Decidedly Dry - Sobriety, Alcohol-Free Living, Quit Drinking, Sober Curious

Well hello my sweet listeners and welcome to Decidedly Dry! This is your pal Jess and with ALL the feels - this is the last episode of the show.

Today, I’ll walk ya through why I made this tough decision, all the things I’m incredibly grateful for and celebrating, and what’s next.

First, in true Decidedly Dry fashion - let’s focus on the good. This podcast was created months after my very favorite podcast, Recovery Happy Hour shared her final episode. I remember heading out for a run one day, I was about a year and half into my sobriety at the time, I put my headphones in, pushed play, and started pounding away on the pavement. This was a ritual of mine. Plugging in and listening to others share their sober stories was extremely helpful for me. I was about a minute into the episode and I heard the words, “This will be the final episode of Recovery Happy Hour”. I’m not kidding you guys… tears began streaming down my cheeks! How could my favorite show be ending?! How could this be?! Now being in a similar place as a podcast host, I completely get it, but at the time I was heartbroken. Towards the end of the episode, Tricia said something on the lines of, “We need more recovery podcasts. If you’ve been thinking about starting one - do it!”

And that my friend, is where the seed was planted.

I quickly researched what it took to start a podcast, reached out to some resources, and the show was published in January of 2022. Yes, that means we celebrated our 2 year milestone this month. Since hitting that record button for the first time, we’ve published 85 episodes, became a top 1.5% globally ranked show, and most importantly, brought incredible individuals behind the microphone to share their sober stories. We ranked every single week on Apple Podcast’s charts and were downloaded not only in the US, but in Canada, the UK, Australia, Ireland, and more. I dabbled in coaching, met amazing individuals, and if I’m being completely honest, hosting this here show has played a pivotal role in my own sober journey. It kept me alcohol-free and motivated me to continue serving YOU.

Last December I celebrated 4 years of living alcohol-free. Was it a cake walk? Absolutely not. Has it be worth it? Absolutely yes. And if I’m being real with you, which is exactly what I’ve always promised to do, I’m getting to a point where I’m not feeling like I need to talk about sobriety as much. My friend Michelle, you know here as Recovery is the New Black, reassured me that this is so common and something she see’s all the time in the sober space. Individuals catch their stride, sobriety becomes part of who they are, and they get to the point where they not only want to talk about other things, but are ready to begin new exciting chapters.

And friend, that’s exactly where I’m at. I’ve spent the past four years serving the sober community and I’ll tell you what - I don’t regret it for a single moment. But the time has come for me to pass the mic and hopefully inspire someone else to start recording and serving this space, just as I did.

It’s funny, I was talking with my sister yesterday and told her I was going to be recording my last episode this week and she laughed. A very supportive laugh I might add, but she said to me, “Jess, you are so funny. You have this tendency of always trying new things, doing really, really, REALLY well. Then it’s like you’re at the top and you’re like, whelp - think I’m done here.” I laughed out loud and agreed with here 1000% percent. She completely gets me.

After thinking about what she said, I laughed again and thought to myself maybe that’s why I like hiking so much?! Hear me out. I study what I need before I go, check out what hikers have said about the trail conditions recently, I arrive, typically work really hard on the way up, pausing from time to time to enjoy my surroundings, and then I hit the top. I come to a full stop and take in the beautiful view, am grateful for all the work I put in, and soak up all that I can see from the peak. Then I cruise down and start planning my next adventure.

Speaking of my next adventure, you might be wondering what’s next for me? Friend, I’m not sure. And that’s a really exciting feeling.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the girl whose friends consistently say, “I don’t know how you do it all, Jess!” I’ve spent a very long time taking on all the things and lately, I’ve had this beautiful shift in my mind (and life) to do less. To say “no” more, seek balance, rest, take care of myself even more, and  prioritize family over everything. In fact, those are words I say to my family often: “Family comes first always.” And while deciding to be alcohol-free definitely makes me present, it also frequently encourages me to always level up and find other areas in my life where I can do better and BE better. So it’s time to unplug the mic, close the laptop, and savor these moments with my family.

