Intelligent Intoxication

Intelligent Intoxication

By Terri BradwayBusinessEntrepreneurshipHealth & FitnessMental HealthEducationSelf-Improvement
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Intelligent Intoxication episodes

  • Announcing An In-Person Class for Moms of Adult Children!

    I’m thrilled to announce my new in-person class:

    “Design Your Second Season – Your Kids Are Grown. Now it’s time to rediscover YOU.”

    Design Your Second Season is a 5-week small-group class where moms of adult children come together to reflect, reconnect with who they are now, and begin shaping a meaningful and fulfilling next chapter.

    In this class, you’ll gain:

    • Clarity about who you are now in this stage of life
    • A vision for what you want your next chapter to look like
    • Confidence in your gifts and talents
    • A weekly rhythm that supports what matters most to you

    The class is designed to be both thoughtful and practical—giving you space to reflect while also helping you take meaningful steps forward.

    Details:

    Wednesdays, March 25 – April 22
    6:00–7:30 PM
    Kairos Learning Solutions
    836 S. Main Street, Salinas

    Class size is limited to keep the experience personal and engaging.

    If you’re the mother of adult children who can use some support as you design your second seasion, I can help.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

    Coaching Call with Terri

    Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

    If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

    Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

    My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

    Intentional Intoxication Book

    If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

    For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

    Intoxication Inventory

    11 min
  • What Are You Still Trying to Prove?

    Once the active years of motherhood have passed, we may find ourselves still trying to prove to or convince others that we are valuable and worthy. 

    Proving is similar to people-pleasing in which we’re “lying” to others in order to manage how they think or feel about us. 

    If you’re the mother of adult children who finds herself striving to prove that you’re still valuable and worthy, I can help.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

    Coaching Call with Terri

    Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

    If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

    Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

    My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

    Intentional Intoxication Book

    If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

    For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

    Intoxication Inventory

    11 min
  • How To Live In Hope in the Second Season

    It’s not uncommon for moms of adult children in the second half of life to get stuck in fear - rather than managing fear while living in hope. 

    Courtesy of author Kate Swobota, “the fear chain/hope chain” exercise will help you uncover the limiting beliefs beneath your fears so that you can intentionally focus on what you hope will happen instead. 

    For example:

    • “If I’m not needed by my adult children, I’m afraid that I won’t spend time with them.”
    • “If I don’t spend time with them, I’m afraid that I’ll feel disconnected from them.”
    • “If I feel disconnected from them, I’m afraid that I won’t matter to them any more.”
    • “If I don’t matter to them any more, I’m afraid that I’ll be abandoned.”
    • “If I’m abandoned, I’m afraid that I’ll always be alone.”

      •  

      So my real fearful belief is that being “needed” prevents me from being alone. 

      Now, we flip it. 

      • “If I’m not needed by my adult children, I HOPE that they’ll be strong and independent.”
      • “If they are strong and independent, I hope that they’ll create lives they truly love.”
      • “If they create lives they truly love, I hope that I’ll be an important part of those lives.”
      • “If I’m an important part of their lives, I hope that we’ll remain deeply connected.”

        • I’m curious to know - what did you uncover?

        If you’re the mother of adult children who finds herself stuck in fear, rather than living in hope, I can help.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

        Coaching Call with Terri

        Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

        If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

        Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

        My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

        Intentional Intoxication Book

        If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

        For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

        Intoxication Inventory

        15 min
      • What If You Don't Want What You Think You Should?

        A simple coaching prompt stopped me in my tracks:

        “Actually, I don’t want to ______ because…”

        In this episode, we explore why so many of us chase goals we inherited—from culture, expectations, or a former version of ourselves—and how quiet resistance can be a form of wisdom.

        This conversation is for you if you’ve been feeling oddly unmotivated, braced around certain “shoulds,” or unsure why a goal no longer fits.

        You don’t need a new goal yet.

        Sometimes clarity begins with naming what you no longer want.

        If you’re the mother of adult children who might love some support as you clarify what you want or don’t want in the second season of life, I can help.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

        Coaching Call with Terri

         

        Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

        If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

        Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

        My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

        Intentional Intoxication Book

        If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

        For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

        Intoxication Inventory

        17 min
      • Are You a Mom Stuck in Explanations?

        In the empty nest, long-standing explanations for why life can’t change often get louder. These stories once protected us—but now they may be quietly limiting our sense of agency, vitality, and connection.

