Tribe Sober - inspiring an alcohol free life!

A Sober Mom in the Wine Mom Culture with Adrienne Stillman Krausz

 
My guest this week is Adrienne Stillman Krausz, a lady with a very sophisticated palate.  Her passion for fine food and wine began when she lived in Paris during her formative years. 
Adrienne went to college in the US but while her fellow students were downing beers and jello shots she was heading downtown to drink expensive craft cocktails.
She lives in the Nappa valley with her husband Jake who is a 2nd generation wine maker and as a couple they turned their talents to the alcohol free space.
In this episode
I think Adrienne is quite unique in that she has "a foot in both camps" as she puts it
I love the way that together with her husband they are busy sourcing and curating the very best AF products – with the same care that would go into fine wines
As they say on their website they believe that everyone deserves a good drink, whether it has alcohol or not!
Adrienne admits that she did sometimes go overboard on the craft cocktails and as a newly married couple two bottles of wine was the norm most evenings
She did begin to feel the after effects of that wine in the morning and never really bounced out of bed feeling great
As they started to think about having a family Adrienne stopped drinking during the week
However that meant that the weekend drinking affected her more
Coping with fertility problems led Adrienne to give up drinking completely
She also had to give up eating various foods with led to bouts of FOMO when she was socialising
She got a taste of what us ex drinkers go through in early sobriety!
Happily Adrienne became a mom and now has a 9 month old baby
That’s when she noticed the mommy juice culture
Hanging out with some other moms she was surprised to hear plans to drop off the babies and so they could drink some cocktails
She noticed that some wine brands were targeting moms and we agreed that wine was sometimes seen as a “parenting aid”
Mommyjuice gives our children the message that it’s so difficult looking after them that we need wine – not to mention the more general message that we use wine as a coping mechanism
Adrienne’s interest in alcohol free drinks began when she met a sober coach who recommended that she try them.
She was very sceptical and her expectations were low – she couldn’t really see the point
However when she started tasting the various choices she was blown away by the quality
Together with her husband they started researching – and were both inspired.
She feels that the US is just scratching the surface but there is a lot of innovation going on
Adrienne and her husband concluded that there were some great choices available but that the AF space was difficult for the consumer to navigate – so they decided to become “curators.
They would be retailers of alcohol free drinks but only of drinks that they had sampled and enjoyed
They would be two experts providing advice and education around their products
They launched the Dry Goods Beverage Company in Summer of 2021.
Their best sellers are the alcohol free wines and she particularly recommended Copenhagen sparkling teas – perfect as an aperitif as its crisp and refreshing.
Adrienne explained that these teas provide the depth and nuance that the AF wines sometimes lack
She also reminded us that AF spirits should always be mixed rather than drunk neat.  That’s why the cocktail recipes are so important.
Adrienne has kindly offered our listeners a 10% discount on their products so just use the coupon code TribeSober
The website is drygoodsdrinks.com and they are @drygoodsdrinks on Instagram
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
to join our mailing list click HERE 
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).

Rebranding Sobriety with Claire Comai

There have been dramatic changes in the recovery space over the last decade
Just 10 years ago you were either a normal drinker or you were an alcoholic and you went to AAWe now understand that alcohol dependence is a spectrum with many different stages between the merely sober curious and the problematic drinker
ven if you are that problematic drinker you don’t have to go to AA any more -we now have a modern recovery movement with many different pathways to getting sober
Part of that modern recovery movement is driven by young sobriety influencers – just like my guest today Claire Comai of Rehab Studios
In this Episode
Claire got sober at the tender age of 24 so her drinking career was very short but it was pretty intense!
She first tried alcohol at about 15 and just loved it – as she says she was obsessed with it straight away and the only reason she wasn’t drinking all day every day was because she lived with her family and had to go to school!
She drank when she was at high school and would blackout all the time
Claire had health consequences and got herself into risky situations
She had absolutely no off switch and felt something change in her brain after that first drink
She went to uni in Montreal, a huge university where no restrictions were put on drinking
Worried about her frequent blackouts Claire put lots of rules in place but of course like most of us she usually broke them!
She ended up in hospital several times after drinking sessions and began every day with a hangover
She used to see an addiction counsellor every week but all they did was to set new rules for her drinking
Then came the intervention – she was helping her sister move apartments and discovered the rest of the family waiting there – sitting in a circle
By this point her family were desperately worried about Claire’s drinking so had gathered together to let her know how they felt
This intervention was a real eye opener for because she knew she was hurting herself with the drink but had no idea how it was affecting the people that loved her
Her parents were very emotional but what really struck her was the fact that her younger sister had been staying awake at night worrying about her – when as the older sister Claire should have been a role model
The intervention worked and she threw herself into sobriety – she went to AA and got a Sober Coach
She did feel that she had been pushed into sobriety by her family and felt annoyed that her drinking career had been so short but over the months she began to feel better and better
We agreed that the first few months are really really had but then it gets SO much easier and the benefits start coming in
If you are in early sobriety and don’t have a community you should know that connecting with others on the same path makes a huge difference
It’s really hard to do this alone so please reach out – just go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe – or drop me a line at janet@tribesober.com
Claire was usually the youngest person at the AA meetings and would often be told that she was so lucky to be getting sober at 24 -gradually she began to believe them!
She now has more than 3 years of sobriety but still goes to meetings about twice a week – like us she believes that connection is the opposite of addiction and we must stay connected
Even if we have a supportive family and lots of friends they won’t really understand us like other people who have struggled – they may innocently try to convince us that we’ll be ok to have just one glass of wine now, that’s something people in your sobriety group will never do!
Like many of us Claire began to feel passionate about sobriety and began to speak out – to be a younger person in the world of recovery sharing her story
We always advise our members to get a project in early sobriety to keep those sobriety blues away – if you want to know the science behind this strategy then listen to Tribe Sober podcast episode 55, my interview with Dr Loretta Breuning.
Claire is a great example of how having a project can keep you motivated and on track
Her project is a apparel and jewellery brand called Rehab Studios
Like many of us she is an all or nothing person and has thrown herself into designing and managing this wonderful project
Check out Claires website which is called https://www.rehabstudiosny.com/ - she has some lovely items on there and she ships worldwide
You can find Claire at rehabstudiosny on TikTok and Instagram,
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
to join our mailing list click HERE 
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).
 
