Ep. 274: You Quit Drinking… Now What? How To Live With Purpose in Sobriety with Laura McKowen

If you’ve ever looked around your life after you stopped drinking and thought, “Wait... is this it?”—you’re not alone. Sobriety cracks you open. And once you’re no longer numbing out at night, everything you've been tolerating suddenly becomes really loud. That’s why I asked Laura McKowen, author of We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life, creator of the Bigger Yes course, and founder of The Luckiest Club, to share how you can rediscover your voice, values, and vision for what’s next—without needing to burn it all down or have it all figured out. In this episode, we’re talking about how to live with intention in sobriety and say yes to a life that actually feels good. Because quitting drinking is just the beginning. What comes next is figuring out how to align with who you truly are and what you actually want. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/laura-mckowen/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free.Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve ever had one of those “how is this my life?” moments in sobriety—when it feels like everything is crashing down around you and a glass of wine (or five) sounds like the only way to survive the storm—you are not alone.  Sobriety doesn’t give you a free pass from heartbreak, betrayal, or complete life plot twists.  But it does give you the tools (and the clarity) to get through the mess without self-destructing. In this episode, I sat down with Tiffany Jenkins—bestselling author of the memoirs High Achiever and A Clean Mess—to talk about how to survive hard times in sobriety. And not just survive, but eventually rebuild your life without numbing out.  For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/surviving-hard-times-in-sobriety-moving-through-betrayal-divorce-and-rebuilding-your-life-without-numbing-out/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Love The Podcast and Want To Say Thanks? ☕ Buy me a coffee! In the true spirit of Seattle, coffee is my love language. So if you want to support the hours that go into creating this show each week, click this link to buy me a coffee and I’ll run to the nearest Starbucks + lift a Venti Almond Milk Latte and toast to you! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hellosomeday  💕 Support the sponsors of The Hello Someday Podcast You can find all the special discounts mentioned on the show right here: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/sponsors/ Leave me a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I read every single review and they really help the podcast algorithm decide to share my show with a wider audience. Just click here, scroll below the latest episodes, and you’ll see the link to “rate and review this podcast”. I’ll be forever grateful to hear from you and to read reviews like this one from Laura, “I’ve listened to so many sober podcasts and The Hello Someday Podcast is by far THE BEST Sobriety Podcast out there for women. This podcast was key to me quitting alcohol. Casey’s practical tips and tricks are invaluable, with advice I haven’t heard anywhere else. If I could give this podcast 27 stars I would!!” Connect with Casey McGuire DavidsonTo find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve ever thought, “Life without alcohol sounds boring, lonely, or just... blah,” you’re not alone. Let’s be real—most of us grew up swimming in wine-soaked messaging that told us drinking was the key to fun, connection, and success.  Whether it was Sex and the City, Bridget Jones, or just Tuesday night mom memes about needing wine to survive bedtime routines—alcohol was everywhere and always painted as the prize for being a grown woman. But here’s the thing: that story is a lie. And it’s one that keeps so many smart, successful women stuck in drinking habits that make them feel worse—not better. In this episode, I asked Kate Bee, founder of The Sober School, to share how we can stop glorifying alcohol and start creating a version of sobriety that feels vibrant, powerful, and worth celebrating. Because changing your relationship with alcohol isn’t just about quitting—it’s about reclaiming your joy, your freedom, and your energy. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/how-to-stop-romanticizing-alcohol/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve ever found yourself googling “why can’t I sleep after drinking?” or “is alcohol making my anxiety worse?”—you are not alone. So many of us are walking around exhausted, stressed, wired but tired, and wondering what the hell is wrong with us… without realizing that alcohol might be the culprit. In this episode, I’m talking with Gill Tietz—biochemist, sobriety educator, and host of the Sober Powered Podcast—about how alcohol actually affects your body and brain, why it’s so hard to stop drinking even when you want to, and what changes when you finally do. I asked Gill to break down the science behind alcohol and addiction in a way that’s clear, empowering, and full of “ohhh… that makes so much sense” moments. She shares how drinking impacts your anxiety, weight, mood, sleep, motivation, and energy—and what your body goes through in early sobriety as it tries to recover and rebalance. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/alcohol-your-body/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

