We've all been there, we're moving along on our alcohol-free journey just fine and then it appears... the f#ck it button. But why? And what can we do about it when the press to push it is so freakin' strong? That's what today's episode is all about!
This week the amazing Karla Adkins joins us once again to talk about her journey through addiction and cirrhosis to joy and healing shame. In part 2 we take a deep dive into Karla's personal healing journey and the wider implications for society. Let's break the stigma! Karla is on a mission to normalize not drinking and to help people make the shift from feeling shame to being courageous. After a life-altering event, her perspective on life changed, and through that experience, she created a sa...
What's our intention for this week's episode? To help you discover the power of living from intention over expectation and now it's time to get practical. This week is all about HOW to bring more intention into our lives - let's go!
This week, Sam and Ellie consider the seismic shift in our life experience when we start to live from intention and drop many of our (often invisible) expectations. It might seem simple on the surface, but this represents a deeply important and ruthlessly practical practice and life choice. Wherever you're at on your journey - there will be something for you here!
On the path to true freedom from alcohol many of us have found ourselves grieving what we thought alcohol was - the ever present 'friend'. But was this ever true? And what is it exactly we're grieving? Come join us for an important discussion about just that!
Wouldn't time travel be useful? Imagine if we could report back from the future! Well in this episode, Sam and Ellie do just that - report back on a few things they wished they had known early on in the journey. Wherever you are in your alcohol free journey - this is one to stick in your pocket and return to again and again. Let's go!
This week Karla Adkins joins us to talk about her journey through addiction and cirrhosis to joy and healing shame. It would be an understatement to say that this is an important episode so you'll just have to trust us and tune in! Karla's book 'And She Came Tumbling Down' is available to purchase this September.
It's summer, it's festival season, and it's time to dance! But how on earth are we supposed to do so without our 'crutch'? Fear not! There is a way, and we're gonna show you just how in today's episode. Come and get your groove on...
After struggling with anxiety and depression during her formative years, Margy turned to alcohol to self-medicate and quieten her inner turmoil. Through two failed marriages and fractured relationships, a teaching career spanning thirty-two years, and two children, Margy finally kicked the wine witch to the curb and found her own voice. Such as great chat!
We all love to be comfortable, right? It's just nice to be warm and cosey when it's cold outside! But what if our endless pursuit of comfort was actually messing us up? Like REALLY messing us up? This week we're exploring this question from a different angle and it's full of hands-on things you can start trying today!
Burnout! It's a term we hear A LOT these days, but how many of us know what the word is actually pointing to and how many of us may have experienced it without even knowing what was going on? If you've ever used alcohol to manage stress and anxiety then this podcast is a must! Not only will you learn the truth about burnout and learn the signs that you might be experiencing it, but you'll get an awesome insight into how to truly be with yourself too!
The power of community on the alcohol-free journey is a running theme here at the Present and Sober podcast and if there is someone who embodies community, it's Alex McRobert! many of you may know Alex from the 'Sober Yoga Girl' podcast where she talks all things yoga and sobriety (the clues in the name), and this week she's raced (literally) back to her studio to be with us to share her story. Come and learn how the power of community guided Alex back home to her best self.
Relapse, day one, failure!!! Or could it be data? Could drinking when we didn't plan to be a wonderful gift that helps to set us free? Come and join us for an honest discussion all about 'data points' on the alcohol-free journey. This could be the MOST important thing you can learn on your journey to alcohol freedom. Living Present and Sober is deeply connected to our understanding of this topic!
We all love to be comfortable, right? But what if our endless pursuit of comfort was actually messing us up? Like REALLY messing us up? Come and explore this question with us - you might be surprised where we go with this! This is such a HUGE element of any of our alcohol-free journeys!
The thought of going to prison is enough to strike the fear of God into most of us. By its very nature, prison is designed to be out of our comfort zone, a deterrent, a punishment. But does it do what it is 'designed' to do? What are the true realities of prison sub-culture and what would you do if you were there? This week we have the inspirational Susan Joy back with us as she reflects on the lessons and harsh realities of the prison system. We cover the challenges and the gifts of one of life...
"Am I an Alcoholic?"... "so you were an alcoholic?"... how many of us have been on the receiving end of these questions? Whether they come from our own personal questioning, or others, creating our own authentic answers is an important part of the journey for many of us. Language is powerful and yet it's not always that effective in pointing to our truth. Join us for an honest, down-to-earth discussion of a range of ways of looking at this question. You might be surprised where we end up.
Can you believe it's 52 weeks since we embarked on this amazing journey together? Us neither!! So we thought we'd put something super special together to celebrate - we had such a laugh doing it too! not only are we having a super cool giveaway (info in the show notes and on the show), but we're also having a VERY serious awards ceremony 😉 to celebrate our top 5 most downloaded guests! Thank you sooooooo much for all the support - we love you all!
