In today’s episode, I’m diving into a truth that took me years to understand:
👉 When you think less, you drink less.
Not because you suddenly gain more willpower… but because you stop getting trapped in the mental loops that keep you reaching for a glass.

I talk about how our brains fire off thousands of thoughts a day — and how those thoughts create emotions, and those emotions drive what we do next.
Same situation, totally different reactions, depending on the thoughts we attach to it.
This is why two women can have the same day… but only one ends up pouring wine at 5pm.

I share how my own perspective has shifted over the years.
Thought work helped me — but it wasn’t the whole picture. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is not chase the thought at all.
Let it pass.
Let it be.
Let your body regulate before your mind spirals.

I invite you to imagine your thoughts like clouds drifting across the sky.
You don’t have to climb on every cloud.
You don’t have to argue with them.
You can let them roll in and roll out.
In this episode, I share grounding practices that helped me stop getting stuck in repetitive, insecure thinking — the kind that used to send me straight to a bottle.

This is a big one.
I explain why alcohol itself isn’t the powerful force we think it is — it’s neutral.
The grip it has on us comes entirely from the meaning, emotion, and habit loops we’ve built around it.
When you loosen those thoughts, alcohol loses its charge… and you regain your power.

I wrap up with an invitation:
Share your own experiences with insecure thinking around drinking.
Notice how often your thoughts are running the show.
And remember — everything you want for your wellness, your peace, your freedom… it’s already within you.
You just have to clear the mental clutter long enough to feel it.

🧠 Thoughts + Drinking: How They Shape Each Other (0:28)

⛔ The Limits of “Just Change Your Thoughts” Work (3:59)

🌥 Presence, Somatic Awareness & Thought Clouds (6:44)

🍷 Alcohol Is Neutral (11:27)💬 Closing Thoughts & Your Next Step (11:57)

I'm opening up some more 1:1 coaching slots. If you're done overthinking your drinking, book a call here to discuss:

👉 Book a complimentary ⁠IQW Connect Call with me here⁠.

Or join the IQW Collective to get my courses plus support (for a short time you also get 2 x 1:1 sessions with me for 1 low price) here:

https://iquitwine.com/iqwa/

In this episode, I talk about one of my favourite tools for staying alcohol-free: playing it forward. If you want more clarity, more energy, and a calmer relationship with yourself, this episode will really support you.

Here’s what I dive into:

🔮 Playing It Forward 100 Days (3:02)
I explore the idea of imagining yourself 100 days into the future—alcohol-free—and noticing how you feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and in your relationships. When you play it forward, the choice in front of you becomes so much clearer.

🎉 The 100-Day Alcohol-Free Challenge (5:12)
I share the details of the 100-day alcohol-free challenge I’m starting in the new year inside the IQW Collective. We’ll be walking this journey together with somatic practices, tools for managing triggers, and a supportive community led by Sarah.

🧘‍♀️ Why the Mind–Body Connection Matters (7:30)
For years, I felt completely disconnected from my body. In this episode, I talk about how tuning in—really listening to what your body is telling you—can release the urge to drink and bring you back into regulation.

⚡️ Triggers and Glimmers (11:25)
I encourage you to get curious about your personal triggers—the things that dysregulate your nervous system and make you want to reach for a drink. And just as importantly, I talk about finding your glimmers: the small, soothing moments that help you settle, soften, and come home to yourself.

🤝 Joining the IQW Collective (15:01)
I share how you can join the IQW Collective and take part in our 100-day alcohol-free challenge, and I talk through options for extra 1:1 support if you want it. You can always email me if you have questions or need help deciding.

✨ Recap & Call to Action (17:18)
I invite you to dream into what your life could look like after 100 days without alcohol. How do you want to feel? What will be different? I’d absolutely love to hear your vision.

If you'd love support in creating your own 100-day alcohol-free future, I’m here for you.

👉 Book a complimentary IQW Connect Call with me here:

or a Coaching Session here:

Wishing you beautiful, nourishing self-care. 💛

In this episode of the I Quit Wine podcast, I take you behind the scenes of my own story—the emotional reasons behind the last time I drank alcohol, and how understanding this completely changed my relationship with drinking.

Here’s what I talk about:

💛 Why We Drink for Emotional Reasons (0:59)
I explore how so many of us turn to alcohol to shift how we’re feeling—whether that’s trying to numb shame, guilt, or grief, or trying to amplify excitement before a big event. Our thoughts and emotions are always intertwined, and getting curious about what’s underneath the urge to drink is where real change begins.

🍷 My Own Story: The Last Time I Drank (4:23)
I share honestly about the last time I drank alcohol. I was feeling sad and lonely, and I wanted to feel happier and more energised for a family event. Instead, I ended up drinking more than I intended and waking up the next day full of regret. This was such an important turning point for me.