        1. The Pattern: Living in Explanation Mode
        • Constant reasons why change isn’t possible
        • Weight, marriage, energy, relationships, timing
        • Not laziness—protection
        • Explanations reduce risk, disappointment, and grief

          • “If it’s not my fault, I don’t have to risk failing… but I also don’t get to feel my power.”

          2. Why This Shows Up in the Empty Nest
          • Fewer external demands
          • More time + space = more self-awareness
          • Old coping strategies resurface
          • Identity built on caretaking starts to loosen
            • 3. The Hidden Cost
            • Stagnation 
            • Quiet resentment or numbness
            • Others feel fatigued or disengage
            • Conversations circle, but nothing opens
              • 4. The Shift: From Explaining to Experimenting
              • Not “take responsibility”
              • Try small experiments
                • “What’s one thing I could try?”
                • “What feels even slightly enlivening?”
                • “What if curiosity replaced justification?”
                  • 5. For the Spouse, Friend, or Adult Child

                  What doesn’t help

                  • Arguing with the explanation
                  • Fixing or convincing

                    • What helps

                    • Reflect without rescuing: “That sounds heavy.”
                    • Name choice gently: “I wonder what you want.”
                    • Set boundaries when needed

                      • “Loving someone doesn’t mean living inside their stuckness.”

                      6. Closing Reframe
                      • Explanations are often fear in disguise

                        • “Who am I when I no longer need a reason to stay the same?”

                        If you’re the mother of adult children who feels stuck in excuses or explanations, I can help you easily get unstuck.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

                        Coaching Call with Terri

                         

                        Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                        If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                        Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                        My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                        Intentional Intoxication Book

                        If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                        For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                        Intoxication Inventory

                        20 min
                      • Empty Nesting: What's Actually Happening vs. The Story We're Telling

                        What if some of the hardest parts of empty nesting aren’t the circumstances themselves—but the stories our nervous system tells about them?

                        In this episode, we explore the difference between real empty nest changes and the meaning we attach to them when we’re unsettled or dysregulated. Drawing from ADHD and nervous system concepts, we look at why grief and anxiety can surface even when nothing is “wrong,” and how separating fact from story can restore clarity and agency.

                        If you’re the mother of adult children who might love some support as you identify and challenge your own “stories” about this stage, I can help you easily get unstuck.  I invite you to schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

                        Coaching Call with Terri

                         

                        Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                        If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                        Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                        My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                        Intentional Intoxication Book

                        If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                        For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                        Intoxication Inventory






                        20 min
                      • How To Habit As the Mom of Adult Children

                        Episode Description:

                        If your habits haven’t been what you wanted them to be so far in 2026, here’s a quick habit refresh for your consideration:

                        Identify whether you are an “abstainer” or a “moderator”. In her book, Better Than Before, author Gretchen Rubin explains:

                        “For abstainers, it’s easier to say no to everything than to say no to some things… moderators do better when they indulge in moderation, because occasional indulgence heightens their pleasure and strengthens their resolve.”

                        When it comes to changing habits, is it easier for you to stop the habit altogether, or to aim to do the habit in smaller quantities or less frequently?

                        When you’re trying to start a new habit, is it easier to practice the new habit every single day for a very short period of time (abstain from missing a day) or to practice the habit a few times a week (moderately)?

                        According to James Clear in Atomic Habits:

                        “We don’t rise to the level of our goals - we fall to the level of our systems.”

                        In order to create a “system”, simply grab a piece of paper and write down the small, specific steps you’ll take in order. 

                        For example, here’s my “daily walk system”:

                        • At 4:45, put on shoes and coat. 
                        • Grab airpods and phone. 
                        • Leave the house. 
                        • Walk around the neighborhood. 

                          • The steps are clear and simple. When 4:45 hits, I don’t have to make a decision. I simply have to follow the steps. 

                          If you’re trying to start a habit, it’s helpful to attach a “feeling state” to the new habit. For example, I’ll get the benefit of feeling energized if I walk for 15 minutes. 

                          If you’re trying to stop a habit that no longer serves you, instead of focusing on what the habit is costing you, identify the immediate yet temporary benefit you get from the habit. For example, drinking while you make dinner might be giving you an escape from feeling restless or bored. Substitute a quick walk (moves the restless energy) and a Netflix show (solves for boredom) and you’re still getting the “benefit” without the long-term costs. 

                          In Atomic Habits, James Clear also teaches that the best way to start and a sustain a new habit is to attach a valued identity to the habit or system:

                          “The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become.”

                          Everytime I walk, write, cook, or meet with a client, I am showing up as an “exerciser”, “author”, “foodie”, or “coach”. These identities are important to me and I want to embody them as often as possible. 

