Channel the Flannel

I feel like I am living a dream lately. The fall season is here and it makes me so happy. I have a noticeable change in mood. I am happy to wake up in the morning after sleeping with the windows open. I am happy to tuck into bed at night with the sun going down earlier. Cuddling my dog Rocky is even better with a chill in the morning air.

Skip to the end if you don't care about my weekend and just want the discounts, details, deals, and new podcast! 👇🏻

Yay for cardigans. Dark nail polish. Soup. I love it all. I joke that my whole personality isn't sobriety. It's fall. (Or cheese in other seasons, perhaps.) I am almost a cartoon of myself for fall and I know that. It's been called a fallgasm. It is a season of extreme nature-inspired awe for me. Pure pleasure. 

In perfect harmony with the cooler weather, or maybe because of it, I had the best weekend; it literally feels like I'm living my dream life right now. The best part is, I am not ashamed and am not apologizing for it. In the past, I felt like I should dim myself down to match the energy around me, but no more.

I am happy. I am in love with my life. I know feelings change; this is only a (pumpkin spice) season. While I am here, I am going to let myself be here. I am not stiffling my joy in fear of the other shoe dropping. It will drop. It has before and it will again. In this moment I am actually straddling preemptive grief amid my fall joy. Still. I am here now, being happy and loving my life and not apologizing for it. I am recognizing it. I have singlehandedly created it. I am taking credit for it. Owning my life. Hot damn, 🔥 this is bold. You can do this too. You can create a life that feels happy to you. I have learned how to do this and how to guide others. If you are seeking support with this, click here and call me right now! 

What does my dream life look like?

I enjoyed a Yacht Rock band on Friday with friends. We picnicked outside under a glorious moon. Picture about eight middle - retirement-aged band members with instruments all in sea caption outfits on a floating stage. The first tune was The Love Boat, and they moved on to the classic Pina Colada song, bringing pure joy. We laughed so hard and also started singing along. They ended the show with a Hall and Oates greatest hits melody. Don't Go Breaking My Heart is a top feel good favorite of mine and it was fun to hear it. There was a flute. A saxophone. A tiny little picnic table in front of us and wait for it... snacks! Nuts, smoked salmon, cookies. Life can be light, grand, silly and wonderful if you let it. I drank a whole bottle of Prima Pave Rose Brut. What can I say? I'm indulgent.

Saturday was homecoming for my youngest and after I sent her off to the dance, I enjoyed dinner at a fancy new Greek restaurant with a girlfriend. It was a whole experience. Each course came with entertainment. Something cut in front of us, lemon squeezed for us, shrimp on fire, and dessert pastry deconstructed in front of us to reveal creamy ice cream underneath. There were two excellent zero-proof cocktails are on the menu and I had both (like I said, indulgent). I noticed two of the tables next to us with champagne ice buckets of Perrier sparkling water next to them. One woman at the table behind us recognized me as Ditched the Drink. She said she felt like she spotted a celebrity 😎. She's 4 months sober. You better believe I told her to keep going! The world is changing around alcohol. I see more proof every day.

Sunday was a lazy day without a hangover. Resting and reading. I made a frittata with left-over roasted veggies and looked at all the homecoming pics with my girl and her bestie. We were oohing and awing over dresses and hair. Shoes and nails. Teenage dreams. I used to almost like hangovers for permission for forced rest. What a crock? You can feel good and rest. Who knew the hangover wasn't required? I can feel amazing and still roll around in bed all day. Go in and out of books, TV, sleep, my scroll or what have you. I had to rally around 6 pm to meet a friend at Riot Fest for a Sublime concert. My first time at this music festival (the opposite of Yacht Rock, lol). Go Brewing alcohol-free beer was served everywhere drinks were sold. I had two and so did my friend. We had more energy than anyone in the crowd. We were singing and dancing to our 90's music, staying up late, and surrounded by punk rockers. What fun. Of course got VIP tix so I could sit down and rest my back once in a while. Also literally wore my "softies" (Oprah's favorite) because I love being comfy! My friend says "we are the best age right now." I love that.

On Monday, after creative work in the morninng, I got my hair done and then had a field trip with a friend to Bucktown to Jone's Road for a makeover (client inspired). Next, dinner on a gorgeous rooftop, then dessert at an establishment made exclusively for cream puffs. I love the urban neighborhood walking, talking, browsing. I wore my grandma's gold watch. It's becoming a permanent fixture in my bracelet stack. Life is beautiful. Simple pleasures.

You would think a full day of work calls following all this fun on Tuesday would be such a buzzkill after a weekend like that but it was not. I look forward to every single "meeting" on my calendar. A friend, a work partner who I adore, an admired author to interview for my podcast, and my smart and brave clients'. OMG my clients'. Recovery coaching, life coaching, business coaching, career coaching. I love them all. I've gotten so many thank you's and compliments from clients' this week and it's like, really gals??? This is my dream job. I always wanted to be sitting across from you and here you are crushing it. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU for choosing and continuing to choose me as your guide. Together, we are doing this. We really are. I love it. 

There have been so many wins this week in our Insider Membership.

I'll share a few alcohol-free accomplishments:

• Trip to Napa Valley + wine tasting
• Vacation in Martha's Vineyard (in first 30 days) 
• A son's wedding
• Back to school madness with little ones and lots of extra curriculars
• Work trip + networking 
• NFL Game

When you are doing any feat like a hike, a run, a swim, or a haunted house (haha), it is so helpful to see others succeed. To see others go before you and live to tell. It sounds like this: "One more incline"  "There's a water station around the bend,"  "You're almost there,"  "We made it out alive!"👻, respectively.

Sobriety is a feat done best in company. The Insider Membership is the best small community for professional women only. It is life-changing to have a supportive group to count on, to share stories, to feel connected and to travel alongside others on this specific journey to exploration and freedom from alcohol. It is an extremely valuable offering and it's also the least expensive of my offers. If you've been hesitant but considering, feel this nudge. You know it took a lot of nudging from others for me to find a community too, so it is my public  service to keep encouraging you. I offer a free trial. This month's masterclass is Invitation to Change with Heather Ross and it is getting such good feedback. 

In other news the response to my fall special was overwhelming and I was able to extend the 20% discount to both the Coach Certification and my Launch Course until September 30th. Use code: FALL20

👉🏼 Last chance for free ticket to the Sober Summit

👉🏼New issue of AFTER magazine is out

👉🏼 Sunnyside Moderation App Free Trial

🎧  New Episode of Pertipeteia Podcast—A Talk Show for Women featuring Reese's Book Club Author Christie Tate of Group and BFF. We have a heartfelt conversation about Recovering from Perfectionism. I accidentally coach her somewhere in the middle and she loves it. 

Reach out if I can help you create a beautiful life that you love as we approach the holiday season. Imagine walking into 2025 as the person you want to be.