Addiction Unlimited Podcast

What does sober life actually look like? If you're thinking about quitting drinking, one of the biggest fears is the unknown. What will you do for fun? Will you still be yourself? Will your relationships change? Will life ever feel normal again? In this episode, Angela sits down with Casey Davidson from the Hello Someday Podcast for a candid conversation about what happens after alcohol is no longer part of your life. They talk about the fears they had before quitting, what surprised them most about sobriety, why moderation kept them stuck, how friendships changed, and why life often becomes much bigger than you imagined once alcohol is no longer running the show. If you're struggling to picture your future without alcohol, this conversation will help you stop focusing on forever and start focusing on what's possible.

I’ll walk you through five simple questions to ask before you go into any social situation. One of the most common questions people ask in early sobriety is, “Should I go?” Should I go to the birthday party? The barbecue? The wedding? The vacation? The girls’ weekend? The dinner where everyone else will be drinking? And I get it. The world doesn’t stop drinking just because you did. People still invite you places. Life keeps moving. And you don’t want sobriety to feel like a punishment where you hide in your house forever and say no to everything. But here’s the truth: in early sobriety, your job is not to prove how strong you are. Your job is to stay sober. In this episode, I’m helping you stop asking, “Am I allowed to go?” and start asking the question that actually matters: “Can I trust myself to follow my plan when the pressure hits?” Because you can make the most beautiful little sober plan in the world. You can drive yourself, hold your mocktail, stay for 45 minutes, rehearse your exit line, and know exactly what you’ll say if someone offers you a drink. But none of that matters if you abandon yourself in the moment it counts. That moment when someone puts a shot in your face. That moment when your friend says, “Come on, just one.” That moment when everyone else is laughing and loose and you suddenly feel awkward, exposed, and outside the circle. That is where sobriety is decided. We’re also talking about why early sobriety is not the time to test yourself for sport. You are not auditioning for the role of Most Impressive Sober Person. You are learning how to protect something that is still new, still growing, and still becoming solid. I’ll walk you through five simple questions to ask before you go into any social situation. This episode is your permission slip to stop making sobriety harder than it has to be. Sometimes the smartest, strongest, most sober decision is: not yet. Not this weekend. Not with that group. Not at that place. Not while I’m shaky. Not until I trust myself more. That doesn’t mean never. It means you’re honest about where you are right now. And honesty is how you build sobriety that lasts. Your sobriety is worth more than any party, any wedding toast, any awkward conversation, or anyone’s opinion about whether you’re fun. It deserves your attention. It deserves your protection. And so do you.   Links mentioned in this episode: Book A Call Here: addictionunlimited.com/call Related Episode: The Small Daily Decisions that Make or Break Your Sobriety Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addictionunlimited/ Join Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited   Prefer to read instead of listen? Here’s the full transcript of this episode. 438 Transcript Angela (00:10.68) Hello, my friend. Welcome back to Addiction Unlimited. I’m your coach, Angela Pugh. Today we’re talking about one of the most common questions people ask in early sobriety. Should I go? Should I go to the birthday party? Should I go to dinner with my friends when everyone else is drinking? Should I go on the vacation to the barbecue, to the concert? Should I go to the pool party, the girls’ weekend, the neighborhood happy hour? And I get it because the world doesn’t stop drinking. Just because you did. Life keeps lifing. People keep inviting you places, birthdays keep happening, vacations still show up on the calendar, and your friends are still your friends. And in early sobriety, all of that can feel really confusing. Mm-hmm. Angela (01:06.412) Because on one hand, you don’t want to isolate. You don’t want to hide from your house. You don’t want to hide in your house forever. You don’t want sobriety to feel like a punishment. You don’t want to become someone who says no to everything and has no life and no fun and no connection. But on the other hand, you also don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you end up drinking and wake up the next morning feeling embarrassed, ashamed, and right back at day one. So people say to me all the time, I’m not sure if I should go. And to be clear, if you’re asking the question or wondering, you already know the answer. If your brain is questioning it and whether it’s a good idea or whether or not it’s sobriety safe, you already know the answer is no. No, you shouldn’t go. You’re questioning it for a reason. Because when you’re in early sobriety, Your whole focus, your entire job right now is not drinking. That’s it. That’s the job. And every decision you make, including whether or not you go somewhere, gets filtered through that one lens. Angela (02:29.866) Mm. Angela (02:36.482) Not whether your friends will think it’s weird, not whether you’ll miss out, not whether you can handle it in theory. The question is: can you stay sober if you go? And more specifically, can you trust yourself in the moment that actually matters? And here’s what I mean by that. You can make the most airtight plan in the world. Drive yourself, only stay a little while, have your mocktail in hand. So you’re never