🔁 Recognising Your Own Patterns (7:29)
I talk about how we all have our “thing” we struggle with. For some, it’s alcohol. For others, it’s something completely different. What matters is understanding your own relationship with it—your triggers, your habits, your emotional states—rather than comparing yourself with anyone else.

🌿 Building a Healthier Relationship With Alcohol (10:50)
I walk through how my relationship with alcohol changed gradually over the years. It wasn’t overnight. It was a slow and steady shift into being genuinely disinterested in drinking. I invite you to reflect on what you want your relationship with alcohol to look like and offer gentle suggestions for moving in that direction.

🌟 Support Through the I Quit Wine Collective (16:36)
I introduce the IQW Collective—my programme that brings together courses, tools, community, and coaching to help you develop a healthier, more peaceful relationship with alcohol. There’s no one-size-fits-all. You get to decide what freedom looks like for you.

You can take a look here:

https://iquitwine.com/iqwa/

Right now when you join, you get the trainings inside the portal as well as 2 private calls with me (valued at much more than the entire price of the IQW Collective.

✨ Recap & Gentle Next Steps (20:00)
I close the episode by reminding you that everything you want is fully available to you. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. And you don’t have to figure this out alone.

In this episode, I chat with Gillian Cockburn, a sober coach who’s been alcohol-free for over five years. Her story is such a powerful example of what’s possible when you decide to question your relationship with alcohol — and choose a different path.

Gillian stopped drinking on May 6th, 2020, after years of knowing something wasn’t quite right. She shared how she used to hide her drinking, even from those closest to her, and how she often felt empty and disconnected in her early 40s. Like so many of us, she was using alcohol to numb uncomfortable feelings and get through the day.

What really helped her turn things around was doing deep thought work and mindset coaching — learning to change the way she thought about herself, her emotions, and alcohol. That shift gave her the tools to maintain her sobriety and create a much more vibrant, peaceful life.

We also talked about how cultural and marketing influences have played such a big role in normalising drinking, especially for women. Gillian grew up in Scotland, where alcohol was part of almost every social gathering, and later found herself influenced by TV shows and media that glamorised wine as a symbol of sophistication or stress relief.

She also pointed out how marketing specifically targets women — positioning alcohol as “Mummy’s little helper” — and how that can make it even harder to step away from drinking in midlife, when so many women are already dealing with identity shifts, hormonal changes, and big life transitions.

One of my favourite parts of our conversation was around mindset shifts. Gillian talked about viewing alcohol as neutral — not good, not bad — and focusing instead on the thoughts and feelings that drive the desire to drink. Letting go of shame and judgement, she said, is what opens the door to true freedom.

When I asked what advice she’d give to someone in early sobriety, she offered some beautiful, simple wisdom:
✨ Pause and take a breath before you decide to drink.
✨ Make a conscious choice, rather than reacting automatically.
✨ And, most importantly, connect with others who get it — you don’t have to do this alone.

You can follow Gillian on Instagram at @GillianSoberCoach and visit her website at www.findingyoucoaching.co.uk for more of her work and resources.

Now’s the perfect time to get support inside the IQW Collective

You get the entire program plus 2 x 1:1 sessions for one low price to help you change your relationship with alcohol:

⁠https://iquitwine.com/⁠

In this episode, I dive into a big one – why so many of us use alcohol to avoid or numb emotions. It could be anxiety, stress, worry, or even the “good” feelings like joy and excitement. For a while, wine might feel like it takes the edge off, but the relief never lasts – and the consequences can be heavy.

I share honestly about my own experience when I first stopped drinking for longer stretches. I found it really hard to have a clear, focused mind and thought something was wrong with me. What I eventually discovered is that it was actually a sign I needed to learn new ways to manage my emotions – and that’s where real freedom begins.

I talk about how important it is to develop a toolkit of healthy coping strategies rather than falling back on alcohol or other addictive habits. This is the key to breaking that frustrating stop–start cycle so many of us know all too well.

I also touch on the role of hormones – particularly during perimenopause and menopause – and how they can affect our relationship with alcohol. It’s such an important piece of the puzzle, and I encourage you to seek support from professionals who really understand this connection.

At the end of the episode, I give you a little sneak peek of what’s coming up next week, when I’ll be talking about the new alcohol labelling laws in Ireland and what they could mean for how we all think about drinking.

And, if you’re ready for support, I’d love to invite you to join me inside the IQW Collective – especially with Sober October just around the corner. It’s a safe, supportive space where you’ll find tools, resources, and community to help you finally break free from the cycle.

