Episode 297 Are you planning a vacation and want to stay alcohol-free but feeling unsure if you can manage it? I've been there too. When I stopped drinking, I struggled with the idea that a vacation could be enjoyable without alcohol. For me, alcohol and vacation were intertwined in my belief of what made a trip fun. It took one sober trip to realize that vacations could be just as enjoyable without alcohol. In this episode, I share seven of my favorite tips for preparing for a sober vacation, a...
Jul 03, 2024•25 min•Season 10Ep. 297
Episode 296 free download. This episode is for the Sober Gal who wants to spend her summer with that Sober Gal vibe - freedom from alcohol. Freedom to do more things SHE wants to do. Invest and give herself back the time, money, and energy alcohol took from her and have fun on her own this summer - no alcohol required. ➡️Do you feel like you’re missing out because you don’t have a glass of alcohol when you’re sitting on your patio? ➡️Are you starting to give yourself a summer pass for drinking b...
Jun 26, 2024•21 min•Season 10Ep. 296
Episode 295 In this episode, I share my personal journey and experiences with sobriety, addressing the common question: When does sobriety stop being hard? I’ve shared my story since the beginning of this podcast. I had a tough time in the first and second years. I went it on my own. In 2013, I didn’t know about podcasts or books about sobriety. Change and transition are tough, even if you appreciate change in your life. When we’re talking about our bond with alcohol and transitioning out of hav...
Jun 19, 2024•30 min•Season 10Ep. 295
Episode 294 In this episode, I’m answering a question from a To 50 and Beyond listener, Maggie. Maggie sent me an email and said: I’ve heard you talk about your social anxiety when you were 14 and started drinking as you got older. Did having anxiety hold you back from quitting drinking? And how did you manage it once you stopped drinking? Anxiety has been one of the most difficult things I’ve had to experience and manage throughout my life. I didn’t talk to a doctor about my anxiety until I was...
Jun 12, 2024•25 min•Season 10Ep. 294
Episode 293 Day One. There is so much possibility there. I love day one! I don’t love how “starting over” can make you feel when you are working so hard at staying sober in midlife. In this episode, I discuss the feeling of starting over and how you can feel and reframe it. I also share my experience of starting over on Day One for the last time. If you are in a program where resetting your clock is required, stick to your program. This episode is for the gal who is DIYing sobriety like I did. I...
Jun 05, 2024•18 min•Season 10Ep. 293
Episode 292 I enjoyed drinking alone, and I know that being alone can be a challenge when you stop drinking. Whether you live alone or find drinking alone an enjoyable “reward,” but you don’t want to continue drinking, this episode is for you. Today, I’m answering a question from a To 50 and Beyond listener, Kim, as part of my six-week Q&A series. Kim sent me an email saying: I go about 30 days without drinking but find it hard to keep it going, mainly because I live alone. No one will know ...
May 29, 2024•18 min•Season 10Ep. 292
Episode 291 Today, I’m answering the question: What if my drinking isn’t “bad enough” to quit? I’ve heard this question from midlife women for years and asked myself this question for two years. f you are on the verge of going alcohol-free but aren’t 100% certain that your drinking is at a place where you “need” to remove alcohol completely, this is the episode for you. Even though my drinking was considered “bad enough” to quit on paper and in my heart, it didn’t mean that I stopped. For two ye...
May 22, 2024•19 min•Season 10Ep. 291
If you have a question you would like answered on the podcast, send me an email! Episode 290 If you are a gal in midlife who is questioning her drinking and having a hard time getting sober, I’m with you. In this episode, I answer a client's question: What was the hardest part of getting sober for you? After she asked me this question, I didn’t hesitate. The hardest part for me was deciding to stop drinking. I spent two years feeling stuck in decision fatigue and putting in lots of effort to mak...
May 15, 2024•16 min•Season 10Ep. 290
Episode 289 Hey there, friend! This episode comes straight from my heart and is for the moms and grandmas of the world who feel regretful about their drinking. I share what becoming a mom was like, how I started drinking the day I came home from the hospital, and why I quit drinking for myself, not my son, but stay sober for him today. I also talk about how I'm living with the regret of my drinking as a mom. In honor of Mother's Day and where I am today on my motherhood road, I wanted to talk ab...
May 08, 2024•18 min•Season 10Ep. 289
Bonus episode Hello friend! I'm popping in today to share with you a new free resource I created, The Daily Sobriety Toolkit. I'm so excited to share this toolkit with you! The Daily Sobriety Toolkit is your trusted companion to help you plan your day and stay connected to the reason why you are choosing yourself over alcohol today. Not forever. You can grab your toolkit here. Thank you for listening! I will be on a break until May 8, 2024. See you back here then. Do you need extra support in go...
