The Next Chapter: Rediscovering Who You Are After Alcohol
To 50 and Beyond | Midlife and Alcohol-Free LifestyleShow Notes
Episode 319 Hello friend! I'm glad you're here. If you're working on living alcohol-free, yay, you! It is a bada** move. If you are or have experienced the big, confusing questions like "Who am I now? or What do I even like to do?" after alcohol, you are not alone. When I stopped drinking at 45 after starting at 14, that first year was a complete identity crisis. In this episode, I talk about the transition to the "next chapter" alcohol-free. The identity crisis after drinking, and why you are not alone if you feel unsure of who you are and what you enjoy doing after alcohol. The prompts I share to open up a more expansive conversation with yourself: "What am I looking forward to learning more about myself in this next chapter?" "What is this relationship that I want to build with myself?" "What do I enjoy doing?" This is your opportunity to rebuild your relationship with yourself, redefine who you are, and create an authentic, fulfilling life. Taking control of your relationship with alcohol takes immense strength. You've got this. I'm with you! A personal note: I missed you last week. I may be a bit of an infrequent podcaster as I'm getting my life, business, and podcast topics organized. I will be back on 3/19 and 3/26 with new episodes and give you another update at this time. I appreciate your listenership and patience. Sending you a virtual hug!
Mentioned in this episode: Ep #316 Reframing "Time Wasted" Drinking Join the Team!
Team Alcohol-Free (TAF) is an online community for midlife women who have decided to stop drinking and start living an alcohol-free lifestyle. Enrollment starts soon!
Join Team Alcohol-Free 3/26-4/11. Stay connected to updates and enrollment dates by joining my email community here.
More from To 50 and Beyond | Midlife and Alcohol-Free Lifestyle
In my final episode, I want to share a little backstory into where I am at this stage of my life and business, where I'm going, and respond to some of my listeners topics they shared. I think it will be helpful for women who are working on living alcohol-free in midlife and beyond. Thank you for listening and supporting the podcast since 2018. I'm giving you a big virutal hug (forgot to do this in the episode). You ROCK!
Episode #357 Hey there! I'm glad you're here. If you miss drinking alcohol, you are not the only one. In this episode, I share what missing drinking in my first year felt like, why the six-month mark is a time to really care for yourself, and what missing drinking alcohol truly is for me. It's not about alcohol. It's about nostalgia and youth more than anything. You'll walk away from this episode knowing you are not alone, that missing alcohol is valid, that you can miss it and stay alcohol-free, and that what you do with that feeling is what matters. Thank you for listening. Peace.
I have so much love and appreciation for my listeners. I want to give you a heads up that I will be ending To 50 and Beyond in the next two to three weeks. I've put a lot of thought into this and have decided it's time. I'm ending on a high note. If you have a question or something you would like to share to be included in the final episodes, please send me an email at [email protected]. Thank you for listening. ✌🏻
Hey there! I hope you're having a lovely day. If you've been wanting to start a journaling practice but can't seem to make it stick, list-making might be your answer. In this episode, I talk about why list-making is a journaling practice, especially if you've been telling yourself you don't have the time or don't know what to write. I share the story of the journal that led me to go alcohol-free in August 2013, and I give you a list of list of list ideas you can start using right now, including a few specifically for women working on living alcohol-free. Grab your journal, a piece of paper, a post-it, or a napkin and try a list out today! List Ideas from This Episode: Things I know for sure about me (or: who I am and who I'm not) My why power list (all the reasons why you want to be alcohol-free, or why you're making any change) Worry list (dump out what you're worried about, then note worst/best case scenario) Things I've worried about that have never happened One to three things I want to focus on this month/week/day Brain dump (everything out, keep it or toss it) Save it for later list Good news and gratitude list Yay me list (your wins, going back as far as you want) My rituals and self-care list When I have a thought about drinking (time, what's happening, what I did to work through it) What helps me stay alcohol-free / what doesn't Habit inventory (habits that help me, habits working against me) No longer buying list (things I'm no longer willing to purchase) No longer buying into list (my own BS or outdated messages) Things I'd rather not do list Three things I know for sure about me and alcohol (my truth list) Play it forward list (what happens if I take one sip) Favorites lists (colors, words, decades, people, food, smells, places) Glimmer moments (tiny micro moments of joy) Solo dates to try this month Songs that make me feel nostalgic, relaxed, or confident Hobbies I want to try this month Books I want to remember / books I want to read Things people have said that I want to remember (or forget) What I appreciate about being my age What's hard about being my age Places I've traveled or want to travel Concerts I've seen or want to see Five pieces of advice I'd give my 25-year-old self Five things my 90-year-old self will want me to start today Reverse bucket list (everything I've already done) Bucket list (everything I want to do) What do I need less of right now / what do I need more of Funny - I didn't think I shared this many, but I also have a lot more ideas. ✌🏻 Have ideas for list, I would love to hear them - send me an email to share.
Hey there! If you're choosing an alcohol-free lifetyle and taking your weekends back, welcome to The No Longer Giving Up My Weekends to Alcohol Club. There are so many midlife women who are a part of this club, including me since 2013. In this episode, I share a simple way to plan your weekends to protect your choice to stay alcohol-free. Thank you for listening. I'm with you. Peace.