Not Even Wine With Dinner

Change is hard. But sometimes change is necessary, and frankly, change is inevitable.

Regardless of how you look at change, wouldn't you like to be better prepared for it? This week Kristen talks about the Transtheoretical Model. A system of preparedness levels for behavioral change.

A few bits & pieces:

* How we all face change

* What the TTM is all about

* A breakdown of the steps

* Some news about upcoming events!

This is a topic she is very passionate about and has presented and used many times before.

To come to her session on Medium Day, Friday, September 18th, sign up for this all-day FREE event here:

www.medium.com/mediumday

Those who attend will get a 20% discount code for her upcoming workshop on Wednesday, October 28th

The Five Stages of Change - A Sober Curious Roadmap

And check out EP 7 - Why Dry January Fails, which also talks about the 5 stages and how it can be applied during this cruicial time as well.

For more info on NEWWD events and to sign up for the newsletter:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

We all have labels, some good, some bad. Some can define us; others crucify us.

Kristen shares how a few of her labels have had an impact on her life. From alcoholic to yoga instructor, these little words have had a big impact - both positive and negative.

A few bits & pieces:

* Categories of labels we all have

* Steps to take to view them, own them, and be comfortable with them

* A short exercise to do anytime that will help bring awareness to your labels

Read the accompanying story on Medium:

I'm a Sugar-Coated Christian Alcoholic

Register for Medium Day on September 18th:

https://medium.com/mediumday

Sign up for our newsletter:

https://www.notevenwinewithdinner.com/

Be sure to subscribe to my channel wherever you're listening!

How many of us thought those parties and drinking events during our childhood looked "fun?"

Kristen talks about her memories and how "cocktail culture" shaped her beliefs about alcohol and its influence into her future drinking habits.

A few bits & pieces:

* Setting the scene of the cocktail party

* The hidden message behind "can I have a sip?"

* When the fun fades

* Kids are always watching

To read the accompanying story, click here:

Drinking Is Fun! And Other Things We Learn From Grown Ups

The NEWWD Website:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

Do you ever push yourself to the point of burnout? We all do. But let's be honest, it's not good for us.

Kristen shares a recent experience she had where she reached a point of "not feeling it" and made a conscious choice to shift a project back in order to take care of herself and how you can do the same.

A few bits & pieces:

* The point where she said "screw it"

* Things she learned and taught while working in the wellness industry

* How to step back an assess how you're feeling

* Why it's so important to listen to the body when it gives you signals

Read the accompanying article on Medium:

Self Care - You Can't Pour From an Empty Glass

A book referenced in the podcast:

When the Body Says NO - By Gabor Maté

To sign up for Medium Day on September 18th (it's free!):

Medium Day 2026

Our website:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

To buy some NEWWD swag:

www.bonfire.com/newwd

This week, Kristen shifts gears and goes into personal storytelling mode. Talking about drinking her first beer at age 12 and what traumas led her to that moment in her childhood.

A few bits & pieces:

* The first beer experience

* Her background and family history

* School and the awful bullies

There are many more stories to come, so be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Check out the NEWWD movement :

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

And read her blog over at Medium:

www.medium.com/@notevenwinewithdinner

"When you shift the focus back to yourself, you're telling the speaker, "You don't matter."

Kristen talks about how the art of active listening is seemingly dead in our society. How we try to talk to someone and the first thing the listener does is flip the script back on to themselves with a "me, myself and I" perspective.

This is a topic deep to her heart and something she's actively working on herself.

A few bits & pieces:

* How active listening is no longer an automatic response

*Social media has taken our attention spans to nanoseconds

*Not listening quietly tells your loved ones they don't matter

Check out the accompanying story on Medium:

Life Isn't a Competition - The Death of Active Listening

And sign up for the NEWWD newsletter:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

Trigger warning - the word "suicide" is used in this episode to talk about how the awareness of long term drinking can essentially take lives.

Kristen discusses how heavy drinking can take a toll on the body that can eventually lead to death. Her sister's unexpected death from the cirrhosis she was hiding was an eye opening experience to how the body shuts down over time with continued alcohol abuse.

A few bits & pieces:

* An excerpt from her story on Medium of the same name 🗣️

* Stories about her own ER visits as well as her father's revelation about his past 🍺

* Discussions about the toll alcohol can take on the liver

If you feel you need help please don't stay silent. Reach out to a friend, family member, doctor, AA meeting, or call 911 in an emergency.

There is someone who loves you that wants to help. 💖

Links to two stories mentioned:

Heavy Drinking - The Long Slow Suicide

My Sister's Little Secret - She Drank Herself to Death

For more info:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

To reach Kristen:

[email protected]

or

www.skool.com/notevenwinewithdinner

We all think we're immortal when we're young, then life happens, and we wake up in our middle years.

Kristen talks about aging and how hard alcohol is on the body and mind if you continue drinking into your senior years.

A few bits & pieces:

*How we ignore the aging "lectures" when we're young

*No one likes to deal with a drunk old person

*Alcohol and its adverse effects on an aging body

Take a listen and check out the collaborating story on Medium:

Nobody Likes a Drunk Grandma

To learn more about the NEWWD movement:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

or join the community at:

www.skool.com/notevenwinewithdinner

And to read Kristen's stories about life, love, loss, and liquor, check out her writings at:

www.medium.com@notevenwinewithdinner

Have you been hit hard by the reaction of a "grown adult" when you tell them you've quit drinking? Were you stunned, shocked or even offended?

Kristen talks about how peer pressure doesn't stop in the playground and how to flip the script when someone reacts negatively or defensively to your change in life.

A few bits & pieces:

* How peer pressure starts in school

* The different kinds of pressure

* Kids vs. adults in the playground of life

* How to prepare for the "adult" comments that might come your way

A few epsiodes that relate to this one are:

EP 12 - "You Drink Normal" - The lie that's killing so many

EP 1 - "No" Is a Complete Sentence

To buy NEWWD swag like the shirt Kristen's wearing:

www.bonfire.com/newwd

The NEWWD website:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

In a world where drinking is so normalized, those who struggle can slip through the cracks into addiction.

Kristen talks about how she heard many comments like "Why are you quitting? You drink normal!" when she began her sobriety journey and how dangerous this conversation can be.

A few bits & pieces covered:

* Kristen's drinking history and what became her "normal"

* Signs and symptoms of what's not normal

* A few questions from mulitiple recovery sources on how to identify AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder)

You can read the collaborating story on Medium for free here:

"You Drink Normal" - The Lie That's Killing So Many

For more information on NEWWD or to reach Kristen directly, go to:

www.notevenwinewithdinner.com

To check out the NEWWD communuity on Skool:

www.skool.com/notevenwinewithdinner