 

How to Stop Binge Drinking - our number one podcast!

 
I learned recently that only 10% of podcasters manage to publish more than 100 episodes so today I wanted to mark the fact that the Tribe Sober podcast is still going strong after 150 episodes!
Yes it’s hard work getting out a weekly episode but it’s also been such a pleasure connecting with some fabulous guests and of course getting feedback from listeners all over the world.
I’ve taken a deep dive into our podcast archives and highlighted the top ten most popular episodes
At number 10 we have 3 podcasts with 1,700 downloads!
10. The Happy Brain with Loretta Breuning 
That was Dr Loretta Breuning – author the Happy Brain. 
I always learn a lot from my guests and my conversation with Loretta led me to a personal lightbulb moment which actually changed the advice we give to our community.
It’s common to experience a low mood in early sobriety – a spell of anhedonia.
It certainly happened to me so I discussed this with Loretta
She taught me that we don’t have to just grit our teeth and get through this difficult patch – there is a way out!
A way to trigger our happy chemicals and banish those early sobriety blues
It’s fascinating stuff so do have a listen to the interview – Tribe Sober podcast episode 55 on Apple podcasts or via this link
10. “Take a Break”
Another episode that came in at 10th place with 1,700 listens was the episode called “Take a Break” – 3 Tribe Sober members talking about the benefits of taking a break from the booze.
We believe in Challenges here at Tribe Sober - every year we run 2 #Sober66 Challenges as well as our Dry January Fundraiser.
On this episode we hear from 3 ladies who did a 66 day Sober Spring - why did they sign up?  what was it like?  what tips do they have? 
Have a listen to Claire, Helena and Pam and if you’re inspired you can go to tribesober.com and sign up for the next #Sober66 which starts on 20th March
Find this episode on Apple podcasts Tribe Sober episode 75 or via this link
10. Rebranding Sobriety with Susan Christina 
The third episode at number 10 is my interview with the fabulous Susan Christina from Hola Sober.
Susan Christina is on a mission to rebrand sobriety and make alcohol free living as attractive and glamorous as we thought drinking was
She’s an advocate for the modern recovery movement and wants women to take back their power! 
Susan Christina publishes a gorgeous 100 page online magazine call Hola Sober, packed with features and inspiration – I’ll put the link in the shownotes https://linktr.ee/holasober
The episode with Susan Christina is called Rebranding Sobriety – episode 67 on Apple or via this link 
8.  Casey joins up the dots... between drinking and anxiety
Next up is an interview with Sobriety Coach Casey Mcguire Davidson with 1,800 downloads
Like me Casey was caught in the corporate workhard/playhard culture as well as the mommyjuice trend…using alcohol to cope with stress and anxiety and becoming  more dependent over the years…
But somehow we both found our way out of that trap and now we are finding joy in helping people to do the same
 We talked about the strong women we come across in our sober communities – and how many of us managed to hold it all together through the drinking years. Once we are liberated from the shackles of alcohol addiction there is no stopping us and we go on to achieve great things. 
We agreed that yes Sobriety is definitely a Superpower!
Catch Casey on Tribe Sober podcast episode 66 on Apple or via this link
7. Is your Lizard Brain the Boss with Staci Danford
Coming in at number 7 is neuroscientist Staci Danford which also has had 1,800 listens
Staci is a neuroscientist who loves working with the sober community.  In this episode she shares some really practical and useful information about our brain.
Staci explained how our primitive lizard brain will go on autopilot unless we intervene – she calls her Lizard Brain Earl and calls him out if he tries to hijack her behaviour!
She confirmed that our #Sober66 Challenge is long enough to create a new neural pathway to change our drinking patterns
She also said that the “secret sauce” of our Challenges is the community support
Our next #Sober66 Challenge starts on 20th March so just go to tribesober.com and you’ll see the sign up box on the homepage
You can catch Staci’s episode on Apple podcasts, episode 57 or via this link
 6.  Why we need to ditch the drink in mid-life with Lori Massicot
Next up in our Top Ten is Lori Massicot, also with 1,800 listens.
Lori Massicot a midlife sobriety coach.
I discovered Lori when I found her podcast – it’s called “to 50 and beyond” – it’s a podcast aimed at women in mid-life where she highlights the beauty of aging and the freedom that comes along with alcohol free life.
I was 63 when I finally ditched the booze so as you can imagine we had a great conversation about how giving up alcohol is one of the best things we can do for ourselves as we get older.
Let’s remember that 20% of social drinkers WILL become dependent over the years
That’s exactly what happened to most of our Tribe members who are now busy supporting each other and changing their habits
So if you want to improve your health and increase  your happiness just go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe.
Catch Lori’s episode on Apple podcasts episode 72 or via this link
5. My Relationship with Alcohol with Eusebius McKaiser 
Holding down the number 5 spot with 1800 downloads is South African journalist and broadcaster Eusebius McKaiser
