Today is a big day for me. I am exactly eight years alcohol-free.

What started as a 90-day challenge during Lent turned into one of the most life-changing decisions I have ever made.

In this episode, I share the personal story of my relationship with alcohol, how it quietly shaped my choices, my coping mechanisms, and my identity, and what ultimately led me to stop. For decades, drinking was woven into every chapter of my life. School. Social life. Work events. Grief. Looking back, nearly every poor decision I made had alcohol somewhere in the picture.

Quitting was hard. It required white-knuckling, redefining relationships, and navigating very real adult peer pressure. But on the other side of alcohol, I found clarity, peace, resilience, and a grounded sense of self I never knew was possible.

I did not quit drinking to make my life easier. I quit drinking to make my life better.

Eight years later, I am filled with gratitude for the inspiration of Andy Ramage, Father Richard and many other amazing people who I've met on this incredible journey.

Here's a link to Andy Ramage's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andy-ramage-podcast/id1572654044

And you might also be interested in following my friend Andy Garwood. We were in the One Year No Beer Challenge group together and--trekked Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022 with five other friends. https://andygarwood.com/

Onward and upward!