standing there empty-handed. Text a safe person, know exactly what you’re gonna say if someone offers you a drink, have your exit ready. That’s a solid plan. Love it. But here’s the reality: none of that matters if you abandon yourself in the one moment it counts. That plan only matters if you’ll actually follow it when the pressure hits. And that moment is. Tiny. It’s a split second. Someone walks up to you ready with a shot, or they order your favorite drink without asking. Or they say, come on, just one. It’s my birthday. Don’t be like that. Or suddenly everyone’s doing a toast and you’re the only one with a water glass instead of a cocktail glass. And you feel the heat start to rise up in your chest. That’s the moment right there. That’s the split second. Your plan either holds or it doesn’t. And the question you need to answer before you ever leave your house is Do I trust myself in that moment? Can you trust yourself when everyone else is laughing and loose and you feel awkward and exposed and like you’re standing outside the circle looking in? Can you trust yourself when your friend says, my God, come on, just have one. It’s my birthday. Can you trust yourself when your brain starts whispering, this is stupid, you’re fine, you can have one, you’ve been doing so well. Because that moment is where sobriety is decided. Not in theory, not sitting in your car in the driveway, rehearsing what you’ll say, but in that moment with that pressure, with that person, with those feelings. Angela (04:59.062) If the answer is yes, you trust yourself 100% yes, then you have your answer about whether you go. But if there is any hesitation, if any part of you is like, well, I think so, I hope so, probably, then you have your answer too. If you don’t trust yourself with 100% certainty in that moment to be able to say, no, I’m not drinking, then you don’t go. Period. And that’s what we’re talking about today. Because early sobriety is not about proving you can handle every situation. It’s about learning how to protect your sobriety while you build enough trust in yourself to follow through when it matters. And listen, I know people don’t always love hearing that because we want freedom. We want confidence. We want to be able to say, I can go anywhere, I can be around anything, I’m strong, I’ve got this. And I hear you, I do. But I need you to hear this. You are not trying to prove you’re strong. You’re trying to stay sober. Those are very different things. And in early sobriety, that mindset can be dangerous, especially if it’s coming from ego instead of honesty. There’s a big difference between confidence and recklessness, right? Confidence says, I know myself, I know my plan. I know my limits. I know what I’ll do if things get uncomfortable, and I trust myself to do it. Recklessness says, I don’t want to miss out. I don’t want people to think I have a problem. I don’t want to admit this situation might be too much for me. I’m just going to tell myself it’ll be fine. Those are not the same thing. Going somewhere to prove a point is not a recovery plan. Going somewhere because you want to seem normal. Going somewhere because you want to seem normal, because you don’t want to explain yourself, because you don’t want to miss out, those are feelings. And feelings are not a sobriety strategy. Angela (07:17.74) And if you’re in early sobriety, you have to get really good at knowing the difference because a lot of relapse starts with a lie that sounds like confidence. I’ll be fine. I can handle it. It’s not a big deal. I’m just going for a little while. I won’t drink. And sometimes that’s true. But sometimes it’s not confidence. Sometimes it’s avoidance. Sometimes it’s people pleasing. Sometimes it’s denial. Sometimes. Angela (07:50.004) Sometimes it’s your addiction trying to get you back into a room where alcohol is available, social pressure is high, and your exit plan is weak. And this is why you have to stop asking permission and start assessing risk. That’s the first big point today. You’re not asking whether you’re allowed to go, you’re assessing whether this situation supports your sobriety or threatens it. And that assessment has to be honest, not dramatic or fear-based or shame-based, just honest. Angela (08:30.348) Because every social situation is not the same. Going to brunch with two supportive friends who know you’re not drinking and chose a place with good food and good mocktails is not the same as going to a bar crawl with your old drinking crew. A family dinner where a few people have wine with dinner is not the same as a family holiday where everyone drinks too much, gets loud, brings up old drama, and you leave feeling like your nervous system got hit by a truck. So stop putting every social situation in the same category. This isn’t about saying yes to everything or no to everything. This is about learning how to think about it. And in early sobriety, you need a decision-making filter. You need a way to slow yourself down and actually look at what you’re walking into before you get there. Because a lot of people make decisions based on emotion. They feel guilty, so they say yes. They feel left out, so they say yes. They feel afraid of disappointing someone, so they say yes. They feel rebellious, so they say yes. They don’t want anyone to know they’re struggling, so they say yes. And then they put themselves in a high-risk situation with a low-quality plan and act shocked when they get overwhelmed. No, we’re not doing that. Which brings me to something I want you to really sit with. If you’re keeping your drinking problem a secret, if you’re hiding that you’re getting sober, hiding that you’re struggling, hiding that alcohol’s an issue for you, then you need to understand what you’re signing up for. You cannot be angry at anyone but yourself when you go somewhere you had no business being, and