He signed up for our Dry January Fundraiser a few years ago and much to his surprise he’s maintained his sobriety. 
We first met when I was on his radio show reading out my Goodbye to Alcohol Letter. 
A goodbye letter is a cathartic and powerful ritual that can help us draw a line under our drinking years. 
During our conversation Eusebius shared the benefits he is experiencing and explained how he has substituted different kinds of music for alcohol - to stimulate the right mood when he is writing.
You can it via this link or on Apple podcasts episode 29
Eusebius and I also recorded another Tribe Sober podcast episode together – called Busting Sobriety Myths – episode 77 on Apple podcasts or via this link 
 4.  Why we get hangxiety with William Porter 
At number 4 with 2000 downloads is another podcast about anxiety!  – title was “Why we get Hangxiety and my guest was William Porter.   
We talked about "hangxiety" and how it's caused by chemical changes in our brain - when it becomes over-sensitised
If you drink a bottle of wine every night then your brain will take the first glass as a signal that the rest of the bottle is coming!
That's why moderation is so difficult - and it's exhausting as we are thinking about it all the time
Dependency happens once we learn (consciously or subsconsciously) that another drink will quell the anxiety caused by the first
FAB is responsible for many people falling off the wagon as they think they can now have "just one" - which is not sustainable
William also explained that it's a complete myth that alcohol helps you sleep - the truth is that it ruins our sleep!
This conversation is on episode 50 on Apple podcasts or you can access it via this link
3.  How I ditched the drink with Clare Pooley 
At number 3 we have the fabulous Clare Pooley with 2,100 downloads
Clare is the author of “Sober Diaries” and a wonderful example of how your dreams can come true when you ditch the booze. 
Her sober blog not only helped her to stay on track but it attracted a publishing deal which led to the sober diaries – she then went on to write two further novels. 
Her childhood dream was to be an author and now she is!
CLAIRE's TOP TIP - she reconfigured her day - went to bed at 7pm (to avoid evening drinking) and got up at 5am feeling great!
As cooking the evening meal was a big temptation for her she cooked it in the morning and heated it up in the evening
Her blog - the obstacle course went viral and is essential reading in early sobriety – I’ll put the link in the shownotes
Clare's key message in her blog is to keep going however hard it gets - stopping and starting is the hardest way and means you are doing the hardest bit – over and over
The episode is number 39 in Apple podcasts or via this link
 2.  How I quit drinking and started a tribe with Janet Gourand
At number 2 is my story with 2,200 downloads
I talk about my long struggle with alcohol – how I nearly drowned by passing out in my bath at the age of 25 and carried on drinking
How I got breast cancer - and carried on drinking
How a "walking, talking blackout" made me (finally) ditch the drink
I talk about my quest for sobriety, my failure as an AA member and how I finally got sober. 
I share my motivation for founding Tribe Sober and read out my Goodbye to Alcohol Letter.
This was the very first episode of the Tribe Sober podcast so is episode one in Apple podcasts – or via this link
People often find podcasts by googling key words so the fact that our most popular podcast was called
“How to Stop Binge Drinking” would indicate that a lot of people find themselves without an off switch once they start drinking.
I certainly fell in that category – a couple of glasses every evening and probably a binge once a week.
If you’ve ever wondered exactly how much you have to drink to constitute a binge you may be surprised to learn that:-
Binge drinking is defined as consuming 4 or more drinks on one occasion for women or 5 or more drinks on one occasion for men
Australian sobriety coach Kathryn Elliott was a binge drinker
1.  How to Stop Binge Drinking with Kathryn Elliott 
Kathryn would be in a cycle – go for it, recover, go for it, recover
She didn’t really see this as a “problem” even when she started having blackouts at 16 – some blackouts which involved driving
If you listen to last weeks Tribe Sober episode with Professor Nutt you can hear him explaining the science behind blackouts – and the fact that blackouts can actually lead to brain damage!
She could go for weeks without drinking and challenges like Dry January were easy for her but she would always see these dry periods as permission to binge before and afterwards!
As Kathryn looks back on those short periods of abstinence she realises they did nothing to help her understand her binge drinking habit
Women need to understand that binge drinking is particularly dangerous as it can take up to a month for our liver to recover from a heavy session.
We tend to think that once the hangover has gone we can start drinking again but that just piles more damage on top of the existing damage.
Episode 113 on Apple podcasts or access my conversation with Kathryn via this link 
So that’s our top ten podcast episodes – thank you to our amazing guests and of course to our listeners!
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
to join our mailing list click HERE 
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).
 

