My Christmas Wish
Sober Edge
My life changed profoundly in 2015 when I decided I would give up alcohol. I knew I wanted something different, but I had no idea that this life would be better than my wildest dreams! I was simply ditching booze because I needed to change something. I had a sense it was alcohol that might be standing in the way of a more fulfilling life, but I didn't know for sure. Now I do. My Christmas wish for all of you is to discover how much bigger and brighter and better life can be when we stop hiding and numbing and tamping down our true self. It's not that giving up alcohol in...
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The 'Awakened' Path with Billy Wynne
Sober Edge
Zen, Coffee and Alcohol-free living I recently sat down with Billy Wynne, co-founder of Awake, one of the first sober bars in the U.S, and author of the upcoming book, The Empty Path. Billy shares his personal journey of how he gave up alcohol and how all roads started with his Zen Buddhist practice. Billy recalls that initially, like many of us, he made up rules about his drinking, one of which was 'never drink alone'. This led him to acknowledge that drinking didn't really have a place in his life and, in fact, he felt liberated from alcohol vs. deprived. He shares the story of Awake and his...
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The Compassionate Side of Addiction
Sober Edge
Compassion and Self-Compassion is critical for your AF journey. One of the most important steps in our AF journey is learning how to move through life with more compassion and self-compassion. This one key shift can help us to broaden our perspective, let go of expectations and forgive ourselves. In this episode of The Sober Edge podcast, I focus on three key areas: Compassion for Others Compassion for Self Compassion for the World Compassion for ourselves can be the most difficult. We are so often our worst critics and while others may more easily forgive and forget, we might find...
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Alcohol-free Clarity with Kyle Smith
Sober Edge
Language + Breath + Movement = Clarity I love words - I believe they hold great power. I also have come to respect the role that story plays in our lives, both the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we carry from others. My post-alcohol life has also led me to realize that I am not just a thinking being but also a feeling and moving being. My guest on the podcast this week is the developer of NLSE. Our conversation touches on all of these things; breath, story, brain and body, and perhaps most importantly, how we combine these elements and actions to create a new...
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Why Me? How We Become Addicted to Alcohol
Sober Edge
Many of us struggle with the shame we feel about becoming addicted to alcohol. We can intellectually understand that alcohol is addictive, but we often feel that we should 'know better' or "it could never happen to me". In my recent studies at Stanford University, where I completed a certificate in the Psychology of Addiction, Dr. Anna Lempke shared the reasons behind why people become addicted to alcohol (and other drugs). In this episode of The Sober Edge podcast I break down what we know about genetics, the impact of our family of origin and the role that our neighborhood or culture...
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Hooked on AF Travel
Sober Edge
Do you recall what you loved to do when drinking was not part of the 'all-inclusive' package? My guest on Episode 165 of the podcast is Darci Murray, who believes wholeheartedly in "Sensory Heightened Travel". Darci has been 'hooked' on travel since childhood, having grown up with a mom who was a travel agent and learning early on to love new adventures. Darci is one of several travel agents who are newly focused on AF and sober travel, but she is doing things a little bit differently. Hooked on travel is intentional about creating experiences that allow us to be fully...
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Uncovering You: The Journey Within (Part 2)
Sober Edge
What if you had a road map to a sober life you love? What if it came in four simple steps? Does that sound easier than a lifetime of 'working on yourself'? I know that life is not simple; humans are complex. We have emotions, backgrounds, circumstances, and it would be foolish to think that we could expect everyone's sober journey to look the same. But, after 5+ years of working with hundreds and hundreds of women on their AF journey, I have discovered a few things to help you move forward. Having a framework is powerful; it allows our minds to focus in on the process and...
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Uncovering You: The Journey Within (Part 1)
Sober Edge
Today, I share two areas that I am focused on and that I help clients explore when we ask, 'what now, what next?' on this alcohol-free journey. The first place to start is to KNOW yourself. So many of us go through life without asking 'who are we?'. I love self-reflection and I love a good quiz, but trust me, finding out which Disney Princess you are is not the same as knowing yourself:) It's not that we have purposefully gone through life without looking in the mirror, but women wear a lot of hats; wife, mother, employee, caregiver. It's no surprise that we...
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Good Mood Revolution with Matt O'Neill
Sober Edge
Are you ready for a Good Mood Revolution? I know I am! I think we can all use a bit more joy and happiness in our daily lives. I sat down with Matt O'Neill, author and podcast host of The Good Mood Revolution. We had an enlightening conversation about the 8 Negative Moods and the 8 Positive Moods. Matt is an expert at breaking down big concepts into bite-sized, actionable steps. Here are some highlights from our chat: How to catch yourself doing something right The biggest myth about happiness Why you should focus on your negative thoughts Never complain again -...
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Living Alcohol-Free; 9 years of lessons
Sober Edge
My journey continues beyond learning how to become AF and yours will too. I think the most striking difference between becoming AF and living AF is the shift in focus and time. I have experienced and witnessed what is possible when alcohol is out of the way. Time feels different now that I am living alcohol-free. The time I used to spend drinking, thinking about drinking and recovering from drinking is now ‘new time’. And, with a new sense of time, I have been able to explore this next chapter of my life. When I was drinking, time passed with me numbing out and with...
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My life changed profoundly in 2015 when I decided I would give up alcohol. I knew I wanted something different, but I had no idea that this life would be better than my wildest dreams! I was simply ditching booze because I needed to change something. I had a sense it was alcohol that might be standing in the way of a more fulfilling life, but I didn't know for sure. Now I do.
My Christmas wish for all of you is to discover how much bigger and brighter and better life can be when we stop hiding and numbing and tamping down our true self. It's not that giving up alcohol in itself creates this change, but instead, it allows us to discover a part of ourselves that we have not yet met. A part that is vulnerable and messy and beautiful. A part that wants to be seen and wants to shine. This takes time and work - we will have to do hard things, but the reward is a bold and courageous life. A life where we can be fully ourselves, and we can learn to love ourselves again.
May we be brave enough to share the deepest parts of ourselves with one another so that we may be blessed by the human spirit within each of us.