someone offers you a drink and you drink it. They didn’t know. You knew. They thought you were being social. You knew. You were playing with fire. They offered you what they’ve always offered you because that’s what you’ve always done together. And you never told them anything changed. You knew. It’s time to grow up a little bit here. When you keep your recovery a secret, you’re also keeping yourself vulnerable in every single social situation because you don’t have any support. You end up white knuckling it alone in rooms full of people. Angela (10:55.928) who have no idea what you’re dealing with. And if you don’t have the strength to say no in that moment, you don’t have the strength to go to that event. So let’s pause and let’s think about this the right way. We’re gonna start asking better questions. And question number one is what is the actual environment? Is this event centered around drinking? Is the main activity alcohol? Is it at a bar? Is it during your witching hour? Is it with people you usually drink with? Is it people who respect your boundaries or who push them? Is there food? Is there something to do besides sit around and watch everyone drink? Is there an easy way to leave? Do you have your own transportation? How long will you be there? Will you be tired, hungry, stressed, or emotionally raw when you arrive? Because listen, if you’re already hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, and then you put yourself in a drinking situation, you are not setting yourself up for success. You’re building a relapse obstacle course and calling it living your life. We have to be smarter than that. Question number two, what’s my actual motive for going? This one is huge. Why do you want to go? Do you genuinely want to be there? Is this an important life event, a relationship you value, something that matters to you? Or are you going because you’re afraid of missing out? You don’t want people to think you’re weird. You want to prove you can be around alcohol. Are you going to test yourself? God, I hear that one all the time. Because let me tell you something very clearly. Early sobriety is not the time to test yourself for sport. You are not a science experiment. You are not auditioning for the role of most impressive sober person. You are not trying to prove to your friends, your family, your husband, your coworkers, or your own ego that you can stand in the middle of a drinking environment and be totally unbothered. You’re not doing that. You’re trying to stay sober. Remember, that’s the job. Angela (12:59.85) And some of you need to hear this. You’re making sobriety harder because you keep trying to make it look easy. You want to look casual, you want to look unbothered. You want to look like, no, it’s fine. I don’t care if everyone drinks around me. But inside, you’re crawling out of your skin and your brain is doing gymnastics. Inside, you’re uncomfortable and resentful and triggered and counting the minutes until you leave, except you don’t leave because you don’t want anyone to know. That’s not strength, my friend, that’s performance. And performance will exhaust you. Sobriety requires honesty. Sometimes the honest answer is I want to go and I have a solid plan and I trust myself to follow it. Great. Sometimes the answer is I want to go, but I don’t trust myself yet. Also great because now we have the truth, and truth gives you power. The dangerous answer is I don’t trust myself, but I’m going to pretend I do because I don’t want to deal with the discomfort of saying no. That’s where we get into trouble. Okay, question number three. What is my plan? Not a vague plan, not just I won’t drink. That’s not a plan, that’s a wish. A plan has details. How are you getting there and how are you getting home? What are you drinking while you’re there? What if someone offers you alcohol? What are you saying? What are you saying if someone asks why you’re not drinking? How long are you gonna stay? Who knows you’re not drinking? Who do you text if you feel shaky? What is your exit point? Angela (14:46.1) And this is where people love to get loose and they’ll say, Well, I’ll just see how I feel. No, not in early sobriety. I’ll see how I feel is not a strategy. That’s what we say when we don’t want to make a decision. An early sobriety needs decisions. You need to know before you go. You need to decide ahead of time. I’m staying for one hour. Angela (15:13.42) Because when you’re in the moment, your brain may not make the best decisions. Your brain may say, stay longer. You’re having fun. Don’t be weird. Everyone will notice if you leave. This is awkward. Maybe a drink would make it easier. Your brain is not always your best advisor in early sobriety. So you decide before your brain gets compromised. This is why I like simple plans. Drive yourself, arrive late if you need to, leave early. Tell one safe person, don’t go hungry, have an exit plan and have a backup exit plan, and make your departure non negotiable. Angela (15:56.194) I’m gonna stop by for 45 minutes, say happy birthday, have a sparkling water, and leave before they start doing shots. That’s a plan. I’m gonna go to the wedding ceremony and dinner, but I’m leaving before the dancing turns into everyone getting hammered. That’s a plan. I’m gonna meet my friends for lunch instead of dinner because dinner turns into drinks and drinks turn into three hours of me sitting there white knuckling it. That’s a plan. I’m not going to the bar, but I’ll meet you for coffee tomorrow. That’s a plan. I’m not going on the girls’ trip this year, but next year when I have more sober time and I’m a little more stable, I would love to. That’s a plan. And a plan can be, I’m not going. That’s a valid plan. And by the way, you don’t get bonus points in sobriety for placing yourself in danger and barely surviving it. I want you to write that on a