Check out the IQW Collective here:

https://iquitwine.com/iqwa/

Email me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore private coaching.

Struggle with drinking while on holiday? In this episode of I Quit Wine, I share my experience of protecting sobriety, explain emotional sobriety, and introduce the year-long I Quit Wine Collective for support beyond “just not drinking.”

Staying alcohol-free while on holiday can be so challenging.

Even after years of sobriety, I’ve had moments where those “innocent little thoughts” about having a drink sneak in, and before you know it, they can become really tempting. I share openly about my own experiences and why I’ve learned to be fiercely protective of my sobriety – not just from other people offering me a drink, but from my own mind trying to convince me that “just one” would be fine.

I also share something really exciting – the doors are now open for my brand-new I Quit Wine Collective. This is a year-long support community designed to help you get off the stop-start cycle with drinking and feel fully supported in your sobriety.

Inside, you’ll find daily check-ins, group coaching, somatic practices like breathwork, and the kind of encouragement we all need to stay consistent.

Another theme I dive into is emotional sobriety. For me, quitting wine was never just about not drinking – it’s about creating a truly incredible life after wine. I talk about how I blend both cognitive (top-down) and somatic (bottom-up) tools to work through the deeper reasons why we drank in the first place, and how this helps us flourish in every area of life.

I wrap up with an invitation for you to join me in the I Quit Wine Collective – because this isn’t just about giving up alcohol, it’s about co-creating a new, brighter chapter of your life.

🎧 The Question to Ask Yourself That Changes Everything with Drinking

In this episode, I dive into a powerful question that changed everything for me in my sobriety journey—and how it might shift things for you too.

Here’s what we cover:

🌀 Understanding Grey Area Drinking (starts at 0:13)
I explain what “grey area drinking” actually is—the space between not drinking at all and full-blown alcohol dependency. If you’ve ever found yourself trying to take breaks, then starting again, you’re not alone.

💡 The Key Question That Helped Me Break the Cycle (starts at 2:42)
I share the simple but game-changing question I asked myself:
“Is this taking me further towards or away from feeling good, feeling well?”
This mindset shift was the beginning of real, lasting change.

🍷 The Truth About Alcohol’s So-Called Health Benefits (starts at 4:30)
We take a look at the outdated ideas around alcohol being “good for you,” and I unpack what the latest research says instead.

🧠 Challenging the Lies That Keep Us Drinking (starts at 7:59)
From “I need a drink to relax” to “I won’t enjoy the party without it,” I talk through the sneaky thoughts that keep us stuck—and how to let them drift on by without giving them power.

🌿 Reconnecting With Your Innate Well-Being (starts at 10:00)
You were born with a natural sense of well-being, and it's still there—even if alcohol has clouded it. I share how you can start to reconnect with that deeper joy and clarity.

If this episode resonated and you're ready to explore a life with more energy, peace and joy—without alcohol—I’d love to support you.

👉 Book a free connect call with me here
or
📲 Send me a DM on Instagram: @iquitwine_withsarah

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own—support is here when you're ready. 💛

Episode 038: Doing Big Things Without Alcohol

In this episode of I Quit Wine, I’m sharing all about a huge personal milestone—my son’s wedding—and how I navigated the entire multi-day celebration completely alcohol-free.

Yes, three days of events (pre-wedding, the big day, and post-wedding celebrations), surrounded by champagne toasts and clinking wine glasses—and I didn’t drink a drop. And the best part? I had a brilliant time. I danced, I laughed, I connected, and I woke up feeling fresh every morning (unlike some others, bless them!).

Here’s what I cover in this episode:

💃 My personal experience

• How I stayed sober at such a big event, and the tiny wobble I had—and how I moved through it.

• What helped me the most, including great alcohol-free drinks (yes, there was AF wine, beer, and cocktails!).

• One little hiccup—my non-alcoholic wine got switched for the real thing by mistake. I’ll tell you what happened and how I handled it.

🌟 The benefits of staying alcohol-free at events

• Waking up clear-headed and energised

• Feeling confident and present (no second-guessing anything I said or did!)

• Fully enjoying the dancing and celebration without any fuzzy moments

🥂 Why inclusivity for non-drinkers matters

• A big shout-out to events that make non-drinkers feel just as welcome

• Why just offering water isn’t enough

• The power of choice when it comes to drinks—and how it actually encourages more people to skip the booze

🛠 My top tips for navigating events alcohol-free

• What to plan ahead (spoiler: know your drinks, your answers, and your exits!)

• Why focusing on the joy and connection makes such a difference

• How to feel empowered, even when you’re the only one not drinking

🎉 Exciting news!
The IQW Freedom Formula is available for just $88 and will support you on your journey to freedom from overthinking your drinking.

