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Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 146 Why does asking for help feel so impossible, especially when you're a mum, and everyone else seems to be coping just fine? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Vic Vanstone, author and host of Sober Awkward to talk honestly about early motherhood, the loss of self, and the drinking that came along for the ride. Vic shares how she went from backpacking party girl to new mum in Australia, and why alcohol became her way of finding "the old me" again. Anna reflects on swapping a career built on planning and control, for the chaos of a newborn, and the performance of being the perfectly put-together mum. Together they explore why the people closest to us are often the hardest to tell, the shame that keeps us stuck, and the moments that finally made them reach out. Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Surprised by how hard motherhood really is 00:57 Meet Vic Vanstone, host of Sober Awkward and author 03:26 The shock of trying to merge a “party self” with new mum life 07:50 Using alcohol to reclaim the “old me” 13:22 The pressure to perform motherhood for others 17:10 Alcohol as the only tool for managing big emotions 22:26 The shame and stigma that make it hard to ask for help 28:30 How rock-bottom moments with partners force a rethink 34:36 The power of saying, “I think I have a problem with alcohol” 36:33 The “merry-go-round” therapy epiphany: you get to step off 42:09 Anna's route in: This Naked Mind and getting curious 43:07 Why reaching out for help doesn’t have to be dramatic 47:31 “Find your people” - how to keep seeking support until it fits 48:38 Breaking the booze cycle for the next generation Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ For free tools and to receive Anna’s newsletter, The Rethink Edit, visit: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/resources Join the The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab, Anna’s ‘inner circle’ on Substack, find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Victoria Vanstone: Victoria Vanstone is a British-born, Sunshine Coast-based writer and podcast host. She got sober after hitting a low point on her bathroom floor and started writing about it on her blog, Drunk Mummy Sober Mummy - honest, funny, and unsparing about motherhood, anxiety, and life after booze. That voice led her to co-create Sober Awkward, now with over 7 million downloads and named "culture-changing" by The Guardian UK. She's the author of A Thousand Wasted Sundays (runner-up, 2024 Australian Independent Book Awards) and Mumming: A Year of Trying, and Failing, to be a Better Parent, a memoir on the impossible standards of modern motherhood. Victoria lives on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and three children, and speaks and writes wherever honesty, failure, and a good laugh are welcome. Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 145 Why do so many of us feel we need a drink to be confident at parties, gatherings, even among friends? In this episode, Anna Donaghey untangles the deep-rooted belief that alcohol provides confidence, and invites you to question where that story really comes from. With lived experience and psychological insight, Anna guides you through the "costume" we put on with every glass, and the subconscious beliefs driving our drinking behaviours. She breaks down the science behind nerves and explains why true confidence can't be poured from a bottle and how what you're really after might be presence, not performance. Make sure you listen to discover practical mindset shifts and tools for handling social situations alcohol-free. Highlights: 00:00 Why we often reach for a drink before entering a party 01:32 The hidden belief: “Alcohol gives me confidence” 02:50 How subconscious beliefs shape our drinking behaviours 05:36 Digging deeper: is the real belief “I’m not enough as I am”? 06:25 Nerves are natural, not a sign of weakness 07:06 Alcohol as a “costume” in social settings 10:09 Questioning our beliefs: “Says who?” 11:20 Remembering a time before alcohol 13:14 The difference between confidence and lowered inhibitions 16:45 Why alcohol delivers only a “borrowed” confidence 17:41 I am enough as I am, and confidence is something I build 19:30 Tools for managing nerves: relabel anxiety as excitement 20:45 Using genuine curiosity when meeting new people 21:26 When anxiety is actually a signal to honour your needs 22:13 Confidence means choosing the right rooms for you 22:31 Get your free worksheet at https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/toolkit-optin Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ For free tools and to receive Anna’s newsletter, The Rethink Edit, visit: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/resources The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle ’- a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 144 Who am I? What do I stand for? What kind of life do I want to live? These aren't questions reserved for lecture halls. If you've ever tried to change your relationship with alcohol, you've already been asking them. This week, Anna Donaghey is joined by Peg O'Connor, professor of philosophy, author and a woman