Sometimes, everything falls apart. We can be fraying at the edges for a long time, using alcohol as the 'duct tape' to hold everything together and one day, it's not enough.

My guest on the podcast today, Allison Barber, shares her story, which includes a debilitating injury, a crumbling marriage and a rocky relationship happening all at once. To find her way out, Allison chose one brave step. From this place, she began the work of healing from 'the inside out'. And today, she shares her message with others who are struggling with taking that first step toward healing.

Highlights from this episode:

• When your world gets smaller
• Our value is not tied to our struggles or our choices
• The freedom of choosing NOT to drink
• To stop drinking entirely was never the goal
• The decision to take 100% responsibility for self
• The pain of conflicting values
• Letting go of control
• No better time than midlife to stop drinking

Show Notes Here Stop Drinking Now HERE

Free month of book club HERE

Would you like to be 'better than before'? I think for many of us this is the appeal of an alcohol-free life; we want our circumstances to improve.

Today, I share the work of Gretchen Rubin who wrote the book, Better Than Before. This book is about habits but most importantly it's about knowing oneself better than before. Rubin makes a convincing point that in order to establish habits that last, we must build habits that are based on who we are now. I agree - when we try to adopt the habits of someone else, we often find it difficult. If we start with self-knowledge we are much more likely to succeed in creating lasting change.

In the podcast today, I share the Habit Manifesto that Rubin created and also offer real life examples of where these principles can help us create an alcohol-free life, and do it with more ease!

THANK YOU! This is gratitude season and I want to share how grateful I am for all of you and your support. As a gift, you are invited to join The Sober Edge Book Club (women only) for free for the month of December.

Show Notes

Book Club Offer and Code

I caught up with my friend and fellow coach Megan Webb on the podcast this week. We talked about her 'Festival of Fifty' as she celebrated her milestone birthday with friends and family. Megan shares how awkward she would have felt in the past having the attention focused on her and how amazed she was at enjoying Karaoke without a cocktail in hand. Megan also shares her excitement to be entering midlife knowing that she can now create a beautiful second act!

Megan also shared her very real struggle with speaking in public and how she used to use alcohol to overcome this phobia. Megan is honest about the level of anxiety she used to feel, and how the alcohol she thought was helping her get through it was actually creating more anxiety. Megan is passionate about helping women leave alcohol behind so they can speak their own truth.

With her coaching business and her new podcast "Not drinking today" Megan is helping women everywhere learn that no alcohol is required!

Show Notes HERE

When Amber Graziano stopped drinking she didn't know anyone who didn't drink. But, she did know she liked to run and that other runners might be non-drinkers, or other non-drinkers might want to try running. So she decided to start a sober running group.

On the podcast, Amber shares that the first 5 people who joined her Facebook group included her mom and best friend but gradually, through word of mouth, the group began to grow and today there are over 2000 members.

A powerful part of our after-alcohol journey is channeling our energy into new areas that help us grow - physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Amber believes that running and the Recovery Road Runners group helps with all of that, while also offering a recovery community.

Amber shares the gifts she has found by running in recovery, including: more confidence, letting go of excuses, and the mantra "one mile at a time".

In addition to an in-person running group, a Facebook community, RRR also offers a non-profit foundation, coaching and retreats.

Sign up for The Sober Summit: Holiday Edition HERE

Full Show Notes HERE

When it comes to changing our relationship with alcohol, not knowing where to start can lead us to frustration, procrastination and stalling.

I know when I wanted to drink less, I got stuck in moderation because I didn't know the options. I didn't realize that I could stop drinking just because I wanted to…! And, when I started to consider NOT drinking, I had no idea where to start. Other than counting days and attending meetings, I was completely at a loss.

I want to help you build a roadmap, a place to start where you will have guideposts along the way. Imagine knowing what to do first! And, where to go after that? Having directions can take away the scary and confusing part of getting started. That's why when we plan trips we have an itinerary, a map and a destination. Your alcohol-free journey will benefit from a guide, a map and some inside information (don't stop there; definitely try this!).

In today's podcast, I share the 3 steps to 'Stop Drinking Now'.

Listen in to learn:

• Where to start
• What to do if you're not ready
• What is IAF and what does it have to do with not drinking?
• How to build your own roadmap

In my coaching business, I have worked with so many women at the beginning of their journey. I understand how difficult it can be to get out of our own way and to take a step back and get that 'bird's eye' view. This is why a roadmap is key. We can find our true north, see where we got lost and always re-orient ourselves.

Full Show Notes HERE

Stop Drinking in Your 50's and Beyond HERE

I am passionate about summits. Summits offer a unique opportunity to learn from many different experts all at once. Since 2018, when I discovered This Naked Mind through a summit, I have signed up and attended many summits; some about business, some about health and wellness and some just for fun! But, until this year, there hasn't been one about becoming and living an alcohol-free life.

