What if the fear of change is just a sign of how much it matters? Caterine has gone 27 days without alcohol, which is the longest she’s ever gone in the past 20 years. With all the extra free time, she’s unsure how to fill her days. She feels she should be doing more but the fear of failure has held her back. Belinda, who has also had a long relati…

Does your current identity reflect who you truly are? Marc worked in sales and often used alcohol to connect with colleagues and clients. As he got closer to his forties, he noticed that it took him longer to recover from hangovers. At that point, he realized he needed to make healthier choices. Since his last conversation with Annie on the podcast…

Is your fear of being judged holding you back? Molly grew up relying on people’s opinions to feel good about herself. As a physician, she struggles to talk about alcohol use without fear of being misunderstood and judged. She worries that people will think something is wrong with her for choosing to live alcohol-free. Since her self-worth has relie…

What if change is always possible, no matter how many times you try? At 25 years old, Jana was married and living in Hawaii, where she began exploring alcohol after losing access to marijuana. Three years later, her husband asked for a separation, which brought up deep feelings of rejection, especially from not having her dad in her life. To cope w…

What steps can you take today to get closer to the life you imagine? Meri started drinking regularly in her twenties after a tough breakup. Since then, she has struggled to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol. Now, in her late forties, she hopes to build a future where alcohol takes up less space in her thoughts and daily life. Lola is a b…

How can you embrace who you are without needing to fit in? Madison didn’t realize how shy she really was until she got to college. She turned to alcohol as a way of finding confidence and making friends. She seemed to be having a great time, but after a while, she was no longer drinking just to fit in. Alcohol became a way to cope with life’s strug…

Would you feel more confident if you could trust yourself every step of the way? Jan struggles with how she sees herself with and without alcohol. While it helps her feel fun, it also leaves her dealing with shame and low energy after drinking. She’s afraid of making big decisions without it and facing the difficult emotions tied to her past. Meanw…

What if the first step to change is just being honest with yourself? Amy grew up in a family where alcohol wasn’t a big part of life. She didn’t drink in high school and was teased for it. During college and law school, she began drinking to fit in. Later, wine became part of her career as a lawyer. Over time, she used alcohol to deal with stress, …

How do you face your fears and make changes when your partner isn’t ready yet? Charlotta grew up with a parent who struggled with alcohol and drugs, which shaped her views on drinking. As an adult, wine became a way for her and her husband to bond, but over time, she began to feel trapped and unhappy with her life. Meanwhile, Donni has been married…

What happens when you start questioning a habit you’ve known your whole life? Michaela grew up in a family where alcohol was always a part of life. Her parents owned a winery, and drinking was normal at every meal. Seeing her dad become happier after a drink, she began to link alcohol with fun. At age 14, she started drinking and continued until he…

How can we rebuild our sense of self when we let go of the things that define us? Bek is learning how to live without alcohol, which has been part of her life since she was 14. She feels sad and unsure of who she is without it. Jeanette is also figuring out who she is after growing up with the feeling that she has to fight for love and self-worth. …

Is your way of coping still working for you? Cari grew up in a religious home where alcohol wasn’t a part of her life. In her twenties, she started drinking from time to time because her job was very stressful, and she felt anxious. She wanted to do well at work. Over time, the more she worked, the more she drank. She soon noticed that as she did b…

What if joy was already here, waiting to be embraced? Joanne has been working on building a healthier relationship with alcohol for the past eight months. Through this journey, she’s noticed that her joy feels different. It’s sometimes unpredictable, but also more hopeful. She finds it hard to balance work, daily tasks, and future worries with the …

How much of your happiness is tied up in habits that no longer serve you? Brandi’s parents divorced three times, which made her teenage years hard. Back then, she turned to marijuana to cope. As she got older, she also struggled in her relationships, with both of her marriages ending because of problems with alcohol and emotional distance. Her turn…

Why is it so hard to ask for help, even when we need it the most? After being diagnosed with tonsil cancer, eating became very painful for Debra because of the radiation treatment. So, she turned to alcohol to help her get the calories she needed, which seemed like the easiest solution at the time. She couldn’t work because she was sick, and her bi…

Could celebrations feel complete even without alcohol? Lauren's journey with alcohol began in eighth grade at a concert, where she had her first beer because drinking seemed cool. What started as casual drinking soon turned into binge drinking and blackouts. When she realized that alcohol was hurting her marriage and making it hard to be a good par…

Are you trying to change for yourself or are you doing it for your loved ones? For years, Wendy turned to marijuana to escape the hurt in her heart. When she realized it was affecting her life and her loved ones, she decided it was time to make a change. But more than anything, she wanted to do it because of her daughter who struggles with her rela…