Take a Break from Drinking

Ever noticed how that evening glass of wine feels less like a drink and more like a reward? Do you pour that drink and think, "Finally, something for me?" A reward for all the invisible work you do every day. The mental load, the scheduling, the endless to-do lists that nobody else sees. Listen in this week to discover the connection between invisible labor and your drinking habits, and practical ways to acknowledge your labor without reaching for a drink. If you've ever felt like a drink is the only recognition you get for all you do, this episode is for you. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/437

Society has taught us a script about alcohol that keeps millions of people stuck. The story says you're either a normal drinker who can take it or leave it, or you're powerless and must quit forever. This black-and-white narrative has been reinforced by treatment models and cultural messaging for nearly a century, leaving no room for the possibility of actually changing your relationship with alcohol. Tune in this week to discover why the traditional all-or-nothing approach to drinking actually keeps you stuck, what happens when you shift from shame to curiosity, and a new playbook for sustainable change based on understanding and skill-building. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/436

Have you ever wondered why "one more drink" never quite delivers what you're hoping for? Most people assume that when you keep reaching for more alcohol, it's a willpower problem. But there's actually a psychological and physiological phenomenon at play here called diminishing returns. Tune in this week to hear exactly why "one more" never delivers what you're hoping for, and how understanding diminishing returns changes everything about how you approach those moments when you want just one more sip, one more glass, one more round. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/435

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, replaying all the "stupid" things you did while drinking? That mental highlight reel of moments you wish you could take back, the choices that make you cringe, the decisions that still make you shake your head in disbelief? Regret about your drinking weighs you down like a heavy backpack filled with rocks. You're hauling it around everywhere, convinced that feeling bad enough about past mistakes will somehow protect you from repeating them. But that backpack isn't helping you change. It's keeping you stuck looking backward instead of moving forward. Sobriety coach Adriana Cloud is back on the show this week to discuss how to let go of regret about drinking, and how, when you stop wishing for a time machine and start being a detective about your past decisions, you gain the insights needed to create different outcomes. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/434

Have you ever tried to chase that perfect feeling? You know the one - where everything feels just right. Maybe it's after that first glass of wine, during a celebration, or in those moments when you're feeling completely confident and in control. And then... it starts to fade. Tune in this week to learn why the buzz fades and how accepting that it's supposed to can completely transform your relationship with alcohol. If you've ever found yourself trying to recapture that feeling by ordering another drink, extending the night, or telling yourself "just one more," this week's episode is for you. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/433

The shame spiral around drinking often starts with something that seems completely logical. You know alcohol isn't serving you, yet you still genuinely enjoy it. This creates a mental tug-of-war where you're constantly battling against your own desires, telling yourself you shouldn't want what you clearly do want. Most people spend years stuck in this exhausting cycle, believing that if they just feel bad enough about their cravings, they'll finally change. The solution here isn't about convincing yourself not to like something. It's about uncovering the deeper reasons behind your desire. Tune in this week to discover how treating your cravings with curiosity instead of judgment opens up a completely different path forward. You'll learn why trying to talk yourself out of liking alcohol actually keeps you stuck, and what happens when you flip the script entirely. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/432

The floodgates metaphor captures exactly how it feels when you reintroduce alcohol after a break - like you've lost all control and are being swept downstream. You watch your progress unravel, find yourself right back in old patterns, and wonder why you keep making the same mistakes. This experience leaves many people trapped in an exhausting on-again, off-again relationship with alcohol, convinced that something must be wrong with them or their brain. Tune in this week to learn why reintroducing alcohol after periods of abstinence can feel so overwhelming and out of control. You'll hear how to break free from this cycle by completely resetting your approach to periods of abstinence, and how to use curiosity to understand what your brain has learned from drinking. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/431

You've made the list. You have all the reasons why drinking less is a smart choice. You know all the benefits and you really do want to change. So why isn't that enough in the moment? Why does your motivation disappear the second a craving shows up or as soon as you've finished your first drink? Many people spend years believing that their long list of good reasons should be enough to change my drinking habits. They're bursting at the seams with benefits and regrets, convinced they should just know better by now. The mistake here? Trying to logic yourself out of desire, waiting for all your good reasons to rewire your brain. Join me this week to learn how desire really works, why you find yourself on autopilot the moment a craving hits, and what to do about it. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/430

What's the difference between having fun and chasing it? As kids, most people have a good 15 years of life when they knew how to have fun without a drink in their hand. Back then, your brain had no idea that the perception of fun could be outsourced to something external. You just went out and created your own enjoyment. When you get in the habit of drinking to have fun, you start expecting things to be fun with little to no effort. You sit there passively waiting for fun to happen to you, turning to your external environment and saying, "Okay, now you're in charge of my ability to have a good time." When you primarily consume fun through drinking, eating, watching TV, or scrolling online, you're looking for that easy dopamine hit that keeps you in a cycle you're probably not super happy with. So, tune in this week to discover how to stop chasing fun, and how to start actually having fun. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/429

When contemplating taking a break from drinking or cutting back, most people focus on how hard it will be. They anticipate struggle, discomfort, and missing out on fun. Our brains are actually designed to avoid hard things. We're wired to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and expend the least amount of energy possible. This motivational triad helped humans survive thousands of years ago when daily life required immense effort just to find food and shelter. But in today's world, where survival is relatively easy, this same wiring can keep you stuck in patterns that no longer serve you. This week, you'll hear how, whether it's changing your relationship with alcohol or any other challenging goal, choosing to do hard things forces you to grow and stretch beyond what you think you're capable of. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/428