post-it note and slap it all over your house and car and office. You do not get bonus points for making this harder than it has to be. You know what you get? Exhausted, triggered, resentful, and probably drunk. So stop it. Protecting yourself is not weakness, it’s a strategy. Angela (17:17.912) Quick break, my friend. Let’s talk about Cozy Earth. Father’s Day is coming up, and if you’re like me, you probably want to give the men in your life something they’ll actually use. Not another random gadget, not another thing that sits in a drawer, but something practical and elevated and easy. Cozy Earth has the kind of gifts that make everyday life feel better, especially in the summer. Their bamboo sheet set is soft, breathable, and Perfect for hot nights when nobody wants to wake up sweaty and annoyed. And their everywhere pant and everyday polo are exactly what the name says. Easy pieces he can wear everywhere. Running errands, traveling, going to dinner, hanging around the house pretending he’s just resting his eyes. These are the pieces that work without needing a whole wardrobe strategy. And I love that Cozy Earth stands behind what they make with a hundred night sleep trial on the sheets, a lifetime warranty on the clothing, and hassle-free returns if something isn’t right. Summer should feel easy for everyone in the house. Cozy Earth’s bamboo sheet set, everywhere pant, and everyday polo are designed to keep him cool, comfortable, and actually relaxed all summer long. Head to cozyearth.com, use my code Angela for an exclusive 20% off. That code is Angela for 20% off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, mention that you heard about Cozy Earth right here on Addiction Unlimited. Okay, back to the episode. Angela (18:57.038) Окей, хір’с the thing about early recovery and specifically your first year. Angela (19:08.012) Okay, here’s the thing about early recovery and specifically your first year that I want you to really understand. This is practice season. Your first year is where you get the reps in, right? Where you experience all of these situations for the first time as a sober person and you figure out how you handle them. The first birthday party, holiday with family, the first wedding, vacation, the first big fight with your partner where you used to drink to cope. The first lonely Sunday where you have no idea what to do with yourself, the first bad day at work, the first dinner where everyone at the table is drinking except you. All of those are happening for the first time. And you are learning. You’re building the skill set. You’re finding out what you’re actually made of. You don’t become trustworthy to yourself by thinking about all this stuff. You become trustworthy by actually doing it over and over again. One situation at a time. And that means sometimes the answer is, I’m not ready for that one yet. That’s wisdom. That’s you knowing yourself well enough to be honest about where you are. And that’s the heart of this episode. Your plan only works if you trust yourself to follow it. Let’s say you’re invited to a birthday party at a bar with your old drinking friends. You want to go because you love your friends. You don’t want to miss the birthday. You don’t want to disappear from your social life. That’s totally understandable. So you make a plan. Drive yourself, only stay for a little while. Know what you’re gonna say, know what you’ll order, and tell yourself: if someone pressures me, I’m leaving. Okay, beautiful. But now let’s get real. You walk in, everyone is drinking, the music is loud, you feel awkward immediately. You order your club soda in lime and you’re holding it like a security blanket, and someone yells, Hey, come do a shot, and they come over with a shot in their hand. Now your plan is live. This is not theory anymore. This is the moment. Can you look at that person and say, No, I’m good, and just let it be awkward? Can you let them be disappointed? Can you let them tease you? Can you let them think whatever they think? Angela (21:29.838) Can you walk out if they keep pushing? Can you actually grab your purse, go to your car, and leave? Because if the answer is yes, okay, maybe that situation is manageable for you. But if the answer is no, if you know deep down that you’ll freeze, overexplain, laugh it off, feel embarrassed, stay too long, and eventually get worn down, then you don’t go. Period. Not because sobriety sucks and you’ll never have a life again, but because right now you don’t trust yourself in that specific situation. And that is valuable information. Sobriety is built on truth. If you don’t trust yourself yet, tell the truth. I’m not ready for that. There’s power in that sentence. And maturity in that sentence, there’s sobriety in that sentence. Because here’s the mistake people think trust is something you have or you don’t have, but tr self-trust is built. It’s built by making a promise to yourself and keeping it over and over and over again. You don’t build self-trust by throwing yourself into the hardest situation possible and hoping for the best. You build it with reps. You build it by saying, I’m gonna leave after 45 minutes, and then you actually leave after 45 minutes. By saying, I’m not going to that event, and then not going even when you feel guilty or weird about it. Or saying, I’m gonna call someone before I get overwhelmed, and then actually calling. Or I’m gonna eat before I go, and you actually eat before you go. If I feel shaky, I’m leaving, and then you leave the second you feel shaky. That’s how you become a person you can trust by following through. And this is why your first year of sobriety is so important. Your first year is practice season. Angela (23:27.264) Okay, let’s make this concrete because I know some of you are mentally running through your upcoming calendar right now. All situations get the same question. Can