Take a Break from Drinking

Shame and regret about your drinking can feel so isolating, but it's way more common than you think. The real problem is the unconscious ways you might find yourself trying to make up for being "bad." It's easy to spin on questions like, "Why was I so stupid?" or "When am I going to learn my lesson?" Or to wish you could build a time machine and change the past. But this line of thinking is a trap. Discover the thought error around shame that is actually keeping you stuck and preventing you from developing a healthy relationship with alcohol. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/369

If you have chronic pain, an autoimmune disease, or insomnia, you might use alcohol to cope. This makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, alcohol can act as a band-aid that's blocking you from the cure. How do you deal with the pain in your body without alcohol? This question is at the heart of The Hourglass, one of the eight Drink Archetypes. Discover why it can be challenging to keep your commitment when you have this archetype. The good news? Work with the Remedy archetype and learn to separate physical and emotional suffering. When you can do this, you can find a way to live in the body you have, discomfort and all. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/368

Drinking to feel more free and to be ourselves is common. You'll often hear friends talking about having a drink to "let loose" or "let their hair down." In this Drink Archetype episode, you'll understand The Release's origin. Listen to hear how to create more freedom for yourself—even while choosing to drink less or not at all. You can learn to live a less restrained life. Even if you feel trapped by perfectionism, high expectations, or imposter syndrome. Working with The Release archetype will help you develop a true sense of self. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/367

How do you fill your time when there's nothing to do? This question is at the heart of The Hourglass, one of the eight Drink Archetypes. Uncover why it can be hard to keep your commitment when you have this archetype. The desire for entertainment is a normal part of being human. Whether you're drinking, eating, or scrolling through your phone. Yet, pairing unscheduled time with a drink can cause more problems than you might realize. The good news? Work with The Hourglass archetype and discover how to redirect your time and energy. The more you do, the more you'll discover desires beyond what you're drinking. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/366

In this episode, you'll learn about The Mask, one of the eight Drink Archetypes. The archetypes are unconscious patterns that can influence your relationship with alcohol. Using alcohol as the antidote to social anxiety is so common that society even has a term for it: "liquid courage." Uncover why The Mask can lead to drinking more than you want to. The good news is that, even in social situations, you can learn to manage your anxiety without a drink. Working with The Mask archetype will help you feel more at ease socially. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/365

Even if you're not planning on Dry January, make sure you listen to this episode. These two mistakes will sabotage your attempts at change, no matter your plans this month. Most people assume two things when trying to cut back on their drinking. Assumption #1: Saying should be enough to create change. For example, if you usually end your day with a drink, a month of abstinence should erase the habit. Discover why saying no is only one part of lasting change. Assumption #2: It's always going to feel like this when I say no. For example, did it seem like you were the odd man out when you watched the game drinking an NA beer? This second assumption leaves you worried that how you feel right now is how you'll feel forever. Learn how to get unstuck from this trap. If left unaddressed, these issues will get in the way of you shifting your drinking for good. Click here to listen to steer clear of these two common mistakes. Get full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/364

Learn how to make the most out of your dry January by working with urges instead of resisting them. Discover techniques to slow down and get curious about cravings. Plan for excuses and trigger plans to effectively respond to temptation. Explore the role of alcohol and understand drinking tendencies with the drink archetype quiz. Handle setbacks during Dry January and rebound with strategies for success.

It's not unusual to crave a drink in times of stress. But when life won't let up, how are you supposed to cut back? In this episode, you'll learn about The Escape, one of the eight Drink Archetypes. The Escape is associated with drinking to ease worry or quiet an overactive mind. Learn why this archetype tends to make you pour larger drinks and drink faster. The good news is that you can learn to drink less—or even skip the drinks altogether—when times are tough. Working with The Escape archetype will help you feel more resilient in the face of life's ups and downs. Get full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/362

It's incredibly common to reward yourself with a drink after making it through a long day or a long week. But no longer having a treat to look forward to can make it hard to keep your commitment to drink less. In this episode, you'll learn about The Reward, one of the eight Drink Archetypes. Discover why it's easy to get into the habit of drinking when you're overworked, exhausted, or need a break. And why this pattern can lead to drinking too much. The good news: you can work with this archetype to ease the constant search for a treat. Get curious about the role alcohol plays in your work-life boundaries. And discover how The Reward can lead to feeling more restful and relaxed. Get full show notes and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/361

Welcome to the Take a Break from Drinking podcast with your host, Rachel Hart. If you're looking for a radically different approach to help you cut back or stop drinking, this is the place for you. You probably have plenty of good reasons to drink less, but that doesn't mean saying no is always easy. Listen as Rachel dispels the most common myths about why it's hard to resist temptation. Forget about labels, judgment, or one-size-fits-all solutions. Rachel will give you a logical framework to reexamine the moments you gave in or overdid it. You'll collect data that reveals why your past attempts to change have been hit or miss. You'll discover that people reach for a drink for reasons that aren't always obvious. Alcohol can represent so many things: A reward for working hard. Liquid courage. Relief from your worries. Bonding with friends and family. A way to elevate your meal. Entertainment when you're bored. An aphrodisiac. A sign that the work day is over. A solution for insomnia. And permission to cut loose and live a little. Because alcohol is intertwined with so many aspects of your life, you need to step back and see the big picture. You'll approach change from the standpoint of "What tools am I missing?" rather than "I should've learned my lesson by now." And you'll find out why scare tactics, counting days, and strict rules often backfire. Rachel's goal is to help you get curious without all the judgment or shame. Saying no doesn't have to be a choice between being healthy or having a good time. Stop feeling like you're on autopilot when you drink. Start trusting yourself to make conscious decisions that align with the life you want. Ready to get started? Take Rachel's free Drink Archetypes quiz at findyourdrinktype.com. You'll get a personalized report for the eight archetypes: The Upgrade, The Connector, The Hourglass, The Reward, The Escape, The Mask, The Release, and The Remedy. Or start with episode #358 and the unconscious patterns that influence your drinking.