My daughter had an out-of-state weekend soccer tournament last weekend. I love to watch my kids play sports. However, both as a drinker and as a person in early sobriety, these weekend away tournaments were my worst nightmare. From the long drives to the forced socializing, my anxiety is amplified. 

Small talk, travel, hotel lobbies, parenting, and sports can all be triggers. Some of my people-pleasing, competitive, insecure, and perfectionist qualities can really come out in moments like this. 

I dread the long road trips. This tournament was a six-hour drive each way. It’s hard for me to sit still. My back hurts. I need a restroom every half hour. It’s so boring! More importantly, I am not into small talk with the other parents. It feels like torture to me. I feel like everyone already knows each other, and I am the odd (wo)man out. 

As a drinker, I tried to get “in” by drinking the “right” amount alongside near...

5 years ago, my company, Ditched the Drink, was brand new. As a new business owner, I took a gamble on myself and nominated myself for an award that my previous corporate job sponsored. I thought it would be a great way to bridge the gap between what I had done in my past career and what I was just starting. From selling HR solutions to becoming the founder of a company, I was really proud of my new endeavor, not to mention what I had overcome. I wanted everyone to know. 

The application process felt to me like a big dance audition in front of a group of intimating judges. I knew some of the  judges from having worked for a top sponsor of the awards. I was never really in with the who’s who, but as a salesperson, I was always there, working the room and doing my best. There was one board member that I got to know, love, and respect. I believe she was the only woman on the leadership team, so naturally I gravitated toward her.

Our relationship gave me...

How to Prepare for Dry July Right Now

You probably already know that taking a break from alcohol can offer numerous health benefits, from improved sleep and energy levels to better mental clarity and weight loss. Just like making any change, there is prep work involved before you get started. If you want to quit your job, you first update your resume, search for new opportunities, talk to a recruiter, ask for references and more. If you want to start a new nutrition plan, you download the menu and go to the grocery store. You prep your meals for the week. If you are starting a new fitness routine, you download an app or write out your exercises, you set your clothes out the night before a morning workout, you invest in new running shoes. 

You are not going to wake up on July 1 and successfully quit drinking without a little bit of prep work first. There is action you can take today to prepare for Dry July.

*If you want to start after the 4th of July holiday, that’s OK...

I participated in Drink Less Fest, an event put on by The Roaring Social and Charlotte Beverage Distribution, both organizations founded by Casey Dolan. 

Drink Less Fest combined non-alcoholic beverage brands with folks in hospitality and sober and sober curious locals. The afternoon was a transformative experience of holistic wellness and workshops. There was NA cocktail making with Ritual Zero Proof spirits and Mocksie craft mocktails from Wilmington. Food and wine pairing by winemaker, Rachel Martin of Oceano Zero, a premium alcohol removed wine, and a tasting tour by Laura Silverman of Zero Proof Nation. Dr. Brooke Scheller gave a nutritional workshop, and as founder of Ditched the Drink, I gave a presentation on Recovery-Friendly Workplaces.

The day concluded with a thought-provoking panel discussion, facilitated by me, an award winning sober coach and founder of  "Ditched the Drink" accompanied by Dr. Brooke Scheller author of, "How to Eat to...

Spring, like any transition, can be a tough time. Pulling out of winter with new expectations. Lighter days are filled with pressure to enjoy them. The opposite of what has helped me get through the first few months of the year. You see, to survive the midwest winter, the answer at the end of the day is to always go to bed. Make peace with hygge. Settle in. Go slow. You get in a rhythm of nothingness. At first, it feels lazy, boring, and depressing, but after a while, it's the new norm. That's all you know. Each time I walk through the front door after dark (4 pm) my body robotically pulls me upstairs, into my pajamas, and in bed with a book. I am an extroverted party girl, but this type of hibernation starts to suit even me. 

