Ah yes... that heady mix!

How many of your relationships does alcohol positively impact? For me - it wasn't many.

The most important relationship in my life was the one that was most deeply affected and I'm so glad not to be negatively impacted anymore!

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Did you know I've HIDDEN a podcast episode?

It's your secret weapon at 5pm if you are feeling cravings for alcohol.

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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

PS I believe in you!

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THANK YOU!

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 women with their

alcohol free or drink less adventures. I'm here to tell you that you can be truly joyful without alcohol in your life. Join

me here each week to find out how. This week is alcohol awareness week, and this year, the focus is on alcohol and relationships.

Ah, yes. That heady, heady mix. When I was thinking about what I'd put out on social media this week, I wrote down husband,

kids, wider family, old friends, new friends. I thought of all the different people in my life I had or have relationships

with and what part, if any, alcohol played in them. I was getting ready to think hard, make notes, formulate the best way

to tell the stories, and then I remembered something or more like someone. It's me, of course. What a div. How could I not

have listed myself? Now, this episode is not about to be the All About Me show, but here is the thing. I had spent years years

thinking that alcohol made me a better version of myself. It made me more sociable, more outgoing, more relaxed, less stressed,

less lonely, less boring, and of course, much much funnier. I had no idea that the better version of me was the one that was

sober powered, not alcohol fueled. The bits I chose to spend less time remembering are the stories of repeating myself endlessly,

falling over, puking, unintentionally offending someone, leaving my shoes in the back of the taxi, and, of course, worse,

which I won't share with you here. I was convinced I had to play the role of the life and soul of the party. I was first on

the dance floor and, last off, could always be relied upon to have one for the road at the end of the evening, and I thought

I was happy. Well, I suppose I was on the surface. I walked around with a smile on my face. I live in a nice house in a lovely

town with my almost normal family and dog. What could my problem possibly be? Well, duh, obviously, it was my relationship

with myself. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and if I could go back and have a quiet word in the ear of younger me, I'd say

stop. Just stop. Be. Now, younger ago me would have had a few choice words to say and would have been in no position to listen,

to pay attention, or even consider the possibility of a problem. But there was a problem. I couldn't just be. I couldn't be

still. I couldn't be quiet. I couldn't be relaxed by myself. I was in a constant state of doing, and this this was what was

wrong. I remember my lovely friend, Helen, asking me if I'd ever tried to meditate, and I can really clearly remember my answer.

God, no. I absolutely do not want to be still and listen to the voices in my head. That would be torture. We laughed, and

she casually mentioned that maybe that was the exact reason why I should try it, and we moved on. Years later, I know she

saw in me what I wasn't willing to see in myself. And, of course, she was right. I'm here to advocate meditation for you 2

if it feels good. For too long, the voices in my head had been critical and scathing. The voice that talked to me at 6 PM

endlessly mentioned a glass of wine as a reward for getting through the day, and the voice in the morning questioned why I

drank the wine the night before. The voice wanted to know if I was a good enough mum, a loving partner, a talented employee,

a loving friend, whether all the roles I was fulfilling in life were going okay. What I never asked myself was about my relationship

with myself, which I now realize is the most important relationship of all. Making the decision to stop drinking alcohol was

the greatest gift I ever gave my relationship with myself. It gave me an opportunity to grow in ways I never would dreamed

of. And the very best thing of all is that the voice in my head, which is, of course, me, is altogether kinder, less judgmental,

and more forgiving. I can honestly say I much prefer myself now. I wear a necklace with a b on it. I bought it as a little

sober gift to myself to remind myself to stop, to just be. Check out the social media hashtags this week for alcohol awareness

week. You will find lots of inspiring stories and lots about people's relationships. Thank you for live better.com. I'd love

it if you could 5 star rate this podcast and leave me a review. All that shizzle helps, you know. Thank you, and, PS, I believe in you.