What happens when you quit drinking and realize the hardest part isn’t the alcohol, it’s letting go of who you used to be?

In this episode of The No More Wasted Days Podcast, I’m joined by Amy Mashburn, nearly 18 years alcohol-free and co-founder of Upper Left Strength. Amy got sober at just 23 years old, long before sobriety was trendy, and her story offers a powerful perspective on identity, mindset, and what it actually takes to build a life you don’t want to escape from.

This conversation goes far beyond health and fitness. We talk about the identity shift that comes with quitting drinking, why mindset has to change before your habits do, and how discomfort is often the doorway to real transformation.

If you’re tired of negotiating with alcohol, half-trying, or feeling stuck between who you were and who you want to become, this episode will land.

⚡️ What it was like to get sober at 23 and rebuild life from the ground up

⚡️ Why drinking is often a symptom, not the root problem

⚡️ The identity grief that comes with quitting alcohol (and why it’s normal)

⚡️ Ego death, perfectionism, and self-sabotage in early sobriety

⚡️ Why women are so hard on themselves and how that fuels relapse and burnout

⚡️ The role of discomfort in lasting change

⚡️ How sobriety reshapes standards in relationships, work, and self-respect

⚡️ Why health and fitness can support sobriety without becoming another extreme

⚡️ What “no more wasted days” really means when time is your most valuable resource

You don’t quit drinking just to stop drinking. You quit so you can reclaim your time, your energy, and your future. Alcohol takes far more than it gives, and once you see that clearly, it’s hard to unsee.

Amy Mashburn is nearly 18 years alcohol-free and the co-founder of Upper Left Strength, a health and fitness company focused on sustainable nutrition, strength training, and mindset work. She works alongside her husband to help people step out of all-or-nothing thinking and build lives rooted in alignment, strength, and self-trust.

You can find Amy on Instagram @upperleftamy  and learn more about her work at Upper Left Strength at www.upperleftstrength.com

Upper Left Strength offers customized nutrition, strength training, and mindset support through their app-based coaching and Blueprint membership. This is not a quick fix or diet culture solution, it’s real work for people ready to stop starting over.

Find out more at www.upperleftstrength.com

Enrollment is open for the PUSH to 100 Alcohol-Free Challenge, starting February 10 and running through May 22. These 100 days are designed to help you walk into summer confident, grounded, and clear.

You can sign up at nomorewasteddays.co.

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review or comment on Spotify or YouTube, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.

Your time matters. Let’s stop wasting it.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

If you’ve ever found yourself quietly wondering, “Is my drinking a problem?” this episode is for you.

Before we dive in, I want you to know this:

👉 Early enrollment for the PUSH to 100 Alcohol-Free Challenge opens tomorrow.

You can join the waiting list now at www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist, or click the link below. Everyone on the waitlist will be notified as soon as early enrollment opens.

“How do you know when it’s time to quit drinking?”

This is one of the hardest questions to answer, and it’s the exact question I asked myself for years before I finally stopped. I wasn’t waiting for a DUI, a job loss, or a dramatic rock-bottom moment. I was waiting for permission. For certainty. For a sign big enough to make the decision feel undeniable.

In this episode, I explain why that sign rarely comes, and why waiting for it often keeps people stuck longer than necessary.

Instead, I walk you through six clear areas to reflect on, not with judgment or shame, but with honesty and compassion. These are the same signs I ignored for years, and the ones I wish someone had laid out for me sooner.

🫶 Why asking the question at all is often the first sign that something needs to change

We also talk about something that doesn’t get said enough:

You do not need a dramatic reason, a label, or a diagnosis to quit drinking. You’re allowed to stop simply because life feels harder with alcohol in it, and easier without it.

If this episode feels uncomfortably familiar, that doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means your mind and body are trying to tell you something.

Alcohol is a highly addictive substance that has been normalized, encouraged, and marketed as self-care. Feeling stuck in a cycle with it is not a moral failing. It’s a predictable outcome.

And the good news is, you can choose something different.

If you’re thinking, “I’m ready for a change, but I don’t know how to do this on my own,” I’d love to support you inside the PUSH to 100 Alcohol-Free Challenge.

This is not about perfection or forever decisions. It’s about creating momentum, rebuilding trust with yourself, and experiencing what life feels like without alcohol in the way.

📌 Join the waitlist here: www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist

You don’t have to decide anything forever. You only have to listen to what your body and your intuition have already been telling you.

Thank you for being here, and thank you for listening.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

The next round of the PUSH to 100 (100-day alcohol free challenge), begins on February 10. This is for you if you’re ready to quit drinking with confidence.

