EPISODE 160 - Caroline Holke has always had a pretty good life on paper—happily married with two kids, a leadership position in corporate marketing, and plenty of good friends and family. But she wasn't quite happy and knew that the first place to start was her relationship with alcohol. Today she is a Drink Less Coach. She helps women get rid of the bad parts of drinking—and this doesn't mean quitting drinking altogether (necessarily). Her work centers on the concept that we are taught what to think and how to think with regard to other people's work. But we were never taught that we can apply critical thinking skills to our own thinking. We grow up believing that our thoughts are true. This is great if we have helpful thoughts, but many times, they are not. Most people focus on what to DO to cut back on their drinking; Caroline has a skill for helping her clients tease out what thoughts are driving their drinking in the first place. Addressing the habit at the root cause is what helps create sustainable change. She works with her clients 1:1 to develop a plan on how to un-believe these limiting thoughts and create a life that they wouldn't dream of numbing out! In the episode, Caroline shares tips for acclimating to social situations when you’re not drinking as much, positive changes to expect when you cut back on alcohol, mindset shifts that are critical to adopt when you want to drink less…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/160

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QUESTIONS I ASK CAROLINE IN THE EPISODE:

Can you tell us a bit about your background? (Specifically, what made you want to become a "Drink Less Coach"? Was your own relationship with drinking what inspired you to focus specifically on helping people with that? Can you tell us more about your own journey with alcohol?)

"Sober curious" is a new term I've been hearing, but from what I understand it's mostly people who are choosing to enter a life of full-on sobriety (or are at least curious about it). Are most of the people who come to you "sober curious" or just wanting to cut back a bit?

I'm not a mom yet, but I've heard and read about alcohol as becoming something that's synonymous with motherhood. Is this new, or is it just spoken about more now? What advice do you have for moms, specifically, who find themselves relying on a drink (or several!) to make it through the day?

Since so many of our social lives revolve around food and alcohol, it could feel awkward to drink less—or not at all!—among friends. Sometimes you can even feel like a problem or a bother if you're not drinking! What tips do you have for navigating social situations? Do you still have fun when not drinking?

What other unexpected positive changes can someone expect when they cut back on alcohol? (You mention "found" time—what's that?)

Are there certain mindset shifts that are necessary to overcome when on a journey to drink less? If so, what are they?

What are some of the most common misconceptions about alcohol that still circulate? About abstaining from alcohol?

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Visit Caroline's website, take her FREE "Stop Overdrinking" course, follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and take advantage of her other FREE resources

Giesen alcohol-removed Sauvignon Blanc

Listen to my previous conversation with Michelle Kapler, re: tips to cut back on drinking

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Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)