Episode #332 

Hello, friend! Welcome to To 50 and Beyond, where we talk about living alcohol-free later in life. I'm glad you're here!

Have you ever wondered whether you should celebrate your sober anniversaries—or those of loved ones? I sure did! 

I wasn’t sure if my first year was worth celebrating or how to celebrate it, but over time, I figured it out. 

I just celebrated 12 years on August 11, 2025, and in this episode, I talk about my favorite ways to celebrate. 

I also talk about: 

• Why celebrating every sober milestone, big or small, makes a difference in staying motivated

• Creative and simple ways to honor your journey and anniversaries

• Practical ideas for supporting loved ones who are working on sobriety with authenticity and care

To read this episode's full show notes, go here. 

Download my free Daily Sobriety Toolkit 

Thank you for listening! I appreciate you. If you want to share the ways you celebrate, please email me at [email protected].

Mentioned in this episode:

• Counting Crows "Mr. Jones" video

• Life After Alcohol: Learning to Love Yourself More with Paula Muller

 

 

Private Sobriety Coaching for Midlife Women

Six sessions over six weeks from the comfort of your home to help you remove alcohol, start living alcohol-free, and create a plan that helps you stay alcohol-free beyond our time together.

Learn more and schedule a complimentary discovery session here. 

 

Join my online community - the best online alcohol-free community only for midlife women (that’s what makes it the best)

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free. 

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today! 

Go here to enroll

 

 

Episode 331 

A heartfelt message from me to you. 

Thank you for listening to the To 50 and Beyond podcast. Whether this is your first time or over 400th time, I appreciate you more than words can say.

I recorded this episode to share my appreciation for you and empower you to keep going towards the life you want in midlife and beyond! 

I'm with you 100%! 

I will be back with a new episode on August 27th. I'm in my "normalizing breaks and honoring flow" era;) 

To join my community, Team Alcohol-Free, go here. 

If you would like to share your feedback for the podcast or a topic, please email me here. 

Visit my website here. 

Please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple or Spotify to show your support for the podcast and mission. It's so helpful for me to know who is here. 

Thank you for listening! You ROCK!

 

Mentioned in this episode: 

My First Year of Sobriety: What Helped Me Stay Alcohol-Free

 

 

Episode 330

Hey there! I'm so happy you're here. I LOVE talking about morning routines! 

Morning is your time. That’s what having a morning routine is all about. It’s you saying, ‘I matter.’ Everything else can wait. All the responsibilities and to-dos—they’ll get done, just not before you take care of yourself.

A morning routine that works for you is not about getting up early—unless you want to. It’s about dedicating at least 10 minutes to doing something for yourself after you wake up - whatever time that is.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The signs you may need a morning routine: Signs You Might Need a Routine

• My story two years into sobriety, when I started my morning routine inspired by Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning.

• Practical ways to start your morning, all from midlife women who are working on living alcohol-free

• The importance of being flexible with yourself and honoring your energy every morning to make your mornings work for you

   

  Resources Mentioned:

  The Daily Sobriety Toolkit

  Everyday Self-Care to Support Your Alcohol-Free Lifestyle

  Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

Join Team Alcohol-Free 

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free. 

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today! 

Go here to enroll

Episode 329

Hey there! 

One of the biggest things I share is what’s helped me stay alcohol free—focusing on why I didn’t want to drink more than why I did. That’s not easy, but it’s powerful. I call it Why Power—something I started saying years ago in a community meeting: Why Power over Willpower.

In this episode, I invite you to reflect on your reason why you don’t want to drink. If you’re like me, you could always find reasons to drink—or you didn’t even need a reason. This reflection will help you get started in living alcohol-free or reinforce your choice if you're already living alcohol-free. 

I'm with you! 

 

Reach out to me via email for private coaching or to share your "why-power" here. 

Read this episode's show notes and download the worksheet included here. 

 

Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community created exclusively for midlife women who have chosen to live alcohol-free.

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free.

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today!

Go here to enroll

 

Check out these episodes next:

Listen When You Feel Left Out Because You Don't Drink

Listen to Help You Play the Tape Forward

The Bright Side of Going Alcohol-Free in Midlife

 

Episode 328 

Do you have a consistent self-care practice?