Apr 24, 2024•13 min
Episode 288 I first came across Dr. Dawn’s Instagram account and was immediately drawn to her passion for helping others and the way she teaches and shares her wisdom - which is why I reached out to invite her back to the podcast to help us understand more about what hormones are the hormones that are the key players during menopause and how alcohol affects our hormones during this time. Dr. Dawn is a Naturopathic physician with extensive experience in the treatment of substance use disorders, d...
Apr 10, 2024•39 min•Season 10Ep. 288
Episode 286 I invited Sarah Rusbatch to the podcast to talk about Alcohol Use Disorder and share how alcohol impacts women as we get older. Sarah is a Gray Area Drinking and Menopause coach, as well as the author of the book Beyond Booze: How to Create a Life You Love Alcohol-free. Sarah and I discuss the importance of addressing alcohol use disorder for women in midlife, exploring coping mechanisms, societal pressures, challenges, and the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. We also talk abou...
Apr 03, 2024•41 min•Season 10Ep. 287
Episode 286 What does it mean to drink moderately? Hello! I'm glad you're here. This episode will help you understand what it really means to drink moderately. I will share the latest research, and then we will look at what it looks and feels like to be the moderator of your drinking. I’m going to share my experience with trying to be a moderate drinker and why I couldn’t. I talk about the "moderation game" I played with myself and why just a little alcohol wasn't enough. This episode is for you...
Mar 26, 2024•24 min•Season 10Ep. 286
Episode 285 Hello, friend! I'm glad you're here! If you have ever found yourself saying, "I deserve a drink," or feel deprived when you stop drinking because you think of alcohol as a reward, you are not alone. You will appreciate today's episode with two of my favorite people: the twins are back! Leigh and Anne Walkup are the Founders of Retro Rodeo Publishing, LLC and Front Porch Life Magazine. They drank together and got sober together. They know a thing or two about using alcohol to treat th...
Mar 20, 2024•46 min•Season 10Ep. 285
Episode 284 Hello, friend! A short and sweet episode for you today where I reflect on what I needed to hear before I stopped drinking. One of the things I needed to hear before I quit drinking, wasn't easy to hear, but it was the catalyst for me to get to sobriety two years later. This episode goes out to those brave souls who are standing at the crossroads of sobriety. It is a nudge, not a push, to listen to more of what you're saying to yourself because chances are that is what you need, and d...
Mar 13, 2024•12 min•Season 10Ep. 284
https://www.lorimassicot.com/ Episode 283 This is an episode about the change of addiction and 12-step programs throughout the years and where we are today, with a woman who proudly shares how AA helped change her life: Angela Pugh. Angela Pugh is a Master Life Coach, speaker, and the host of the highly popular podcast, Addiction Unlimited. In this episode, you’ll hear: How alcohol affected her life, and what her drinking looked like before she quit drinking. Angela’s decision to seek support th...
Mar 06, 2024•45 min•Season 10Ep. 283
Episode 282 Hey there! I'm happy you're here. Today, we are exploring the concept of giving yourself permission to do and not do what you want. If it sounds silly, let it be! This episode is inspired by a group coaching meeting that I recently hosted inside my community, Team Alcohol-Free. In this episode, I talk about the insights women face when giving themselves a "permission slip," why giving yourself permission matters, and 25 ideas to help get you started. You can find the show notes for t...
Feb 28, 2024•22 min•Season 10Ep. 282
Episode 281 Hey there! Today, I'm sharing a reintroduction to the podcast as it turned 6 this week! I also give you an update on life as a 56 year old sober woman. I share my thoughts, discoveries as I've gotten older, and why and how I maintain long-term sobriety. I talk about what I consider midlife, and how I manage past regrets, and what I'm doing today to keep my sobriety going. I also share an update about the future of To 50 and Beyond. I appreciate you for listening to and supporting the...
Feb 21, 2024•24 min•Season 10Ep. 281
Episode 280 Coach Helen Bennett is here with us to share her story of disordered eating, including binging and purging, and how she started to find freedom and heal her relationship with food. I invited Helen to the podcast because I appreciate her compassionate approach to using practical tools to get started in recovery and empowerment toward food freedom. Helen Bennett is a certified Health Coach and Addiction Recovery Coach and the founder of BulimiaFreedom.com. Disclaimer: This episode offe...
Feb 14, 2024•46 min•Season 10Ep. 280
Episode 279 Have you ever found yourself questioning your relationship with alcohol? It's not like your drinking is “that bad,” but it's far from being something you can manage and still feel your best as you get older. You've noticed some downsides to your drinking, but quitting altogether feels like a big leap. The fear of judgment around being a non-drinker adds another layer to the mix. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. You might be a Gray Area drinker, joining a rising community of...