Then spring comes with chaotic energy. An unpredictability. Praise be for warmer weather! I start to dream of campfires and patio season. These ideas are immediately crushed by rain and sometimes a wintry mix of snow. A whole new...

Mother’s Day often conjures images of flowers, breakfast in bed, and heartwarming cards expressing love and appreciation. A trend that's gained momentum, diverging from the traditional gifts of chocolate and pampering treats, is a culture of "Mommy needs wine." 

Yes, you read that right. Wine has often been synonymous with relaxation and unwinding, especially for mothers balancing numerous responsibilities. However, there's a refreshing twist emerging. Instead of gifting mom another bottle of wine this Mother’s Day, consider why this might just be the perfect time to break tradition.

Wellness Over Wine: There's a growing sober movement happening with an emphasis on holistic wellness. Many moms are embracing self-care practices that extend beyond a glass of their favorite Pinot. From yoga sessions to meditation apps, the focus is shifting towards activities that nourish the mind, body, and soul.

Breaking Stereotypes: The "wine mom" stereotype, often depicted in memes...

This might surprise you, but the reason you can’t quit drinking might have little to do with alcohol. Yes, it’s a highly addictive substance that is hard to move away from, but if you are like me, you have seen some success by gritting it out for 30 days, alcohol-free. After that, you may no longer have a physical dependence on alcohol that is keeping you stuck. Maybe you never did. If you are a middle-of-the-lane drinker who secretly fears you’re imbibing a little too much, I invite you to consider some powerful questions. This is a little preview of what it is like to work with me as a coach.  

Many of my clients have been stuck in a purgatory of drinking/not drinking for years, and so have I. Women come to me and finally make the worthy investment of my one-on-one coaching because they’ve already done other programs They’ve tried the other things, and although they were good stepping stones in making progress towards change, they...

I got happy and sad news at the same time yesterday. First, a phone call revealed that my friend, Tracy, who had been bravely battling cancer for 3+ years, had passed away. Then I received a text from a previous client, who just celebrated three years of being alcohol-free, I considered the three-year timing for them both. My client chose to live in her most awakened state by ditching the drink and doing the necessary and sometimes painful work to get there. My friend Tracy worked towards living to her fullest potential while preparing for and accepting her departure, doing the necessary and sometimes painful work to get there. Thinking about these loved ones and their journey these last three years was very sobering, to say the least. 

Where will I be three years from now? Where will you go? We don't know all that is around the corner for us. What I do know is that I have never regretted ditching the drink. I wasn’t really living when I was drinking. I was...

In 2019, I was one year sober and between jobs.

I was interviewing for new positions and about to get offers from some companies for similar roles that I had in the past. I sold HR solutions for most of my adult life. I was qualified for roles like this. Although I could do these jobs and I often do them very well, even receiving awards as a top performer of all time and achieving the highest status as a director for the highest producing team, they were not roles that made my heart sing. I was also laid off more than once, and even if it wasn't personal, the feeling of rejection sure felt traumatic to me. 

I always felt like something was missing. Was this it? My husband used to say going to work was never going to be as good as going on vacation, and although my jobs were mostly fine, I just had a hunch there was something better out there for me. These roles were good for my ego, my resume, and my bank account, but not so good for my soul. I never got so happy that I wanted...

I’ve been a coach for five years. I partner with a top rated credentialing authority to recruit, train, and mentor other coaches. With a degree in social work, I started as a skeptic when it came to the world of coaching. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I didn’t think I needed a measly coaching certificate when I already had a four year degree in helping people. 

I started with a Udemy certificate in Law of Attraction Coaching. This is regularly criticized for not being ‘real training,” but it’s how I got my start. It was a ten-ish hour online training. At the time, I understood the coaching industry was unregulated, and yet, I wanted some certifying agency to give me a quick stamp of approval to call myself a coach. I wasn’t ready to invest more, and I didn’t know where to start. I think it cost me $30. It did not teach me the necessary protocols and high standards of coaching, but it did get me started in learning about...