in long-term recovery, to bring philosophy out of academia and into everyday life. Together they make the case that anyone grappling with change is already a philosopher at heart. Peg shares her lived experience of addiction and what it taught her about shame, self-belief and the quiet pull of living on autopilot. She and Anna explore why recovery works better as an ongoing experiment than a fixed identity, and how reclaiming genuine agency and a sense of belonging to yourself can change everything. Whether you're sober, sober curious or simply questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about who you are and who you're becoming. Highlights: 00:00 Meet Peg O'Connor: philosopher, author, and recovering alcoholic 01:16 The big questions addiction and philosophy both ask 03:26 Why everyone in recovery is already a philosopher 04:09 Ancient philosophy: "How do we live and flourish?" 09:10 Knowing you're in trouble, but unsure how to change 12:00 The fatalism and isolation of shame 14:53 39 years sober and still treating every day as a new experiment 18:45 Hitting all of life's benchmarks but still losing yourself 21:31 Alcohol freedom as a gateway not the destination 22:28 Happiness as despair’s hiding place (Kierkegaard) 24:05 Functioning on autopilot; the tyranny of "fine" 26:14 The torment of not feeling fully present 32:09 The transformative question: "What do I deserve?" 33:04 Why philosophy doesn’t judge, but invites exploration 34:19 What philosophers say about will and change 38:40 Painting a vivid picture for your future; setting a new compass 40:12 Embracing agency and accepting responsibility 43:09 Stoic wisdom: controlling what you can, accepting what you can't 47:05 Dialogue is at the heart of philosophy and recovery 47:48 Peg’s new book: “Recovering Character: Overcoming Addiction and Belonging to Yourself” 53:08 Examining life is what makes it worth living. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Peg O’Connor: Peg O’Connor has been a professor of philosophy for more than thirty years. Active in her own addiction to alcohol, Peg came to recognise she was deeply disoriented in her own life. She didn't recognise herself and had no idea who she was or wanted to be. She had no self-respect. She didn't belong to herself but rather to the alcohol she was drinking, the unrealistic expectations she put on herself, and a boatload of grievances. She knew she didn't want to keep living the way she was. Knowing what we don't want to do or be is a first step to changing - but it isn't enough. Philosophy became Peg's travelling companion on the journey to find out who she is, and what she stands for. She believes it helped her to get and stay sober - helping her name what she had lost and plot a course to get it back. Or create it for the first time. Connect with Peg: Website: https://pegoconnorauthor.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 143 This episode explores one of the most persistent beliefs about drinking: the idea that alcohol is essential for relaxation. If you've ever found yourself reaching for a drink after work or on a quiet afternoon almost automatically, you're not alone. Your host Anna Donaghey shares how this learned habit is driven by deep-seated beliefs, many of which never truly belonged to us in the first place. With clarity and compassion, Anna examines the gap between what alcohol actually does in our bodies and the soothing myth we've been sold. She explores why we come to rely on alcohol to "switch off," how these patterns are modeled by family and culture, and the powerful role of questioning our inherited beliefs. Along the way, she offers science-backed insights into alcohol's real impact on stress and sleep, plus practical, gentle alternatives for anyone ready to try something new. Highlights: 00:02 Automatic drinking after work: is it really relaxing? 02:02 How beliefs drive thoughts and thoughts drive drinking habits 03:47 The deeper belief: “I can’t relax without alcohol” 05:16 Why “switching off” often means marking a change of state 06:08 The truth: first drink relaxes you, then belief takes over 07:12 Family, culture, and media model alcohol as the only way to unwind 08:09 “Says who?”, questioning where our beliefs come from 09:12 Is alcohol actually removing stress or just postponing it? 10:21 The science: alcohol as a stressor, not a stress-reliever 13:28 The turnaround: alcohol creates more stress than it relieves 15:17 Easy experiment: alternatives that signal “the day is done” 16:42 Free, simple rituals to replace the evening drink 17:28 Looking upstream at the real pressures behind drinking 18:18 You were never incapable of relaxing, you just weren't shown other ways. Want some easy reset ideas? Have a listen to Episode 68: Toolkit '101': 5-Minute Resets: Go-To Alternatives to Alcohol: https://pod.fo/e/2cf33d Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 142 This episode touches on addiction and on the loss of a child to a fatal overdose. It's a tender one, so please take care whilst listening. And if that's not something you have capacity for today, it's completely okay to come back another time. What if the person you love is slipping away beneath the weight of addiction, and you’re left battling shame, silence, and a culture that