You can check it out here:

IQuitWine.com/FF

Want to find out more about my wellbeing supplements that are also helping others to decrease cravings? I love the magnesium, multi-vitamin and CBD oil from this company:

https://www.LiveGood.com/SarahLeather

Thanks for listening. If you’re facing your own big event and wondering how to handle it without wine, know that you can do it—and it can be even better than you imagined.

In this episode, I’m joined by the lovely Sally German, a coach who shares her inspiring journey of quitting alcohol and how journaling became a powerful part of her recovery and personal growth.

Sally’s story is incredibly relatable—like so many women, her drinking was woven into her social life, career, and stress management. But after years of questioning her relationship with alcohol, trying to moderate, and experiencing the emotional toll it took, she made the brave decision to quit for good.

We also dive deep into one of my favourite tools for sobriety and self-discovery: journaling. If you’ve ever felt a bit weird writing things down or didn’t know where to start, this conversation will give you the nudge you need.

✨ What We Talked About:

Sally’s Journey

• First drink at 10 or 11—can you believe it?

• Drinking quickly became the norm in her late teens and twenties

• She tried all the moderation tricks (dry months, training for a marathon) before finally saying goodbye to alcohol

• It took around 10 years from her first “maybe I should stop” moment to full sobriety

The Challenges of Quitting

• Societal conditioning and the fear of missing out are real

• Friends often didn’t understand her choice, which made things even tougher

• Sally shares how hard it was to imagine social life or travel without alcohol—but also how freeing it’s been since quitting

Journaling for Sobriety & Growth

• Journaling started as something awkward for Sally… and me too, to be honest!

• Now it’s a daily essential for both of us

• It’s not just about writing—it’s a space for emotional release, pattern spotting, and serious self-awareness

Tips for Starting a Journaling Practice

• Keep it simple: start with “Right now I feel…” or “Today I’m feeling…”

• 5 minutes is plenty to begin with

• Try it in the morning with your coffee or at night to wind down

• Push through the initial discomfort—it gets easier, and the insights are so worth it

💬 Ready to Give Journaling a Go? Start small, stay curious, and be kind to yourself. It doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be honest.

You can connect with Sally German Coaching over on Instagram for more journaling inspo and support.

And who knows? I might have Sally back soon to dive even deeper into this gorgeous practice!

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or come hang out with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iquitwine_withsarah_

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

In this episode of I Quit Wine, I’m answering some of the biggest questions about quitting alcohol—how hard it really is, what to expect in early sobriety, and whether you can ever “reset” your drinking habits.

I’ll also share insights from my own journey, what finally worked for me after years of trying, and why addressing the root causes of alcohol dependence is so important.

✅ Early sobriety is challenging, but it gets easier with the right support and daily practices.
✅ Alcohol cravings aren’t just triggered by stress—happy moments can also lead to urges.
✅ There’s no such thing as “resetting” drinking habits—quitting completely is often necessary.
✅ Long-term sobriety isn’t just about avoiding alcohol; it’s about healing the deeper reasons we drink.

🔹 The Challenge of Early Sobriety

• The first 30 days can be tough, but they’re also crucial.
• Around 80-100 days, something shifts, and sobriety starts to feel easier.
• Daily practices are key—willpower alone won’t keep you sober.
• How my Freedom Formula helps create a sustainable alcohol-free life.

🔹 Why Triggers for Alcohol Go Beyond Stress

• Cravings don’t just come from bad days—good days can trigger them too.
• Our beliefs about worthiness and happiness can play a huge role in drinking.
• Alcohol is often used to cope with both struggles and celebrations.
• The nervous system’s role in processing emotions (and why it matters in sobriety).

🔹 The Myth of “Resetting” Drinking Habits

• There’s no such thing as a fresh start with drinking.
• The “downward-facing escalator” analogy—why every relapse brings you back to the same spot.
• The importance of addressing the root causes behind drinking.
• My personal experience of multiple attempts before finally stopping for good.

🔹 Why Professional Support Makes a Difference

• Trying to quit alone can be harder than it needs to be.

• My ICW Freedom Formula helps women quit drinking in a way that actually lasts.
• I use trauma-informed coaching, somatic work, and emotional sobriety coaching techniques alongside Root Cause Therapy.

• Trying to quit alone can be harder than it needs to be.

💌 Need support? I’m here to help!

📧 Email me: [email protected]

📲 DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iquitwine_withsarah_/

💬 Thinking about quitting? Let’s chat—book a call with me to talk about your next steps:

https://calendly.com/iqwwithsarah/connect-with-sarah

⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: If you’re a heavy daily drinker, please consult a healthcare professional before quitting abruptly.