Episode 13
Vic and Sarah - Sober, Alcohol Free Stories and the moderation fallacy!
Today I talk to Sarah who shares how her need to fit in was a red thread through her drinking days, how she felt shame and terrible anxiety as a young mum, and how societies mummy drinking culture fed the narrative that wine time was a solution. Sarah's good friends question on why she was fighting to moderate when alcohol made her so miserable made her realise that she had been looking the wrong answer all along!
Transcript
Hi everybody, I'm Victoria
and I don't drink.
2
:Today I'll talk to Sarah, whose story
has some uncanny similarities to my own.
3
:A big move from Scotland to
Manchester as a child started
4
:a pattern of wanting to fit in.
5
:Longing for then becoming a mum,
brought unexpected challenges and
6
:feelings of guilt about drinking.
7
:After years of failed moderation, Sarah
chose freedom from alcohol, going on
8
:to write Beyond Booze and become a
sobriety coach to help many others
9
:start their alcohol free journey.
10
:So, hi, Sarah, thank you so
much for joining me this morning
11
:for me and the afternoon.
12
:I think it is for you because you're
joining from across the planet.
13
:, it's lovely to have you with me.
14
:I was really keen to speak to you because
I've been listening to your audio book.
15
:and it's brilliant.
16
:I wanted to get you to come on
and talk to me, not just about
17
:your book, but about your story
and just start from the beginning.
18
:who were you when you were drinking
alcohol and what was that thought process?
19
:What happened?
20
:Was there an event?
21
:Was it just a slow reckoning,
which often it can be?
22
:how did you stop?
23
:And that's where we'll start and then
we'll go on to some of the other bits.
24
:Is that okay?
25
:Perfect.
26
:for having me.
27
:So I am joining you from
Australia, but I am from the UK.
28
:So I grew up, first of all in Scotland
and then at the age of 13, we made
29
:the move from Scotland to Manchester.
30
:and that, you know, looking back I can
see that was quite a pivotal time for me
31
:because it's a hard time anyway to uproot
from all your friends, move to another
32
:country where you feel like You really
stand out because you've got this thick
33
:Scottish accent and it was just, it was
a really difficult time and I struggled
34
:to settle into the new life in Manchester
and Looking back as well something I've
35
:realized that I did to start with was
I was using sugar as my coping strategy
36
:they say sugar is the gateway drug and
I remember I was I was really lonely I
37
:was really homesick for scotland and
we lived in a beautiful community there.
38
:We had all these Neighbors and friends
that i'd grown up with they were part
39
:of my whole life and all of a sudden
we were in manchester We didn't know
40
:anybody I went from a very normal
state school to this really posh
41
:all girls school where the girls
were playing hockey and lacrosse.
42
:And I just felt like a fish out of water.
43
:I felt so out of my depth.
44
:I remember I would come home
from school and I would sit in
45
:the kitchen eat crumpets and
layer them with chocolate spread.
46
:it was like I had this hole inside me
and I was just trying to fill that hole.
47
:the way that I was doing
that was with food.
48
:And then fast forward a couple of
years end of my 14s, coming into
49
:15 was when we discovered alcohol.
50
:And by then, you know, made some friends.
51
:We would go down the local park
or to the local roller rink.
52
:We would fill up bottles with whatever
we could nick from our parents drinks
53
:cabinet and just fill up these SodaStream
bottles with like Southern Comfort and
54
:Bacardi and Cinzano and Martini and
mix them all together with a bit of
55
:coke then you'd go down the park, you'd
drink your bottle, probably vomit,,
56
:you might snog a boy and then go home
and, do it all again the next weekend.
57
:And that was just like this
rite of passage into alcohol
58
:and what it would be like.
59
:And what happened quite quickly
for me was, I really liked
60
:how alcohol made me feel.
61
:I loved it.
62
:I loved that all of the
worry kind of disappeared.
63
:I didn't have to worry about fitting in.
64
:I felt like I belonged.
65
:like getting pissed with a girl and
her being like, you're my best friend.
66
:I love you.
67
:That was like music to my ears as
just a way to feel like I belonged.
68
:And that was all I wanted was
to have that sense of belonging.
69
:alcohol then featured pretty
heavily for the next few years.
70
:you know, this was manchester
in the 90s So there was also,
71
:some recreational drugs.
72
:There was like this real party scene
of Going out hedonistic, you know, it
73
:was the girl power era It was the girls
couldn't match the lads down the pint,
74
:you know down the pump pint for pint
We we were just living our best lives
75
:or so we thought and honestly at that
point There were no negatives to it like
76
:even if you Felt a bit hungover It was
just something to laugh about have a
77
:can of diet coke and a packet of crisps
a couple of paracetamol You'd be all
78
:right, and then you'd be drinking again
the next night it was just a very very
79
:normal way of doing life You know, went
to university, which is very, very boozy.
80
:And, you know, I was always, I was always
drawn to people that drank like me.
81
:So I always wanted to be
around the other big drinkers.
82
:If someone wasn't a party animal
and didn't want to drink, it was
83
:kind of like, you are not my person.
84
:We can't be friends.
85
:I just gravitated.
86
:Or perhaps attracted the people that were
going to drink in the way that I was where
87
:it was Let's get pissed before we go out.
88
:Let's keep drinking while we're out
Let's go back to someone's house for
89
:drinks afterwards that was just how it
was I had a huge capacity for alcohol
90
:I wasn't someone that had two drinks
and was legless I could drink and drink
91
:and drink and I saw that as something
to be so proud of And something that
92
:was you know, like my badge of honor
I left uni and moved to London when my
93
:first job was working in recruitment.
94
:So this was in the late nineties and
the fourth stage of the job interview
95
:process was going to a bar to do
shots of Sambuca to see how well you
96
:could handle your alcohol before they
decided if they offered you the job.
97
:I got the job and then I remember being
on one of the teams where we would go
98
:and take a new person to the pub and then
we'd all be like, Nah, we can't hire them.
99
:They didn't drink enough and they
didn't seem like they liked their booze.
100
:And we would basically decide if we
wanted to hire them based on that.
101
:and it was just again, boozy, boozy time.
102
:And while I would get feedback from
my manager, kind of going, you're a
103
:great recruiter, Sarah, you've got
a promising career ahead of you,
104
:but you just drink a bit too much.
105
:You just like make a bit of dick
of yourself a few too many times.
106
:Like you need to rein it in a bit.
107
:that was probably the first time anyone
said anything to me about my drinking.
108
:Because I was getting myself
into some right old states.
109
:And, but, you know, I would get feedback.
110
:You're hilarious when you're drunk.
111
:You're so fun when you're drunk.
112
:So you create this whole persona
of, I'm Sarah the party girl.
113
:I've got to keep the party going.
114
:And there is a part of me that
is like that, even now, five
115
:and a half years into sobriety.
116
:But there's also another part of
me that really isn't like that, and
117
:I never really got the chance to
know her while I was growing up.
118
:I was trying too hard to fit in
all the time, and thought that the
119
:way to fit in was just drinking
and getting pissed all the time.
120
:And so fast forward the next few years,
it was London, it was work hard, play
121
:hard, drinking, boozing, partying.
122
:Then I went traveling for a year
and that was where I met my husband.
123
:my chat up line to him was, Do you
want to come and play my drinking game?
124
:So it kind of had the writing on the
wall as to what that relationship was
125
:going to be like And funnily enough
today's our 18 year wedding anniversary.
126
:oh, congratulations Oh, thank you
for coming on your anniversary.
127
:He's not home from work
yet, so it's all good.
128
:And then probably the first time I
really thought about my drinking was
129
:when we were trying to get pregnant
Because it didn't happen that easily
130
:for us and looking back It's just
hilarious the way that I was behaving.
131
:It's not hilarious.
132
:It's actually quite sad and I was naive
at How ingrained alcohol was into my
133
:psyche, but how oblivious I was To
some of those, you know, the impacts.
134
:I was having acupuncture.
135
:I was doing my green smoothie shots.
136
:I was doing legs up the wall
after sex for half an hour.
137
:I was doing all the things that they
tell you to do to help get pregnant.
138
:But did I look at my drinking?
139
:No.
140
:Not at all.
141
:No one even, I think I lied.
142
:I think we went to specialists and
they said, how much are you drinking?
143
:And I was like, no more
than 14 units a week.
144
:Um, which I mean, God, I could
probably have had 14 units
145
:in one session back then.
146
:I did have time off alcohol.
147
:I didn't drink every day.
148
:So I would generally have like Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, sometimes Wednesday,
149
:sometimes not, Monday, Tuesday, right?
150
:and I finally got pregnant and
didn't find it hard to not drink
151
:at all during the pregnancy.
152
:I so longed to be a mom and I
thought that my drinking would
153
:then change because I was a mom.
