Sober Edge

My journey continues beyond learning how to become AF and yours will too.   I think the most striking difference between becoming AF and living AF is the shift in focus and time.  I have experienced and witnessed what is possible when alcohol is out of the way.  Time feels different now that I am living alcohol-free. The time I used to spend drinking, thinking about drinking and recovering from dr...

On October 18, 2015,  I woke up with a slight hangover and a mountain of guilt. I had let myself down, again, but I had also let other people down. I felt like a horrible person, someone I didn't recognize. I had finally had enough - enough of letting alcohol be the most important relationship in my life. After that one decision almost 9 years ago, my life has unfolded in ways I could only have im...

What if you stopped drinking and  followed your passion  for a new AF business? That's exactly what happened to Marlys Aspinwall and her husband Chuck.  In 2021, after she found herself drinking too much during COVID, Marlys decided to take a break. Her husband quickly followed her lead. Three months later, they opened a pop-up bottle shop. Marlys shares in this episode of The Sober Edge podcast t...

Are you tired of talking about alcohol and drinking and not drinking? I get it, just as we can experience recovery fatigue, I believe we can also burn out by talking about alcohol too much.    Yep,  I want to invite you to NOT talk about alcohol.    I have shared before my philosophy that 'behavior comes last'. A quick refresher:  changing our behavior  is only one part of changing our relationshi...

Midlife is often a time of big transitions. Giving up alcohol can also create monumental shifts. As we move through these transitions,  we sometimes leave parts of ourselves behind, and sometimes we leave others behind.   My friend and fellow coach Aimee Ames has been on her own transitional  journey, including going back to school to become a Functional Nutritionist, redefining her relationship w...

There's a saying, "You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with". The wisdom behind this statement is the urgency. We recognize that  we have a limited amount of time to rub shoulders with people who inspire us and challenge us to grow. And, it can prompt us to choose our friends wisely. Spend time with negative people and we might find ourselves complaining more. Spend time with posi...

What's on your bucket list?  Chances are it includes at least one place you want to travel to. But traveling sober? Many of us are nervous and might even avoid the idea of planning a sober vacation. After all, if you are like most of us,  travel and alcohol went together without question.  Meet my friend Michelle Plante. Michelle is the founder of Michelle Plante Travels and, since becoming alcoho...

If you have ever wondered if other people talk to themselves,  the answer is yes. In one form or another, everyone has a voice in their head. T his voice has a lot to say, and we listen.  According to Ethan Kross, author of 'Chatter', if you have ever replayed a conversation in your mind, or coached yourself through a problem or skill, you've used your inner voice. Most people rely on and benefit...

Loneliness is possible even when we are surrounded by people. In today's culture, we have more opportunities than ever to connect - we can face a family member, catch up with a video chat or reach out with a text message. Yet w e often feel disconnected from others.  My guest on the podcast this week is Nick Jonsson, an executive coach and alcohol-free coach who understands the impact of lonelines...

IAccording to a 2018 independent study by Drinkware,  60% of adults admit to using alcohol to cope with stress.  If your stress is caused by burnout, alcohol is the worst possible solution.  In our conversation today, my guest Jamie Phillips ,  shared the signs of burnout: Living in fight or flight Never recovering from stress Adrenal fatigue/exhaustion Loss of agency Survival mode Brain fog Poor...

I am excited to dig deep into our belief system and how these conscious and sub-conscious beliefs can keep us stuck as we make changes in our relationship with alcohol and beyond. First, let's talk about the three levels of belief - particularly relevant when we think about alcohol: Substance  (what we believe about the liquid alcohol Society  (what our culture, our family of origin and society te...

  Women's Hormones - Menopause - Weight Gain - Alcohol - Fasting I n today's episode we talk about women's hormones and my guest helps break down what we can do to  thrive no matter what stage of life we are in! Meet my friend and fellow coach, Elly Young. Elly is a wealth of information when it comes to understanding how best to support our hormones. Elly is an expert in cycle-syncing, which is a...

We all want to understand the meaning of life, and so do our mythical heroes. They often go on adventures to strange worlds, fight dark forces, and come back with new knowledge. The hero's journey explains this adventure by breaking it into stages. It shows how a hero faces and overcomes challenges to learn and grow. Does this remind you of your own alcohol-free journey? In this episode of The Sob...

I recently sat down with Betsy Frost, the CEO of Hoplark Brands to talk about drinking less, the NA industry, and why she believes hops are 'magic'. Hoplark brings us the 'Yes And…' which is to say it brings the flavor and the complexity of hops to tea, sparkling water and 0.0 beverages. A range of products that have zero sugar, zero alcohol and zero calories! Betsy shares that hops are a magical...

  My friend and colleague Kristin Horstman is a certified Gray Area Drinking Coach with a specialty in helping clients learn how to nourish their nervous system.    We also touch on: Perfectionism Polyvagal Theory Focusing on the body brings us into the present Focusing on our thoughts leads us to the past or future How to recognize when we are regulated or deregulated Kristin also has a passion f...

Life's adventures come in many forms. My recent conversation with friend and colleague Racquel Reid brought this home. We have the adventures we choose, the adventures thrust upon us and the adventures we let go.   When Racquel left on her travel adventure, she never imagined that she would end up in her current situation. Yet, somehow, Racquel has found a place of adventure and freedom even in th...

As an alcohol freedom coach, I emphasize the importance of community as we go through this monumental change.  Traveling together means we get support, understanding and a shared sense of camaraderie that doesn't (always) happen in other places.  As an entrepreneur and business owner in this alcohol-free space, I wanted a community that supported my unique business. This is a mission-driven busine...

Challenge: noun A call to take part in a contest or competition, especially a duel verb Invite (someone) to engage in a contest The idea of a contest involves a clear objective with a finish line. But, does the idea of a 'challenge' really work when it comes to changing our relationship with alcohol or food?  Just around the corner is 'Dry July', an opportunity to take 30 days off from drinking. W...

What if, instead of health, we decide to seek wellness? What if, beyond health, there is a beautiful place called 'wellness'? I n our culture today we are often bombarded with wellness products and wellness lifestyles, but what does that really mean?  My guest on the podcast today, Megan Swan, has her own spin on wellness, and we talked about her modern approach to wellness that takes us beyond he...

Over 50% of families deal with addiction . If you have a family member who struggles, it can be challenging to walk the line between compassion and tough love, enabling and offering support. And, the closer the family member, the more challenging it can be to set healthy boundaries. My guest on the podcast today is Dr. Brian Licuanan. Dr. Brian is an author, speaker, and board-certified psychologi...

  For most of us, our relationship with alcohol, whether we are drinking or not, is complicated. When we find ourselves 'romanticizing' alcohol, it can feel confusing. First, let's normalize these thoughts. Longing for the past, or feeling nostalgic, is  a normal emotion. It is often tied to a longing for the way we used to be or the way we used to feel. I recently had a client share that 'nostalg...

While I love a good 'self help' book, I was completely fascinated by the title of my guests' book: "Not Another Self Help Book". How could I resist having her on the podcast to share her unique perspective on how to show up in the world when life is hard?   Lindsey Kane Leaverton is an author, songwriter, former minister and a financial wealth management expert. She also identifies as a proud memb...

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a new friend. Constance Todd Smith is an alignment coach (I love this!) who has been on her own journey of exploration, which started 38 years ago when she decided to 'live on the bright' by choosing sobriety. In addition to being an alignment coach,  Constance is also a Yoga teacher, an Ecstatic Dance instructor, the founder of a Facebook group devot...

How do you define abundance? It might be having more, or it might be desiring less. When it comes to creating space, having an abundant mindset can be key.  Creating space can manifest in many different ways; being open to opportunities means almost anything is possible. I have talked about creating space before, but I have recently been challenged to broaden my personal definition of how we creat...

"Everyone has a story or a struggle that will break your heart. And if we're really paying attention, most people have a story that will bring us to our knees".  Brene Brown shared this quote in a 2018 article. The other part of this truth is that  sharing our stories can help us heal.  * Please be aware:  this episode touches on suicide and suicidal ideation  I recently sat down with a new friend...