I trust myself to follow my plan in the moment it gets hard? Not can I survive it in theory? Not do I want to go? Not will people think it’s weird if I skip it? Not have I been sober long enough, but can I trust myself fully, honestly? No bullshit. Can I trust myself when someone challenges my plan? When I feel pressure when it gets uncomfortable. If yes, go. Follow your plan. Leave when you said you would. If no, or even maybe, don’t go. Stay home, go to a meeting, call someone, make a different choice and do not feel guilty about it for even one second. This is where the work becomes real. Because doing the work is not some vague spiritual phrase we throw around to sound deep. Doing the work means you practice the skills That support your sobriety and your life. You practice setting boundaries, communicating clearly, saying no without writing a dissertation to justify it. Let people have their reactions. Don’t react or overreact. Notice your feelings without being controlled by them. Ask for help before you’re in crisis. Build your sober support system. Leave situations before they become dangerous. Choose your recovery over your ego. That’s the work. That’s where you build the recovery muscles. We don’t build strength by only doing things that feel easy. I know that’s annoying. I hate it too, but it’s true, right? If saying no is hard for you, the only way it gets easier is by saying no. If leaving early is hard for you, the only way it gets easier is by leaving early. If asking for help feels awkward, The only way it gets less awkward is by asking for help. That’s the process. And in the beginning, you need to be willing to make your world smaller so your sobriety can get stronger. That doesn’t mean forever. It means for now. I know people hate for now because they want a permanent answer. Will I ever go to a bar again? Will I ever go on a girl’s trip again? Will I ever be able to go to a wedding and not think about drinking? Maybe, maybe not. But that is not today’s problem. Today’s problem is staying sober. Angela (25:53.838) Today? And sometimes the answer is not right now. Not this time. Not this weekend. Not in my first 30 days. Not while I’m feeling shaky. Not with that group of people. Not at that location. Not without my car. Not if I’m already exhausted. Not if I don’t have support. Not if I don’t trust myself to leave. That is not missing out. That’s discernment. There’s a difference. Missing out and playing the victim says, Poor me, I don’t get to do anything. Discernment says I’m making a smart decision because my sobriety matters. And I want you to be very careful with the poor me story because that story will take you out. I don’t get to go, I don’t get to drink, everyone else gets to have fun. My life is so boring now. I’m missing everything. No, ma’am, no sir, no, thank you. You are not missing everything. You are missing some things temporarily because you’re building a life you don’t have to recover from. That’s the trade. And it’s worth it. The old you got to go everywhere and drink at everything. How did that work out? Exactly. So maybe the old decision making system doesn’t get to be in charge anymore. Maybe we stop asking, what do I want to do? and start asking, What protects the life I’m trying to build? That question will change everything. Because your desire in the moment is not always aligned with your long-term well-being. Sometimes you want the thing that will hurt you. Welcome to being human. I want things all the time that are not in my best interest. It doesn’t mean I’m broken. It means I need a system. It means I need honesty. It means I need enough self-respect to not let every impulse run my life. Also, I’m not five. I have to constantly remind myself I’m not five because I have plenty of moments I really want to act like a five-year-old. I want what I want and I want it right now. But we’re doing Angela (28:04.193) But what we’re doing in sobriety is different. We’re learning how to pause long enough to make a decision from our values instead of our cravings, our fear, our insecurity, and our people pleasing. So let’s wrap this up and talk about this simple decision-making process you can use when you’re invited to something. I want you to ask yourself five questions. First, is alcohol the main event? If the whole point of the event is drinking, be honest about that. Wine tasting is not a social activity, it’s a drinking activity. A bar crawl is not a bonding activity, it’s a drinking activity. A boozy brunch with bottomless mimosas is not about eggs. Let’s not be ridiculous. Okay? If alcohol is the main event, especially in early sobriety, that’s probably a no. Two, do these people support my sobriety? Not do they understand it perfectly, because they won’t. Not do they say everything the right way because they won’t. But do they respect your no? If you say, I’m not drinking, do they let that be enough? Or do they push, tease, question, make it about them, pressure you? Because people who pressure you after you say no are showing you something important. I want you to pay attention to that. Three, do I have control over my exit? This is non-negotiable. If you’re an early sobriety and you’re going into a drinking environment, you need a way out. Drive yourself. Have money for an Uber, do not be trapped. Don’t rely on the person who wants to stay until midnight or carpool with the drunkest group at the party. Do not put your sobriety in someone else’s hands, especially because you didn’t want to be inconvenient. Be inconvenient. Inconvenient keeps you sober. Four, what is my current condition? Are you rested? Have you eaten? Are you emotionally okay? Are you already stressed? Are you fighting with someone? Are you feeling lonely, resentful, hormonal, overwhelmed? Are you in one of those moods where everything feels like too much and one person breathing