This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, Angela Foster shares her EPIC recovery story and ULTIMATE health hacks (that are available to us all - RIGHT NOW)  to optimise our well being and provide a healthy balance in our lives.From high-flying Corporate Lawyer, Angela hit a physical and mental rock bottom after juggling career pressures, motherhood and neglecting her health. Burnout, postnatal depression, and a bout of Pneumonia left her at a breaking point.What happened next is nothing short of miraculous! Angela made a decision to get well. In her words, she developed ‘self-agency,’ and chose to prioritise her health. Angela has been on a fascinating journey of recovery and renewal, using her innovative BioSyncing program - to heal from within, without the use of medicine. Join us for this Impactful conversation, where we delve into: -Parenting and the stresses of juggling work and home life.Rock bottom moments ~ How they look different for everyone.How it IS possible for ‘High-performance’ and ‘Health’ to co-exist.Hormones ~ How and when these impact our lives. How our heart beats can determine our mental health!‘Micro-recoveries’ - what are they and how can they support our health?The ULTIMATE (and often subtle) gains of removing alcohol.BioSyncing your way to your Highest values and Purpose!What stood out to me in this chat was Angela’s unapologetic commitment to prioritizing her health and well-being. Having experienced her own “mental rock bottom,” she speaks with real clarity about how neglecting this area can ripple out and impact every aspect of life.This episode is packed with inspiration, practical tips, and the powerful reminder that it’s never too late to take control of your health and your life! Let's do this! 

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, join me for one of THE most important conversions I have EVER had! This chat is a gift for all of us! At just 26, Damian Willemse is already a Rugby legend. The youngest man EVER to win two Rugby World Cups for his Country, South Africa and he is regularly achieving Multiple successes at club level, with his team The Stormers - Damian is flourishing at the very highest level! This is not just your average sports star; Damian could be one of the greatest of all time. So, how could an International Cup winning Sports Star possibly ‘IMPROVE’ and ‘ACCELERATE’ his overall performance and well being???You guessed it - Going ALCOHOL FREE! As a middle-lane drinker, Damian began to become increasingly aware of the negative impacts alcohol was having on his life. From hangovers to low productivity to weekend lie-ins, even the person he became when he was a few drinks into a ‘binge’ session did not align with the man he knew he was. So he decided to take a 90-day break - and something incredible happenedJoin us for a superpowered conversation, where we chat about: -What comes with being a professional athlete, on and off the pitch.Dealing with Injury and the impacts on mental health. The marginal gains of living AFSocialising AF - How it feels and how it changes.How the effects of alcohol impact our relationships.Living with Gratitude and how to nurture this. Occasional Binges and how they take their toll.I left this conversation filled with admiration for a Young man who epitomises optimal performance and limitless potential. Damian's mindset and actions are a powerful reminder to us all that, no matter how far we have come in life, or how much we have achieved, there's always more that we can access - however that may look to you. Lets Do this! Your coach, Andy

The discussion dives into five pivotal life lessons learned at 50, emphasizing the importance of focus and managing time effectively. Key insights include the idea that you can’t do everything, and that you often have more time than you believe. There's a call to 'slow down to speed up' and to embrace small, consistent efforts over time. The most touching takeaway highlights that true happiness and fulfillment center around love, a poignant reminder evoked during a memorable birthday speech.

This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, we are joined by Hadley Sorensen, who wrote a book on the topic and is here to break down the facts! Hadley, a self confessed (ex) party girl, shares how she went from sipping Cosmos, to blackout weekend drinking to writing a book on the Truth and Transformation that alcohol had on her social life, before and after drinking!For Hadley, change didn’t require hitting rock bottom. One morning, she simply knew life had more to offer than the cycle of regular hangovers.In her journey to untangle the grip of alcohol, Hadley embraced self-discovery, redefining what socialising really means to her. By removing alcohol, she found clarity, authentic connection, and a renewed sense of purpose. Her book, The Dirty Truth on Social Drinking, offers a refreshingly relatable take on the joys of living and thriving sober. Hadley’s insights are a must-read for anyone curious about the limitless possibilities of an alcohol-free life.We chat about: -The fear of what will happen to our social lives, when we remove Alcohol!Fun without alcohol? Is it possible? How will it look? Social and cultural influences that push a ‘social narrative’ that alcohol is a key component to fun and connection. Friends - How can we make new friends if we are not out drinking? Smashing the ‘out of date’ belief, that living without alcohol is ‘boring!’ No rock bottom required! - How a limitless, authentic life is available to all of us!  Uncovering our true selves - Living as an Introvert!I left this conversation buzzing with enthusiasm!. Hadley has a unique, straight forward way of laying out the limitless benefits of going Alcohol-free and is a brilliant example of how we begin to Thrive, explore and discover our authentic selves, when we remove just one thing! Comment below and let me know your thoughts about this chat and the topic of Socialising Sober - What does your Sober social life look like? What/if anything has changed? Where do you socialise? Have you made new friends since going alcohol-free? Tag someone who you think would like this episode or share it with someone who would benefit from discovering that our social lives just get going, when we remove alcohol! Let's Do this! Your Coach, Andy