SENTIA - Buzz without the Booze? with Professor Nutt

Professor David Nutt was sacked by the UK government in 2009.  He was dismissed for reporting on the comparative harms of various drugs.  He claimed that ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol which didn’t go down well as the government would not even acknowledge that alcohol was a drug in the first place! 
In 2010 he published a landmark study in The Lancet – a study that ranked the harm done to users and society by a range of drugs.  His study put alcohol as number one – as more harmful to society than heroin and crack.
Since leaving his government position Professor Nutt has been chairing Drugs Science, an NGO which does ground breaking research and provides independent, evidence based information on drugs.
He’s been engaged in some fascinating research into alcohol, cannabis and psychedelics and for the last few years he’s been working on the development of a drink which has just been launched in the UK – called Sentia.
Sentia is a new type of drink that doesn’t contain alcohol but aims to recreate its relaxing effects.  The blend of botanicals in Sentia does this by enhancing the activity of a neurotransmitter called GABA in the brain.
Since recording the interview I’ve been lucky enough to sample Sentia and can report that not only is it delicious but it certainly does hit the spot and deliver a gentle buzz.
I drank mine neat with lots of ice and enjoyed the spicy bitterness.
Our lucky UK listeners will be able to order it right now and hopefully those of us in the rest of the world will get to sample it soon.
In this Episode
David’s interest in the effects of alcohol began during his career as a doctor.
Like most doctors he would see patients who had been damaged by alcohol practically every day
His goal has been to produce a drink which provides the buzz of alcohol without the harm
Sentia replicates the positive effects of alcohol (sociability and relaxation) without the negative effects (aggression and dependence)
Alcohol affects the brain a bit like a sledgehammer whereas Sentia is much more targetted
The benefits of alcohol kick in after one or two drinks when it affects our GABA system which keeps the brain calm
But if we push the dose up to more than two drinks then it affects other brain neurotransmitters and can lead to more-ishness, craving, binging, amnesia and hangovers
So the Prof has found a way to minimise the unwanted effects.
Sentia has been designed by a world-renowned team of botonists, innovators and scientists and it only targets the GABA system
The fact that the herbs which have been used to create it can be found in nature and have been used for centuries means that it’s exempt from food safety testing.
We talked about the fact that if alcohol was invented today it would never pass any of the rigourous food and drink safety tests which new products have to go through
David reflected that alcohol seems to have a special and privileged status in the world and came up with the interesting comparison with the fact that guns seem to have a privileged place in US law
He also pointed out that alcohol kills more people than guns each year!
I googled this stat and discovered that 45,000 people died from gunshot wounds in 2020 whereas alcohol related deaths average around 140,000 a year in the US alone - 3M worldwide
I asked the Prof if Sentia was safe for those of us in recovery – he made it clear that Sentia is not a medicine or a therapy
However it will not create dependence and it will create a feeling of relaxation
He sees it as a good alternative for people who are vulnerable to alcohol dependence
At Tribe Sober we always say don’t drink alcohol free drinks if they trigger you so we would advise the same approach with Sentia
The advantage of Sentia is that it’s not fake alcohol so probably is unlikely to trigger ex drinkers
Sentia is available in the UK right now and you can read more about it on the website which is sentiaspirits.com 
International distribution has its challenges but the first step may be to get it manufactured in the US and it could be sent as a concentrate to other countries – watch this space and we’ll keep you informed
David took us through what happens in our brain when we drink alcohol
First neuro transmitter to get hit is GABA – which makes us feel calmer, more relaxed and more like socialising
Drinking more than a couple of glasses will trigger dopamine, a stimulant which will make us want more and is why we go on binges
It also releases endorphins which contributes to addictiveness and lack of control
Carry on drinking and we start to block the most important neuro transmitter - Glutamate which keeps us awake
Glutamate is vital for consciousness and for laying down memories – so that’s why we get blackouts
Blocking glutamate can lead to brain damage, withdrawal and is responsible for hangovers.
I told the Prof about the 6 hour walking talking blackout that finally made me decide the quit
He confirmed that blackouts are a huge red flag as there is a danger of brain damage
We talked about the fact that deaths from liver damage in the UK have increased 3-fold in the last 30 years
This is because the real price of alcohol has reduced to a third of what it was 30 years ago and availability has also increased dramatically
If David was in government he would address this is by limiting availability and increasing taxation – these two measures would massively reduce the harms of alcohol
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).
 

Quit Drinking and Banish Anxiety with Molly Desch

 
By the time single mom Molly Desch was in her thirties she was hitting the alcohol hard. 
Newly divorced she dived into the online dating game with enthusiasm and with hindsight she can see it was much too soon.
She got very depressed and found herself in a suicidal state but she fought back…she ditched the booze, did the work and is in a very different place today.
 
