Why Doesn't Summer Feel Like a Break?

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 132

Summer is supposed to be the easy season, so why does it so often leave us more tired, pressured, and frazzled than ever? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the myth of the "restful summer" and the invisible standards that pile up as the weather warms: be the memory-maker, the joy-creator, the calm presence. It's a pressure that fuels depletion and quietly drives the urge for an evening drink, not for pleasure, but as an off-switch when rest feels out of reach. Drawing on psychologist Donald Winnicott's idea of the "good enough" parent, Anna reframes what it means to do summer well, and shares practical questions to help you carve out genuine breaks, lower the pressure, and gently move away from alcohol as your only way to switch off. If your summer doesn't feel like the break you were promised, this episode will show you you're not alone and point you toward a kinder, more sustainable way through. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why can summers be exhausting 01:20 The real summer vs. the Instagram version 03:20 Family life: chaos of young kids or grownup kids at home 05:07 The “gap” between summer’s promise and reality 05:26 Feeling the pressure to make memories 06:03 Why we feel guilty when we finally get a break 06:31 Evenings as the first off-switch and how that cues drinking 08:03 Introducing Winnicott’s “good enough” concept 09:52 Chasing the perfect summer sets up the craving for relief 10:14 Good enough is actually enough 11:27 Once you lower the bar, the craving (and pressure) loosens 12:32 What your evening self actually needs 13:47 What would actually make summer feel like a break for you? 14:39 Specific examples for reclaiming space and calm 15:47 “Good enough” as the true standard, not a consolation prize 16:07 The real summer is messy (and that’s enough) Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.