fact from story, soothe the discomfort of change, and begin building a future identity that reflects your values.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why cultural labels around drinking can feel like part of your personality
• How self-schemas and alcohol expectancies reinforce drinking habits
• Why change can feel like loss and how to view it as growth
• The role of status quo bias in resisting identity change
• Four practical strategies to shift your identity and reclaim who you are without alcohol

Resources Mentioned:

• Studies on alcohol-related self-concept in Addictive Behaviors and the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
• 2015 article on identity disruption in the Journal of Substance Use and Misuse
• Sunnyside app (recommended tool for tracking and building new drinking habits)

Want to sign up for More Sober October?  Click here.

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores ADHD through the lens of the brain’s energy economy. Drawing from personal experience and neuroscience, she explains why ADHD brains spend fuel differently than neurotypical brains, why tasks can feel either draining or energizing, and how understanding this difference can replace frustration with compassion.

Listeners will learn how differences in dopamine and norepinephrine signaling impact executive function and reward systems, why ADHD increases vulnerability to addiction, and which practical strategies can help conserve and redirect energy for greater clarity and peace.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between neurotypical and neurodivergent brains
• Why the brain is such an energy hog, and how ADHD changes the budget
• How dopamine and norepinephrine signaling affect motivation and regulation in ADHD
• Why people with ADHD are more vulnerable to alcohol addiction
• Six practical strategies for conserving and redirecting ADHD brain energy

Key Quote

“ADHD isn’t laziness or lack of willpower. It’s a different energy economy where some tasks are overpriced, others are deeply discounted, and fuel leaks can happen even when you’re not doing anything.”

Resources and References

• Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment
• Volkow, N. D. et al. (2009). Dopamine in ADHD and its relationship to substance use disorders. Biological Psychiatry
• Research on the Default Mode Network and ADHD (Journal of Attention Disorders)
• Previous Think Thursday episodes: Understanding Dopamine & How to Stabilize It, The Neuroscience of New Habit Formation

In this week’s episode of the Alcohol Minimalist podcast, Molly shares an insightful conversation with debut novelist and recovery advocate Jessica Guerrieri.
While fiction authors aren’t typical guests, Jessica’s novel Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea offers a compelling and deeply personal exploration of the consequences of mommy wine culture, making it a perfect fit for the podcast’s mission.

Jessica and Molly dive into why fiction can be a powerful medium for examining difficult topics like addiction, parenting, and societal narratives around alcohol. They also talk about how book clubs, which often center around drinking, can become surprising catalysts for self-reflection when a story resonates on a personal level.

Jessica shares openly about her own recovery journey, her identity as a mother and writer, and how her book reflects the emotional and relational costs of unchecked alcohol use, especially for women trying to manage the pressures of modern motherhood.

This conversation touches on:

• The deeper truths behind mommy wine culture
• Why Jessica chose fiction over memoir or self-help
• The emotional impact of addiction on relationships and self-identity
• How storytelling can spark honest conversations in safe spaces
• Jessica’s next project and her life in recovery today

Whether you’re a book lover, a parent, or someone rethinking your relationship with alcohol, this episode offers thoughtful insights and encouragement.

About Jessica Guerrieri

• Author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
• Winner of the Maurice Prize for Fiction
• Advocate for recovery and mindful motherhood
• Lives in Davis, California with her husband and three daughters

• Resources & Links
  • Sign up for More Sober October: https://www.subscribepage.com/2025
  • Join the Alcohol Minimalist Facebook Group
  • Learn more about Jessica’s work: https://www.jessicaguerrieri.net/

In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores one of neuroscience’s greatest mysteries: consciousness. At the center of this discussion is the thalamus, a small walnut-sized structure in the brain that scientists now believe plays a vital role in generating conscious experience.

Long considered just a relay station for sensory signals, new research highlighted in an August 29, 2025 Popular Mechanics article suggests the thalamus acts as the brain’s “switchboard,” determining which sensory information reaches awareness and which fades into the background.

Molly explains how silence, rest, and focused attention support this system, and why the thalamus may be a key to understanding what it means to be aware.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why the thalamus is more than a relay—it may be the brain’s switchboard for consciousness
• How the thalamocortical loop coordinates awareness
• What happens to consciousness when thalamic activity is disrupted (anesthesia, coma, psychedelics)
• How silence and rest reduce the thalamus’s workload and improve clarity and presence
• Four practical ways to support the networks that depend on the thalamus

Key Quote

“When you pause, when you rest, when you seek silence, you are not just taking a break. You are nurturing the very networks that make awareness possible.”

References and Resources

• Popular Mechanics (Aug 29, 2025): Your Brain’s Switchboard Could Be Key to Explaining Consciousness
• Previous Think Thursday episodes: Silence is Golden and The Neuroscience of Mental Rest

In this episode of The Alcohol Minimalist, Molly explores a common trap for many habit drinkers: the cycle of staying "good" all week only to unravel over the weekend. If you've ever told yourself, "I don't drink Monday through Thursday, but Friday comes and everything falls apart," then this episode is for you.

Molly dives into the emotional and cognitive patterns behind this behavior and reveals why suppressing feelings and white-knuckling your way through the week might be setting you up to overdrink on the weekends.
 
She challenges the idea that moderation might not be for you and offers a fresh perspective on building relief into your week before your brain demands it in the form of alcohol.

What You'll Learn:

• The hidden emotional pressure behind the “I’m good all week” mindset
• How unaddressed emotions and mental fatigue lead to weekend overdrinking
• The science behind emotional suppression and cognitive load
• Why you don’t need more willpower, you need a better strategy
• Tools for building in relief and enjoyment throughout the week
• A preview of More Sober October and No Binge November

Resources Mentioned:

• Join More Sober October

• Get notified about No Binge November and the Just One More course
• Learn more about Molly's book: Breaking the Bottle Legacy

Next Steps:

If your weekends are undermining your progress, don’t jump to conclusions about your ability to moderate. Start by examining how you're treating your emotions during the week. Sustainable change isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being aware.

Connect with Molly:

• Website: mollywatts.com

• Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alcoholminimalists

• Instagram: @alcoholminimalist