In this Episode
Molly was a rebellious teenager so the drinking started back then
By her late twenties Molly was drinking heavily but never questioned it as it was so normalised
In her thirties the drinking got really bad – freshly divorced she got back into the dating game far too soon
As a single mom she was trying to keep it all together but felt she was going downhill fast
Working from home she would be drinking in the mornings while she was doing online meetings with colleagues
Hit by a serious depression she found herself sitting in her car with a loaded gun as she contemplated suicide
Her son called her at that moment and begged her to come home
She did go home and immediately called her mom who came to stay with her
Molly knew she had to quit drinking but had no idea how she was going to do that and felt terrified at the prospect
She went to AA which did help although she rebelled against the concept of being powerless and the rigid structure of the steps.
After 3 months she left AA which is when Covid hit – that helped her stay sober as she couldn’t go anywhere
She managed her first year of sobriety but was not really doing the work – just not drinking..
Perhaps that’s why she had 3 relapses in her second year
Her last relapse was during her leaving party at a job she had been at for a decade – her colleagues put on a Happy Hour for her and she went completely over the top
THAT was when she realised that she had to do the work and she threw herself into it with great enthusiasm
She spent hours in the library – perusing the non fiction shelves and pulling out any books that appealed to her
Molly was trying to discover who she was and what she actually wanted out of life
She devoured self help books and loved the quitlit memoirs
Her favourite book was "Braving the Wilderness" by Brene Brown
We agreed that the Artists Way by Julia Cameron was a great way to unlock creativity and we both do our morning pages
Molly did lots of journaling which allowed her to build new habits, build a sobriety toolbox, discover who she was and finally began to love herself
She learned to set boundaries and began a daily meditation practice as well as yoga
Molly got in tune with her intuition and started paying attention to it
She takes pleasure in everyday activities like gardening and walking her dog
Her top 3 benefits of sobriety are better relationship with her kids, waking up in the morning feeling great and getting to know who is she really is and what she wants out of life
One of the ways that she sustains her sobriety is by staying open to opportunities – one day she received an email about a coaching course and decided to jump on a free call to find out more
The call led her to qualifying as a coach and quitting her job so she could focus on building her coaching practice
These days Molly is thriving in her sobriety and loving her work as a coach – to find out more about her coaching go to her website which is asyouarelifecoaching.com 
You heard Molly say that she had notebooks all over the house. She’s now taken the content from those notebooks and created a beautiful workbook about taking back control and redefining how you want to live – it’s called Wine Stole My Dreams – if you’d like a copy then just email janet@tribesober.com and I’ll send you one.More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).

The Intoxicating Lies of Alcohol with Meg Geisewite

This weeks podcast guest is Meg Geisewite who has written an excellent book shining a light on some of the many Lies and False Promises that alcohol makes.
She’s called her book "Intoxicating Lies" and she shares her own highly relatable story while busting myths about alcohol that have shaped the limiting beliefs of many drinkers.
Her book uncovers surprising insights into the alcohol industry and our society’s obsession with the mommy wine culture. 
In this Episode
After college Meg did some modelling and as she puts it she was "the poster girl for Alcohol" – she was Miss Budweiser and the Guiness Girl to name just two of her modelling gigs
Fully buying into the false messaging from Big Alcohol that we need alcohol to have fun
As she got married and had children she found herself sucked into the mommyjuice culture – seeing it as an essential parenting aid.
The turning point for Meg came when as she puts it “My alcohol use was no longer recreational, it was medicinal”
This is a red flag of dependence for so many of us
If you’d like our free PDF called “30 signs you need to take a break from alcohol” then just email me – janet@tribesober.com
For Meg the shift from pleasure to medicinal came as she went through a particularly stressful time in her life
She felt “dutiful yet dead”, people pleasing and taking care of everybody’s needs but her own.
At this time she was seeing wine as a reward when she could finally grab some “me” time
Of course she now knows that this perceived “reward” was just adding to her stress and anxiety and as the external stressors reduced she found herself with a nightly wine habit
She plucked up the courage to tell her therapist that she was worried about her drinking – only to be told that she was simply thinking about it too much
That ill judged advice resulted in Meg drinking for 2 more years
We agreed that whatever your therapist/doctor/friend says to you about your drinking if it’s on your mind then reach out for some help and advice
Go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe to join a sobriety community who can enable you to change your relationship with alcohol
We agreed that the stigma needs to be lifted from women and their drinking and we need to talk about it more openly
Of course that’s what Meg is trying to achieve with her book and what I am trying to achieve with this podcast
Society likes to put people in boxes and pushes the false belief that if we are not homeless alcoholics then we are fine
In fact we are likely to be somewhere on the Alcohol Use Disorder spectrum which is vast
Rather than compare ourselves with down and out alcoholics we should be comparing ourselves with the best version of ourselves we could be
Meg’s moment of truth came when she found herself resenting her kids staying late at school to do sport as it was interfering with her wine drinking time
She realised that she was no longer in control and this scared her
That’s when she joined Sober Sis – thinking that the 21 day reset would enable her to drink moderately
She just wanted some tools to help her to drink ‘normally”
Of course “normal drinking” is yet another intoxicating lie – once we’ve crossed the line into dependence we need to quit drinking completely and stop hankering after moderation
Moderate drinkers just moderate, they don’t have to join a reset program!
We agreed that in fact Sober Sis 21 day reset program appeals to a lot of people who are dependent but believe that they can moderate
The important thing is to bring these people into the conversation and that’s what we do with our 5 day Bootcamps – just go join our free Facebook Group called Sobriety Bootcamp and you’ll be ready to participate in the next one
For Meg the veil of lies about alcohol began to lift as she read This Naked Mind by Annie Grace
She felt great at the end of her 21 day challenge and decided to stay curious and continued on a 90 day challenge
That’s the way to do it – step by step – we avoid the F word at Tribe Sober – the thought of giving up alcohol Forever is just too daunting at first – so go for 30 days, then 100, then 6 months and then a year. After an alcohol free year it’s highly unlikely you’ll want to start drinking again – unless you are still harbouring a false belief that alcohol can add something to your life
We talked about the importance of mindset and Meg told us that 6 of the ladies in her sober community were going on a trip to Paris – although they had 6 months of sobriety they still felt that alcohol would enhance the experience – as she says they are stuck in the “deprivation” mindset which means they are still relying on will power to stay sober.
After 100 sober days Meg began to get glimpses of just how awesome an alcohol free life could be and kept asking herself “what if I kept going?” – it’s so important to stay curious
She did and now she is three years alcohol free
We agreed on the importance of being in a sober community as we progress further in our journey – Meg talks about the “drinking amnesia” (also known as Fading Affect Bias) that struck her 15 months into sobriety
We need our community to remind us that its only FAB
We need our community so that we realise we are not alone in this
We need our community so that we can ditch the shame
We talked about Sober Firsts and how tricky they can be – Meg had to call on her community when she was at a dinner in early sobriety and challenged for being boring
A community will give you LIVE advice – we get people on our groups saying – "Help! - how can I cope with this situation?" and we are always there to talk people down
So if you’re looking for a sober community then go to tribesober.com, hit join our tribe and read about the support we offer
Meg devoted her Year One of sobriety to educating herself about the science and as she moved into Year Two it was more about the "heart work" within her sober community
She describes heartwork of returning to love yourself, finding self compassion and shedding the shame
Meg found herself wondering why we aren’t warned against the dangers of alcohol
In fact alcohol was registered as a number one carcinogen by the WHO back in 1988 but that information is rarely highlighted in the public domain
Have a listen to my podcast interview with Professor Stockwell called The Deadliest Secret we all must share – highlighting the link between alcohol and 7 different types of cancer
It’s rather ironic that it's left to QuitLit authors and podcasters to draw attention to the dangers of alcohol – but perhaps the message is more powerful coming from people who have struggled with dependence
So please buy Meg's book and share this podcast to help us get the message out there to some of the many people who need to hear it
Megs book is called Intoxicating Lies and is available on Amazon
Her website is called intoxicatinglies.com
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).

