Are you ready for a Good Mood Revolution? I know I am! I think we can all use a bit more joy and happiness in our daily lives.

I sat down with Matt O'Neill, author and podcast host of The Good Mood Revolution. We had an enlightening conversation about the 8 Negative Moods and the 8 Positive Moods. Matt is an expert at breaking down big concepts into bite-sized, actionable steps.

Here are some highlights from our chat:

• How to catch yourself doing something right
• The biggest myth about happiness
• Why you should focus on your negative thoughts
• Never complain again - your new superpower

Matt's book will be released in mid-December. What a perfect read for the New Year!

Show Notes HERE

Want to hear Matt talk about his book? He will be joining us in January in The Sober Edge Book Club as part of our Author Spotlight series. Find out how to join the club HERE

My journey continues beyond learning how to become AF and yours will too.

I think the most striking difference between becoming AF and living AF is the shift in focus and time. I have experienced and witnessed what is possible when alcohol is out of the way.

Time feels different now that I am living alcohol-free. The time I used to spend drinking, thinking about drinking and recovering from drinking is now 'new time'. And, with a new sense of time, I have been able to explore this next chapter of my life. When I was drinking, time passed with me numbing out and with opportunities missed. Now, time is lived vs. passed. I create experiences vs. avoiding them.

I shared in Part 1 my journey through my first Sober Anniversary. In those first 12 months, so many things shifted for me, but I was still focusing a lot on behavior and those raw emotions. I spent that first year doing a few things that set me up for the next stage - living alcohol-free.

I didn't have a road map or a guide for my AF journey (boy, do I wish I had!). I think I pushed my way through those first few months with force - I even used some of my anger to fuel my resolve. But, as I moved past year 1, my emotions started to level, and I began to feel excited and peaceful as I settled into my 'new normal'.

(Listen in on this episode to hear more of my lessons, or go to the Show Notes)

The lessons continue. Just like happiness is a direction, not a destination, living AF is an expansive state of being, not a place where we arrive. If I had stopped at just 'becoming alcohol-free', I would have stayed in that place of focusing on my behavior and my emotions. I would have missed the place where I am now, a place where the adventure of life continues to unfold in new and surprising ways.

Cheers to LIVING Alcohol-Free!

Full Show Notes Here

The SELF Experience - find out more about living AF!

On October 18, 2015, I woke up with a slight hangover and a mountain of guilt. I had let myself down, again, but I had also let other people down. I felt like a horrible person, someone I didn't recognize. I had finally had enough - enough of letting alcohol be the most important relationship in my life.

After that one decision almost 9 years ago, my life has unfolded in ways I could only have imagined. While I felt in my gut that I was meant for more, I had spent so long tamping down my dreams and ideas that I had no idea what might lie ahead. I have always been a 'personal growth junkie' listening to Zig Ziglar on cassette tapes and joining several MLM's to rub shoulders with other dreamers. But my dreams were always plagued with doubts that I could do more and be more. I now recognize that alcohol was a way to soften the blow of an unfulfilled life.

This episode is a 'look back' at becoming AF, it's a glimpse into those early days. In this episode I share 4 things I have embraced by becoming AF.

Next week, I will follow up with 'Living Alcohol-Free' a glimpse into these past 8 years and I will share 5 more things I've learned along the way.

Show Notes Here

Empowered AF 5x Coaching Certification - the doors are closing! This is your chance to join and save $1000. If you have wondered, dreamed or imagined becoming a life coach and helping other's experience freedom from alcohol, this is an incredible offer. Use this link to find our more, apply and save $1000!

What if you stopped drinking and followed your passion for a new AF business? That's exactly what happened to Marlys Aspinwall and her husband Chuck.

In 2021, after she found herself drinking too much during COVID, Marlys decided to take a break. Her husband quickly followed her lead. Three months later, they opened a pop-up bottle shop.

Marlys shares in this episode of The Sober Edge podcast that at the time, they hadn't even decided that their break from alcohol was going to be permanent. But, after experiencing the connection and the opportunity to encourage their customers, they were hooked. Chuck began searching for a brick and mortar storefront where they could set up a bottle shop and a sober bar.

I asked Marlys to share some tips for starting an AF business and for working with your partner. Here's what she had to share:

• Divide the key aspects of the business based on what you are good at and love to do
• Get the community involved
• Ask for help
• ...and more!

Find the full show notes HERE, along with a coupon code for 15% off your first order!

Are you tired of talking about alcohol and drinking and not drinking? I get it, just as we can experience recovery fatigue, I believe we can also burn out by talking about alcohol too much.

Yep, I want to invite you to NOT talk about alcohol.

I have shared before my philosophy that 'behavior comes last'. A quick refresher: changing our behavior is only one part of changing our relationship with alcohol. We must also change our thoughts and beliefs about alcohol. We have to go beyond willpower and the outdated idea of not 'picking up' (as the solution) as they say in some recovery circles.

