How to enjoy a sober summer - it's a science and an artform - listen in to this weeks episode where Sarah talks about her first summer sober and gives you an insight into how her brain (doesn't) operate in the heat!
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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
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Transcripts
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Hello darling heart and welcome to the drink less, live better podcast.
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This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely, or boring.
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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.
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With my experience and training, I now help other people with their alcohol free or drink less adventures.
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You can find out more and sign up to my 5 day drink less challenge atdrinklesslivebetter.com.
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I'm here to tell you that you can relax, connect, and have fun without alcohol in your life.
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Join me here each week to find out how.
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This week, we're going to be talking about sober summers.
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If you're anything like me right now, you are giving a bit of thought to all the summer activities, festivals, weddings, barbecues,
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garden parties, end of school term gatherings, holidays, and all the other over drinking occasions I used to partake in.
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I'm in the UK, which I know a lot of my listeners aren't, and it is hot here.
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I think the summer months require a different sober mindset than at any other time of the year.
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The heat has a massive effect on me physically and emotionally.
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I really don't sleep so well when it's hot.
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Many years ago, I worked in one of the largest tourist attractions in London. I had my absolute dream job.
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I managed a large security team, which is slightly ironic as I'm 5 foot nothing, and I don't look very scary.
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I was once talking to a police officer heading up one of the riot control units in the run up to a big demonstration that
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was potentially going to affect the building.
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He looked down at me and kindly, or patronisingly, depending on how you view it, said, how did you get this job then? I looked at him. He then hastily said, ah, right. Okay. I get it.
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I can see why you got this job. I mean, really? Anywho, the heat.
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I was in the duty manager's office, and Gareth, the duty manager, was a lovely guy, but he was a bit scary.
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He was about 30 years my senior, and I went out of my way never to cross him.
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It was in the run up to the previously mentioned public demonstration or riot that was going to happen, and we were discussing a few strategies.
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We'd paused to respond to a couple of emails and grab a drink when I asked him about the thing I'd been thinking about in the few seconds before.
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I opened my mouth and said, Gareth, were you hot in bed last night? Oh my god. He looked at me. I looked at him.
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The other people in the office paused and looked at each of us. I blinked first.
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I was hot in bed last night. Yes, Sarah. Me too.
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I was hot in bed as well.
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Never have I broken out into such a cold sweat before or since. There was an awkward pause.
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The only sound was the ancient fan ineffectively pushing already warm air around the office.
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We looked away from each other, and then our colleagues fell about laughing. Oh, yes.
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I am hot in bed, and I want my line manager to know about it too.
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So this time in my life, I was all about the after work drinks in London, pretty bars, old pub gardens, riverside, hotels, cocktails, wine, beers, the lot.
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Weekends were friends' weddings, hen nights, festivals, all the drinking activities, and Sundays were always spent in bed,
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unless there was a public demonstration or riot to oversee.
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I found my first summer sober hard.
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I wanted to feel the way I had felt in previous summers and hadn't realized I was romanticizing the whole thing.
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I thought I wanted to socialize and look all sophisticated with a chilled glass of rose in my hand. I didn't.
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I wanted to socialize and connect with a good friend, and I had to find other ways to do that.
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I wanted to dance at a festival.
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Well, actually, COVID has put a stop to that, and I'm still waiting for this one to happen.
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I wanted to toast the bride and groom with a glass of fizz.
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I did that last month with an elderflower fizz, and it was perfect. It's all totally possible sober.
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Check out the show notes on this or any other episode of the podcast.
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You'll find details about the drink less, live better 2023 retreat.
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You'll see the link to a hidden podcast episode to help you with your 5 o'clock cravings, and you'll be able to read about my 1 to 1 coaching programs.
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I'd love it if you could follow and download the podcast, and if you feel inclined to leave a review, that would be lovely too. Thank you for listening in today.
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Come back again next week, and PS, I believe in you.
