Andy Ramage Podcast

“I bet you're fun at parties!” It's one of those classic comments that people who don't drink have probably heard at least once. But what happens when it comes from a 17-year-old who's had a few drinks, and you're standing there happily enjoying your alcohol-free beer? Well, that's exactly what happened to me at a recent family party. And I have to admit, it was absolutely...

What if the biggest thing holding you back from achieving your dreams is something you’ve never even considered? We all have those ideas. The business we want to start, the adventure we keep putting off, the changes we promise ourselves we’ll make one day. But why do some people turn those dreams into reality while others spend years talking about them? In this episode of The Alcohol-Free Advantag...

Yesterday, I turned 52 . And at 5:30 in the morning on my birthday, I found myself thinking about the 32-year-old version of me and everything I wish I could go back and tell him. Back then, I was still drinking. On the outside, many of the traditional markers of success were there, but underneath, things were beginning to tell a very different story. So in this episode of The Alcohol-Free Advanta...

What happens when you bring a group of alcohol-free adventurers together and walk 119 kilometres of one of the world’s most ancient spiritual paths? I recently returned to the Camino de Santiago, this time with seven fellow pilgrims, for five days of walking, talking, reflecting and experiencing everything this incredible journey had to throw at us. And there was a lot to reflect on. In this episo...

What happens when a 90-day alcohol-free challenge turns into an entire year? In this episode of The Alcohol-Free Advantage , I’m celebrating a pretty special milestone. My little brother Rob and his wonderful wife Lou have officially reached one year alcohol-free . But this episode isn’t only about celebrating them. I want to explore what starts to happen when you stay on this adventure for longer...

Weddings. Big birthdays. Work parties.  Those BIG social events can be some of the most intimidating moments when you’re going alcohol-free. In fact, sometimes just seeing one in the diary can be enough to make you think, “Maybe I’ll start after that.” But do these occasions really need alcohol to be fun? In this episode of The Alcohol-Free Advantage , I tackle some of the fears that come with nav...

Have you ever looked back at your drinking days through rose-tinted beer goggles and wondered whether you’re missing out? Even after more than a decade alcohol-free, I still occasionally experience those little moments that make me wonder. But what if the story our mind is telling us isn’t quite the full story? In this episode of The Alcohol-Free Advantage , I explore FOMO, nostalgia and those mom...

For a long time, the conversation around alcohol felt incredibly black and white. But what about everyone who sits somewhere in between? Years ago, I started using the term “middle lane” to describe my own relationship with alcohol, and it went on to resonate with far more people than I could ever have imagined. In this episode, I explore what it really means to be a middle lane drinker, why our r...

For most people in what I call the middle lane , changing your relationship with alcohol isn't really about having a drinking problem. It's about having a thinking problem . Over the years, we build beliefs around alcohol. It's fun. It helps me relax. It helps me socialise. But how often do we stop and ask whether those beliefs are actually still true? Maybe alcohol felt fun when you w...

Brad Pitt is reportedly drinking again after around seven years of sobriety, and as you can imagine, everyone has an opinion. So, I thought I'd share mine. For me, this isn't about judging or shaming someone for making a personal choice. We're all wonderfully unique, and our relationship with alcohol is deeply personal. What works for one person might be completely wrong for another. B...

Moderation sounds like the sensible middle ground. One or two drinks, stay in control, and carry on. But I think there's a problem with that story. For me, moderation means wanting more of something but using willpower to force yourself to have less. And when willpower inevitably runs low, one drink can become two, two can become five, and suddenly we're wondering what went wrong. In this...

This is one of the hardest truths I've ever had to accept. No one becomes a better person because of a drink. That doesn't mean people who drink are bad people. Far from it. It means alcohol never helps us become more authentic, more present, or more connected. It simply creates the illusion that it does. In this episode, I explore why alcohol convinces us we're becoming the person we...