                          On the habit front, here are my favorite books for your consideration:

                          Atomic Habits by James Clear. 

                          Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. 

                          Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff

                          If you know you could use some support as you stop or start new habits this year as the mother of adult children, you can schedule a complimentary coaching call with me. Here’s the link:

                          Coaching Call with Terri

                           

                          Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                          If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                          Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                          My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                          Intentional Intoxication Book

                          If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                          For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                          Intoxication Inventory

                           

                          14 min
                        • How To Create and Maintain Friendships As the Mom of Adult Children

                          Moms of adult children often struggle to create or maintain emotionally mature relationships in the second season of life. 

                          What if creating new connections can actually be simple, not complicated?

                          Here are my top three tips for creating and maintaining connections:

                          1. Be interested. No one wants to be impressed by you. Women want to feel seen and heard and that you’re genuinely interested in who they are. 
                            1. The best way to do this is to ask them questions using the prompt:
                              1. “I’m so curious… “
                              2. Be fun and entertaining. Bring the joy into every interaction you have with other women. Don’t be a “Debbie Downer”. Don’t  complain. 
                              3. Be willing to initiate activities with other women. 

                                4. If you know you could use some help creating and maintaining connections as the mother of adult children, you can schedule a complimentary coaching call with me in January, 2026. Here’s the link:

                                Coaching Call with Terri

                                 

                                Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                                If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                                Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                                My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                                Intentional Intoxication Book

                                If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                                For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                                Intoxication Inventory

                                 

                                10 min
                              4. How To Quietly Quit as the Mom of Adult Children

                                I use the concept “quiet quitting” to describe the intentional decision to  create an internal boundary regarding what we are no longer willing to do, be, or what or to whom we’re no longer willing to grant access to, or determining the amount of space you need between you and another person in order to truly love and accept them and yourself at the same time.

                                “Quitting” is not giving up - it’s deciding that you’re no longer willing to invest your limited time, energy, and resources into an activity or relationship.

                                “Quiet quitting” is not a reaction to an uncomfortable emotion like anger, fear, or sadness - it is an intentional response given our current needs and circumstances. 

                                If you know you could use some help as you navigate a new identity as the mother of adult children, you can schedule a complimentary coaching call with me in January, 2026. Here’s the link:

                                Coaching Call with Terri

                                 

                                Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                                If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                                Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                                My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                                Intentional Intoxication Book

                                If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                                For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                                Intoxication Inventory

                                16 min
                              5. The Emotional Whiplash Moms of Adult Kids Feel When They Leave Again

                                If you’re a mom of adult children and you’re feeling discombobulated after the holidays — this episode is for you.

                                When your kids come home, life often shifts into anticipation mode. We look forward to their arrival, savor the time together, and then suddenly… they’re gone. And you’re left trying to restart your life again.

                                In this episode, we talk about:

                                • Why the transition after the holidays feels so emotionally jarring

                                • How living in anticipation can quietly put your own life on hold

                                • The four-part cycle we experience when our adult kids are coming home:
                                  • Anticipation
                                  • Connection
                                  • Emptiness
                                  • Recalibration

                                    • This isn’t about “bouncing back.”

                                    It’s about honoring the transition — and learning how to live fully in the season you’re actually in.

                                     

                                    If you know you could use some help as you navigate a new identity as the mother of adult children, you can schedule a complimentary coaching call with me in January, 2026. Here’s the link:

                                    Coaching Call with Terri

                                     

                                    Thank you for investing your valuable time and energy into listening to the podcast. I’m so very grateful for you. 

                                    If you enjoyed this episode, you can “tip the bartender” by rating and reviewing the podcast. Your review makes it easier for others to find the podcast. 

                                    Don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to be notified any time I pour out a new episode. 

                                    My new book Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire, is available on Amazon. You can imbibe on the entire book in one, short, intentionally happier hour:

                                    Intentional Intoxication Book

                                    If you’re interested to know about how I can support you in overcoming the habit of escaping or chasing, I invite you to reach out to me by using the email below and we find a time to chat:

                                    For a quick shot of your life’s current level of intoxication, I invite you to complete the 10 Questions on my Intoxication Inventory:

                                    Intoxication Inventory




                                    18 min

                                  About Intelligent Intoxication

                                  From the publisher's feed

                                  Get ready to craft a top shelf life with new episodes every Wednesday. Join your host, Terri Bradway, for season two of the Intelligent Intoxication podcast.