blames individuals while ignoring the deeper crisis? In this profoundly moving episode, Anna Donaghey speaks to Katie Rizzo, a mother who lost her son Nicholas to a fatal overdose after years of struggling with alcohol and substance dependence. This is a story shaped by grief, but also by everything that comes after. Katie bravely challenges the stigma and secrecy that surround addiction within families and in society at large. She shares Nicholas’s sensitive nature, the anxiety that haunted him, and the relentless pressure to appear happy and successful. Anna and Katie discuss how addiction is viewed as a personal failing, why shame forces families into silence, and what it means to support a loved one with compassion rather than judgement. You’ll hear firsthand about the ways social comparison, anxiety, and unrealistic ideals fuel substance misuse in young people and why the myth of individual willpower is so dangerous. Anna and Katie invite listeners to rethink not only how we talk about drinking, but how vulnerability, honesty, and community are the real routes to healing. Highlights: 00:00 Trigger warning: addiction and the loss of a child 01:13 Who Nicholas was, behind the statistics and labels 03:46 How social pressure and anxiety feed substance use 07:13 Why “this isn’t the real me”: inside the mind of addiction 12:52 The myth of willpower, the reality of relapse 18:20 Family stigma and shame: breaking the silence 28:22 Why addiction is a human issue not a moral failing 35:51 Loving a person, not the addiction 41:30 “I’m not the mother who failed her son”, the truth about blame 44:42 Why compassion, vulnerability, and honesty combat shame. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Katie Rizzo: Katie Rizzo is a mother, former high school science teacher, and writer based in Arizona. Her oldest son, Nicholas, died from an accidental overdose after a long struggle with anxiety and addiction - first to alcohol, then to benzodiazepines and prescription opioids. Since his passing, Katie has found her way through grief with the support of Al-Anon and grief communities, and has turned to writing as a way of processing what she's lived through. She is the author of two forthcoming books: Trimesters of Grief (October 1st) and a poetry collection, None of Them Are You (November 1st). Connect with Katie: Website: https://katierizzo.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 141 What if reaching for a drink when life feels overwhelming isn’t actually helping you cope, but is instead blocking your real resilience? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the powerful belief that “alcohol helps me cope” and why it might be time to rethink it. Anna walks listeners through how our beliefs drive our thoughts and behaviours, using real-life examples and her own experience during maternity leave, to break down the difference between numbing and coping. You’ll learn how to identify the underlying beliefs fueling your urge to drink when things get tough, why numbing with alcohol doesn’t actually resolve hard feelings and the cultural scripts and common myths that keep us reaching for alcohol. If you’ve ever felt like you “need” a drink to get through tough times or want to trust yourself to deal with life’s challenges without alcohol, this episode is for you. Check out the free worksheet and resources mentioned at https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/resources to continue your exploration. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 01:34 How beliefs drive drinking: breaking down the behaviour-thought-belief chain 02:36 The “alcohol helps me cope” belief and why it’s so fundamental 04:20 Distinguishing between drinking for crisis vs. drinking for everyday discomfort 07:17 Alcohol as the UK’s “favourite coping mechanism” 10:33 Evidence: Alcohol worsens depression, anxiety, and stress over time 12:54 Practical tool: Name the hard thing out loud or write it down 14:58 Reflection exercise: “I don’t think I could cope with ___ without a drink.” Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 140 What if the craving you feel for a drink is actually a craving for relief, regulation, or connection, and there’s another, more healing way to get it? In this episode, your host Anna Donaghey is joined by breathwork practitioner Jon Paul Crimi, whose powerful personal story weaves together addiction, grief, emotional numbness, and a breathwork experience that profoundly shifted his life. They discuss why most people reach for alcohol (it isn’t what you think), how drinking becomes our “solution” for regulating uncomfortable emotions, and the striking similarities between addiction and the universal longing for a shift in state. Jon Paul breaks down what breathwork really is (spoiler: it’s not just box breathing!) and shares how circular, connected breathwork specifically offers a physiological and emotional “reboot” making space for release, self-connection, and even joy. Anna shares her first-hand experience with his class, highlighting how breathwork can offer real, lasting relief that alcohol promises but can’t deliver. Whether you’re sober-curious, in recovery, or just looking to break free from unhelpful patterns and cravings, this conversation points to practical, science-backed ways to rethink your drinking. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & intro to breathwork 01:01 Jon Paul’s story: addiction, loss, and seeking relief 04:13 When drinking goes from fun to just problems 07:29 The emotional “arrest” that comes from early drinking 08:25 Grief, trauma, and the search for tools 11:05 Why our brains equate alcohol with relief 14:15 What finally made sobriety stick 19:26 How breathwork entered Jon Paul’s life 12 years into sobriety 22:44 The first breathwork class: from scepticism to transformation 28:01 How breathwork helps regulate cravings, states, and emotions 30:17 Craving isn’t the enemy, it’s information 34:10 Breathwork vs. psychedelics: power inside YOU 35:48 What actually happens in a circular breathwork class 39:00 “Turning off your brain” and moving into your heart 46:08 Using breathwork for current and past pain, grief, and shame 52:16 Cravings, choices, and living an extraordinary life. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Jon Paul Crimi: Jon Paul Crimi is a world-renowned breathwork facilitator, teacher trainer, and recovery advocate - known for a zero-filter, East Coast approach that strips breathwork of its "New Agey" reputation and replaces it with something practical and results-driven enough to win over sceptics, CEOs, and everyday people alike. He started out as an actor, celebrity fitness trainer, and sober coach in Los Angeles, carrying his own struggles with alcoholism, addiction, and low self-worth long before he found a way through them. Almost by accident, around 15 years ago, he wandered into a breathwork class and had a transformation so profound in that first session that it reshaped the entire direction of his life. He's now 26 years sober, and that lived experience - not theory - is what sits underneath everything he teaches. His method is trauma-informed at its core, built around somatic release, nervous system regulation, and processing the emotional weight people carry without always knowing it. It's also gone mainstream in a way few breathwork practices have. He runs weekly live classes, digital workshops, and his Emotional Detox course. You can find him, and all of it, at: https://breathewithjp.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 139 What if your drinking is driven less by choice and more by invisible beliefs running beneath the surface? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey breaks down how beliefs act as our “operating system,” quietly driving our thoughts and behaviours, especially around alcohol. Anna reveals why it’s so difficult to spot the beliefs shaping our drinking, how to distinguish between a thought and a belief, and why simply changing behaviour rarely works unless you dig deeper. With practical examples and the “reverse chain” technique (starting with your behaviour and working backwards), Anna offers clear tools, including the powerful “downward arrow” method to help you uncover the beliefs at the root of your drinking habits and gently rethink your relationship with alcohol. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & intro 00:41 Recap: The belief “pyramid” and last solo episode 01:20 Why beliefs matter more than thoughts or behaviours 03:10 The difference between a thought and a belief 05:07 Real-world examples: how beliefs quietly shape our actions 12:18 “Alcohol, please help me...”, the jobs we hand to booze 13:38 How habits and beliefs wire together neurologically 14:44 Aaron Beck’s model: core beliefs vs. automatic thoughts 15:35 Why starting with your behaviour is the key to spotting beliefs 16:14 Step-by-step: working backwards from behaviour to belief 24:23 Free guide to run this process anytime 25:30 New episodes: breaking down the most common alcohol beliefs 26:14 Where to find helpful resources. For the worksheet referred to in the episode, visit the toolkit full of free resources on Anna’s website thebigdrinkrethink.com, and download ‘How to Identify Your Drinking Beliefs’ Listen to Episode 137: The Beliefs Driving Your Drinking | Rethinking Alcohol, where Anna shares about the “Pyramid of Belief" and how deeply rooted feelings of “not enough” shape much of our behaviour, including our drinking habits. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 138 What if the life you’re chasing, and the drinking that comes with it, are both keeping you from the life you really want? In this honest conversation, Anna Donaghey welcomes recovery and transition coach Alina Roselli, who shares her journey from living “outside-in” - seeking validation, people-pleasing and pushing through burnout, to soul-led sobriety and deep self-acceptance. Together, they explore why we can lose ourselves trying to meet other people’s expectations, how burnout and exhaustion can force us to question the life we’re living, and why transformation isn’t simply about giving up alcohol, it's about discovering who you are without it. They also explore self-worth, radical honesty, the trap of external validation and practical ways to start living more “inside-out”. For anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, their sense of purpose, or whether there could be more to life, this episode offers an invitation to stop chasing approval and start coming home to yourself. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & introduction to Alina Roselli 00:40 Alina’s unraveling, burnout, alcohol and not knowing herself 02:46 The culture of drinking and starting at 15 05:55 Seeking belonging and landing in “image-driven” circles 10:07 What is “outside-in” living and how it shaped Alina’s self worth 12:28 When alcohol shifts from fun to medicine 15:46 How self-image creates our lives (and can keep us lost) 16:43 Burnout as a wake-up call 17:40 Trying everything (yoga, therapy, self-help) but not getting better 23:27 Filling the “God-shaped hole” - how misaligned living leaves us empty 26:04 Making hard changes and letting go of old identities 28:46 Why inside-out living is terrifying and ultimately liberating 30:10 “Pain pushes until the vision pulls”: learning to listen to your soul 32:43 Finding calm, silence, and the right conditions to truly meet yourself 34:19 Discovering introversion, the need for solitude, and creative renewal 36:29 How the small actions revealed a bigger self and a life worth keeping 39:32 How to reconnect with your needs and stop abandoning yourself 41:36 The courage in honesty and the gifts waiting in the unknown 43:42 Acceptance, creativity, and the joy of simply feeling okay 46:35 Becoming yourself changes the world around you 49:33 People have no idea how amazing they are 50:19 How to join The Big Drink Rethink community. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Alina Roselli: Alina is a recovery and transition coach who believes we are in an epidemic of not knowing who we truly are. Through her recovery and coaching work, she is witnessing firsthand how most people are living as smaller versions of themselves without knowing it. She's developed Soul Coordinates, a portrait that bypasses the mind entirely and reveals who you actually are underneath the survival strategies. Her online community and course, The Naked Soul Path on Skool, is an accessible way to come home to yourself in community. Her own journey through burnout, addiction recovery and self loss is the source of everything she offers Connect with Alina: https://www.alinaroselli.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 137 What if your drinking habits aren’t really about alcohol at all, but about the quiet, powerful beliefs sitting beneath the surface? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey dives into the “Pyramid of Belief”, a simple framework that explains how deeply-rooted feelings of “not enough” shape much of our behaviour, including drinking. Using lived experience and insights from Dave Gray’s "Liminal Thinking," Anna breaks down how our early experiences, the culture we grow up in, and the swirl of online comparison, all reinforce beliefs like “I’m not smart enough,” “I’m not interesting enough,” and “I’m not enough, full stop.” She explores why alcohol so often becomes the go-to answer for the emotional discomfort those beliefs trigger and guides listeners through the first, vital steps to uncovering what they’re really thirsty for. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & intro 00:40 The "not enough" beliefs we rarely examine 01:13 Why this episode isn’t (really) about alcohol at first 02:14 What is the Pyramid of Belief 05:04 How our minds filter reality 05:57 How a single shame-triggering moment forms a core belief 09:03 Why you’re not flawed and how “not enough” beliefs got there 10:30 Anna Donaghey’s own formative “not smart enough” moment 13:39 The modern "comparison machine" 14:20 How alcohol soothes the “not enough” wound 16:15 Key question: “What is my drinking actually trying to answer for me?” 16:27 Find your own “I’m not enough” belief 17:47 What “I need...” before a drink reveals about your core beliefs 17:59 Why pinning down beliefs (not just thoughts) is tricky 18:42 Announcing a series exploring specific “not enough” beliefs 19:37 None of this is your fault 20:23 Resources & how to join The Big Drink Rethink community. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 136 Why does alcohol seem to have a different, more intense pull for some people - and could undiagnosed ADHD be the missing piece of the puzzle? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Matt Wing, a midlife mentor who spent over 30 years in a cycle of high achievement and high-functioning drinking, before a late ADHD diagnosis reframed everything. Together, they explore the misunderstood relationship between ADHD and alcohol use, bust the myth that it’s a simple willpower problem, and break down the real, neurological drivers behind compulsive drinking. Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Meet Matt Wing, midlife mentor, exploring ADHD and alcohol 01:13 Decades of "normal" drinking and the invisible exhaustion under it 04:45 Compulsive self-fixing, failed solutions, and obsessive searching 06:12 The pink book, ADHD traits, and why self-help didn't always land 10:21 ADHD as a chronic dopamine deficit 11:08 Instant dopamine hits: why nothing's enough 12:44 Why attempts to cut down usually fail: it's not a "willpower" issue 15:03 Alcohol's social acceptance hides its true addictiveness 18:02 ADHD drinking: urgency, intensity, and chasing the unattainable 23:19 Why 4pm is the real problem, not "having a drink problem" 24:16 Racing head syndrome: alcohol as the only "off switch" that works 29:19 Hyperfocus, the evening crash, and alcohol as relief not reward 31:13 Rejection sensitivity and rejection-sensitive dysphoria in ADHD 33:28 Why social drinking feels so necessary (and so hard to quit) 34:38 "Time blindness": why the ADHD brain struggles with "forever” 43:04 The missed ADHD generation: making sense of the past 46:22 New ways to soothe the nervous system 51:40 Growth mindset: you're not stuck, and social skills can be learned 53:37 ADHD as a superpower if you channel it right 56:40 Where to find Matt Wing and resources to get support. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Matt Wing: Matt Wing is the founder of Midlife Mentor, a coaching and content brand for midlife adults who want to change their relationship with alcohol without calling themselves an alcoholic or sitting in a recovery group. He's the creator of the 4PM Reset Method, built around the idea that most people don't have a drinking problem, they have a 4PM problem: the daily window where old habits take over. Matt speaks from experience, not theory, and has helped clients through his 30-Day Reset, 90-Day Deep Work, and 1:1 coaching programmes. He shares free tools and weekly insight through his newsletter, The Friday Feeling, and on Instagram @midlife.mentor, where he's built a community of over 100,000 followers. Connect with Matt: Website: https://www.midlifementor.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlife.mentor

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 135 Why do high-flying CEOs, investors, and ultra-successful leaders, people with every resource at their fingertips, still end up stuck, lonely, and reaching for a drink? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Lindsey Frances, a leadership psychologist. Together they unpack the universal experience of feeling trapped by drink, the myth that outer success delivers inner fulfilment, and why human suffering pays no attention to your bank balance. Is the pull to drink really about stress, status, or socialising, or is it something deeper: unmet needs for purpose, connection, and calm? As Lindsey and Anna discover, real change starts with a single question: what are you truly thirsty for? Highlights: 00:00 Intro: High achievers & high-functioning alcohol use 02:03 What boardrooms and AA rooms have in common 05:15 The trap: shame, disconnection, and feeling unworthy 06:09 Why suffering feels the same in £1000 shoes or 99p flip-flops 09:36 Success as an external “cage”; failing on the inside 12:14 Coping at the top: alcohol and other numbing strategies 13:32 Addiction is disconnection, so what comes first? 15:13 Alcohol as a (false) shortcut to connection and significance 17:06 What are people really thirsty for? Purpose, enough-ness, & joy 22:30 Why high achievers can’t just “stop” 26:12 Sophrology and imagining a life beyond work (and drinking) 30:27 What does constant “fight or flight” feel like? 36:31 Why you can’t biohack your way out of pain 40:08 Universal issues, whether you run hedge funds or trim hedges 45:08 Simple, accessible tools for regulating your nervous system 48:01 “Simple, but not easy”: choosing your hard 49:20 Lindsey’s own journey - making sense of emotions after quitting 54:09 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s story: why sobriety trumps career success 54:55 Serving others, and the real sources of flourishing 55:23 Where to find Lindsey Frances and resources for sophrology Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Lindsey Frances: Lindsey Frances is a clinical sophrologist, legacy and wealth psychologist, preventative health expert and data-led performance coach, helping high performers, CEOs and investors master financial and emotional stress, sleep and self-regulation through a unique blend of sophrology, biometrics and behaviour change psychology. In 2021, she opened a private sophrology cabinet on the Alpine French-Swiss border, where she has since guided clients ranging from cross-border executives and athletes to burnout recoverers towards calmer nervous systems and more sustainable performance. Connect with Lindsey: Website: https://www.lindseyfrances.co.uk/ Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 134 What if all the sleep scores, step counts, and readiness reports in the world still leave you missing the point? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the paradox of our “self-quantified” age: we collect endless data about our bodies, yet remain confused about why we reach for that Friday night drink. Why do so many of us meticulously track our health and download optimisation apps, but still pour a glass (or two) at the end of the week even though the data says it’s a bad idea? Anna explains why metrics alone can’t change behaviour and why the real question isn’t “What does the data show?” but “What are you truly thirsty for?” Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Obsessed by health data but still drinking? 