Feb 07, 2024•41 min•Season 10Ep. 279
Episode #278 This episode is for the gal who feels the inner struggle to quit or continue drinking because of other people. The inner struggle comes from hearing either you should stop drinking or you don’t have to quit drinking, but knowing that is not what YOU want. In my 5+ years of coaching midlife women, I have heard my clients say, “I know I should stop drinking. My kids are worried about me,” or “I want to stop drinking, but my husband doesn’t think I should.” It’s such a conundrum when y...
Jan 31, 2024•22 min•Season 10Ep. 278
Episode 277 Hey there, friend! You are not alone if you are worried about your drinking. I spent two years trying to make alcohol work because I was worried about my drinking, but most of all, I was worried about what life would be like without alcohol. I know that worry around drinking in midlife is a much-needed topic, and that is why I invited our Gigi Langer to the podcast. Gigi used to be a prisoner of her worries and used alcohol, romance, and professional accomplishments to soothe her fra...
Jan 24, 2024•43 min•Season 10Ep. 277
Episode 276 I can’t think of any other area in my life where I felt the fear of committing to something more than I did when I quit drinking. In the episode, I talk about: How thinking in terms of “forever” held me back from quitting and how I switched it around What my commitment to alcohol looked like My top five reasons why committing to sobriety felt impossible Click here to read the full show notes with mentioned resources. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening. Plan...
Jan 17, 2024•29 min•Season 10Ep. 276
Episode 275 Whether you are sober curious or already sober like myself, today’s guest, Dr. Brooke Scheller is going to help you feel better through her functional medicine approach. I reached out to Dr. Brooke after seeing her talk about her new book, How to Eat to Change How You Drink: Heal Your Gut, Mend Your Mind, and Improve Nutrition to Change Your Relationship with Alcohol because I was fascinated by the topic. Dr. Brooke Scheller is a doctor of clinical nutrition, the founder of Functiona...
Jan 10, 2024•47 min•Season 10Ep. 275
Episode 274 Hello friend! Happy New Year! If you're thinking about giving up alcohol in 2024 and want to kickstart the year on a positive note, try writing a "Dear Alcohol" letter. It's a great way to understand your relationship with alcohol better and get pumped up for an alcohol-free lifestyle. In this episode, I will talk about the main benefit of writing a letter to alcohol, how to decide if this practice is for you, and some simple tips to help you get started if you choose, and then what ...
Dec 27, 2023•29 min•Season 10Ep. 274
Episode 273 Hello, friend! Happy Holidays! I have a message for you today that I would have loved to hear when I was celebrating my first few holidays alcohol-free. If you are in a place where you are having a hard time staying sober due to the memory of drinking during the holiday, this episode is for you. I talk about challenging the "just one glass" theory to ride out cravings and F'it moments and give you some of my best mantras and tips to help you stay focused on what you more than drinkin...
Dec 20, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 273
Episode 272 With a brand new year upon us, millions of people worldwide are either contemplating a Dry January or have already signed up to participate, but why? Why take January off from drinking alcohol? Are there benefits? Or a downside? In this episode, I talk about my experience with my first "Dry January" and why I chose to do one, which ultimately I learned wasn't for the benefits. I also talk about ways to decide if taking January off is a good idea for you and the key questions to ask y...
Dec 13, 2023•17 min•Season 10Ep. 272
Episode 271 Did you know there are different stages of motherhood? I didn't until I met our guest today, Jennifer Chaney. Jennifer is a mentor to moms in midlife helping them find their footing as their kids become more independent. This is one of those episodes that is full of some fantastic midlife nuggets! We talk about perimenopause and menopause, living an alcohol-free lifestyle, and Jen shares her story of how she decided to go alcohol-free. We also talk about the opportunities that come o...
Dec 06, 2023•59 min•Season 10Ep. 271
Episode 270 Hello, friend! If you're navigating the world of alcohol-free living, you've likely come across the term "mocktails," but have you ever thought about why they're such a game-changer for staying sober? Our guest today, Debbie Podlogar, aka Mocktail Mom, is a mocktail expert who started her journey with mocktails during a month-long break from alcohol. Debbie is bringing you ALL of her tips and solutions to help you find alternatives to alcohol that are equally rewarding if not more so...
Nov 22, 2023•47 min•Season 10Ep. 270
Episode 269 Hello, friend! If you're sober curious or already committed to an alcohol-free lifestyle, but find yourself craving connections with others on the same path, this episode is for you. I’ve invited, the incredible, Janet Gourand back to the podcast for the second time. Janet is the Founder of T ribe Sober, an online sober community for men and women, and the host of the podcast by the same name, the Tribe Sober podcast. In this episode, Janet and I talk about what an online community i...
Nov 01, 2023•40 min•Season 10Ep. 269