Ever found yourself googling “Do I have a drinking problem?” at 2AM after another night of “just a couple glasses of wine” turned into a bottle (again)? Or wondering if you really need to quit drinking—or if you’re just being too hard on yourself? If so, you are not alone. I’ve been there. And in this episode of The Hello Someday Podcast, I’m talking with Amanda E. White, a licensed therapist and the author of Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating a Sober Life You Love. I asked Amanda to share how you can practically explore your relationship with alcohol—without labels or shame—and build tools to handle stress, emotions, and overwhelm without reaching for a drink. Her book is one of my absolute favorites because it combines the wisdom of a therapist with the honesty of someone who’s been through it herself. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/not-drinking-tonight/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free.Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve ever decided you’re not going to drink tonight—and then found yourself pouring a glass of wine at 9PM anyway—you’re not alone. Cravings are intense. Early sobriety can feel like your brain is screaming at you to “just have one.”  But here’s the thing no one tells you: you don’t have to kill the craving. You just have to stop saying yes to it. In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Kristi Coulter—author of Nothing Good Can Come From This and Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career—who wrote the viral essays “The Otter of Sobriety” and “Enjoli”.  I asked Kristi to share how she made it through her very first night without drinking and what finally worked after trying everything else—yoga, juice cleanses, knitting, you name it. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/your-first-night-sober-how-to-survive-cravings-and-not-drink-even-though-you-want-to/ Here Are 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

Let’s be real—summer can be one of the hardest seasons to stay alcohol-free. Between the barbecues, beach days, boozy vacations, girls’ weekends, and pool parties, it can feel like every single event is soaked in rosé, White Claws, and mimosas. I remember thinking, “How am I supposed to get through the entire summer without drinking?” It felt impossible—until I actually tried it. In this episode of The Hello Someday Podcast, I’m teaming up with Suzanne Wayre, host of The Sober Mom Life Podcast (and one of my favorite people to talk to), to give you the real talk and support you need to actually enjoy a sober summer—without white-knuckling your way through it. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/sober-summer-secrets-what-no-one-tells-you-about-not-drinking-in-the-summer/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

Have you ever heard someone say, “Only people with a problem with alcohol stop drinking” or “Life without wine is so boring”? Yeah. Me too. The truth is, there are a lot of flat-out lies floating around about what sobriety is really like—and if you’ve been scared to take a break from drinking, chances are you’ve believed at least one of them. I know I did. But here’s the truth: most of the stories we tell ourselves about what life without alcohol would look like... they’re just that. Stories. Myths. Outdated assumptions passed down by a drinking culture that tells us wine is self-care and tequila is confidence in a bottle. In this week’s episode of The Hello Someday Podcast, I’m joined by Karolina Rzadkowolska—certified alcohol-free life coach and author of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You—to call B.S. on 10 of the most common myths about sobriety. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/267 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve been caught in that exhausting loop of “I need to take a break” followed by “I need a drink,” this episode will be a game-changer. I asked Dr. Anna Lembke—Stanford psychiatrist, addiction specialist, and author of Dopamine Nation—to help explain the science behind alcohol cravings, why dopamine plays a central role in addiction, and how you can reset your brain to feel better without drinking. Dr. Lembke breaks down how alcohol spikes dopamine in your brain, giving you that initial “ahhh” sensation. But here’s the kicker: over time, alcohol actually lowers your natural dopamine levels, leaving you feeling more anxious, depressed, and restless when you’re not drinking. It’s not just a bad hangover—it’s a neurological withdrawal cycle. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/dopamine-nation-alcohol-social-media-addiction/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire DavidsonTo find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your friendships when you stop drinking, you are so not alone. Because when alcohol has been the glue holding your social life together, stepping away from it can feel like pulling a thread that unravels everything. In this episode of The Hello Someday Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Kimberly Horn, research psychologist and author of Friends Matter, For Life, to talk all about how to build and nurture friendships that actually support your alcohol-free life — and why connection is crucial for your emotional health and sobriety journey. I asked Dr. Horn to share practical, research-backed tools you can use to create meaningful connections and friendships in sobriety — even if you’re feeling lonely, awkward, or like you’re starting over socially. (And yes, there are actionable steps you can take today!) For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/friends-in-sobriety-how-to-build-the-relationships-you-need-after-you-stop-drinking/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free. Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire DavidsonTo find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com