Meet Maggie Klassens, the founder and presenter of The Sober Summit. I am so excited that someone is offering a summit that brings together many of the amazing voices in the AF and sober community. The first Sober Summit was in April of this year (2023), and now Maggie is bringing us The Sober Summit: Holiday Edition. And, just in time to help all of us thrive through the holiday season!

I met Maggie in Portland, Maine in September and I knew I had to have her on the podcast to share this amazing resource. Listen in as Maggie shares some of the topics and the incredible speakers that are in the lineup. William Porter, Andy Ramage, Victoria English, Chris Marshall and more will share everything from pairing NA beverages with your holiday meals to looking for glimmers, to understanding boundaries and staying active during the holidays.

The best part is that the series is free. You can listen each day at no cost and there is even a bonus replay weekend to enjoy anything you might miss during the summit. The speakers have incredible resources they will be sharing with those who attend the summit and you can purchase the recordings for a low one-time cost if you choose.

The doors to the summit open today (link below) and I encourage each of you to take advantage of this resource and to support Maggie's mission to further the conversation about living and thriving in the sober world!

I think you will be impressed by the lineup Maggie has in store for you and by Maggie herself, who decided to take her passion for living AF and share it with all of us! What will you do with your 'sober edge'?

The Sober Summit: Holiday Edition FREE Ticket

Show Notes HERE

I am celebrating my 8 years AF TODAY!

In today's podcast episode I share eight things I have learned in my eight years. Most of them will not be a surprise - I think we all recognize that a lot changes when we choose to remove alcohol from our day to day.

I do find new delights that are part of the 'trickle down' effect of not drinking:

• Trusting my intuition has helped me taking more risks
• Seeing things without the veil of shame and guilt has allowed me to speak up for myself
• Setting boundaries, with myself and others, is a skill I am honing
• Connection - I am delighted to be finding so many new friends
• Vitality - this AF life is the best elixar! I think of aging in a whole new way, as a learning journey and one meant to be enjoyed

This podcast continues to be one of the highlights of living AF - the opportunity to connect with so many amazing individuals from coaches, entreprenuers and brave individuals just like you!

Show Notes Here

Stop Drinking In Your 50's and Beyond

Life is full of transitions; we move from grade school to middle school, onto high school and college. We fall in and out of love and often marry and have children. We may take on a mortgage or go back to school for a higher degree... the list goes on. As humans, we spend the first half of our life accumulating and acquiring things (spouses, houses, children, degrees, cars, boats, etc). Many of these early life transitions are 'self-imposed'; as we reach midlife we find that new transitions are often 'other imposed'. This can be a challenging place to navigate. We might feel frustrated, angry or even grief as children leave home, elderly parents fall ill and our job satisfaction goes down.

This is a place for women, that the pace of life, coupled with new hormone changes can feel especiallyt challenging. For many of us, alcohol use starts to ramp up. I often hear my clients share "I don't even want to drink anymore so why do I keep pouring that glass of wine?".

The three women featured today all stopped drinking in their 50's. Their stories highlight the dark times and the stories that can keep us stuck but also the beauty of life that is possible when we embrace the steps of living alcohol-free.

Show Notes Here

Have you ever thought you were too old to change? That old saying, "you can't teach an old dog a new trick" can have us doubting our ability to embrace this alcohol-free life.

Today, I want to introduce you to 3 ladies who have not only ditched booze but who have learned that the best years are our 'golden years'. And, living alcohol-free means true freedom; to embrace new beginnings, to explore deeper and more meaningful relationships and to challenge ourselves to live life to the fullest!

So, how do we face our biggest fears around NOT drinking and take those first steps forward? My guests today will share their own path to self-discovery and to changing their relationship with alcohol.

Michelle, Maryann and Angela get real about motherhood, caregiving, marital intimacy (yes, sober sex!), and discovering the beauty of an alcohol-free life!

Find out more about these amzazing women in the Show Notes HERE

My guest today, Chrissy Janiga, is a coach, a clinical social worker and an author. "Miranda learns the Art of Not Fitting In", Chrissy's first book, is a children's book but as my guest and I discuss, it has implications into this alcohol-free lifestyle.

Abraham Maslow and Brene Brown both remind us that belonging is a basic human need. One of the challenges of becoming AF and living AF can be living outside of the accepted traditions of drinking. We face our own kind of 'not fitting in'. I love that we can teach our children this concept and then we can watch them model how we might apply these same principles to our AF life!

Chrissy Janiga is an alcohol freedom and mindset coach. Chrissy is a licensed clinical social worker and enjoys writing books in her free time. She has published her first children's book and will soon publish her second children's book. She is also working on a non-fiction book for adults, focusing on help with removing alcohol. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and helping children (and adults) dream big!

A special invitation: Join me in the Free Mini-Series, Ignite Your Sober Spark. I'll be going live next week, Oct. 2 - Oct. 5 . Grab a seat to attend live or receive the recorded replays. Come hang out with those of us who have learned the 'art of not fitting in'! Register for your seat HERE

Show Notes HERE