A Surprise Liquor Store, an Attitude Check, and a Beautiful Botanical Beverage.
Alright so, a bougie liquor store just went in next door to my dentist. And, at first, I was annoyed. 👉 Not gonna lie.
I thought “Are you serious? In a strip mall full of wellness vendors?” But that’s the society we live in, right? Alcohol is just… everywhere. Not only grocery stores and bars, but it’s found its way into crafting events, hair salons, marathons, even yoga studios. So I gave myself a little attitude check…
Notes from the center of the labyrinth
Sobriety has given me a new lens on my favorite ‘80s movie—revealing unexpected parallels between Sarah's fantastical adventure and my own real-life journey of recovery.
For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great...
True Perspective and a Phony Negroni—Reflections on luck.
It’s the day after St Patrick’s Day and I’m taking a moment to reflect on life and “luck.” St Patty’s is notoriously a big drinking holiday [I’m sure I don’t need to mention] and celebrating looks quite different for me than it used to. Last night, I had a dinner with friends—they had cocktails while I sipped a Phony Negroni—and I was really surprised by what happened…
Do you have a drinking problem? NO! You just have a THINKING problem…
You don’t have a DRINKING PROBLEM. 👉 You have a THINKING PROBLEM.
Our thoughts & beliefs about alcohol keep us stuck drinking more than we want to... So, if you try to change your behavior and take a break from booze without first adjusting your mindset... this is what lands you in the realm of deprivation and FOMO.
THE GOOD NEWS? 👉 You can rewire those thoughts & beliefs! By harnessing the power of mindfulness and “neuroplasticity”...
Opinions & FAQs
When it comes to re-evaluating our drinking, there’s a common concern that echoes time and time again: “What will people think!?”
In this article, I share a great resource on the subject, and invite your questions on alcohol, habit change, burnout prevention and recovery, finding inspiration & purpose, and beyond! There’s so much we can learn from one another.
A resource worth sharing:
Ten Percent Happier | Podcast with Michael Gervais & Dan Harris |
Why fear of other people’s opinions holds us back, and what to do about it. Dan Harris is joined by Michael Gervais, a high performance psychologist. His new book is called The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You.
Cravings, cookies, and a complete shift.
A quick story: It’s a good idea to have a replacement for booze in the early days—when you’re so used to reaching for a drink to “feel better” or “feel different” or “UGH! What a crappy day!? I need a DRINK.” sort of days… and popcorn was one of my go-to’s.
Eventually, you learn to shift away from those quick fixes (like popcorn, sugar, and technology) and start to build a toolkit of healthier ways to care for yourself and balance your mood…
Actually, alcohol is a solution.
Everyone knows I love a good joke… and often even a bad one. And I used to love all the jokes about booze.
🗺️ A postcard that reads “I wish you were beer.”
🥃 Or a restaurant sandwich-board promoting “The soup of the day is whiskey.”
…very funny.
But now, I see these jokes and memes—even New Yorker cartoons—and they all just make me mad! Not because I’ve lost my sense of humor, but because I know the power of societal conditioning…
What’s the easiest self-care hack?
Do you know your love language?
Stepping away from a life spent “coping” with alcohol opened a portal for me into a new realm of balance, self-compassion, and ::calm::
In learning more about the many legitimate methods of self-care—not associated with numbing or escape 😬 —I’ve discovered a whole *world* of eye-opening [and surprisingly simple] techniques to support Radical Self Care.
Radical, because in our society of hustle and grind, it’s a bold choice to step out of the *achievement game* and rest. 🧘♀️💕✨ …to put down the labels and politics of “success” and lean into an inherent sense of self-worth.
Conversations of Love Language typically refer to receiving love from partners, family, and friends…
BUT.
I’d like to offer a twist:
What does dopamine have to do with tolerance?
The science of what alcohol actually does in our bodies and minds is the roadmap to self-compassion & change. 🗺️ Read this short article to learn more about dopamine’s role in our developing tolerance.
F#ck the stigma.
Follow the science.
🖤