All Videos

Here's my rough guideline for the first month of sobriety. Everyone is different, of course! 'The Hangover' - days 1-5. Physical withdrawal, if it's going to happen, should start (and hopefully end) within this time. 'Stunned' - days 6-9. Am I really doing this? There will be ups & downs. 'The Danger Zone' - days 10-12. Boredom combined with a little bit of confidence makes these days the most likely to fall off the wagon. 'Look Ma, no hands!' - days 13-19. Good habits are ki

Happy Halloween, and last day of sober October! I hope you're able to take some of your sober mindfulness techniques into the coming months. Even if you didn't go a full Sober October, every step toward your goal is a positive one! Sober October book One Month Sober book

It's a great idea to decide now, whether you want to do another sober month, reintroduce alcohol, or something in-between. Making big decisions when you have a cool head, and plan for times when you're not feeling so cool. Sober October book One Month Sober book

How has Sober October changed your relationship with alcohol? Do you feel like you will go back to drinking, and if so, will you approach it differently? Do you want to extend your sobriety, to see more benefits? Sober October book One Month Sober book

Do you tend to focus on negative things, while possibly ignoring the positive? I have to watch my thinking to make sure I'm not fueling negativity. Sober October book One Month Sober book

Spontaneous joy snuck up on me, like an old friend quietly sidling up to ask, "how you doing?" It rarely stays for long, but I've learned to appreciate when it comes. Sober October book   One Month Sober book

Would you pole vault over a mouse turd? I might have done this a few times. Sober October book   One Month Sober book

Why is it that after all of this hard work, things only seem to be getting harder?! Unfair as it is, that can be caused by buried feelings, especially the process of finally dealing with buried feelings and resentments from months or years ago! Sober October book   One Month Sober book

Let's face it, accepting losses (especially if you thought it would be a win) is hard! I suck at acceptance, so here are some things I've found that help me: - Mindfulness. Stay in the present moment. - Recognize what you can/can't control. - Allow your feelings. - Challenge your resistance. Are you 'shoulding'? - Allow it, but 'shrink it'. - Be kind and patient with yourself. Life can be difficult, and early sobriety is very tough. - Talk, or journal about it. - Start small.

The newness of sobriety may have worn off, and the routines are just getting... routine. As bland as a bowl of plain oatmeal. Some days I just have to focus on 'chopping wood and carrying water' and here are some things that help me keep moving: - Forget perfectionism. Do a crappy job at first if that's what it takes to get started. - Set a timer for the task. Do only as much as the timer says, unless you're enjoying yourself! - Chip away at things. Set small daily tasks. - G

For some of us who spend a lot of time in our heads, listening to intuition can be difficult. I learned to check in with ‘my candle’ to feel my intuition. Sober October book One Month Sober book

The 5 Cs of discontent: Comparing Complaint (as a habit) Criticizing Competing Controlling (that which is outside of your control) Correcting (others) The 5 Cs of Contentment: Choice! You have a choice in how you respond to situations. Compliments - genuine ones, of course. Connecting - it's often said that connection is the cure for addiction. Care & Compassion Consideration - think of others, for better relationships. Sober October book One Month Sober book

We spend so much time thinking about the one thing we can't have in sobriety, but what about all we gain? Just a bit about the freedoms I enjoy in sobriety: freedom from anxiety, a greater ability to be present for all sorts of everyday activities, and the joy that comes with them. Sober October book One Month Sober book

Dreams, and why is sleep so crazy in the beginning of sobriety? One Month Sober book Sober October book

Talking about dealing with the unexpected early in sobriety... spoiler alert, you don't need a drink. I was served up a doozy about 2 weeks into my sobriety, and a chocolate chip cookie was my salvation! One Month Sober book Sober October book

2 weeks into sober October! How are you feeling? Do you remember how you felt the day before you started sober October? This was when good sleep really set in for me, and it was AMAZING! One Month Sober book Sober October book

Sober October day 13. Let's talk about movement (aka exercise). Drop perfectionism and just try to sneak in movement wherever you can... Your body and mind are probably working hard right now. One Month Sober book Sober October book

Sober October day 12~ The list of distorted thoughts covered here: - Mental filter - Discounting the positive - Fortune telling - Mind reading - Magnification & Minimization - Emotional reasoning One Month Sober book Sober October book

Day 11 of Sober October and a little about gut health. You're doing great; stay strong y'all! Sober October book One Month Sober book

Days 10 and 11 are notoriously dangerous for falling off the wagon... but why? Sober October book One Month Sober book