Sober & Lit Podcast

After 143 episodes... Sober & Lit is changing.

Today, we're turning back the clock...

✨ The moments that changed us
✨ The guests we'll never forget
✨ The laughs and behind-the-scenes memories
✨ What three years of talking about alcohol freedom taught us
✨ And why we're now choosing two different roads

You'll hear what's next for Susan...

What's next for me... [spoiler: I'll be back next week as the solo host]

And, yes... what's next for Sober & Lit.

Because this isn't really a goodbye.

It's about having the courage to hear that little voice saying...

“It's time for something new.” 

Welcome to Sober & Lit with host Ruby Williams 🧡
___________

Episodes We Mentioned & Resources
• EP 31... Weight Loss Surgery and Alcohol
• EP 52... Live Naked with Annie Grace
• EP 33... Childless Not By Choice with Maureen Benkovich
• EP 128... How Anxiety Accelerates Alcohol Use Disorder
• EP 107... Sobriety Made Social with Chris Marshall
• EP 142... 20 Years Sober with Alysse Bryson

✨ Susan’s new podcast, Drink Less with Susan, is for sober-curious Christian women and women of faith who want to explore their relationship with alcohol and find greater freedom.
Drink Less With Susan Podcast: https://drinklesswithsusan.buzzsprout.com/

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

Imagine meeting yourself... 20 years after your last drink.

What would she tell you? That all your problems disappeared?

Nope. Apparently... They get classier.

Today we're talking with Alysse Bryson, founder of The Sober Curator, who's had a front-row seat to 20 years of sobriety AND the cultural revolution happening around it.

We're getting into:

• Why sober life gets bigger, not perfect
• The “whack-a-mole” of habits after alcohol
• Why Hollywood still gets sobriety wrong
• Reinventing yourself in midlife
• And what happens when simply “not drinking” becomes... “Now what?”

Because maybe sobriety isn't about finally figuring everything out.

Maybe it's about discovering how much more there is to become.

_______

Guest Resources for Alysse Bryson-
Website: https://www.alyssebryson.com/
The Sober Curator Website: https://thesobercurator.com/
The Sober Curator Podcast: https://thesobercurator.com/recovery-podcastland-network/sober-curator-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesobercurator/

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

He seemed pretty great in the beginning.

He helped you:

•  Relax 
•  Have fun 
•  Feel confident 
•  Celebrate 
•  Forget your worries 

Then things changed. Suddenly he was:

•  Wrecking your sleep 
•  Fueling your anxiety 
•  Taking more than he gave 
•  Leaving you with regrets 

If this were a man, your friends would probably say:

“Why are you still with him?”

Plot twist...

We’re talking about alcohol.

Today, we’re looking at the whole relationship:

•  The honeymoon 
•  The red flags 
•  The excuses 
•  The breakup 
•  And why we keep going back 

Because you may love wine...

But does alcohol love you back?
_______

✨ Here's the link to schedule a call with Coach Susan:
https://calendly.com/susanlarkincoaching/30min

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

He’s attractive. ✔️
The chemistry is HOT. ✔️
You’re already imagining date number two. ✔️

But…
--Do you actually LIKE him?
--Do you trust him?
--Are you compatible?

Or did two glasses of wine and a whole lot of chemistry just make those questions harder to answer?

Today, we're talking about dating alcohol-free with my own dating coach, Krysia Shaw.

And we're getting into:
❤️ Why chemistry isn’t compatibility
❤️  The Head, Heart & Heat dating method
❤️  How alcohol can blur red flags
❤️ What to say when a date asks why you don't drink
❤️ And why it is NEVER too late to find love

Because maybe getting alcohol-free doesn't just change how you date…

Maybe it changes WHO you choose. Let's get into it.
_______

Guest Resources for Krysia Shaw-
Website: https://dateyourdestiny.com/
Midlife Dating Reset (FREE GIFT): https://theleap.co/creator/DateYourDestiny/digital_download/dating-not-working-the-midlife-dating-reset
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachkrysia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dateyourdestiny/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krysias/

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What happens when wine wasn’t just part of date night...
 it was part of your sex life?

Maybe it helped you:

•  Relax 
•  Feel sexy 
•  Get out of your head 
•  Forget about your body 

And then you get sober and think...

“Wait... how do I do THIS without alcohol?”

Today, we’re asking the questions women often whisper, but rarely say out loud:

 🔥 Where did my sex drive go?
 🔥 How do I feel sexy without wine?
 🔥 What if my partner still drinks?
 🔥 And... is sex actually better sober?

Our guest is Cindi Roberts, the Sober Sexpert, with 30+ years in sexual health education and nearly a decade of sobriety. 