👉 Join the waiting list for early access, priority enrollment, and an exclusive bonus at:

www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist

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In today’s episode of No More Wasted Days, I’m joined by Morgan Smith, founder of Kalm with Kava, for a grounded, honest conversation about kava, what it is, how it works, and why it’s becoming a popular alcohol-free ritual for people who still want to unwind without poisoning themselves.

If you’ve ever thought:

➡️ “I just want something to take the edge off”

➡️ “I miss the ritual of a drink, not the alcohol”

➡️ “I don’t want to be numb or impaired, just calmer”

This episode is for you.

Morgan is a self-described kava nerd, and his depth of knowledge shines through without making this conversation feel overly scientific or overwhelming. We talk about kava as a tool, not a cure-all, and where it fits realistically into an alcohol-free lifestyle.

✨ What kava actually is and how it’s been used for thousands of years

✨ How kava interacts with the nervous system and why it feels calming without intoxication

✨ The difference between kava and alcohol (and why comparing the two can be misleading)

✨ The truth about liver toxicity, outdated studies, and modern research

✨ Why quality, sourcing, and preparation matter when it comes to kava

✨ How kava can support evening rituals without impairing memory, judgment, or presence

✨ Why no substance, including kava, should be expected to “fix” your life

✨How to think about kava as part of a sober toolbox, not a replacement addiction

🌈 Kalm with Kava Website: www.kalmwithkava.com

🌈 Follow Morgan on Instagram @kalm_with_kava, TikTok @kalmwithkava, and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Drinkkalm for education and behind-the-scenes looks at how kava is grown and prepared

🌈 Morgan’s Hawaiian farm project: Puʻuhōnua Eva Hawaiian Farms (linked on his socials)

If you’re tired of trying to “moderate,” tired of starting over every Monday, and tired of needing something external to get through your evenings, the PUSH to 100 was built for you.

This round runs February 10 through mid-May, setting you up to enter summer and long weekends feeling confident, clear, and grounded in your alcohol-free identity.

👉 Get on the waiting list here: www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist

If this episode resonated, please subscribe to No More Wasted Days on your podcast app and leave a review. Reviews help this message reach people who need it, and they’re one of the most powerful ways to support the show.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

Dry January is usually hardest after the initial motivation fades.

The first week can be rough with headaches, fatigue, and withdrawal symptoms.

The second week often feels better physically, but this is when the “drinking brain” starts whispering, “See? You don’t have a problem. You can go back now.”

➡️➡️ This episode is your reminder not to listen to that voice.

In today’s episode of the No More Wasted Days Podcast, Sara shares six practical, mindset-shifting strategies to help you move beyond white-knuckling Dry January and into something far more powerful: joy, clarity, and abundance.

These tools are not just for January. They are the same strategies that support long-term alcohol-free living.

(Looking for the sign up link to get on the waiting list  👀👀 for the upcoming PUSH to 100? Look no further - www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist)

1️⃣. How to manage cravings with a plan, not shame

2️⃣. How to clarify a strong “why” that makes alcohol-free living non-negotiable

3️⃣ How to socialize with confidence without drinking

4️⃣. How to live sanely in a culture that glorifies alcohol

5️⃣ How to shift from deprivation to abundance

6️⃣ How to create micro-joy moments that rebuild real dopamine

🌈 You’re two weeks into Dry January and feeling tempted to quit

✨ Enrollment is opening soon for PUSH TO 100, Sara’s guided 100-day alcohol-free challenge starting February 10. ✨

This experience is designed to help you quit drinking with structure, community, and real-life tools so you can feel confident, grounded, and supported through your first 100 alcohol-free days.

👉👉 Join the waiting list to get early access and a special enrollment bonus:  www.nomorewasteddays.co/100waitinglist

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

Sara breaks down what really happens in the first 10 days of an alcohol-free journey (beyond the highlight reels and feel-good memes).

Most people don’t talk about the not-so-glamorous physical and emotional shifts that come up when you stop drinking. But Sara’s here to get real—and to empower you with science-backed insights and simple strategies so you can make it through the early days with confidence.

She covers:

🍷 What’s happening physiologically when alcohol leaves your system

Whether you're just getting started or preparing for a new AF season, this episode will help you normalize the messy middle—and stick with it.

✅ Alcohol affects way more than just your bloodstream—it impacts your dopamine, sleep cycles, and blood sugar

👯‍♀️ Want deeper support for your journey?

🎧 If this episode helped you feel seen, leave a quick review! Your words help this message reach more people on the path to freedom.

