What if the thing holding you back from feeling better was so normal you couldn't even see it? Michael spent years as a weekend drinker—never missing work, rarely getting truly hungover, and thinking his Friday-Saturday routine was just part of life. But beneath the surface, he was gaining weight, feeling disconnected, and living in a fog he didn't know existed. When he finally calculated the calories and realized he was binge drinking, quitting weekend binge drinking became the decision that changed everything. In this episode, Michael joins Coach Cole to talk about how one ordinary moment—pouring a drink down the drain—became the catalyst for extraordinary transformation in his health, marriage, and spiritual life.

In this episode, Coach Cole and Michael discuss:

The quiet turning point: a watered-down vodka and a Sunday sink

Doing the math: 4–5k “weekend” calories, late-night pizza, and weight creep

One Year No Beer → Annie’s book → community support that clicked

“Low-level lousy”: why feeling meh all week became the wake-up call

Early mornings, meditation, and walks as keystone habits

Dreams about drinking and why they freaked him out

Quitting weekend binge drinking as the simplest path to feeling better

Handling “I deserve a drink” thoughts without white-knuckling

Labels vs. behavior: dropping the identity fight and choosing presence

Modeling change for kids and being the midnight ride they can count on

And more topics…

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

One Year No Beer - Andy’s Naked Life - E57 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-57-naked-life-story-andy-ramage/

What is the difference in binge drinking vs. daily drinking? - Reader Question - E156 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-156-what-is-the-difference-in-binge-drinking-vs-daily-drinking/

Drinking in Full Control with Ruari Fairbairns - Interview - E73 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-73-drinking-full-control-ruari-fairbairns/

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