wrong might send you over the edge? Then maybe it’s not the day to go stand in a room full of alcohol and social pressure. Again, this is not weakness. This is intelligence. You have to know your own capacity. Angela (30:21.728) And five, can I trust myself to follow the plan? This is the big one. If your plan is to leave early, will you leave early? If your plan is to text someone when you feel uncomfortable, will you text them? If yes, proceed with caution and support. If no, change the plan. Don’t go or go for a shorter time or bring someone safe with you, or maybe just send a gift and stay home. Maybe you reschedule with that person one-on-one in a safer environment. There are options. This is not an all or nothing situation. And I think people get stuck with that. They think the options are go and act normal or stay home and be a loser. No, those are not the options. The options are endless, especially when you stop being dramatic. You can go to a ceremony and skip the reception, go to the dinner and don’t hang around for the drinks. Meet friends for breakfast instead of happy hour. You can host something yourself, alcohol free. Angela (31:25.09) You can tell people ahead of time, I’m not drinking right now, I’m focusing on my health, or I’m taking a break, or you can say nothing. You don’t owe everyone a TED talk about your relationship with alcohol. And please hear me on this. You do not have to manage everyone else’s feelings about your sobriety. If someone is uncomfortable because you’re not drinking, that’s their work to do, not yours. If someone feels judged because you order a Diet Coke, that’s their issue. You have to stop sacrificing your sobriety so other people can stay comfortable. That is not your job. Your job is to protect what you’re building. And in early sobriety, that protection may need to be aggressive. Not forever, but for now. You may need more structure than you want or more support than you think you should need. You may need to say no more than you’re used to. People might be disappointed. You might need to leave early. You may need to go home and cry because it felt awkward and unfair and weird. Fine, cry sober. That’s still a win. Doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good in the moment. Sometimes it is awkward or lonely or embarrassing. Sometimes it feels like grief. Sometimes you get in your car after leaving early and cry because you feel different from everyone else and you wish you could just be normal. That doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice. Sometimes the right choice feels hard because it’s breaking an old pattern. And every time you make that choice anyway, you’re building the new version of you. That’s the transformation. The version where you stop abandoning yourself to make other people comfortable. The version where you learn I can trust myself. That’s everything. Angela (33:21.868) Because once you start trusting yourself, sobriety changes. You stop feeling like you’re white knuckling against the world. You start feeling like you’re on your own team, like I know how to take care of myself. And you feel proud, not because everything’s easy, but because you follow through. You stay sober by making smart decisions before you’re in the danger zone. Angela (33:51.542) You stay sober by knowing yourself, respecting your limits, practicing the skills, and be willing to say, not yet. Can I go to the bar with my friends? Not yet. Can I do the girls’ weekend? Not yet. Can I be around my old drinking crew? Probably not yet. That doesn’t mean never. It means you’re honest about where you are right now. And where you are right now is in the building phase. You protect the build. You don’t pour a foundation and then let everyone drive trucks over it. You protect it while it sets. Your sobriety deserves the same respect. So as you head into summer and all the patios and vacations and weddings and barbecues and pool parties, everything starts showing up. I want you to stop asking, should I go? Ask better questions. Does this support my sobriety? Do these people respect my boundaries? What is my plan? Do I have a way out? What condition am I in? Angela (34:55.808) And most importantly, do I trust myself to follow through when the pressure hits? If the answer is yes, go with the plan. If the answer is no, don’t go. You can learn how to move through social situations without abandoning yourself, but you do it one decision at a time, one boundary at a time, one uncomfortable no at a time. That’s the work. The goal here is not to avoid everything forever. I want to be really clear about that. The goal is to get to a place where you know yourself well enough to make an honest call. And you get there by practicing, by starting with the situations where the answer is clearly yes, I can trust myself. And then you work your way up from there by not rushing the process because you’re afraid of what it looks like to say no, but by being honest when you’re not ready instead of pretending you’re farther along than you are. Your sobriety is worth more than any party, more than any wedding toast, more than anyone’s opinion about whether you’re fun or whether you’ve changed or whether you can handle it. Angela (36:06.476) Your sobriety is worth everything. It deserves all of your respect and all of your attention and all of your protection. Angela (36:18.13) And you know the drill. If you want personal support, if you’re really done fucking around with this thing and you are ready to get sober and stay sober and actually enjoy your life and feel good about it, call me. Addictionunlimited.com forward slash call. I am going to have two openings as of this weekend. I will have two spots open. Addictionunlimited.com forward slash call. That link is always in the show notes. I hope you guys are having a fantastic day and I will see you next week.