Resources Mentioned:

* Daymakers Community: Weekly coaching calls, private messaging threads, and a supportive community. CLICK HERE to learn more here.

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Looking for support on your alcohol free journey? Consider joining us in the Day Makers Community.  CLICK HERE for all the details 

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

If something in your life feels off, if you know you’re capable of more but keep feeling held back, Dry January might be the reset you’ve been looking for.

The Dry January Experience is a guided, supportive 30-day alcohol-free challenge designed to help you:

You’ll get daily support videos, a printable journal, a workbook, and live coaching calls with me, plus a community that’s doing this alongside you.

Doors close January 1st at midnight (Pacific).

Join now at nomorewasteddays.co/dryjanuary.

Episode Summary

As we close out the year, this episode invites you to imagine a different version of yourself. Not a version created by doing more, pushing harder, or fixing yourself, but a version revealed when you remove the one thing that’s been quietly draining your energy, confidence, and clarity.

In this deeply personal episode, Sara shares:

This episode introduces the idea of YOU 2.0, the version of yourself that emerges when the noise is gone.

Alcohol doesn’t create confidence, energy, or freedom. It blocks access to them.

Sara also shares how her alcohol-free journey led to:

Who might you become if alcohol no longer dictated your evenings, your energy, or your emotions?

What would feel possible in your life if you trusted yourself again?

If you’re curious about who YOU 2.0 might be, Dry January is a powerful and safe place to start.

Doors close January 1st at midnight (Pacific).

Let’s make this the year you stop leaving yourself behind. 

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

Enrollment is officially open for The Dry January Experience, a guided 30-day alcohol-free reset designed to help you step away from drinking with confidence, clarity, and structure.

If you’ve ever wished alcohol could become something you could “take or leave,” this experience is for you. You’ll receive daily emails, short supportive videos, and group coaching calls with Sara to help you navigate cravings, mindset shifts, and real-life triggers without white-knuckling it.

👉 Join now at nomorewasteddays.co/dryjanuary or use the link in the show notes to get started.

Christmas is supposed to feel magical, but for many people it’s one of the most emotionally intense and alcohol-heavy times of the year. In this episode of No More Wasted Days, Sara speaks directly to anyone navigating their first alcohol-free Christmas, or quietly questioning whether drinking is making the holidays harder than they need to be.

Sara shares honest stories from her own past Christmases, days filled with drinking, waking up hungover, emotional meltdowns, and the familiar December 26th shame spiral. She breaks down the truth many of us avoid: alcohol never actually made the holidays calmer, happier, or more meaningful. It only delayed the stress and magnified the aftermath.

This episode offers seven practical, compassionate strategies to help you move through Christmas without alcohol, while protecting your peace, your nervous system, and your self-respect.

Sara also shares simple scripts for handling pressure to drink, ideas for taking micro-breaks during family gatherings, and a powerful reminder: your healing journey is not something other people get to vote on.

If you’ve been afraid that an alcohol-free Christmas will feel dull, isolating, or joyless, this episode offers a different truth. Alcohol-free holidays can be steadier, calmer, and far more peaceful than anything alcohol ever delivered.

If this episode resonated, The Dry January Experience is your next step. This is not about willpower or deprivation. It’s about support, education, and creating a solid foundation for an alcohol-free life.

👉 Enroll now at nomorewasteddays.co/dryjanuary and start your year clear-headed, grounded, and supported.

If you enjoyed this episode, leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. Sara reads and responds to them personally.

The greatest gift you can give yourself this Christmas is presence.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

Thinking about starting the new year alcohol-free, but don’t want to do it alone?

You can still join the Dry January Experience waiting list and be first in line when early enrollment opens on December 19th. Waiting list members receive early access and an exclusive discount.

👉 Join the waiting list here: nomorewasteddays.co/waitinglist

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Episode Summary

In today’s episode of the No More Wasted Days podcast, Sara sits down with Suzanne Warye, author of The Sober Shift, host of the Sober Mom Life podcast, and founder of the Sober Mom Life Café.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about motherhood, identity, shame, and the moment many women quietly realize that alcohol is taking more than it’s giving. Suzanne shares her powerful story of becoming “spontaneously sober,” why moderation is a trap for so many women, and how alcohol culture has deliberately targeted exhausted, overwhelmed moms.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you “qualify” for sobriety, or felt like you should be able to make drinking work even though it never really does, this episode will land deeply.

Suzanne also shares why she wrote The Sober Shift, and how it’s designed for women who don’t relate to rock-bottom stories but still know something feels off.

