Ep 124. The Lie of Moderation and the Freedom That Follows, with Georgie Irvine

Behind The Smile with Ash Butterss

May 25, 2025•57 min•Season 4Ep. 124

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Episode description

In this week’s episode, Ash is joined by Georgie Irvine, a sobriety and mindset coach and owner of Thrivalist, a global community for sober-curious women. After decades of binge drinking and years of attempting to moderate, Georgie shares the moment she finally called herself out and the freedom she’s found on the other side of alcohol.

Georgie speaks candidly about her early days in sobriety, the shame and self-betrayal that came with trying to moderate, and how life changed when she drew a line in the sand. She shares tools that helped her break free, including the concept of the “inner mentor” and the power of playing the tape forward. Georgie also opens up about how her relationship with her husband transformed, the challenges of parenting teens with a sober mindset, and why she paused her own podcast to protect her energy.

This is a story of self-leadership, boundary setting, and the deep peace that comes when we finally stop negotiating with alcohol and start showing up for ourselves.

The episode highlights are:

00:00 Introduction to Georgie Irvine and Her Journey

03:09 Navigating Life Changes and Personal Growth

06:04 Daily Routines and Self-Care Practices

09:11 The Impact of Sobriety on Relationships

12:06 Hiding Behind a Smile: The Struggles of Alcoholism

14:56 The Journey to Sobriety: Overcoming Addiction

17:50 The Challenge of Moderation and Alcohol Dependency

29:42 The Struggle with Moderation

32:00 The Decision to Embrace Sobriety

34:40 Breaking Free from Alcohol's Grip

36:21 Tools for Overcoming Addiction