The False Promise of Alcohol with Ellen Newstead

Most of our Tribe Sober members are quite mature – like me ;-)  They drank socially in their 20’s and 30’s and it was only later in life that they found themselves becoming dependent.
But now and again we come across a younger person and my guest this week is Ellen Newstead who is in her early 30’s.  She was smart enough to realise at an early age that alcohol was messing up her life and that she would be happier and healthier without it.
Ditching the booze at 30 changes your future - and that’s exactly what she did.
Ellen’s drinking career was short but it was intense and she very sensibly decided to get sober for her wedding – which she did, and she’s never looked back.
 
In this Episode
Like many teenagers Ellen was quite shy with self esteem issues and found that alcohol helped her relax and have fun
She enjoyed the buzz and was soon chasing that feeling
Her first experience of drinking was Alcopops which are between 4 and 8% alcohol
If you listened to last week’s podcast you will have heard marketing expert Nigel Jones explain how we are groomed by the alcohol industry to drink alcohol from a very early age – groomed to be their lifelong customers
Of course alcohol tastes unpleasant to a first time drinker – so they get round this problem by flavoring the alcopops to taste like cola or lemonade
Teenage girls are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of Alcopops and drinking before the age of 18 will increase the likelihood of dependence as we get older
When she thinks back to those years of teenage drinking Ellen realises that for her “fun and alcohol” became so closely linked she couldn’t imagine one without the other – a situation that continued for the next decade
For many of us alcohol is perceived as the “gateway to fun” and Ellen talked about the “false promise of alcohol”
Millions of us bought into this false promise and it took me decades to realise that alcohol is just 10% ethanol and 90% marketing!
The fun comes from the people who are with and the environment you are in
When Ellen went off to Uni she was expecting to find lots of other enthusiastic drinkers but soon realised that not many of her contempories were in her league – she was the ringleader - always the one wanting to make every social event about drinking!
By her second year at Uni she had found a weekend job in a bar and had started to enjoy drinking alone, at work and at home
By her early 20’s a bottle of wine a night was the norm
She went through a period of unemployment when she was 25 and that was when she totally “lost it” as she puts it
She treated the pub as a social club and went there every day, she met someone who invited her to his house to continue drinking and sleep over if she needed to
She would often drink to oblivion and wake up not quite knowing where she was
Ellen would lie to her boyfriend and parents about where she had spent the night
Fortunately Ellen got a job which put some kind of structure into her life so her drinking was confined to weekend binge drinking
Then came Covid so home drinking became the norm as the pubs were closed
As she no longer had access to the pub she recreated her comfort zone in her spare room
A home pub – complete with beer mats, signage and bar snacks!
The pubs were busy delivering containers of alcohol people’s homes so the drinking could continue in spite of lockdown
As the UK gradually opened up again drinking was allowed in outside in beer gardens
Ellen was so excited by this development that she drank to blackout the first 3 times she went to the pub!
In spite of this she maintains she wasn’t physically addicted – her addiction was more psychological
If you listen to Tribe Sober podcast episode 48 you can hear Molly Watts explaining why only 10% of dependent drinkers are physically addicted – for the rest of us its psychological
Ellen began to hover around rock bottom – she lost her wallet, she lost a weekend, she was refused service in a bar…
More importantly though she was beginning to lose patience with the chaos that alcohol was creating in her life – the constant threat of blackout or doing something stupid was wearing her down
She was coming to the conclusion that alcohol was taking away an awful lot more than it was delivering
After three boozy weekends which she describes as “hideous” she decided to quit completely
She didn’t even contemplate moderation so unlike many of us she didn’t have to waste years in the moderation trap
When she decided to quit she was 30 years old with a wedding coming up
She told her friends and family and the fact that nobody questioned her decision would indicate that they realised that Ellen had a drinking problem
She’d been scrolling IG and was excited to find a vibrant, diverse community with lives like hers but all the better for not including booze
She did a few sober stretches and started to sample the benefits of sobriety
She found a sober role model in Millie Gooch – Millie is the same age as Ellen and explained how to navigate festivals and bottomless brunches without alcohol
She didn’t even bother to wait for the “perfect date” when she had no plans – after all she always had plans
She was fully aware that there is never a perfect time to stop drinking and that she had to do it now!
Ellen began to work on her mindset
She treated every event as a challenge and rather than saying “I can’t” she started to say “what if I try?”
She started to realise that fun was more about who she was with and what she was doing
She started to see through the false promise of alcohol
She started to question various aspects of her drinking and began to see a pointlessness in it
Ellen was sober for her wedding and honeymoon and remembers every wonderful moment
You can follow her on IG @thesobercrow – I’ll put the link in the shownotes
 
