¶ Podcast Milestone Celebration and Reflection
Oh my goodness , bella , hello . It's been a while since we've been together , but today is a special one . How are you ?
I'm good , I'm really good , meg . I can't believe that we've been able to line up our schedules and get back behind the mic together , because these are my favourite episodes . Oh , me too .
Me too . I love them , and it has been too long . It's been too long , but we've both been busy , and the exciting thing is that we're back today because it is our 102nd episode .
Yes , well , yeah , 102 . That's amazing .
We aimed for 100 to get together , and then we've managed 102 , which I think is pretty amazing .
100 to get together , and then we've managed 102 , which I think is pretty amazing . Yeah , me too . Did you ever anticipate that we would get to 100 episodes when we started ?
No , I don't even think . To be totally honest , I don't even think I thought past the first episode . Yes , yes , remember that we were just both like , oh , what are we going to say ? We won't say this , we won't say that .
And then we did this one , and we just went all in and then it just snowballed , didn't it ? And here we are , I know , and I , I love the fact that , um , we still have such enthusiasm and energy and love for this podcast and , uh , I personally can't foresee it ending anytime soon . How about you , oh me neither I love it .
It's just part of my life now , so no , I do not want to stop that .
There's no way I could have done a solo podcast . There is just no way I could have continued on without you as my pod partner , Meg .
Oh same , meg , oh same same . It's made it very doable and enjoyable .
Yeah , yeah , and we have done this through God . We've had state changes , kid issues , partner issues , health issues yeah , issues , health issues but we've been consistent Every Sunday there's been a new pot out .
And we've had some really good guests , great topics , meg , who has been some of your favourite guests ? Oh my gosh , that's . You know that's a very hard question because I can't even I was having a think about it before and it's like there's been so many people and every single one has brought something amazing to the podcast .
But I did absolutely love talking with William Porter wow , that was .
That was an amazing episode , meg . Congrats , congrats . I loved it . Thank you . I feel I wished it had gone longer .
you know when you wind it up because he's a busy man , but he will come back . He was just so gracious and a really down to earth , lovely guy . I really enjoyed that . I enjoyed learning from him and I've also really particularly enjoyed the menopause episodes I did and the anxiety .
Yeah . Yeah , you had some great guests covering menopause and I learnt quite a bit from those episodes . They were great , particularly because you know of the age that I am , but that was really loved by our listeners . Who was the guest there for those ones ? So Rebecca Lewis and Emma Bardwell , that's right , and Trish Tucker-May as well , trish .
Tucker-May came on . She came on for the gut nutrition but um area . So so much to learn and in fact , like the menopause thing , I've had so many people because I guess a lot of our listeners are our age-ish and it's a thing so it's been really good to have the conversation around that .
Yeah , so got a lot out of that and I think a lot of people did too . And so , bella , who have your favourite guests been ?
Oh look , I always go back to Jolene Park . I adore her . I think that's no secret that I'm a massive fan of her work , particularly around the nervous system . So bottom-up approach to going alcohol-free . I've loved the Clean Slate Clinic and all of the great information they've provided us as an amazing resource in Australia , veronica Valley .
Just recently I've done a little series of April Long from Smart Recovery , katerina Georgie from FAIR and Dr Nicole Lee from Hello Sunday Morning HSM .
Yes they were amazing .
Yeah , I really loved those series . They were terrific . And then , of course , there were Jen Lee Hurst . Oh yeah , and the two that you did that I loved Meg Sophie Scott and Loda Dan .
Oh yes , they were great . Yeah , well , I bumped into Sophie Scott recently . Oh really , yeah , we were at a book launch . I'll give it a plug . Yeah , luke McLeod Everyday Enlightenment . He was the bachelor , but he came to do a book launch in Sydney and I went along to it and Sophie Scott was there .
So that was nice to meet one of my guests . That's amazing , Can I ask you ? Was that Jacinta Tynan's book club ? Was it under the umbrella of that ? Oh , is that the spiritual ?
Yes , yes , oh , my God , I just signed up as a member the other day to that book club . No , so I'm not even I think it was . It was held at Seadrift Distillery , who we've had on the podcast , which is a alcohol-free gin brewery on the northern beaches , and so it came up that he was going to be there and and I thought , well , I'm interested .
So and I had a nice chat with him and he said , cause he's still drinks . But he said to me at the beginning , I met him , told him who I was , asked if he'd like to come on the pod . So you know , come on , luke , where we . We have had a bit of a conversation about it .
But he said to me after he goes , I've been thinking I don't , I don't know why I have that one beer .
I don't think I need it .
So it was really interesting , because he doesn't drink much at all , so he just has a a one beer , but he goes .
You got me thinking I said , oh , look at that , look at that I love . I love that . There we go , we digress . That's interesting . Let's talk a bit more about that . I need to read more books .