The reality is, with my coaching clients, we spend only a small percentage of our time talking about drinking and not drinking. What we talk about instead is the reasons behind our drinking. We focus on making alcohol small by building a bigger life, one we don't want to hide from.

In this podcast episode, I break down the steps of what to do instead and why this is the sweet spot to lasting change.

Full Show Notes HERE

Midlife is often a time of big transitions. Giving up alcohol can also create monumental shifts. As we move through these transitions, we sometimes leave parts of ourselves behind, and sometimes we leave others behind.

My friend and fellow coach Aimee Ames has been on her own transitional journey, including going back to school to become a Functional Nutritionist, redefining her relationship with alcohol and ending a 23-year marriage. Along the way, Aimee discovered that 'you are your one true partner'. I love this saying as it reminds me of what I came to recognize in my own path: the one person who will be with you at the end, is you.

I am excited to share this conversation with you. Aimee is an incredible human who shares her wisdom freely and shares the difficult parts as well.

Amy also talked about her work with the Somatica Institute, training as an intimacy coach and a sex and relationship coach.

Find out more in the Show Notes HERE

There's a saying, "You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with". The wisdom behind this statement is the urgency. We recognize that we have a limited amount of time to rub shoulders with people who inspire us and challenge us to grow. And, it can prompt us to choose our friends wisely. Spend time with negative people and we might find ourselves complaining more. Spend time with positive people and we suddenly feel more energy and hopefulness.

In this podcast episode, I break down the ways we can do a personal inventory and start noticing if the things we are allowing into our lives are bringing us 'up' or bringing us 'down'. This exercise requires intention and space; the exact things that we have access to when we put alcohol aside.

We can use our clarity of mind, our free time and our energy to engage in new ways. But, beyond just bringing new things in and filling our days haphazardly, this exercise invites you to notice what feels good, what lights you up, what sparks your curiosity and your passion.

This alcohol-free life is a catalyst to paying attention; this is your opportunity to build the life you want!

Full Show Notes HERE

The Sober Summit - get your free ticket HERE

What's on your bucket list? Chances are it includes at least one place you want to travel to. But traveling sober? Many of us are nervous and might even avoid the idea of planning a sober vacation. After all, if you are like most of us, travel and alcohol went together without question.

Meet my friend Michelle Plante. Michelle is the founder of Michelle Plante Travels and, since becoming alcohol-free at the very beginning of 2019, her travel plans always include fabulous adventures where no alcohol is needed.

In addition to taking her travel experiences to a whole new level, Michelle shares what else has changed since becoming AF:

• She found the courage to leave a corporate job she felt stuck in
• Being AF allows her to quickly know if something is a yes or a no
• ...and more!

After discovering the joys of AF travel, Michelle is now curating Wellness, Adventure and Luxe trips for sober women.

Check out Michelle's adventures to Costa Rica and India, and follow along with her special travel blogs: all links in Show Notes

Are you excited about The 2024 Sober Summit? Get your free ticket to 24 fabulous speakers - link in Show Notes

If you have ever wondered if other people talk to themselves, the answer is yes. In one form or another, everyone has a voice in their head. This voice has a lot to say, and we listen. According to Ethan Kross, author of 'Chatter', if you have ever replayed a conversation in your mind, or coached yourself through a problem or skill, you've used your inner voice. Most people rely on and benefit from theirs every day. But what happens when our inner coach turns into the inner critic?

The clients I work with often find themselves stuck in negative self-talk and turning the talk around is an important part of coaching. On the current episode of the podcast, I share several ways to bring awareness to the voice in our heads and make peace with it. There are practical tips that help us become the 'cheerleader' vs. the 'critic':

• How to bring awareness to the voice in your head
• How others can help
• The power of perspective, aka self-distancing

Find out more tips in the Show Notes

And you struggle with negative self-talk, I am offering a book study, starting at the end of September, that will feature Chatter by Ethan Kross. This series will provide practical steps to turn that voice into your on-call coach! Find out more HERE

Loneliness is possible even when we are surrounded by people. In today's culture, we have more opportunities than ever to connect - we can face a family member, catch up with a video chat or reach out with a text message. Yet we often feel disconnected from others.

My guest on the podcast this week is Nick Jonsson, an executive coach and alcohol-free coach who understands the impact of loneliness. In fact, he wrote a book on the subject, 'Executive Loneliness'. In 2018, Nick found himself stressed out, drinking too much and feeling disconnected from his family, his friends and from life. He decided to make a change and, with the help of a 12-step program, he started his sober journey. Because of the anonymity of his program, Nick recovered in secret and didn't share openly about his new lease on life. That changed in 2019 when a good friend committed suicide. Nick realized that he had no idea his friend was struggling, and he vowed to start a brave conversation about loneliness, mental health and recovery.

Visit the Show Notes page to learn more about Nick and his work