Body confidence. Dating. Desire. Menopause. Intimacy. Sober sex.

Nothing is off the table today. Yep... we’re going there. Let’s get into it.
_____________

Guest Resources for Cindi Roberts-
Website: http://www.cindiroberts.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobersexpert/

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

I'll love myself when...

...I lose the weight.

...I stop drinking.

...I get my shit together.

...I finally become the woman I think I should be.

Sound familiar?

Here's the problem:

What if you don't have to change first... to deserve your own love?

This month on Sober & Lit, we're talking dating, sex, intimacy and relationships.

But we're starting with the relationship underneath ALL of them:

The one you have with yourself.

In this episode we're getting curious about:

• Why we give everyone else compassion... except ourselves
• How alcohol can quietly break self-trust
• Why alcohol doesn't actually “fix” what you're feeling
• How boundaries can be an act of self-love
  
  

💕 If you want to explore self-love in your sobriety journey, book a free discovery call with Coach Ruby.
🧡 Here's the link to schedule a call with Coach Ruby:
https://coachingwithruby.com/Chat

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

The Messy Middle

Nobody tells you sobriety has a tough middle season. In this episode, Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams talk about what happens after the initial excitement fades and the real work begins. They normalize the awkward, discouraging stretch where progress is still happening even when it does not feel glamorous. They discuss why the messy middle is a normal part of alcohol-free life, how self-compassion helps more than shame, and why coaching can keep you moving when your brain wants to quit. 

Key Topics Discussed:

• Messy middle - The middle phase of alcohol-free life where progress is real but rarely glamorous.
• Window of tolerance - The growing capacity to feel stress and discomfort without drinking.
• Data points - Reframing slips or urges as information instead of failure.
• Co-regulation - The stabilizing effect of support, accountability, and being witnessed by a coach or community.

Susan shares this is her favorite part to coach women through! 

If you are struggling in the messy middle or you went back to drinking and want help getting AF again, book a clarity call to chat with Susan: here: https://calendly.com/susanlarkincoaching/30min 

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What if you're never going to feel completely ready to quit drinking?

You keep waiting...

After vacation.
After the wedding.
When work calms down.
Next Monday.

But here's the twist:

Motivation doesn't create action. Action creates motivation.

In this episode, we're sharing 3 ways to finally get fired up without rock bottom, more willpower, or beating yourself up:

• Make one decision from self-love.
• Borrow hope until you have your own.
• Replace pressure with curiosity.

And Ruby shares the fascinating bamboo story that may completely change how you see all those times you thought you “failed.”

Because maybe you haven't been failing at all... maybe you've been growing roots.

If you've been waiting for some magical moment when you'll finally feel ready to change your drinking... this is your "get lit" episode.

🧡 Here's the link to schedule a call with Coach Ruby:
https://coachingwithruby.com/Chat

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

Could the best years of your life still be ahead of you?

Most women think going alcohol-free means giving something up...

What if it's actually the beginning of becoming someone you've never met before?

✨ In this episode we sit down with Lorna Wilson, a life and alcohol-free coach from Canada whose journey into sobriety began in midlife.

You'll discover:

• Why alcohol often keeps women playing smaller than they're meant to.

• How midlife can become the doorway to purpose, reinvention, and possibility.

• Why your inner critic may be the only thing standing between you and your future self.

• The powerful coaching questions that help women dream again... at any age.

If you've ever wondered...

✨ "Is it too late for me?"

✨ "Have I missed my chance?"

✨ "What if there's still something more?"

This conversation may be exactly what your future self has been waiting for. 

______

Guest Resources for Lorna Wilson-
Website: http://lornawilsoncoaching.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LornaWilsonCoaching

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

Ever notice how boredom seems to whisper... "Have a drink?"

What if that urge has less to do with boredom... and more to do with how alcohol has trained your brain?

In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan unpack why everyday life can feel dull after years of drinking... and why that's not your fault.

Inside this conversation:

• Why alcohol rewires your brain's reward system
• The surprising upside of boredom
• Coach Ruby's powerful 4 Boredom Buckets coaching tool
• Simple ways to create new habits that actually stick

If weekends, quiet afternoons, or "nothing to do" moments are your biggest drinking triggers, this episode could completely change how you see boredom... and yourself.
______

Do you find yourself reaching for a drink simply because you're bored? Download my FREE Alcohol & Boredom Worksheet to discover what's really driving the urge... and explore simple, meaningful ways to create a life that feels more fulfilling than a glass of wine.

🧡 Get your free worksheet now: https://coachingwithruby.com/AlcoholBoredom

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.