If you said no, chances are there is one thing you are doing for yourself that you may not identify as self-care. By the end of this episode, I'll help you define what self-care is and feels like for you, and start calling out what you're already doing for yourself today.

What you'll hear inside:

• The definition of self-care and how to find the meaning for you 
• My self-care before and after I stopped drinking
• Why consistency (in self-care) matters to help you be proactive when you experience drinking urges/triggers
• The common challenges that women in midlife face in practicing self-care, starting with not knowing how to do it (this is the purpose of the episode)
• Why most women believe alcohol = self-care, and how to shift your mindset to sobriety = self-care
• Practical ways to get started with more consistent self-care by starting with what you’re already doing

To read this episode's full show notes, go here. 

Resources Mentioned:

The Daily Sobriety Toolkit

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

Episode #327

I'm so glad you're here!

Please bookmark this episode if you need help in working through the "drinking chatter" and any romantic thoughts about drinking, if you are working on living an alcohol-free lifestyle. 

If you’re a woman in midlife working on living alcohol-free, this episode is for you.

“Playing the tape forward” is a favorite practice of many women who are working on living an alcohol-free lifestyle. One of the biggest challenges is the thoughts and ideas about drinking - the “drinking chatter” as I like to call it.

What “playing the tape forward” means:

It’s about being honest with yourself about your drinking. Visualizing what happens after the first sip of alcohol (which I walk you through in this episode) to the last, to help you get clear on what plays out for you. I help you get clear on what happens if you drink versus if you don’t.

Whether you drink occasionally or daily, this practice helps you see the real outcome of taking that first sip.

I also share a few of my journal entries from when I stopped drinking in 2013 that still help me remember the reality of my drinking. 

Click here to read the full show notes. 

 

Join my email community to keep in touch and learn more about upcoming episodes and offers. 

Download my Daily Sobriety Toolkit here. 

Send me an email for Private Coaching: [email protected]

Visit my website

 

 

 

Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community created exclusively for midlife women who have chosen to live alcohol-free.

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free.

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today!

Go here to enroll

 

 

Episode 325 

Hello, friend! Thank you for being here. 

If you're in your first year of sobriety, congratulations!  

I'm very proud of you wherever you are on this road to alcohol freedom in midlife. 

During this episode, I'm sharing the things that helped me stay alcohol-free during my first year. 

I stopped drinking in 2013, choosing to go it alone. I stuck to simplicity because that is all I knew. I wasn't sure if I was doing things "right," but here we are today, almost 12 years later. 

I've been able to sustain sobriety because I've done what works for me. This is what I encourage you to do in this episode. 

Here is what I did during my first year:

• I committed fully to sobriety as my priority, despite not being naturally disciplined.
• I focused on my why - feeling better, aging better, and not continuing to repeat the same life year after year
• I celebrated my progress (eventually), saying yay, me! became a fun habit.
• I protected myself by avoiding situations that might tempt me to drink.
• I kept busy with my business and productive activities instead of drinking.
• I started "Project Me" by making exercise my focus and using my gym membership.
• I read quit-lit books that inspired and guided me through early sobriety.
• I learned to sit with discomfort instead of numbing out with alcohol.
• I talked about my feelings instead of bottling them up.
• I allowed myself sugar and other substitutes without guilt. 

Disclaimer: This episode is not intended to be a substitute for any medical advice. 

Go here to read this episode's details and show notes.

Thank you for listening! Yay, you!! 

Please send me an email to share what is working for you. 

 

Are you looking for a community? Join the Team!

Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community created exclusively for midlife women who have chosen to live alcohol-free.

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free.

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today!

Go here to enroll

 

Episode 325 

Hello! I'm so happy you're here! 

This podcast is all about living alcohol-free later in life, and my guest today, Paula Muller, is living proof of living alcohol-free later in life.  

Paula is an incredibly supportive member of my online community, who brought this wonderful topic of learning to love yourself more to me as a topic. When I heard it, I was "all in!" 

Paula shares her story of starting to drink at 13, how alcohol became part of her identity, and what led to her decision to stop drinking for good on April 8, 2024—a night in a hotel room that changed everything.

We discuss how Paula navigated her stepdaughter’s wedding alcohol-free, the mindset shift that’s come with celebrating her first year sober, and how self-love has become possible for her only after letting go of alcohol.