Suzanne Warye is the author of The Sober Shift, host of the Sober Mom Life podcast, and creator of the Sober Mom Life Café, a supportive community for mothers exploring alcohol-free living. Her work focuses on dismantling shame, questioning drinking culture, and helping women reclaim their time, energy, and identity.

You can find Suzanne on Instagram at @suzannewarye and learn more about her work at suzannewarye.com.

If this conversation sparked something in you and you’re craving a fresh start with real support, now is the perfect time to get on the Dry January Experience waiting list. Early enrollment opens December 19th, and waiting list members receive a special discounted rate.

And if you haven’t already, please consider leaving a review or comment on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Sara reads every one, and your feedback helps this message reach the women who need it most.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

Get on the Dry January 2026 waiting list if you know you’re ready for a reset. You’ll receive early enrollment access plus a discounted rate.Sign up at nomorewasteddays.co/waitinglist.

Most women who struggle with alcohol never fit the stereotype of the “daily drinker.” They function well, they hold everything together, and from the outside, everything looks fine. Yet inside, alcohol is shaping far more than they realize.

In this episode, Sara breaks down how to recognize when drinking is running your life, even if you don’t drink every day. She explores the subtle signs of low grade dependency, how mental energy becomes entangled with alcohol, and why frequency does not equal severity.

Whether you are still drinking or already alcohol free, this episode will help you see your relationship with alcohol with more honesty, clarity, and compassion.

1. Why frequency isn’t the real issue

2. The four signs alcohol may be running your life

3. The brain chemistry behind “needing a drink”

Sara breaks down dopamine spikes, cortisol crashes, and why anxiety lingers for days after drinking. She highlights why even inconsistent drinking still keeps the reinforcement loop alive.

4. What gray area drinking actually is

Most women who feel stuck in the start-and-stop cycle aren’t “alcoholics.” They’re gray area drinkers living in quiet chaos, often rewarded by society for coping silently.

5. Why a meaningful break changes everything

Taking 30 days off alcohol stabilizes the nervous system, exposes what alcohol has been costing you, and gives you a first glimpse of the peace and clarity you’ve been chasing.

6. The questions that matter more than ‘How much do I drink?’

Sara offers reflection questions to help you evaluate whether alcohol is supporting your life or slowing it down.

Get on the Dry January Waiting List

If this episode hit home, consider joining Sara for Dry January 2026. You’ll receive early enrollment access and a discounted rate when doors open.

→ Sign up free at nomorewasteddays.co/waitinglist.

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial

In today’s episode, Sara sits down with author and advocate Celeste Yvonne, whose book It’s Not About the Wine cuts straight through the noise of mommy wine culture and exposes what’s really going on behind the scenes.

This conversation digs into the political and psychological systems that encourage women to drink, profit from their burnout, and quietly benefit when mothers are overwhelmed, numb, and too exhausted to challenge the status quo.

Sara and Celeste unpack how alcohol became the “acceptable” coping mechanism for modern motherhood, why women are drinking more than ever, and how targeted marketing turned female exhaustion into a trillion-dollar opportunity for Big Alcohol. If you’ve ever wondered why drinking feels so normalized for moms or why quitting sometimes feels rebellious, this episode will connect the dots.

They also explore what happens when women finally step out of that fog. Spoiler, clarity changes everything. From relationships to emotional patterns to political awareness, sobriety becomes a form of awakening, and that awakening has a ripple effect.

If you’ve felt the spark of something waking up inside you, this episode will fan that flame.

Celeste Yvonne is a writer, speaker, and author of It’s Not About the Wine: The Loaded Truth Behind Mommy Wine Culture. Her work has been featured in the Washington Post, Today Show, and Good Morning America. You can follow her  on social media @theultimatemomchallenge (on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok) or on Substack.

Dry January is coming, and I’m hosting my biggest 30-day alcohol-free experience starting January 1. You’ll get daily support, coaching, and a community that actually understands what you’re working toward. Join the waiting list for first access and an exclusive discount.

Join the waitlist: nomorewasteddays.co/waitinglist

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If something in this conversation stirred something in you, don’t ignore it. Dry January is right around the corner, and this is your chance to start the year clear, grounded, and fully back in your power. My 30 Day Alcohol Free Experience begins January 1, and the women who join this challenge always walk out with more confidence, more energy, and a level of clarity they didn’t know they were missing.

Get on the waiting list today so you’re the first to know when enrollment opens and you’ll unlock an exclusive discount only available to waitlist members. If you’re craving a reset or a real change, this is your moment to take it.

Join the waitlist: nomorewasteddays.co/waitinglist

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Follow the podcast on Social Media:

IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod

Follow Sara on Social Media:

IG: @no_more_wasted_days

TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial