Take a Break from Drinking

Today I'm addressing the idea that you can shame yourself into better health and why it's such a destructive pattern. We'll talk about why so many of us have this belief, why shame never creates productive thoughts, feelings, and actions, and what you can do instead of shaming yourself. Get full show notes and more information here:  https://www.rachelhart.com/143

In this episode, I'm talking about the concept of insuring your brain and what you can do to make sure you're mentally stimulated on a daily basis. It's incredibly important to break out of habits and routines if we want to stay sharp, just like it's important to keep learning and to seek out discomfort. Our brains are perpetual problem-solving machines, and without any problems to solve, they can...

Take a break from drinking this month in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. All month long, Rachel is teaching a special bonus course on optimal health. If you've ever used a drink to deal with chronic pain, insomnia, injury, or any other health-related issue you won't want to miss it. Learn how to make your health a priority and change the habit of drinking for good. Sign up at  https://www.rachel...

In this episode, we'll discuss health avoidance, why we tend to do it, and the impact it has on our minds and bodies. We'll also revisit why the think-feel-act cycle can be such an effective tool for managing pain and other health-related thoughts and feelings. And we'll talk about some of the facts around how alcohol affects the body, why knowing the facts can help you make decisions, and why it'...

In this episode, we'll talk about optimal health and why many of you are settling for less-than when it comes to your physical and mental wellbeing. I'll tell you why the think-feel-act cycle is a great tool for improving and managing your health, and why being able to manage your mind is a key part of a healthy life. And we'll discuss alcohol's effects on the body, how to separate physical pain f...

In this episode, I'm breaking down goal drama and giving you tools to catch your brain in the act. We'll talk about why our brains create drama, why it can be so exhausting, and how to reframe the "problem" of taking a break as a "project" instead. Remember: now is the perfect time to begin taking a break - it's an ongoing project to work on, rather than a big scary problem you have to solve. Get...

What an obstacle mirage is and how to identify them in your own thinking. We'll talk about why our brains make them, why it's your responsibility to debunk them, and why this is all great news for your own power and autonomy. I'll also tell you about common obstacle mirages and how to handle them, and you'll learn why supporting yourself is one of the most critical ingredients of this process. Get...

In this episode, I want to emphasize that your drinking doesn't mean anything about who you are as a person, your character, or whether or not you're valuable. I'll share the piece of advice this friend gave me and talk about why it was so unhelpful in the moment, but how I now realize that it mirrors our society's beliefs about drinking and individual control. And I'll tell you all about what it...

Why panic, fear, and shame are such poor motivators, why you have to understand the "why" behind your current habits, and why you should have a plan for failing. Keeping your resolutions can't just be an exercise in willpower - because that will end in frustration and shame. Give yourself everything you need to change your habit for good! Get full show notes and more information here:  https://www...

Why we shouldn't set up a false choice between drinking and having fun versus not drinking and having less fun. I'll tell you about why socializing without alcohol is a common obstacle for people taking a break and how to be onto your thoughts when they say you have to drink to have fun. And I'll dive into the thoughts behind the habit of consuming to enjoy events, how you were actually born to ha...

In this episode we're talking about the thought "I don't want to stop drinking" and how to approach it. We'll talk about why even a temporary break can be such a powerful tool for understanding the thoughts and feelings that are underpinning your desire to drink. And we'll also break down why you can't just look at drinking vs. not drinking as good vs. bad behavior and why shaming yourself won't g...

In this episode I redefine failure and talk about why it isn't a bad thing. I talk about why our thoughts are what makes failure seem like a negative, painful experience, and why we need to stop making failure mean something bad about ourselves. And I share the many teaching opportunities failure gives us if we're willing to slow down and get curious about our thoughts, feelings, and actions surro...

From the time we're children we're taught how to show up for other people: parents, friends, teachers, and eventually bosses. We're taught to seek other people's approval rather than prioritizing our approval of ourselves. In this episode, I dive into all of this in-depth and explain how you can get better at showing up for yourself. I talk about why it can often feel like there are two versions o...

The right book at the right moment can change everything. I've put together a list of my favorite books for all my podcast listeners. They cover everything from addiction, habit change, food, sex, love, money, creativity, productivity and more. Text your email address in all lowercase letters to 415-275-6589 and reply BOOKS if you want to grab a copy.

In today's episode, we're talking all about being wrong, why we cling so hard to being right, and how to build up your capacity for being wrong about yourself. I'll share some of the reasons why your brain likes to be right and how this can get in the way of changing your drinking and other habits. And we'll look forward into the future at what lies on the other side of being willing to be wrong a...

In this episode I dig into how we can create motivation to stop drinking, and why the idea that you have to hit rock bottom in order to create change can be so harmful. I talk about this thought "I just like to drink" and how I dealt with it when I realized my relationship with alcohol was having increasingly negative consequences. And I share what it's really like on the other side of drinking an...

How to reduce drama, create more neutral thoughts, and slowly but surely create a less dramatic existence. I provide a lot of real-life examples in this episode that you can apply right away. They cover everything from drama about time, to drama about to do lists, to fears and anxieties about our appearance and relationships. Get full show notes and more information here:  https://www.rachelhart.c...

In this episode, I focus on what drama is, why we create it, and how to tell if you're creating drama for yourself. I talk about how to slow down your brain's dramatic tendencies and retrain your brain to have more neutral thoughts. I'll tell you all about how drama connects to the habit of drinking, and next week we'll do a deep dive on a tool that will help you create less drama. Get full show n...

How compare and despair may be keeping you from changing your habit of drinking. Compare and despair comes up in all areas of life, so it's important to understand how this thought pattern makes you feel isolated, worthless, and disempowered when you're actually the opposite. I share some examples of compare and despair, how to recognize when you're in this mindset, and how to get off this mental...

Listen in as I review the Rolodex of Excuses and talk about the tenets of the work I do with clients. Then we'll dive into these next-level excuses, why your brain is so good at coming up with them and how to deal with these sneaky justifications. Get full show notes and more information here:  https://www.rachelhart.com/126

In this episode, I talk about how alcohol affects your sleep, two of the common instances where I see people drinking to fall asleep, and why it's actually totally normal to be unable to sleep sometimes. I also dive into the thoughts and emotions that often accompany insomnia and why your thoughts about sleep are probably compounding your physical tiredness. Get full show notes and more informatio...

In today's episode, I'm breaking down the take-it-or-leave-it mindset so you can assess whether it's really something you want to work toward. I talk about creating an indifference to alcohol and what that will look and feel like, and how you can get there. And we'll talk about why it's so important to examine the thoughts and feelings underpinning your relationship to alcohol, rather than focusin...

This episode is about why things may seem to get worse when you take a break from drinking. Spoiler: things aren't actually getting worse - you're just finally seeing them for what they really are. Once you stop numbing your feelings with alcohol, you may realize that things aren't pretty. Tools like the think-feel-act cycle can not only help you move through this uncomfortable, difficult transiti...

This episode walks you through the process of understanding  why  you overdrank the night before and how you can react differently the next time your urge to drink arises. We'll explore how the Think Feel Act cycle interacts with your desires and how to press pause on that urge to drink. And I'll give you a list of questions to ask yourself so you can better understand your actions and change them...

This week, I'm discussing how you can picture a future version of yourself who doesn't have the desire to reach for a drink. This may seem dubious, and I'm sure many of you are going to question this concept, but honing the practice of imagination, to step out of the current box you're in, will transform the way you think about the habit. Get full show notes and more information here:  https://www...