Yeah , everyday Enlightenment , so that's a good one . But I also had a friend this is just another interesting thing she loves the podcast . She said she's not going to stop drinking though , but she loves the podcast . But then she did actually have a break and it was not on her radar at all . So I love that kind of thing .
Sinks in , just in the background to the way that you think . I think it does provide that extra bit of courage and motivation , don't you think ? Just to stop and think about it a bit more , a bit more mindful ?
yes , I was going to say thought provoking , you know , yeah yeah , yeah , that kind of feedback's awesome .
hey , meg , I love to hear that because , uh , we love this podcast as well , because it isn't just about alcohol , you know . It is a conversation about life , about who you are , personal growth , learning to love yourself , and because of that , I think that's what makes the conversations and the interviews thought-provoking and interesting .
Yeah definitely , I agree .
We've covered subjects . We've done the menopause , teens and alcohol binge drinking , anxiety and depression . Your neurotransmitters limiting beliefs .
Oh , totally sleep and alcohol , and your ones . What were the ones I loved of yours ? The Surf , the Urge .
Oh yes .
Really really been popular episodes , so thank you for those .
You know what ? Yes , sober sex . Yes .
The topic . Well , doesn't really add it to me at the moment , but um the topic , that , yes is there , but it takes the most prudish uptight woman in the world good on you .
I haven't asked my husband if he's listened to that because sometimes he does do a bit of a secret listen . If he's doing a long car journey or he's on the plane or something He'll jump on to Not Drinking Today podcast , because I think I came out of the recording when I was in Adelaide and came out of the study looking a bit flustered .
I think I recorded at like 6 in the morning so my voice was probably booming around the household oh yes , Just what your kids and husband want to hear .
Yeah , around the household oh yes , Just what your kids and husband want to hear .
Yeah , Anyhoo , moving on , you know , meg , do you think 2025 ? We should do episodes that are less interview style ? But let's keep those cracking along . But you and I talking about coachable practical tips around alcohol I've had that on my radar . How about you ?
Yes , definitely , and I've had some people ask about that , so I think that would be brilliant .
Let's do it . Let's get the old diaries out and do that . Yes , so the thing that I love the most and that when I was thinking about you know 100 episodes and the things that I talk to people about the most that they're surprised of , is that we are it's just the two of us . We're homegrown . There's no external help .
We don't have marketers , web designers anybody in the background ? It's just you and I . We do all our own editing yes , we do and all of our little marketing .
So I think because of that and because we are in the top 100 podcasts for self-improvement , it does speak to the value of the content in Australia , around the world , that people do like to hear two women talking about their struggles , their triumphs and gaining that extra motivation . So , love it . Yeah , love it .
I love it . I love the reflection and it makes me feel proud and also so grateful to everyone that's come and shared , because obviously it's all their expertise and stories and things like that . So we're very lucky to have had such amazing guests .
We are Now , meg .
¶ Life-Changing Benefits of Alcohol-Free Living
Pursuing this alcohol-free life is something that we did , oh , for a year , I think , pretty much before we started the podcast . Yeah , here we are , a few years on . How do you feel ? What are the benefits of you ? What are you noticing the differences in your everyday life now that alcohol has been minimised ? Is it different ?
Yeah , Well , it's different and then some of it's the same . Yeah , well , it's different and then some of it's the same , but it's first of all , I don't think of alcohol so well , except for talking about it all day , every day . But it's a coach and the podcast .
But what I love because you and I are both alcohol recovery coaches is that through doing that work , it just doesn't occur to me . So I will have stress , as we all do , and quite stressful times recently and it wouldn't I never think of I need a drink . So that's been massive . I love that . It is small and irrelevant in my life .
Yes , and because of that , I'm reconnecting with my authentic self . So a big thing for me has been finding my authentic self . Who am I ? You know , underneath all this crap that we start to put in our backpack , our heavy backpack of beliefs and things like that .
So it's it's been really nice to reconnect with that part of me and then to be able to follow my passion and purpose , which is this and the coaching and I'm I'm now studying trauma coaching and narcissistic coaching , so narcissistic abuse recovery another thing I've had lived experience with , and so it's just opened up so many things and I could not have foreseen
any of this when I was drinking yeah so it's just given me a whole new direction in life . It's meant that I can be the safe place for my kids . I actually did have to do an 11 pm pickup recently on a Saturday night for one of my kids and no other parent could do that . My kids know I can and just that trust .
I guess that knowing they can rely on me , it's consistent . Now they don't have that fear anymore of mum getting drunk . You know that's a massive thing . So they're just some of the amazing benefits I've had . What about you , bella ?
They're no small benefits . They're life-changing advancements in your life .
Meg , I think that when you are in those early stages of giving up your alcohol or drinking less , you still have that well , I did anyway fear nervous system activation when you're out socialising and you really think a lot about how I'm going to cope , how am I going to get through this event . All of that has now gone .