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
 
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
 
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).

How to be a Non-Drinker with Nigel Jones

 
Nigel Jones is the founder of “9 kilometres before 9am” which is what he’s been doing ever since he decided to quit drinking.
He’s a sobriety coach and has written a book called Walking Back to Happiness which is a lovely title and describes the feeling we get as we begin to thrive in our sobriety.
Nigel’s professional background is in marketing and PR so he has a deep understanding of the power of messaging and the effect it has on our subconscious mind.  As he says we are in effect being “groomed” by the liquor industry to be loyal and lifelong consumers.
In this Episode
Nigel’s first drink strong cider at an early age – obviously it tasted disgusting to him and he was very sick – which made us reflect on the craziness of forcing ourselves to drink something we hate just so that we can acquire a test for it!
Going to Uni was when the party really got started and daily drinking became his pattern. That mix of affordability, availability and the heady feeling of being away from home means that the party starts for many of us at this stage of our lives.
Nigel developed a career in marketing and PR – a profession where alcohol is “baked in” to the job and you wouldn’t climb that career ladder if you didn’t take clients out for drinks or let your hair down with colleagues at the end of the week. Work hard, play hard culture as in every corporate that I’ve worked in.
Nigel drank for 35 years and certainly identified as a “drinker” – but as he got older he felt his body was not coping with it very well. He was constantly anxious and not sleeping well.
He began to worry that he wouldn’t see his 60th birthday if he carried on like this.
Like many of us Nigel had know for years that he was drinking too much but always pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind
He spoke about the Tribalism of being a drinker and how hard it is to step away from the pack. Not only do we feel vulnerable but our drinking buddies feel that we are holding a mirror to their drinking
Leaving the Drinking Tribe is hard – it goes back to our roots when we had to stay with the tribe for protection.
The way to cope with this is of course to join a Sobriety community and I must have had this in mind when I called our community Tribe Sober!
If you think its time to transfer from your Drinking Tribe to Tribe Sober then just go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe!
Nigel made the decision to quit one morning in December
He’s had many Day Ones but never got further than 6 days in
This time he approached it from a completely different angle
Rather than seeing himself as a drinker trying to use willpower to become a non drinker….
In marketing speak he re-branded himself as a non drinker from Day 1!
That’s what we’d call a massive reframe here at Tribe Sober!
That was a gamechanger for Nigel – he realised that his failure to stop for 35 years was simply because he was using the wrong technique!
He used the analogy of a mountain – rather than starting at the foot of the mountain on Day One – with a long and intimidating climb ahead of him
He started at the top of the mountain - as a non drinker – on Day One!
Of course he had to work on his belief system to change his identity from drinker to non drinker
He began to identify as a non drinker who leads a healthy life, gets up early, exercises, meditates and lives in the moment
So he began to do all the things a non drinker would do
He used the power of intention – he had the intention to be a non drinker
Nigel explained to me that the power of intention is when:-
What you intend to do becomes the deed, the deed becomes the habit, the habit becomes the character and the character can become the destiny
Nigel is 2 years sober and loves the alcohol free lifestyle – he’s in his 50’s but he feels like he’s in his 20’s!
We agreed that Sobriety is a Superpower
He has 3 daily goals – up at 5.30am, walk 9 kilometres befoe 9am, meditate for 15 minutes – and don’t drink alcohol today. So simple but so powerful!
Nigels top 3 benefits have been – living in the present, health benefits and connecting on a deeper level
We talked about the power of subliminal marketing and Nigel told me about a campaign by Guinness back in the 1950’s which was targeting pregnant women – telling them that Guinness was good for the baby!
As a marketing profession Nigel understands the effect it has on the subconscious mind and how we are in fact “groomed” to drink alcohol and be a lifelong customer of the liquor industry.
We agreed that governments are complicit in this machine which sometimes feels like a gigantic conspiracy.
In spite of all the manipulation Nigel does believe that we can change our beliefs.
If we think that we can never stop drinking that’s just a false and limiting beliefs.
All beliefs they can be learned and unlearned.
Nigel has written a book explaining how he did just that
His book is called Walking Back to Happiness – available on Amazon
His website is 9kmby9am
 
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email janet@tribesober.com.
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email janet@tribesober.com.
Episode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).