00:44 The archetype: data-obsessive, wine-on-Friday person 02:04 We’re more quantified, and less self-aware, than ever 03:21 Data isn’t enough to change behaviour 05:30 We’ve stopped asking about causes and focus on numbers instead 06:53 The wine and wellness routines: same job, different means 07:33 Understanding your body is useful but it’s only the doorway 08:23 The answer is found in your life, not your data 09:45 The core unmet needs that drive drinking 10:06 Meeting your deeper needs transforms your relationship with alcohol 10:44 The real question: what is this drink telling me about my life? 11:29 Next week: Lindsey Frances using data as the start, not the end, of self-discovery 12:11 The question to sit with: not your sleep score but what are you thirsty for? Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 133 What if the real reason you feel stuck around drinking isn't a lack of willpower or information, but simply that your thinking can't yet see another way? Anna Donaghey is joined by Doug Fleener, author of "Start with What If" and creator of the "What If Rule", a simple, three-step practice for creating new perspectives in real time. Drawing on his own journey from addiction to leadership roles at Bose Corporation, Doug shares how change really happens: through interruption, curiosity, and asking different questions. Together, he and Anna explore why curiosity trumps willpower, and how tiny shifts - like asking, "What if I just didn't drink today?" can unlock entirely new possibilities. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to The Big Drink Rethink 00:45 What if what keeps you stuck isn’t willpower? 01:01 Meet Doug Fleener 02:14 The “What If Rule”: change in real time, not ‘someday’ 03:23 Doug’s 30,000ft wake-up call 06:09 The power of interruptions and rock bottoms 07:11 Why it feels easier to change your state than change your life 15:15 The real impact of asking “What if I didn’t drink just today?” 16:21 Why avoiding forever/never thinking makes change possible 17:47 “I’ll tackle it when I’m ready” - and how action actually creates clarity 23:10 The What If Rule explained: Pause, Question, Go 31:43 Why one pause matters even if you still have the drink 33:13 How identity, habit, and depletion drive drinking autopilot 37:52 Future journaling: setting intentions for who you want to be 41:12 Drinking as a default off-switch for discomfort 43:08 How to sit with feelings (instead of pushing them down) 45:42 “Nobody ever wishes they drank more” 46:47 The permission to start small 49:12 You don’t need a plan, just the next question. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Doug Fleener: After years of struggle with addiction and self-doubt, Doug rebuilt his life from the inside out. And his journey shaped his belief that transformation begins with one simple question: What if? As the author of “Start With What If” and “The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life)”, and the creator of The What If Rule, Doug helps people see challenges, habits, and everyday moments in a new light. His insights are practical, hopeful, and deeply human - showing how anyone can create better perspectives and possibilities starting today. Connect with Doug: Website: https://www.dougfleener.com/ Book “Start with What If?”: https://www.dougfleener.com/dougsbooks Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.

Alcohol Mindset Coaching | EP 132 Summer is supposed to be the easy season, so why does it so often leave us more tired, pressured, and frazzled than ever? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the myth of the "restful summer" and the invisible standards that pile up as the weather warms: be the memory-maker, the joy-creator, the calm presence. It's a pressure that fuels depletion and quietly drives the urge for an evening drink, not for pleasure, but as an off-switch when rest feels out of reach. Drawing on psychologist Donald Winnicott's idea of the "good enough" parent, Anna reframes what it means to do summer well, and shares practical questions to help you carve out genuine breaks, lower the pressure, and gently move away from alcohol as your only way to switch off. If your summer doesn't feel like the break you were promised, this episode will show you you're not alone and point you toward a kinder, more sustainable way through. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why can summers be exhausting 01:20 The real summer vs. the Instagram version 03:20 Family life: chaos of young kids or grownup kids at home 05:07 The “gap” between summer’s promise and reality 05:26 Feeling the pressure to make memories 06:03 Why we feel guilty when we finally get a break 06:31 Evenings as the first off-switch and how that cues drinking 08:03 Introducing Winnicott’s “good enough” concept 09:52 Chasing the perfect summer sets up the craving for relief 10:14 Good enough is actually enough 11:27 Once you lower the bar, the craving (and pressure) loosens 12:32 What your evening self actually needs 13:47 What would actually make summer feel like a break for you? 14:39 Specific examples for reclaiming space and calm 15:47 “Good enough” as the true standard, not a consolation prize 16:07 The real summer is messy (and that’s enough) Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk Mentioned in this episode: Listener offer: An exclusive 15% off Botivo - a bittersweet, citrusy aperitivo that perfectly marks that end-of-day moment. If you’d like to try it, you can get 15% off at https://botivodrinks.com/ with the code BIGDRINKRETHINK15.