Making rules, breaking rules, starting over — if drinking takes up too much space in your brain, you’ll recognize yourself in this conversation. Not a dramatic rock bottom. Not losing everything. Not waking up one day suddenly certain she had to quit forever. Just years of exhausting negotiation. She tracked sober days on a calendar she bought at Target, crossing off each X with a pen and a ruler. She made rules — only on weekends, only when she went out, never at home — and watched every single one of them quietly expand until drinking had taken over the whole week. She quit for 60 days in the summer of 2019 specifically to prove to herself she didn’t have a problem…then went to a Zach Brown concert and hopped right back on. Sound familiar? The hardest part often isn’t the drinking itself. It’s the obsession. The constant mental debate. The planning, the bargaining, the monitoring, the shame. The promises you make to yourself that somehow never stick. In this episode, we talk about: The mental exhaustion of trying to control something that can’t be controlled Why high-functioning people stay stuck for years — and why “I still went to work” isn’t the whole story What white-knuckling sobriety actually feels like, and why willpower eventually runs out How connection and community changed everything for Denise What finally helped her stop going it alone What life actually looks and feels like five years in We also talk about the fear of quitting forever, the weird and wonderful things that surprised her in early sobriety, and why the evolution doesn’t happen sitting on your couch. This one is honest, funny, and real. If you’ve ever thought “maybe I can still figure this out” — this episode is for you.   Links mentioned in this episode: Book a Call: addictionunlimited.com/call Related Episode: It’s Not Your Drinking, It’s Your Thinking Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addictionunlimited/

You quit drinking—and now you’re staring at your life like… now what? No one really talks about this part. The part where alcohol is gone, but everything else is still the same—and suddenly, nothing fits. It feels hollow. Disconnected. Like you’re just trying to survive your own evenings. So you start questioning it: “Maybe I’m doing this wrong.” “Maybe sobriety isn’t for me.” That’s not the problem. The problem is you’re trying to build a new life using old materials. In this episode, we’re breaking down why that gap feels so uncomfortable—and what actually needs to happen for sobriety to start feeling like your life, not just something you’re trying to manage. Because nothing changes if nothing changes. And I’m sharing the exact shift that made the difference for me: a simple decision filter that completely rewired how I lived in early sobriety. “Is this what the old me would do?” If the answer was yes—I did the opposite. Not because it felt good. Not because it was easy. But because that’s how you build a new identity—one decision at a time. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to stop letting the old version of you make the decisions. Because you don’t get a new life by cleaning up the old one. You get it by building something completely different. If you’re sober but stuck… this is the episode that shows you what comes next.   Book A Call: addictionunlimited.com/call Related Episode: The Real Danger of Your Drunk Identity Find me on Instagram: @addictionunlimited

Have you told yourself you were done — really done — more times than you can count? Not cutting back, not taking a break. Done. And then a few days go by, maybe a few weeks, and suddenly the conversation starts again. Maybe just tonight. Maybe I’ve got it under control now. If that pattern sounds familiar, here’s what’s actually going on: you haven’t decided yet. In this episode, we’re breaking down the difference between visiting sobriety and actually leaving — and why keeping the door open even just a little bit is exactly what keeps the cycle going. This isn’t about willpower or wanting it badly enough. It’s about a decision you haven’t fully made. You’ll hear why taking a break from drinking can actually keep you stuck longer than the drinking itself, what your brain is really doing when it keeps bringing alcohol back up for review, and why the fear of “forever” isn’t a sign you’re not ready — it’s a sign you haven’t closed the loop. In this episode: Why taking a break from drinking feels productive — but isn’t actually changing anything The difference between trying to quit and deciding to quit — and why that gap is everything What “visiting sobriety” really means and why so many people live there for years Why clarity doesn’t come after you quit — it comes from the decision itself What it looks like to build a real system around your sobriety instead of relying on willpower If you’re tired of starting over, tired of the negotiation, tired of waking up and having the same exhausting conversation in your head — this episode is your next step. Ready to stop the cycle? Book a call with Angela at addictionunlimited.com/call Related Episode: The Science Of Sobriety And How To Feel Better Faster    