So it is true that the more evidence that you feed your nervous system and your brain and your body out there in the world without your safety blanket of alcohol , the easier it gets , the better it gets .
So whereas right at the start so whereas right at the start you know I was thinking about alcohol all the time , now it does not feature and that is incredibly freeing . So with that comes the self-respect , self-trust , and you know after time as well , everything settles , the new new of your life , that alcohol settles .
So friendships have sort of settled where they need to be and you start to get to know yourself a whole lot more . I know what I need . I'm a pretty basic human being . There's nothing flashy , it's just standard exercise , good food connection , adventure and creativity .
If I get the balance right in all of that , I'm a pretty happy chick , so it does get easier . It really really does . And you know , I was talking about this the other day when I was recording with somebody and we're just talking about how to navigate the festive season alcohol free .
Yeah , you know , if you're anything like me and I think you Meg from your story you start drinking right at that age where you are developing independence and your social skills , at that age where you are developing independence and your social skills and that's how you have found courage and confidence out in the world . It's always with a drink in your hand .
Yeah , so you can't expect overnight that you're suddenly going to be able to do it very easily without it . So , yes , it does . You do actually get there when you present yourself with more evidence that you can do it . Uh , and then , and then suddenly you know you're into the next phase .
Um , so yeah , I love it , love it , I love it . That's amazing and it is . It's just so life , life-changing and and just on that you know I did . I did definitely , um , think of it a lot in the beginning too . So , and it's not to say I think , very occasionally I'll see something or something will come up and I'll think , oh , that'd be nice .
It's not to say it's not ever going to come up again . Yeah , but now I can very quickly go , but it would not be nice after an hour or so and and that's it . I don't need to think of it anymore .
Uh , and I think you know I love , um , the somatic part , the learning to regulate your nervous system , and we because alcohol was just the opposite of that we used it for that , but it was the opposite , and one of my things was anxiety and to see how much that's improved and being able to .
You know , going back to my story was that social phobia where I couldn't speak or eat or drink in front of people , to see how far I've come and could only really come this far without alcohol come and could only really come this far without alcohol , even though I drank to stop that ?
yeah , absolutely .
So we're two from here for not drinking today , meg , as we end the year and we launch into 2025 next year well , we've been having some little chats , haven't we , about some things we'd like to do , and so it's still in the brainstorming stage , but we were thinking possibly something in , maybe February , march , a group coaching session .
Yeah , I love the sound of that , Meg . I love the sound of February , March . Not drinking today , lead . You know everyone's calling them challenges these days . I guess it is a challenge because everyone loves it , but it's a bit of a process . So a group motivational and inspired mission to drink less the more the merrier Do it as a group .
Motivational and inspired mission to drink less , the more the merrier Do it as a group , with us coaching on the sidelines . So stay tuned , everybody , because I think that would be really exciting , particularly because we can do it together .
Oh , it'll be so cool , like it does excite us and I know it'll excite other people . So , you know , feel free for anyone listening to email us and let us know what you think , if you'd be interested . Yeah .
So let's put that in the pipeline . I love the idea of that .
Absolutely yes , yeah . And then , coming up to Christmas , we thought we might put a few of our old favorites on , just because it does get very busy around that time . If anyone wants to again contact us with your favorite episodes , and we'll be doing a couple together as well I really love the sound of that meg , so also give us some questions .
so , um , I asked a little private Facebook group that I've got what questions do you want to hear from us ? One of them that came back , which I'm going to try and do very shortly , is from a doctor what are the health impacts of heavy drinking over decades and how quickly does it take for our systems to adjust ?
What can we do to really support our bodies and brains to recover quickly and as healthily as possible ? And I know that we've kind of covered that in bits and pieces throughout the year , but let's try and get that in one podcast out to everybody .
But , yes , what I'd love to use are our personal skills in counselling and coaching and have you and I answer some short , sharp questions around being confident out there in Aussie culture drinking less .
Absolutely yes . Yes , that sounds incredible and that's what we'll be doing , love it Well Meg congratulations .
102 episodes .
Congratulations to you . We've done it . We've wow , we've kicked some goals , yeah , exciting , and thank you to everyone that listens . It's , it's really well , it makes me feel so proud and it's , it's moving and everything , just to know , yeah , I've got all these people out there .
Yeah , thank you absolutely to each and every one of you listening , thank you to those that email us and , yeah , all we can ask is that you stay tuned , keep listening .
Absolutely , and thank you to you , bella , for being the best podcast co-host . You're welcome , meg . Here's to many more episodes together where we fumble and laugh , yeah , and have to edit .
Yeah , we might even . Yeah , we might even get someone to help us market and produce , once we get our act together . All right , megs , enjoy the day , you too .
Bells , see you soon . Bye everyone .