What if the secret to transforming your mornings isn't another productivity hack? What if it's removing the one thing that's stealing them in the first place? For years, I believed I didn't have time. I thought I was too busy, too tired, and too stretched to exercise, study, write, or work on the life I really wanted. The truth was, I wasn't losing my mornings because of my sch...

We all spend our lives searching for that one goal that makes everything else easier. The one habit. The one breakthrough. The one decision that creates a ripple effect across every area of life. I believe I've found it. Going alcohol-free isn't just another health goal. It's the foundation that makes so many other goals possible. Better health, stronger relationships, more confidence,...

Going alcohol-free isn't just about giving up a drink. It's about having the courage to question everything. The beliefs you've inherited. The stories you've been told. The assumptions you've accepted simply because everyone else believes them too. In this episode, I explore why choosing a different path takes courage, but why it's also one of the most rewarding decisions y...

For years, I thought I was showing up at my best on a Monday. Looking back, I wasn't even close. Like so many people, I was caught in a cycle of drinking, recovering, surviving, and calling it normal. I had no idea just how much alcohol was quietly stealing from me, not just my health, but my energy, ambition, focus, relationships, and productivity. In this episode, I explore why I believe alc...

When I first considered taking a break from alcohol, my biggest fear wasn't missing the drink. It was losing myself. Who would I be without alcohol? Would I still be fun? Would people still like me? Would I still be confident enough to walk into a room, dance at weddings, connect with people, and feel like I belonged? Looking back, I realise those fears had very little to do with alcohol and e...

Breaking news. My Dryy adventure is over. After more than four incredible years, the Dryy app and community has come to an end. But this isn't a story about failure. It's a story about impact, courage, learning, and what happens when you dare to take a swing at something that matters. In this episode, I reflect on the journey that Matt Pink and I embarked on together, helping tens of thous...

What if I told you that almost every reason people drink alcohol is actually created by alcohol itself? Stress. Anxiety. Escapism. Boredom. Even the need to relax. In this episode, I unpack what I call The Doom Loop . A powerful catch-22 that keeps millions of people stuck in an endless cycle where alcohol appears to be the solution, while secretly being the cause of the problem. Once you see it,...

This episode was sparked by something I recently came across that genuinely frustrated me. Not because it was provocative, but because it touched on a belief about alcohol that I think so many of us have accepted without ever stopping to question. The idea got under my skin enough that I felt compelled to unpack it properly. Because when I look back at my own drinking career, I don't see alcoh...

Ibiza. No alcohol. For most people, those two things simply do not belong in the same sentence. But that’s exactly what happened on our recent reinvention retreat, where a group of complete strangers came together in Ibiza without a drop of alcohol. And honestly? It turned into one of the most powerful, connected, joyful experiences I’ve ever been part of. In this episode, I unpack what really hap...

A 17 year old completely destroyed me at a party recently. I told him I hadn’t had a drink for 12 years and he hit me with: “That’s really boring.” Then came the knockout punch: “I bet you’re fun at parties.” Honestly, it made me laugh. But once the dust settled, it got me thinking about just how deeply ingrained our cultural beliefs around alcohol really are. Before he’s even legally allowed to d...

In this episode, I share a powerful reminder of how to create lasting behavioral change without relying on the exhausting and unreliable tool of willpower. This conversation is for anyone on an alcohol-free adventure who has ever felt "cursed by the willpower gods" or frustrated by their inability to just "decide and change."  This is not about grit or suffering through temptat...

In this episode, I dive into one of the biggest hidden barriers to success in both coaching and alcohol-free living: overthinking. So many people get stuck trying to figure everything out before they take action. They want the perfect plan, the perfect moment, the perfect version of themselves before they begin. But that’s not how growth works. I share why taking imperfect action is the real key t...

In this episode, I share one of the most powerful stories ever told about personal transformation, the story of the two wolves. This simple idea has the power to completely reshape how you see your thoughts, your habits, and ultimately your life. I also connect this story to alcohol-free living, showing how what you focus on daily determines the quality of your life. If you’ve ever felt stuck, ove...