You’re not stuck because you can’t quit—you’re stuck because you’re still trying to control it. If you’ve ever told yourself “this time will be different”… only to end up right back at day one, this episode is going to hit. Because the problem isn’t that you don’t want to stop. It’s that part of you still wants alcohol to work. So instead of walking away… you keep negotiating. You make new rules. You try new strategies. You convince yourself you’ve got it handled. And for a little while, it feels like progress. But it’s not. It’s the same cycle—just dressed up differently. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly why moderating your drinking keeps you stuck, why it feels like effort but leads nowhere, and the truth you have to face if you actually want to get out of the loop. This is the shift most people avoid… and the one that changes everything. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why trying to “control” your drinking is what keeps you stuck in the cycle The real reason moderation feels like progress (but isn’t) What’s actually happening when you keep resetting and starting over Why this isn’t a discipline or willpower problem The hidden attachment that keeps pulling you back in How this pattern quietly destroys your confidence and self-trust Why fear—not failure—is the reason you stay stuck The truth about control that no one talks about What it actually takes to break the cycle for good If you’re tired of starting over… tired of negotiating with yourself… tired of feeling like you “should have this figured out by now”… This episode will show you exactly what’s been keeping you stuck—and what needs to change. Ready to stop the cycle for good? If you’re done trying to figure this out on your own and you’re ready to build something solid, I can help. 👉 Book a call: https://addictionunlimited.com/call We’ll talk about where you are, what’s been keeping you stuck, and what you actually need to move forward—with real support, real structure, and real direction. 👉 Related Episode: You’re Not Doing the Work — You’re Just Watching Other People Do It

You’re not crazy… but I know it feels like you are. You say you’re done.And you mean it. You wake up with that clarity… that this time is different energy. And for a little while, it is. A few days. Maybe a couple weeks. You feel better. Clearer. Back in control. And then something hits. Stress.Boredom.A bad day.A feeling you don’t know what to do with. And just like that… you’re right back where you started. Again. So what’s going on? Because this is the part that makes no sense: You’re smart.You’re capable.You handle everything else in your life. So why does this one thing keep taking you out? Why do you keep doing something you know isn’t working? Here’s the truth: It’s not a willpower problem. You’re not weak.You’re not broken. But you are missing a few critical pieces. And until you fix those…you’ll keep repeating the same cycle no matter how many times you start over. And there’s one part almost no one talks about— Even if you’re doing everything “right”… If part of you is still thinking:“Maybe someday I’ll be able to drink again”or“I’m not that bad” …you’re still in it. Because as long as alcohol is still an option in your mind,you will keep going back to it. That’s the loop. In this episode, I break it all down. Why you keep ending up back at Day One—even when you’re trying.What’s actually missing from your approach.The moment where most people relapse—and what’s really happening there.And the mindset that quietly keeps you stuck, even when you think you’re doing everything right. If you’re tired of starting over… this is where things can actually change. You don’t need more information. You need structure.You need support.You need a system that works when things get hard. That’s exactly what I’ve built inside the Recovery Accelerator. 👉 Join here: addictionunlimited.com/accelerator Enrollment closes April 2. If you’re done messing around and you want real help: 👉 Book a call: addictionunlimited.com/call We’ll talk about where you are, what’s getting in the way, and we can start RIGHT NOW. 👉 Related Episode: You’re Not Doing the Work – You’re Just Watching Other People Do It

What if life is boring without alcohol? That’s one of the biggest fears people have when they think about quitting drinking. Not just, “What will I do on Friday night?”But deeper questions like: Will I still be fun? Will people still like me? