It is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and we just returned home to the midwest from a road trip to visit family in Colorado. The good news is, us parents and 2 teenage daughters survived 16 hours in the car together. Twice in one week. In our regular life we don’t spend so much time in such close quarters so it was actually kind of nice to be huddled up together and enjoying each others’ company. 

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving has apparently been labeled “Blackout Wednesday” because it is the biggest drinking night of the year. Some say it tops even New Years Eve. I can definitely relate to this. When I was in college, it was the best night of the year to party back in my hometown. When my kids were young, we put them to bed and hosted a neighborhood late night poker party. I have sat at a Thanksgiving table more than once looking at all the food and wondering how I was going to shake off my hangover and enjoy the offerings. 

After a few...

Today was the day that I used the last drop of my luxurious $60 bottle of body wash. 

I knew this day would come, eventually. 

Not to be dramatic about it, but it was the end of an era. 

I remember when I bought it. 

I was newly sober and wanting to treat myself to something besides wine. 

I was looking for new ways to reward myself, for my new sobriety. 

I was trying to get onboard with healthy living, while managing the relentless cravings for alcohol.

The day I purchased this body wash, I stood in the fancy spa and debated with myself.

I was negotiating the value of this special, expensive, luxury item. 

I was not used to spending $60 on soap.

I typically buy the generic body bars in bulk from Costco.

For special showers, I use travel size bath condiments from previous hotel stays.

Doesn’t everyone?

Was this body wash really worth $60?

Could I justify spending money on something that was going down the drain?

Literally, going down the...

The Mad Men era of three martini lunches and ashtrays on every desk is outdated. Health conscious consumers are trending now. A 2018 Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) report found 49% of people in the U.S. own a wearable device to help them live longer (70%), maintain a healthy weight (63%), and pay less in insurance premiums (62%). 

75% of large employers and 33% of small companies run wellness programs. Well-designed wellness programs have a return on investment of 1.5 - 3 times the dollar amount spending over 2-9 years.   

The best benefit for the health of your company and your employees is to evaluate your workplace alcohol policy. Ditching the drink directly correlates to losing weight, living longer, decreasing insurance premiums and positively affecting company bottom line.

Company leaders and HR Professionals want to:

• Attract Top Talent
• Minimize costs
• Retain productive, engaged employees
• Create a healthy and safe work environment
• Limit liability
• ...

Not sure if your drinking is a problem? When in doubt, test it out! 

It is healthy to remove rid the body of unhealthy substances for a period of time. 

Elimination diets have gained popularity the last few years. By avoiding certain foods for a few weeks, you can identify how they make you feel when you reintroduce them. Elimination diets are generally suggested for everyone and not just people with known allergens or food sensitivities. 

Benefits of elimination diets will help you to notice everything happening in your mind and body. Your 3pm sluggishness or mid morning brain fog may have become a new norm for you. The elimination diet will bring issues like this to your attention. 

There was a recent article published regarding a dopamine fast. Silicon Valley has started a trend by taking a break from dopamine hits (rewards). For example, turning off social media for the weekend and focusing on the process of an activity (such as walking or meditation) instead...

You want to survive during the holiday season without drinking too much.

You have likely overindulged in holidays past and it has left you feeling exhausted, annoyed, and sick. This year, I encourage you to try something different. 

Have you have used drinking as a way to cope with the emotional triggers of stress and families?  There are different options to try this year.

If you start practicing new habits as the holidays approach, you will be strong in your routines, when faced with the added stress of holiday time. 

Start by creating a tool kit of coping strategies. I have thousands of ideas saved here for inspiration.

One thing that helps me keep my sanity is taking time for myself. Even if we are staying with family over the holidays, I make it a point to get up early for coffee alone, exit for a long walk around the block, or ask to peel potatoes in the kitchen with my headphones on while the others play a game in the living room. Taking some time for myself...

You want to quit drinking from your own home. You do not want to attend any meetings in church basements. You do not want to admit yourself to rehab. You do want to drink less and you have tried and failed enough times to know you need help. 

Is it possible to quit drinking or at least moderate it better from your own home? 

Yes it is. 

Here’s how you do it. 

First you make the decision that you want to take a break from drinking for a specific amount of time. I would suggest 30 days, at a minimum, to receive the health benefits of better sleep, lower cholesterol, lose weight, and decrease liver fat, while increasing concentration and work performance.

You can read more about the positive health benefits discovered this study by Healthline.com  

Health Results after 30 Days Alcohol Free

Once you set your goal of 30 days Alcohol Free, you need to write it down. You don’t have to believe me when I say this. You can believe neuroscience...

The best way for a party girl to quit drinking is to have fun doing it. 

Trust me when I say I am #sobernotboring.

You can check out this article  Wild and Free to see all the new, fun, adventurous things I did in my first year of sobriety. 

I have traveled to Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Marco Island, Treasure Island, Riviera Maya, and Africa. All completely sober. I had the time of my life. 

I have been to countless sporting events, music concerts, and parties all while choosing to be alcohol free.

Since I ditched the drink, I have I been able to dance freely, laugh wholeheartedly, and learn how to take pleasure in myself and my surroundings. These were skills I had to learn after I got rid of alcohol.  

You can too. 

The first step to remaining a party girl, while quitting drinking, is to define what is fun for you.

If you are like me, fun is defined as being surrounded by fun, funny people who like to laugh and have a good time. This usually...

You say you want to easily quit drinking. 

What you really want is to be able to drink as much as you want without consequence. 

You want to escape all responsibilities, without a care in the world, for a few hours every week or even every day. 

I did too.  

You want something to help you get out of the intense and constant feelings of anxiety, unworthiness and self criticism. 

You do not want to feel the pain of grieving the loss of loved ones and unfulfilled dreams. 

You do not want to not question your career, your marriage or your parenting.

You want a cure for boredom. 

You are seeking more connection and less conflict with your spiritual self. 

I drank wine every night as a magical elixir of freedom, zen and happiness.

The problem was that my disconnect from self, had me waking up with more panic, more self hatred, more pain, and a crippling hangover. 

I did not want to jeopardize my career, my health, and my...

Today I am  600 days sober. 

Naturally, I have some reflections as I celebrate this milestone. 

You are allowed to celebrate everything when you get sober.

You can celebrate 1 hour, 3 days, 27 days, and 2 years + 37 days + 9 minutes.

It doesn’t have to be an even number or a big milestone or anything. 

Celebrate your success every single step of the way!

You are accomplishing everything by staying sober every second. 

I wrote a blog of thoughts on my 500 days milestone, 1 ½ years, and here I am again at 600 days.

Being sober and adding days still feels like a big deal to me. I hope it always does. 

There is a quote that says:

“Sobriety gave me everything alcohol promised.”

Its so true. 

I was thinking about this quote in the shower the morning I woke up 600 Days Sober. 

I am a long way (600 days to be exact) from feeling hungover as I take my shower, but I do remember the agony of waking up and waiting to see how...

I recently was in West Africa on my dream trip of a lifetime. 

The first 5 days were spent working to build and celebrate progress on a new college.

I meet with stakeholders and students.

I cleaned buildings, hung signs, and rearranged desks in classrooms.

The last 2 days of the trip were vacation.

One night was spent at an ecolodge in the jungle

The other night was spent at a 5 star oceanfront hotel. 

Our hotel on the first leg of the trip had inconsistent meals, housekeeping, plumbing, and electricity. 

It was a welcome reprieve on day 6, to leave our shabby digs, for a night in the beautiful jungle. 

We reserved the entire Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary for our group.

We spent the night in individual treehouses.

The intent was to provide us with a much needed, well earned retreat after our work on the college.

The definition of sanctuary is a place of safety and refuge, a natural place, and a holy place.

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary provided all of...