I think it’s also important to mention that the episodes will live on! So if you’re new around here, I definitely encourage you to go back and listen to the library of episodes that are available. If you’ve been tuning in for a while, perhaps consider revisiting past episodes. Sometimes depending on your mood, where you’re at in your sobriety, or even where you’re at in life - things might sound or hit differently the second time you hear it. Just sayin’.

Before I sign off, I just want to say thank you again. You all mean the world to me and I wouldn’t be where I am today without your support.

Alright loves - this is it. Thank you for pushing play, for focusing on the good with me, and lastly, if you are working on your own sober journey and struggling - just focus on today, talk to a friend, and jump into the sober community with both feet. Today is a perfect day to start your alcohol-free journey.

Love to you all. Good night!

Hiya friends and welcome to Episode #87! This 2-part episode not only marks the last episode of 2023, but also wraps up our current season. Decidedly Dry will be taking a break as we line up our amazing content for the New Year.

As we sign off for the year, I want to make sure that I just take a moment to say THANK YOU. Thank you for being here, for listening, and supporting me. It warms my heart to know these conversations are reaching people and just so you know, every time you push play - well my friend, that motivates me to keep hitting record. So thank you.

Before I get to today’s amazing conversation, I’d like to remind you that while we may be taking a break here on the show, I’ll be present and active over on Substack. What is Substack? Great question! Substack is a website/platform where I publish my newsletters, my journal prompts, podcasts, and writing. It’s where you can find a library of past episodes, posts and more tools. Most importantly, it’s where I’ll be running my Digging Deeper with Decidedly Dry January Challenge! We’ll be focusing on staying alcohol-free all of January and (for those interested) adding in a movement and faith piece as well. All is completely optional. You can find all the info at decidedlydry.substack.com and linked in the show notes below. Okay loves, lets get to todays episode! Today I am chatting with my new BFF, Rebecca Dollard.

Rebecca Dollard is the momma, CEO, and coach behind The Motherhood Mentor and The Nourished CEO. She lives in Colorado with her hubs of 13yrs and their 2 kiddos. Becca is a somatic mind-body coach who works with leaders in healing spaces to lead and heal themselves. She specializes in somatic healing, somatic parts work, enneagram, emotional leadership and boundaries.

I hope this episode blesses you!

Ways to Connect with Becca:

Website: https://www.the-motherhood-mentor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherhoodmentor/

Masterclass: https://themotherhoodmentor.myflodesk.com/boundariesmasterclass

Recommended Enneagram Quiz: https://assessment.yourenneagramcoach.com/

Recommended Enneagram Book for Beginners: The Road Back to You by Ian Crohn 

Recommended Enneagram Book for those wanting to getting into the deep spiritual medicine of enneagram: From Fixation to Freedom The Enneagram of Liberation 

Book a FREE Enneagram Exploration Call w/Becca: https://themotherhoodmentor.hbportal.co/schedule/658063d4a32a0800324d52ba

Interested in spending January growing in your alcohol-free journey, in movement, and in your faith? Join me! More details will be shared soon with those who are Decidedly Dry Substack Paid Subscribers. Click this link below to make sure you’re on my list and have upgraded to the paid subscription:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Hiya friends and welcome to Episode #87! This 2-part episode not only marks the last episode of 2023, but also wraps up our current season. Decidedly Dry will be taking a break as we line up our amazing content for the New Year.

As we sign off for the year, I want to make sure that I just take a moment to say THANK YOU. Thank you for being here, for listening, and supporting me. It warms my heart to know these conversations are reaching people and just so you know, every time you push play - well my friend, that motivates me to keep hitting record. So thank you.