Paula discusses the ups and downs of early sobriety, the importance of trusting the process, and the resources and practices that have helped her along the way. 

You can go here to read the full show notes.

Thank you for listening! 

 

Mentioned in This Episode 

Here is her favorite Alcohol Removed Prosecco. 

 

Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community created exclusively for midlife women who have chosen to live alcohol-free.

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free.

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today!

Go here to enroll

 

Check out these episodes next:

Listen When You Feel Left Out Because You Don't Drink

Outgrowing Yourself in Midlife

The Bright Side of Going Alcohol-Free in Midlife

 

Help me spread the word! There is another option besides drinking in midlife.

If you liked this episode and want to take a few minutes to support the podcast, I want to encourage you to leave a positive rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

So many women out there don’t know there is an “alcohol-free” option and are struggling with their drinking.

Your support will help these women find the podcast this week and learn about an alcohol-free lifestyle later in life.

➡️Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”

I read my reviews and will hug you when I see yours.

Make sure to “follow” To 50 and Beyond to get all of the wonderful episodes coming your way. If you don’t click “follow," you will miss hearing what’s coming up.

Thank you!

 

 

Episode 323

Welcome back to the To 50 and Beyond Podcast! I've missed being here with you. Coming your way are brand new episodes for the summer, starting with today's episode, which is all about staying alcohol-free on the "patio" this summer. 

Your "patio" is any challenge, including a literal patio, that you are concerned may come between you and your alcohol-free lifestyle. 

What you’ll hear:

• I'll help you identify what your specific summer triggers are instead of feeling overwhelmed by "not drinking all summer.”

• The reason why trying to live the same summer as when you were drinking can leave you feeling let down. I share my own experience with patios, summer wines, and how I had to change things up.

• Practical ways to transform your challenging spaces—whether that means skipping your Aunt Sally's barbecue or making your patio an alcohol-free friendly zone with new plants and glassware. I'll share how I went from avoiding my couch to creating new rituals, and how you can decide what works for you (and change your mind anytime).

We get one summer of 2025 - let's make it the one you want, not the one you've lived in the past. 

I'm with you! 

Thank you for listening! 

 

Join the Team! 

Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community created exclusively for midlife women who have chosen to live alcohol-free.

Gain access to weekly meetings, daily inspiration, and lots of connections with midlife women who are living alcohol-free. 

Plus, you will receive long-term support for a one-time investment, + additional resources added monthly.

TAF was established in 2023, and we are growing stronger together! If you feel like you've been missing out on alcohol-free girlfriends and coaching, join us today! 

Go here to enroll

 

Check out these episodes next:

Listen When You Feel Left Out Because You Don't Drink

Outgrowing Yourself in Midlife

The Bright Side of Going Alcohol-Free in Midlife

 

Help me spread the word! There is another option besides drinking in midlife.

If you liked this episode and want to take a few minutes to support the podcast, I want to encourage you to leave a positive rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

So many women out there don’t know there is an “alcohol-free” option and are struggling with their drinking.

Your support will help these women find the podcast this week and learn about an alcohol-free lifestyle later in life.

➡️Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”

I read my reviews and will hug you when I see yours.

Make sure to “follow” To 50 and Beyond to get all of the wonderful episodes coming your way. If you don’t click “follow," you will miss hearing what’s coming up.

Thank you!

 

 

Download the Daily Sobriety Toolkit to help you plan your day and stay connected to your choice to be alcohol-free. 

Episode 323

Hello, friend! 

This episode is one to come back to whenever you feel alone in choosing to live alcohol-free. Whether you’re at home watching your favorite show where drinking is everywhere (hello, Real Housewives!) or at a party surrounded by drinkers, your choice to be alcohol-free is a badass one.

You’re never truly left out when you’re choosing what’s right for you, and you always have support and community here with me and with other women making the same choice.

I’m right here with you.

Thank you for listening.

If you liked this episode and want to hear more, please make sure to "follow" the podcast and consider leaving a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. 

Are you looking for a supportive community to help you enjoy your alcohol-free lifestyle and not feel left out? 

Join Team Alcohol-Free and connect with a coach who truly cares (that’s me!), weekly online meetings designed for real growth, and a daily support thread that’s fun, empowering, and a fantastic resource for midlife women.

Join the Team here. 

 

If you would like to work with me privately, please send me an email.