It's all about getting out your comfort zone, right? Right. But with so many options, so many things 'to do' how we know we're doing the right this FOR US and not for those around us? It's a biggy and this week's podcast tackles this question head on. We all have an inner GPS, the thing is, how do we listen to the guidance when we've innocently drowned out the 'voice' of our inner guide for so long? On the alcohol-free/sober journey, this is a HUGE topic so don't miss it!
Today is the 50th episode of the 'Present and Sober' podcast!!! How on earth did that happen so fast? Yet at the same time, we've learnt so so much and we hope you all have too. This week's guest, Mary Davenport, is with us not just to share her story but to talk about motivation, the comfort zone, and the joy of living an alcohol-free life. We wanted to deliver a truly special episode for this milestone and Mary 100% delivered!
"IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS OF ALCOHOL FREEDOM WHY AM I STILL SO IRRITABLE/ANGRY?" That's how the post (which became the inspiration for this podcast) started... How is it that in doing something so amazing (letting go of alcohol) our experience can shift so profoundly? Sometimes into uncomfortable feelings we'd rather not have? This is the journey Sam and Ellie go on in this week's episode. The answer might surprise you...
When Rachael had to navigate a huge life event, alcohol quickly became the support she thought she needed - until she realised it was taking far more than it was giving. Join us as Rachael shares her story through gray area drinking, navigating a divorce, and many of the ways alcohol is conning us into believing it's a good friend.
Prepare yourself for an emotional episode full of twists and turns as Susan Joy shares her incredible story for the first time. This week we talk about rock bottoms, surviving prison, and using dark times as a beacon of light for others on their alcohol-free journey. Susan's story is as harrowing as it is fascinating and it highlights the deep power in taking radical responsibility for our lives and the power of hope to guide us back home. Susan is a certified 'This Naked Mind' and Health Coach ...
It's time to balance the books! Our guest this week - Karolina Rzadkowolska, is all about finding that happier, more confident you (without the booze). Let's be honest, the story out there about living alcohol-free is seriously one-sided. How many of us have been told that living AF is 'unfortunate' or just something we'll 'have to deal with'? The thing is, nothing could be further from the truth! Come and discover the amazing personal and professional edge that choosing to be alcohol-free provi...
This week we're back to one of our most requested topics - all the awesome reasons to be alcohol free. Come join us to find out the magic of no longer being afraid of yourself, what Pampas Grass has to do with anything and why we lose Ellie to a giggling fit for a whole 2 minutes!
How do you reconstruct your life after the destruction that alcohol can bring? You get real, get raw and get building, and this week's guests Kim Raysmith is the queen of helping you build a sober life full of fun and adventure. Kim is the face behind the 'Sober Party People' Facebook group and her coaching business 'Reconstructing Drinking' is changing alcohol culture in the construction business brick by brick (see what we did there!). Come join us for wild tales, tears, and lots of colourful ...
This week is World Autism Acceptance Week & an incredible opportunity to spread some love and understanding on a very misunderstood topic. Carol Urry (This Naked Mind coach and badass warrior mum) is with Sam and Ellie to talk about the challenges and gifts of her son's autism including her personal challenges with alcohol over the years. A very important discussion with a wonderful guest!
This week Sam's good pal Matt joins the podcast for a chat about finding the light in dark times. 2 weeks ago Matt released a video into the world (link below) highlighting all the incredible things he had seen in Poland since the war in Ukraine began. Put simply, it highlighted the incredible unity right now in a world that can appear truly divided. Matt also discusses how he found equanimity when facing some of life's greatest challenges over the past few years. It's a special one!
This week we talk to Helena Lucia - a trauma-informed money and burn-out coach who has a powerful personal journey with alcohol. We talk about how leaving alcohol behind has been one of the greatest gifts in Helena's life as well as covering topics from burnout to abundance and how to make money your friend. Helena is a true inspiration and her podcast SISU journey is built on the beauty of stories of resilience, something she embodies in spades.
This week we continue our discussion on the topic of moderation, if it's worth it, and why it's such a slippery fish (difficult thing to define and or maintain - yes another 'samism'). It's an important discussion as there is a lot of 'wonky' information out there on this topic and it really can be hard to figure out what's best for us (and what's possible). So in part 2, we take a deeper dive into themes from part one - neurology, tools and tactics, and why it's such a frequent part of the alco...
MODERATION!!! You know (that thing that means a thousand different things to a thousand different people) - the thing that so many people believe is the 'ultimate goal'. Well this week, we tackle it! Over here at Present and Sober, we're all about being present and sober (surprising that) but we also acknowledge the important learning that can come from moderating (or moderation attempts). We are also all different and we want you, to do you, whatever form that takes. In part one we take a deep ...
