BTW - If you didn't already know, I'm Sarah - Drink Less; Live Better founder, best-selling author, expert speaker, life coach and, as you already know, podcast host!
We don't have to hit rock bottom, we're allowed to want something different and we can CHOOSE to improve our lives from this point onwards.
I work in the magic space where doubt, hope and action meet... oh.... and
Subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an episode - also please do leave a like or review and share the love! Thank you
Found the podcast useful? I'd love to have a coffee with you - you can buy it here THANK YOU!
Transcripts
-:
Hello darling heart and welcome to the drink less live better podcast.
-:
This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely or boring.
-:
I'm your host, Sarah Williamson, and I decided to have a year alcohol free as a little life experiment and haven't looked back.
-:
With my experience and training, I now help other people with their alcohol free or drink less adventures.
-:
You can find out more about me and sign up to my 5 day drink less challenge at drink less, live better.com.
-:
I'm here to tell you that you can relax, connect, and have fun without alcohol in your life.
-:
Join me here each week to find out how.
-:
Hello to all the new people in my world.
-:
If you found me from tiny Buddha, I'm so delighted to be able to help you.
-:
Thank you for being here, whether you are new to the idea of drinking less, living alcohol free, or sober.
-:
Perhaps you've been sober curious for a while, or maybe you haven't drunk for ages, and you're here for a bit of reassurance or inspiration. Whatever it is, you are welcome.
-:
Today I'd like to share with you my magic answer to the question. What question? What's the question? I missed it.
-:
Well, it's loads of different questions, actually.
-:
Have you been in the situation where you've told your friends that you're having a bit of a break from alcohol, and they've asked how long for?
-:
I don't know is a really good answer.
-:
It means that they cannot have an opinion as to whether the time period is too long or too short.
-:
It means they cannot tell you they wouldn't do it like that, and they also cannot say that they've got a better idea.
-:
How will you be able to enjoy nights out?
-:
I don't know, but I'm going to have fun finding out.
-:
What will people buy you for your birthday if they can't buy you wine?
-:
I don't know, but I guess I'll see when it comes around to it. What will you drink on holiday?
-:
I don't know, but I'm sure there are always people drinking something who are pregnant, driving, or on medication.
-:
Do you need to do this sober thing? I don't know.
-:
I probably don't need to, but I want to. What will other people think?
-:
I don't know, and it's none of my business.
-:
They're going to think whatever they're going to think anyway. Won't you be miserable? Oh, for goodness sake. No.
-:
I'm not going to say I don't know to that question. No.
-:
I won't be miserable, lonely, or or boring.
-:
I'm just going to do a little alcohol free experiment.
-:
No one is dying, and this is a choice I'm making from a position of power, not rock bottom.
-:
The sentence, I don't know, has bought me a lot of headspace over the last year or so.
-:
I first started using it with my family.
-:
I was feeling overwhelmed by the things I needed to do on a day to day basis, and the emotional energy I had been expending
-:
on answering endless questions wasn't helping, so I started to engage the I don't know strategy.
-:
I used the I d k answer as a short sentence.
-:
I never elaborated, and I always said it with love. Mom, where are my football boots? I don't know. See? No follow-up. Of, where did you leave them? Are they in the cupboard?
-:
Or have you looked by the back door?
-:
Mum, what time is dad home tonight? I don't know. I did use slight variations. Mom, what's for dinner? I'm not sure yet.
-:
Mom, why isn't my bike tire inflating properly? I have no idea. I started using it.
-:
I expected all of the follow-up questions. Mum, can you find out? Can you Google it? Can you ask someone? And they never came.
-:
The boys became more and more clever about finding their own answers.
-:
I also started using it on mister w.
-:
What do you think about Boris Johnson's comment today? I don't know.
-:
Why do you think the dog did that? I don't know.
-:
Do you think it would be better to mow the lawn on Saturday or Sunday this weekend? I don't know.
-:
It's not that I'm avoiding answering all questions.
-:
I'm just saving my energy for the interesting and important ones.
-:
I still want conversations and interactions, just less of the brain meltingly ridiculous ones.
-:
No one in my family has noticed the I don't know strategy.
-:
I'm about a year into it, and it just goes to show that I could have spent many years before batting away unimportant questions
-:
about football boots, times, food, and other stuff.
-:
I'm keeping the strategy for alcohol free related questions.
-:
It continues to work exceedingly well for that.
-:
I don't know is my gift of a sentence to you today? Use it and thank me later. Thank you for listening in today.
-:
Do join me again next week, and PS, I believe in you.