154
:I remember when William was three
months old it was my birthday and we
155
:went to a pub for lunch with a big
group of us, like all my crew, and
156
:we took the baby with us like you do.
157
:my husband was more in charge of the baby
than me and I was drinking we got home and
158
:people came back to our house because we
had to get the baby back home for a nap.
159
:And then I just remember thinking,
not for a nap, for his sleep
160
:because it was probably, 6, 7 p.
161
:m.
162
:by then.
163
:And we'd gone out, we'd done that,
we'd put him to bed, and he was
164
:a brilliant sleeper, William,
so we were so lucky there.
165
:but I just remember at one
point going, what are you doing?
166
:You're a mum now.
167
:Why, why can't you just have gone
for a lunch and then gone home
168
:like a normal mum would have?
169
:Why have you brought
people back to your house?
170
:Why are you trying to
keep the party going?
171
:And I felt such shame that next day,
and ironically the next day was Mother's
172
:Day, I remember walking through Clapham
Common, And I just felt disgusting, like,
173
:I couldn't look at myself in the mirror
that day, I was like, I felt so shameful,
174
:I tried so hard to get this beautiful,
perfect baby, and I had this baby, and
175
:he was barely three months old, and I
was back to drinking, it just didn't
176
:sit well with me, and it was a red flag.
177
:But then you've got this whole thing
because it's mummy wine culture and before
178
:you know it every catch up seems to be
like mums like wine and you can go and
179
:have a few wines and then you look around
and everyone else seems to be drinking
180
:like you it's perfectly normal to be on
Northcote Road in Clapham and see all the
181
:mums with prams having a glass of wine
and it was it was a really confusing time
182
:because it didn't feel right within me.
183
:But at the same time,
it just seemed normal.
184
:Just like, you know, the
adverts are everywhere.
185
:Mum deserves wine.
186
:Mum can have wine.
187
:the baby whines, so mum drinks wine.
188
:And so, you're really
confused with where you're at.
189
:And at ten months old, when William was
ten months old, we moved to Australia.
190
:And I got pregnant then,
really, just straight away.
191
:which I hadn't expected,
because, it had taken two years
192
:to get pregnant with William.
193
:So then I would say that was a big
turning point for me was suddenly having
194
:two under two And being on the other
side of the world not having my support
195
:network and not having any family just
trying to make new friends and I met some
196
:beautiful people But it's not like your
old mates that you've known for 20 years.
197
:These were people that i've known for two
weeks and I was really, really homesick
198
:and struggling, I wasn't working, and
I'd gone from having a really successful
199
:career in London that I got a lot of
personal satisfaction from, to being
200
:on the other side of the world with
two kids under two, where the only
201
:highlight of the day was leaving the
house to go to Monkey Music or Baby
202
:Rhyme Time, and you're cleaning up stuff.
203
:And you're pureeing carrot and you're
trying to keep them entertained and
204
:you haven't go to the loo on your own.
205
:And I just didn't know who I was.
206
:that was when I was starting to
drink more at home on my own.
207
:So not during the day when I was
with the kids, but it was definitely
208
:like that five, six o'clock,
Gus would come home from work.
209
:And I was like, right
now I can have a drink.
210
:it was never to the point of
blackout, but it was just this,
211
:um, I was looking forward to it.
212
:It was unthinkable that I wouldn't have
it and that was when drinking stopped
213
:being about partying and socializing
and fitting in and started instead
214
:to be a way of numbing emotions and
hiding that feeling of loneliness and
215
:confusion and discontentment because
I knew that I wanted to be a mum.
216
:I wasn't working, I was with
my two beautiful kids, but
217
:there was just this sadness.
218
:I just felt really confused and
alcohol's freaking great in the
219
:moment for taking those feelings away.
220
:Stops you having to feel and
that was all that I wanted.
221
:And so, alcohol then, I had scarlet
when I was 35, and then my next,
222
:the next few years were quite boozy,
and then 41, like I'd got to the
223
:point where alcohol was really
starting to impact my mental health.
224
:, Like really bad anxiety.
225
:By this point I had my
own recruitment business.
226
:So I worked from home, you know, the kids
had just started school The school was on
227
:the same road as where we lived But there
were some days when I would take the kids
228
:to school feeling really anxious hoping
that none of the school mums would try and
229
:talk to me I felt really just like weird
and then I would come home and I would
230
:crawl back into bed and lie in bed Playing
candy crush because I had no energy.
231
:I had no motivation and that's not me.
232
:Like I'm such a driven,
energetic, passionate person.