14 Top Sobriety Hacks for 2023!

After running Tribe Sober for 7 years and helping hundreds of people to ditch the drink and embrace alcohol-free living I've learned a thing or two. My biggest insight has been that sharing our stories around alcohol is the most powerful way we can help others - that's why the heart of this podcast is recovery stories.
This week I'm doing a solo episode - 7 reasons to do an alcohol free January - and 14 tips to get you through.
In This Episode
REASONS TO DO AN ALCOHOL FREE JANUARY
A dry month is a great way to test your dependency - if you can't get through a month without booze then you need to make some changes
Alcohol is so toxic that just taking a month off will have significant health benefits
Alcohol is linked to liver disease and 7 different types of cancer - 1 glass of wine will raise your risk of breast cancer by 15%
Alcohol will weaken our immune systems - and put us more at risk of becoming infected with Covid
20% of regular drinkers will become dependent over the years - drinking more than a bottle and a half of wine a week may damage your health
A month off alcohol will reduce your anxiety, freshen up your looks, help you lose weight and enable you to get some good quality sleep
Making a donation to our January fundraiser will give you a dopamine hit (giving makes you feel good) and enable you to receive online and community support for 31 days - you can sign up here
 
SOME TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH
Shake up your daily routine and exercise every day
Be ready to cope with your emotions - if you've been numbing your feelings with alcohol they will come to the surface
Use a journal to track your progress, note your triggers and process your emotions
Listen to music, make a soundtrack for your January Challenge - a real mood changer
Have your go-to drinks -drinknil.co.za are offering 10% discount on all their alcohol free drinks for people doing our Challenge
Find your tribe - its hard to do this alone - check out our membership program here
Please donate to our Earthchild Fundraiser - and get 30 days of community and online support - sign up link is here
MORE INFO
To access our website click HERE
EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program. If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.
Read more about our 7 step program and subscribe HERE.
 
Please subscribe and share this podcast so we can reach more people who need our help.
Thank you

Three Sober Challengers Share!

Tribe Sober - inspiring an alcohol-free life!
This week’s podcast is released on New Years Eve so by the time you get to hearing it the festivities will be drawing to a close and your thoughts will be turning to 2023.  We want to help you to make a healthy start to the new year so we've launched our 8th Annual Fundraiser which will provide you with online and community support for an alcohol free month - and enable you to help a disadvantaged child.  Talk about a win-win!
We believe in Challenges here at Tribe Sober - every year we run our Sober Spring Challenge - and then another one in January.  On this week's podcast we hear from 3 ladies who did Sober Spring 2021 - why did they sign up?  what was it like?  what tips do they have?  Let's hear from Claire, Helena and Pam:-
 
In this Episode
Like many of us Claire had fallen into the routine of drinking a bottle of wine every evening - and she wanted to make a change.
Claire who wasn't sure that an online community would work for her - she thought she might be the "wrong generation" but in fact she loved it.  She posted comments daily and felt a deep connection with the other challengers.
She didn't find it that difficult.  She had been "thinking about it" for so long that one she actually took action and signed up for the challenge she was more than ready - and got straight through 66 alcohol free days without a slip up!
Then we heard from Helena who has struggled with drugs and alcohol for years but who is now making real progress.
She was fascinated by the idea of a 66 day challenge and the fact that a new neural pathway can be created in this time.
Pam explained  that she had been worried about her drinking for a while and that the challenge finally made it clear to her that "moderation" was not going to work for her.  
Our Challengers had plenty of useful tips to share - "make a plan" was a big one - Claire explained that visiting an exclusive game farm carrying a huge bag of AF drinks may have bemused the staff but it enabled her to stay on track!
Journalling was another important tip - buy a notebook, process your emotions and log your progress during the Challenge.
Treat your Challenge as a research project - listen to podcasts, read the quitlit and learn everything you can.
We often have a vague feeling that we need to do something about our drinking but a challenge will enable you to dip your toe in the waters of sobriety and take action - SIGN UP FOR THE JANUARY CHALLENGE HERE
"Alcohol is the only drug we have to justify not taking" so doing a challenge is a great "reason".  If you have to explain to your family and friends why you are not drinking you can say "I'm raising money for charity by doing a Dry January!"
An alcohol free month will enable you to experience some benefits of sobriety but to really experience the joys of alcohol free living you need to keep going a bit longer.  You will meet others on the challenge who will be keep to extend the challenge to 66 days, 100 days - even six months!
Another great tip we heard from our Challengers was to reconfigure your day - shake up your routine a bit and you won't miss alcohol so much!
If you are listening to this and it's not January don't worry - we've got you covered - all you need to do is to go to our tribesober.com and hit Join Our Tribe and we'll put you on our 30 day starter challenge for new members.
More info
Subscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE
To access our website click HERE
If you would like a free copy of our "Annual Tracker" or our e-book "66 Days to Sobriety" please email janet@tribesober.com
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community just email janet@tribesober.com
Episode Sponsor
          This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then                 sign up today          Read more about our 7-step program and subscribe HERE
          Book a Discovery Call with me to find out if our membership would help you 
        
 Help us to spread the word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave us a 5 star review on Apple podcasts, take a screenshot of your review and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page - see PS for instructions - we'll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 
You can catch our FB live on Saturday mornings (11am SAST) and you can join our private Facebook group HERE
Thank you for listening! 
Till Next Week
Janet x
PS   How to leave an rating/review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS device)
1. Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
2. Choose "Search" from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (i.e., "Recover Like A Mother") into the search field.
3. Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
4. Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
5. Click "Write a Review" underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You'll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale, and write a review (you can rate without writing, too but it's always good to read your experience).