123: {SOLO} 30 Days Alcohol-Free: What I Learned & Where I Landed
Description
In this solo episode, I share a vulnerable and very real update on where I currently am with alcohol, how my habits have evolved over the years, and what I learned from taking a recent 30-day break. If you’ve ever questioned your own relationship with drinking, struggled with moderation, or felt the “mental noise” around alcohol, this conversation is for you.
I revisit patterns from high school and college, motherhood triggers, the stories I’ve told myself about drinking, and the eye-opening experience of going alcohol-free for a month, including the neuroscience behind cravings, dopamine dips, and why the process felt so emotional.
I also discuss the role of consciousness, thoughts, and deliberate living in reshaping habits, and how this experience helped me prove to myself that I can do hard things.
In This Episode, I Talk About:
How my relationship with alcohol has evolved over the past 20 years
Drinking in high school and college and why those early patterns stuck
How motherhood, overstimulation, and boredom played into evening wine habits
The moment that pushed me to take a 30-day break
What happened in those 30 days — including the dopamine dip around days 10–14
The neuroscience behind cravings and dopamine regulation
How to handle cravings by separating the thought from the sensation
Deliberate living vs. default living (and why thoughts matter more than we realize)
The stories we tell ourselves about alcohol — and why many aren't true
How nervous system overwhelm contributes to wanting to drink
The small lifestyle shifts (like hiring babysitters!) that changed everything
Healthy dopamine habits I used to replace wine
Why vulnerability and accountability helped me finish the 30 days
What I’ll be carrying forward now that the 30-day break is over
Resources & Links Mentioned
Sunnyside App (for tracking alcohol + soberish challenges)
Reframe App (for alcohol education + habit change)
United States