233
:And it was just slowly, but surely it
was like my soul was being destroyed.
234
:It was like the fire and the
light inside of me was just.
235
:Gradually, gradually, gradually going out.
236
:And then this accumulated into one
night at a friend's 40th, I got
237
:ridiculously drunk, went outside to
have a cigarette, crouched down to put
238
:out the fag, fell forward, no reflexes
because I was pissed, and landed
239
:face first onto a concrete driveway.
240
:So, cut my lip open, cut
my nose, blood everywhere.
241
:My friend took me home and put me to bed.
242
:then I woke up the next morning
to my five year old daughter,
243
:Scarlett, standing by the bed,
Mommy, what happened to your face?
244
:oh god, you can imagine I just felt
disgusting i'd love to tell you I
245
:didn't ever drink again but that night
I drank wine through a straw like
246
:I couldn't hold a glass to my lips
because they were so smashed up But
247
:I needed to get alcohol into my body
because I didn't know any other way
248
:to make the feelings of shame and self
disgust And self loathing go away.
249
:And so I drank and You It was
a couple of weeks later that I
250
:decided I'm gonna do a 21 day reset.
251
:21 days to break a habit because they say
that, you know, that's what how long it
252
:takes in my mind I just had a bad habit.
253
:I didn't drink on Mondays and Tuesdays.
254
:So therefore I decided
I wasn't an alcoholic.
255
:I didn't drink in the morning.
256
:I sometimes took breaks from alcohol.
257
:I wasn't vomiting.
258
:I didn't have liver disease like I
didn't tick the boxes that in my mind
259
:were the boxes to tell you if you're
an Alcoholic and I didn't tick those
260
:so in my mind, I would just had a bad
habit and so I Decided to do 21 days
261
:and just kept going because I couldn't
believe the difference in a short space
262
:of time Like my anxiety disappeared.
263
:I was sleeping really well.
264
:I felt really energized.
265
:I felt really productive.
266
:I felt You I just felt happy.
267
:I felt really positive.
268
:I felt clear headed.
269
:Like people would go to me,
what's different about you?
270
:You look great.
271
:And I'm like, I've stopped drinking.
272
:And then that was a weird time
because some people would be
273
:like, Oh, don't be so boring.
274
:what do you mean you stopped drinking?
275
:Cause I was Sarah, the party girl.
276
:and then other people were like,
great, but when are you drinking again?
277
:You know and so it was with mixed
feedback that happened and I got to 100
278
:days and this was 2017 So there wasn't
the tools and resources and support
279
:and podcasts that there is now It was
you're pretty much doing it on your own.
280
:I read Annie Grace's book.
281
:Um, and and I think that was pretty much
it And I got, I went back to drinking
282
:after a hundred days because I thought
I'll just be able to have one or two
283
:drinks every now and then I'll be fixed.
284
:I'll be a normal drinker because I
clearly don't have a problem because
285
:I've just taken a hundred days off.
286
:that first night that I had a drink again,
I went out for dinner with my husband
287
:and my best friend and her husband.
288
:And we were sat there and I just
had one glass of wine, which I
289
:like, that would never have been me.
290
:The old Sarah was like, I'm not driving.
291
:I'm going to have a bottle of wine.
292
:And I had my one glass and
I was like, oh, look at me.
293
:I'm all grown up now.
294
:I'm just like one of those normal drinkers
and didn't take long, a few weeks.
295
:And I was back to drinking because that's
the way it is with gray area drinkers.
296
:your brain doesn't forget.
297
:And once you open that door, just an
inch, it starts every time something
298
:happens, every time you face any
kind of adversity, anytime you're
299
:stressed, anytime you're pissed off,
anytime you're lonely, whatever it
300
:is, your brain goes, have a drink,
because you're drinking again, right?
301
:And so it just slowly, but
surely builds back up again.
302
:So what followed was just two years.
303
:Taking breaks, going back to drinking,
taking breaks, going back to drinking.
304
:But every time I took a break, and
this is what I say in my coaching
305
:now, is we learn something every time.
306
:All those breaks were really important in
my journey of getting to the point that
307
:I got to where I was like, nah, I'm done.
308
:I needed to get the evidence and the
information, well two things I needed.
309
:I needed to get clear evidence
of what my life was like
310
:without alcohol and how I felt.
311
:And also I needed to prove to myself
Many many many times it turns out that
312
:moderation didn't work for me because I
kept fighting moderation I kept thinking
313
:I've just got to be able to moderate.
314
:Maybe if I take six months off i'll
be able to moderate Maybe if I take
315
:a year off i'll be able to moderate
And then it dawned on me and I had a
316
:conversation with a friend and she was
like Everything in your life is better
317
:when you don't drink you're happier.
318
:You're more positive.
319
:You have more energy your anxiety
disappears You have a different
320
:relationship with your kids your
different relationship with your husband
321
:like everything is different when you
don't drink So why the hell are you
322
:fighting so hard to keep it in your life?
323
:Yeah, and that was a
really pivotal moment.
324
:Um, and it was like a great friend.
325
:So she was someone I've met online,
and she'd been with me through all the
326
:stops and starts and stops and starts
and April:
327
:That's it.
328
:No more.
329
:So it's been just over five
and a half years now, and
330
:it's been quite the journey.
331
:Wow.
332
:What a story.
333
:Do you know what, as I was listening
to you, I like literally our lives were
334
:in parallel, so I moved from Scotland
to Liverpool when I was, yeah, when I
335
:was, um, probably 11 and horrendous.
336
:Everyone made fun of my voice,
everyone, it was, it, there was lots
337
:of things, like lots of insecurities.
338
:I ended up as well, , living near
Clapham Common, and wandering
339
:around, actually, Wandsworth Common.
340
:Wandsworth Common, which was very
close to my house and, and drinking
341
:on the Northcote Road and had, Exactly
the story that you had around, well,
342
:how old was my son when I went out?
343
:It was someone, it wasn't my birthday.
344
:It was someone else's birthday and it was
my first time out drinking,. And I went
345
:out to a bar and, drank far too much.
346
:and had that horrible feeling
the next day of what am I doing?
347
:Almost exactly the same story.
348
:Just what am I doing?
349
:I've got this baby who I wanted so much.
350
:and I'm sort of letting him down.
351
:It was this really horrible
thing, but it also didn't stop me.
352
:I mean, I carried on for
years and years as well.
353
:Just fascinating listening to stories
thinking, Oh my God, there's so many.
354
:Little things there.
355
:So you, it's, it's nice to have you
on talking about the fact that you
356
:kind of had some stops and starts
because often what I find is.
357
:Because I just stopped and
that was the end of it for me.
358
:I had a final night and it
wasn't a catastrophic night.
359
:It was just another horrible
night and I went, right, I'm done.
360
:lots of people do have the stop
and start and they always seem to
361
:feel this awful guilt about it.
362
:So it's really good to hear that
you can utilize that and actually.
363
:Really learn something every time.
364
:And it will build you to
a place where you stop.
365
:So not to, be disheartened
so much of that happens.
366
:Cause you see quite a lot of that.
367
:Don't you?
368
:In sober groups, people who've fallen
off and then they're like, Oh, you know,
369
:I'm awful or this is impossible for me.
370
:But it's lovely to hear from someone who's
been so successful and gone on to build
371
:a career out of this, as well as, you
know, a personal successful life that, you
372
:know, You can do it that way really well,
so not to lose heart if you do fall off.
373
:Yeah, and for many people it's
actually part of the process.
374
:Like they wouldn't actually get
to sobriety if they didn't have
375
:those stop starts because they're
often part of the process and
376
:a learning part of the process.
377
:And, you know, I always think of
the quote in Batman where, Batman's
378
:dad is teaching him to fly and his
dad says to him, Like, Batman, why
379
:do you think we fall down so much?
380
:And Batman says we can
learn how to get up again.
381
:And, you know, and that's part of
the process with sobriety is we
382
:learn, we learn what triggers us.
383
:We remind ourselves it's not
how we want to be feeling.
384
:It's, it's just all part
of the process for so many.
385
:people but I see so many people beat
themselves up so badly about it and think
386
:that it's something to be so ashamed
of and that they failed I think we just
387
:need to reframe that and just see it
as an important part of the process
388
:and don't lose sight of the end goal.
389
:Yeah, Absolutely agree with you.
390
:so when you stopped, what did you
find the most challenging thing?
391
:was it the first few weeks?
392
:Was it a particular time of day?
393
:was there something that was
very challenging for you?
394
:I think the first couple of months I
actually found fine because I was so ready
395
:for it and I'd done it a few times before,
so I knew my silver toolkit, I knew like
396
:I had a bath every night at five o'clock
to get me out of the kitchen, like I
397
:love a bath, I'm so English, my essential
oils, Staying focused on the quick lit.
398
:So always having a sober book on the go.