Before I get to today’s amazing conversation, I’d like to remind you that while we may be taking a break here on the show, I’ll be present and active over on Substack. What is Substack? Great question! Substack is a website/platform where I publish my newsletters, my journal prompts, podcasts, and writing. It’s where you can find a library of past episodes, posts and more tools. Most importantly, it’s where I’ll be running my Digging Deeper with Decidedly Dry January Challenge! We’ll be focusing on staying alcohol-free all of January and (for those interested) adding in a movement and faith piece as well. All is completely optional. You can find all the info at decidedlydry.substack.com and linked in the show notes below. Okay loves, lets get to todays episode! Today I am chatting with my new BFF, Rebecca Dollard.

Rebecca Dollard is the momma, CEO, and coach behind The Motherhood Mentor and The Nourished CEO. She lives in Colorado with her hubs of 13yrs and their 2 kiddos. Becca is a somatic mind-body coach who works with leaders in healing spaces to lead and heal themselves. She specializes in somatic healing, somatic parts work, enneagram, emotional leadership and boundaries.

I hope this episode blesses you!

Ways to Connect with Becca:

Website: https://www.the-motherhood-mentor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherhoodmentor/

Masterclass: https://themotherhoodmentor.myflodesk.com/boundariesmasterclass

Recommended Enneagram Quiz: https://assessment.yourenneagramcoach.com/

Recommended Enneagram Book for Beginners: The Road Back to You by Ian Crohn 

Recommended Enneagram Book for those wanting to getting into the deep spiritual medicine of enneagram: From Fixation to Freedom The Enneagram of Liberation 

Book a FREE Enneagram Exploration Call w/Becca: https://themotherhoodmentor.hbportal.co/schedule/658063d4a32a0800324d52ba

Interested in spending January growing in your alcohol-free journey, in movement, and in your faith? Join me! More details will be shared soon with those who are Decidedly Dry Substack Paid Subscribers. Click this link below to make sure you’re on my list and have upgraded to the paid subscription:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Hello my dear sweet listeners and welcome to Episode #86! At the time this is being recording, we’re just 4 short days away from Christmas. While I have absolutely no clue where this year has gone, I am so looking forward to slowing down with the family this weekend and experiencing the magic of the season with my kiddos.

If this is your first sober holiday, you’re amazing!! I’ll make sure to link some of my past episodes below for tips for staying alcohol-free over the holidays. If you’ve been alcohol free for a while now and are feeling strong in sobriety, my advice is to still plan ahead. Pack a non-alcoholic drink, exercise that day, eat plenty of healthy snacks, and if necessary - have a friend or family member you can reach out to if you find yourself tempted. And just as a reminder, let me just say - you will never, ever, ever, ever, ever regret waking up Christmas Day rested, present, and WITHOUT a hangover. Trust me.

Today I have a new friend on the show, Shelby John. Shelby is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice where she specializes in trauma, addiction, and anxiety. With years of experience in the field, she founded Shelby John Coaching and is the happy host of the Confident Sober Women podcast. After getting sober she became a fresh, authentic voice in the sobriety space, showing women how to build confidence and love their lives beyond recovery. Shelby is the mother to three, the wife to her high school sweetheart, and has been sober since July 1, 2002.

*Please note this episode does have a trigger warning: Shelby talks briefly about suicide in this episode. If you need resources and/or support, go to 988lifeline.org. You can also call, text, or chat by dialing the number 988, please look after yourself.

Okay my friends, honored to be able to bring you another inspiring and wonderful story. Enjoy my chat with Shelby!

Ways to Connect with Shelby:

Website: www.shelbyjohncoaching.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/confidentsoberwomen

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shelbyjjohn

Binge these holiday-related past Decidedly Dry episodes for some motivation:

3 Tips on How to Have Fun and Stay Sober over the Holidays:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decidedly-dry-sobriety-alcohol-free-living-quit-drinking/id1601554317?i=1000590838016

Newly Sober and Not Sure What to Say When People Ask You Why You're Not Drinking? Check Out These Easy, Amazing Responses:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decidedly-dry-sobriety-alcohol-free-living-quit-drinking/id1601554317?i=1000591081719

Interested in spending January growing in your alcohol-free journey, in movement, and in your faith? Join me! More details will be shared soon with those who are Decidedly Dry Substack Subscribers. Click this link below to make sure you’re on my list:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Welcome to Episode #85 my dear friends! Today I’m chatting with Paige Zapata. Paige has been alcohol-free since September of 2021. She was born and raised in Texas, is the mother of two young-adult daughters, has had a career in banking for nearly 28 years and her hobbies include reading, watching movies, and honestly, she just loves being a homebody. Today she’s sharing her sober story and explains how there’s kind of 2 parts to her story: the attempts at cutting back; and then actually quitting for good. Oof, man do I feel that! I totally remember thinking I could simply moderate instead of quitting all together. I could totally be a “normal drinker”. Turns out it was more exhausting and utterly impossible to moderate. It’s like that saying, “If you can’t just have one, have none.” Alright everyone, enjoy another sober story here on Decidedly Dry. I give you… Paige.

Ways to Connect with Paige and Links Mentioned During our Chat:

Email Paige: [email protected]

Sober Powered Podcast with Gillian Tietz

The Sober Diaries by Claire Pooley

Sober Squeeze Community

Interested in spending January growing in your alcohol-free journey, in movement, and in your faith? Join me! More details will be shared soon with those who are Decidedly Dry Substack Subscribers. Click this link below to make sure you’re on my list:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Well hello my sweet friends and welcome to episode #84!

Today is a very special episode to me for many reasons and you'll soon find out why! Recently I had this lightbulb moment when I realized I was doing a little bit of a disservice, with this ever-growing show, by not including the “dudes” in the conversation. So, I reached out to my very dear friend Greyson Pihas to start us off.

Greyson is a 4th year Psychology student at Arizona State, who will soon be attending George Fox University (here in Oregon) to get his master's in counseling. In his free time, Grey loves exploring things like music, creativity, athletics and health, while maintaining relationships with those around him.

Greyson and I hit on some pretty big topics such as; what it’s like to be living as someone who has never had a sip of alcohol; how habits, goals and other healthy hobbies can be life-giving substitutions for alcohol; and how to continue to stay alcohol-free while coping with enormous grief.

I truly loved our chat and was so impressed with his vulnerability and openness. I know his Mom, Heidi, was looking down on us while we spoke and must have had her big, beautiful smile spread across her face as Greyson shared his story. We miss and love you dearly, Heidi.

Ways to Connect with Greyson:

Email: [email protected]

Interested in spending January growing in your alcohol-free journey, in movement, and in your faith? Join me! More details will be shared soon with those who are Decidedly Dry Substack Subscribers. Click this link below to make sure you’re on my list:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Episode #83: Today I have the wonderful and amazing Ali Shapiro on the show. Ali is the host of the top-ranked podcast, Insatiable, she’s a holistic nutritionist, integrated health coach, and a rebel with a serious cause. She’s academically, practically, and empathetically aware of how the medical system, diet culture, and body positivity movements all have their own flavor of crazy. 

Ali developed TRUCE while in graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, where she drew from her 17+ years of working with real life clients and her own personal healing journey from emotional eating and having cancer as a teenager. Ali’s work and clients’ unique success has been featured in well + Good, mindbodygreen, Prevention, Women’s Health and Forbes, as well as industry leading podcasts Being Boss, Tell Me Something True, and Food Heaven.

Ali and I had actually never met prior to our interview - and Holy Toledo (!!!), did we hit it off. Our conversation is real, it’s raw, and it’s being delivered to your beautiful ears in just the right time. Can’t wait for you to enjoy this special chat and I sure hope this episode blesses you. 💙

Ways to Connect with Ali:

* Website: https://alishapiro.com/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimshapiro/

* Truce with Food: The Group Experience: https://alishapiro.com/truce-with-food-the-group-experience/

* Breakfast Experiment: https://alishapiro.com/breakfast-experiment/

If you’d like to stay in contact with Decidedly Dry, head over to our Substack page:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Episode #82: Today I’m chatting with my dear friend, Hanna Bloom. Hanna is a mom of two, happily married to Ben, who fun fact - is nearly 7 years sober! Congrats Ben! Hanna is a business owner and is experiencing all the amazing benefits that sobriety has to offer. Today she’s here to share her story.

I hope this episode blesses you. 💙

Ways to Connect with Hanna:

* Instagram: Hbloom425

* Hanna’s Gym: Black Orchid Yoga & Cycle Instagram: liveblackorchid

* Free Sober Day Counter App: https://iamsober.com

* Hanna’s Business Website: Bloom406.com

* Hanna’s Facebook: Bloom Business Solutions, LLC

If you’d like to stay in contact with Decidedly Dry, head over to our Substack page:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Episode #81: Today I am chatting with my incredibly inspiring, beautiful friend, Jenn Kautsch. Jenn is the founder and creator of the SoberSis community and leader in the Sober Curious movement. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her hubby of 28 years and has 2 adult children in their 20's. SoberSis was born Christmas Day of 2017 and since then more than 200K women have downloaded her free Happy Hour Survival Guide and over 30K have participated in the 21 Day Reset Challenge. Those numbers are growing every month as she works hard to get the message out to more women! She is a motivational speaker and author of Look Alive, Sis.

Fun fact, Jenn’s 21 Day Reset Challenge is the reset challenge I joined when I first became sober curious. It’s where I planted my roots, discovered the amazing benefits of being alcohol-free, and met countless, amazing women who were on a similar journey as I was. Shout out to my 2019 OG’s!!!

It was an absolute blast to have Jenn back on the show and I have a feeling you are going to simply love our chat.

I hope this episode blesses you. 💙

Ways to Connect with Jenn:

* Sober Sis Home Page - www.sobersis.com

* ​ Survive the 5 Free Guide - www.sobersis.com/free-guide

* ​ 21 Day Reset Challenge - www.sobersis.com/21daychallenge

* ​ Follow On Facebook - www.facebook.com/sobermindedsister/

* ​ Follow On IG @sobersis - www.instagram.com/sobersis

* ​ ​Sober Sis 2024 Retreat - www.sobersis.com/retreat

* ​ Look Alive, Sis! by Jenn Kautsch (book) - www.lookalivesis.com

* ​ Look Alive, Sis! 7 Days to Awaken Your Sober Mind - YouVersion Bible Plan

If you’d like to stay in contact with Decidedly Dry, head over to our Substack page:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!

Episode #80: Hello my sweet friends and welcome back to the show! Today I have an incredible juicy topic for you: we’re going to chat about how alcohol is sabotaging your fitness goals. My hope is that after listening to this episode, you’ll discover if you ditch the booze, you’ll soon notice better performance and an unbelievably more enjoyable workout.

Alright, let me set the scene for ya - you’ve all seen it before… the free beer at the end of the half marathon, the mimosa bar after hot yoga - it seems like we’ve entered a world that has lost their bloody mind, am I right? When did our culture decide that alcohol and exercise were a good combo? Anybody? Anybody? Buehler?!

I did my homework leading up to this episode and want to share with you what some of the experts out there have to say on the topic of how alcohol impacts our workouts. The bottom line: Going dry will help you stay on track with your health related goals and in tip-top performance shape. Period.

Give a listen to hear the 5 reasons that support this statement.

As always, if you’d like to stay in contact with Decidedly Dry and/or support my writing and show, head to my Substack here:

https://decidedlydry.substack.com

If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing, leaving a 5-star review, and/or perhaps telling your friends about Decidedly Dry. Thanks so much in advance!!

Don't forget: if the only thing you did today was stay sober, you are winning!