The Big Drink Rethink Ep 77: Summer Survival Guide: Rethinking Holidays, Hangovers & Having Fun
Do holidays and the summer break leave you feeling less refreshed and more exhausted? Does ‘holiday mode’ mean you default straight to drinks even when you’d love to come back energised, present, and rested? If you’re tired of summer routines that always revolve around alcohol, make sure you listen in
Join Anna as she kicks off The Big Drink Rethink’s summer series, our six-week companion to navigating July and August on your terms. She unpacks why summer holidays are a breeding ground for booze triggers, from sunshine and airport pints, to the emotional weight we load onto each trip. Anna shares why it’s possible and powerful to make this the summer you flip the script on drinking and create real, lasting memories (with zero hangovers in sight). Whether you’re sober-curious, cutting back, or already alcohol-free, this episode is packed with honest stories, permission to experiment, and all the summer resources you need.
Here are the highlights:
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Summer: a time of energy, but also holiday hangover traps
02:50 Why holidays sometimes leave us more depleted than restored
03:55 The repetitive rituals & regrets that follow us abroad
11:44 Why holidays are opportunities to feel & rewire emotions
14:30 The all-inclusive trap flipping “money’s worth” to real value
15:38 Airport and travel day triggers (hello 10am pints!)
18:30 Visualisation: Laying the groundwork for your best holiday ever
25:12 Decide your anchor: Know your ‘why’ for not drinking
31:43 Reframing all-inclusive value, maximizing experiences
34:06 JOMO: The joy of missing out replaces FOMO
36:06 What you’re gaining: freedom, clarity, and restorative fun
36:56 Anna’s recommended books for light, uplifting summer reading
44:01 Life-affirming, empowering playlist ideas
🏆Please vote for The Big Drink Rethink in the ITV bCreator Awards 2025
1. Click on the link below
2. Pop in your email
3. Select I’M A SUBSCRIBER / FOLLOWER
4. Select CREATOR SHORTLIST
5. Hit SUBMIT YOUR VOTE
6. Scroll down to the Podcast bCreator category and vote for THE BIG DRINK RETHINK
Here’s the link:🔗 https://www.bcreator.co.uk/awards/
🔗 Get the free resources from: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com
If you’re a mum wanting to explore your relationship with alcohol, join ‘Mummy Doesn’t Need Wine’ here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mummydoesntneedwine
Anna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: Unstuck! community information
To further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experiment
And apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listener.
If you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee:
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: thebeliefscoach.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey
Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
Mentioned in this episode:
To pre-order my book, What Are You Thirsty For on Amazon select here: https://amzn.eu/d/3v3T6Mq Or on Waterstones here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-are-you-thirsty-for/anna-donaghey/9781915780607