399
:So the podcast on the
go, adding in exercise.
400
:So I'd learned so much from
all the other attempts.
401
:And by now I was in a few Facebook groups.
402
:I was in the Love Sober community
with Kate and Mandy, which was
403
:amazing and really supportive.
404
:so I knew the things that I had to do.
405
:So that wasn't hard.
406
:I think actually it was
hard for me later on.
407
:So once I've got past the hundred days,
because I've done that twice, And then, do
408
:you know, one of the most common times for
people to have slip ups is around day 104.
409
:Because you get to the hundred
and that's your focus, I'm gonna
410
:get to triple digits, you know,
and then it's like, oh, what now?
411
:Because It takes time to build a
life that you love without alcohol.
412
:It takes time to work on the
reasons why you were drinking.
413
:So often people think I'm going
to feel amazing as soon as I stop.
414
:But for most people, they're drinking.
415
:It's not the problem.
416
:They're drinking as a
solution to a problem.
417
:And so when the drinking goes
away, they're left with the
418
:problem, but without a solution.
419
:So many people can actually feel
worse if they're not getting
420
:the proper help they need.
421
:And so I quit in the April and then
at the end of June, I went into
422
:therapy and Not because I thought
there's loads of stuff there.
423
:I just thought, if I want to give
myself the best chance of sobriety,
424
:I think, I know there's some stuff
there, so let's go and explore it.
425
:I mean, my god, that's been quite the
journey, let me tell you, and I could do
426
:a whole other podcast with you on that.
427
:But what I would say is that that gave
me a huge amount of self awareness.
428
:a huge amount of self compassion tool
to learn how to sit with my feelings
429
:because i've never really done that
before i'd just numbed uncomfortable
430
:emotions the moment they happened And I
and so like there was a few things then
431
:but I think that there is that period
between sort of three and six months
432
:where It can just feel a little bit
icky and it can just feel a bit like
433
:I know I don't want to go back to
drinking, but I'm not fully settled
434
:yet in my sobriety to the point
where I'm feeling really comfortable
435
:socializing without booze or getting
through a Friday without booze.
436
:And so you're just in that
kind of middle ground.
437
:and I support, you know, a lot of
women through that stage as well,
438
:because that can be quite tricky.
439
:But then once you come through
that, I think it then starts
440
:to get a lot easier again.
441
:Yeah, I think there's
something about that point.
442
:You're right, because you
get to the hundred days.
443
:And for me, that was a big focus.
444
:I was in a hundred day challenge.
445
:and then when you get there, you suddenly
realize that if you're like me and you've
446
:decided that this is actually forever,
and that was just part of it, it's
447
:like, it feels like a very long time.
448
:And you do have to, consider a little
bit more all of the different things
449
:you might start to get to situations
where for example you're going to your
450
:first wedding or you lose someone you
love or something you know after it
451
:becomes like this life doesn't it this
whole life rather than this challenge
452
:that you originally have for the hundred
days yeah it is tricky i think you have
453
:to have lots of tools in place to be
able to manage that oh i've lost you
454
:So it turns out I did lose Sarah
and my technology decided to fail
455
:me at the end of this interview.
456
:But a really good lesson and
one that we can use in sobriety.
457
:So just because something goes
wrong doesn't mean you have
458
:to throw the whole lot away.
459
:So I've let this one go out despite the
fact that we dropped off at 27 minutes.
460
:And I'm going to use the
opportunity to thank Sarah.
461
:Thank you so much for coming on the
podcast,, and for joining me and an
462
:ungodly hour to make sure that your story
was available for other people who are
463
:trying really hard to stop drinking or are
curious about , about what it's like and
464
:what life can be like at the other side.
465
:a quick shout out for
your, book Beyond Booze.
466
:It's a really great book with
some really good examples in it.
467
:I'd definitely give
that a read or a listen.
468
:, I'm listening to it on Audible
actually, , and thoroughly enjoying that.
469
:So thank you, Sarah!
470
:So that's a wrap for this season
of Sober Alcohol Free Stories.
471
:I've absolutely loved learning from
all of my guests and sharing their
472
:wise words and stories with all of you.
473
:I'm preparing for season two, which
will be coming out in January, so
474
:make sure you follow the podcast
for reminders for the first episode.
475
:Don't forget, you may not be able
to change the beginning, but you can
476
:start right from where you are and
you can always change the ending.
477
:Make your catchphrase, I don't drink.
478
:I'm Victoria and I don't drink.
