“High performers can hold it together—but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

That’s how Julie Holly describes the tension she lived in for years. On the outside, she was a successful entrepreneur, coach, and podcaster. But on the inside, alcohol was becoming her go-to solution for stress, escape, and the ache of not belonging. And like many high-performers, her success masked the weight that alcohol was starting to become round her neck.

But a doctor’s curiosity and an honest comment from one of her children gave her the reality check she had been running from.

In this conversation, Julie opens up about how drinking became tied to belonging, how craft cocktails became a nightly ritual that both connected and slowly destroyed, and how a doctor’s gentle curiosity helped her finally face the truth.

In addition, she explains the quiet midnight wrestling matches she had with God, how mining her story of origin revealed abandonment wounds, and the courage it takes to name alcohol for what it really is.

This isn’t a rock-bottom story. It’s about a high achiever learning that freedom comes not from holding it all together, but from finally letting go.

We explore:

—Why high-functioning people struggle to admit alcohol is a problem
—How Julie’s drive for belonging fueled her drinking
—The danger of comparison and the “at least I’m not that bad” trap
—Why story work and exploring our past is essential for healing
—How God patiently pursues us through small moments and people
—The role of ego and elitism in justifying drinking
—Why midnight wrestling with God reveals deeper unrest
—The moment a doctor’s curiosity, not condemnation, opened her eyes
—How money spent on alcohol can be repurposed into kingdom work
—The freedom of realizing you belong because you belong to the Father

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