And you thought this was just a podcast about alcohol-free advantages!! Here we are wrestling with the biggest questions of all. So, before we move on, thank you for being courageous enough to join me on this adventure to meaning and purpose. It is so rare that we take the time to reflect on these important questions.Before we attempt to answer the BIG question, I will turn to one of my favourite mentors and researcher, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and his genius book, ‘Flow: The Psychology of Happiness’.Flow is a scientific concept for what athletes call being in the zone. These are moments when time seems to disappear, the self dissolves into the activity and you become one with what you are doing.Equally you can experience this sense of flow within any activity from gardening, to spending time with friends, writing, work, or on the sporting field. Also our life goals will often provide the feedback and structure to elicit the experience of a flow state.Mihaly’s research found that flow states are incredible for our overall well-being.  The more time in flow, the happier and healthier we become.However, there is also something much bigger at play.Imagine you found a goal big enough and challenging enough that enveloped your whole live.A life mission or life project.In essence, trying to reach this goal could bring flow to every element of your life. Even the mundane could be transformed into part of your overall goal.Mihaly puts it like this:“What this involves is turning all life into a unified flow experience. If a person sets out to achieve a difficult enough goal, from which all other goals logically follow, and if he or she invests all energy in developing skills to reach that goal, then actions and feelings will be in harmony, and the separate parts of life will fit together—and each activity will “make sense” in the present, as well as in view of the past and of the future. In such a way, it is possible to give meaning to one’s entire life.”Yes, for most of us fortunate ones, we could all do a million things and have a million goals. But what if you had just one super goal, and you put all your life energy into it?This singular focus could turn your whole life into a meaningful experience. Mihaly continues, “In this sense the answer to the old riddle “What is the meaning of life?” turns out to be astonishingly simple. The meaning of life is meaning: whatever it is, wherever it comes from, a unified purpose is what gives meaning to life.”Here is the major point - it does not matter what the goal is. This is not a goal-off who has the best goal competition. The goal must matter to you and be big enough to fuel you with meaning for the rest of your days.“The challenge might involve the desire to have the best beer-bottle collection in the neighbourhood, the resolution to find a cure for cancer, or simply the biological imperative to have children who will survive and prosper. As long as it provides clear objectives, clear rules for action, and a way to concentrate and become involved, any goal can serve to give meaning to a person’s life.”So, for a bit of fun, here is your reflection:Now we have the answer to the meaning of life!!All you need to do is find your one BIG goal.Don’t worry about the how-to - Take some time this week to try to answer this question:What goal or goals could you think of that could be big enough to provide a life of flow?Let me know how you get on.After 50 years of searching, I found mine - Transform the world’s relationship with alcohol.Your coach Andy

If you want to potentially join Paul on my 6-month Diploma in Coaching & Alcohol-Free Performance Coaching, click here for more information. This week, on The Alcohol-Free Advantage Podcast, I am joined by Paul Sculfor, one of the world's top male models—aka the Million-Dollar face!!This is my favourite kind of story, one of inspiration and transformation.Paul achieved extraordinary financial and global success, amassing fame and living the most glamorous lifestyle imaginable. Yet beneath the glittering exterior, something was wrong. He felt uninspired and unmotivated, and the cracks in his life soon became impossible to ignore, Alcohol was taking far more that it was giving! With over 20 years of living Alcohol-Free, Paul shares some brilliant insights into the more subtle benefits of choosing a sober way of life. We chat about: -Trying to ‘fit in’ at school and in the fashion industry.Hedonism V Andhedonia - reduced levels of Joy and motivation.How Alcohol ‘Steals your looks’ - the damaging effects on our Skin! The transformative benefits of living AF - living in the NOWFinding meaning and purpose through supporting others - STRIDE CHARITYI left this conversation feeling connected to Paul’s journey of Living Alcohol-Free: how he’s rediscovered life’s simple joys, found and flourished in his career and purpose and dedicated himself to helping others through his charity, STRIDE while continuing to nurture his true, authentic self. Join two mates in catching up about the 'limitless' advantages of living alcohol-free! Let's Do this! Your coach Andy . 

Thank you for joining me on my weekly reflection. My role is to distil the wisdom found in my favourite books, which has taken me years to find, into a few words so you can quickly absorb the major insights.My dream is that these insights will make you feel happier, healthier, and lead to more meaning!I love your feedback. Please let me know what you think, and if you enjoy these reflections, please share.Today’s reflection: How do we radiate joy?Below is the opening paragraph of David Brook's The Second Mountain,“Every once in a while, I meet a person who radiates joy. These are people who seem to glow with an inner light. They are kind, tranquil, delighted by small pleasures, and grateful for the large ones. These people are not perfect. They get exhausted and stressed. They make errors in judgment. But they live for others, and not for themselves. They’ve made unshakable commitments to family, a cause, a community, or a faith. They know why they were put on this earth and derive a deep satisfaction from doing what they have been called to do. Life isn’t easy for these people. They’ve taken on the burdens of others. But they have a serenity about them, a settled resolve. They are interested in you, make you feel cherished and known, and take delight in your good.”Brooks paves the way to joy - It is not found in income or the material but in a commitment to a family, cause or faith. Joy is found in the service of others, giving back and contributing.Here are a few reflections for you to mull over:Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live a life that radiates joy?What are you committed to? How could you give back?What can you do today to give back?If you find these reflections challenging, that in itself is a great reflection. Maybe this struggle is worth exploring in more depth.Your coach,AndyPS—I am biased, but coaching is a commitment to an incredible cause of giving back and contributing. That’s why I see many coaches who radiate joy. For this reason, I created the Andy Ramage Training Academy (ARTA) to guide a small group of people on their adventure to meaning.If you want more meaning, check out this short workshop, ‘How to find your purpose through coaching, even if you are unsure what you have to offer.’ Click here to watch.

Professor David Nutt, a world-renowned neuroscientist and former chief drugs advisor to the UK government, dives into the dark side of alcohol consumption. He highlights how the alcohol industry spreads disinformation, much like the tobacco sector. The conversation also touches on the staggering economic costs of alcohol, totaling £10.5 billion annually in the UK. Nutt introduces Sentia, an innovative alcohol-free alternative designed to provide the benefits of drinking without the harmful effects, offering a fresh perspective on societal views around alcohol.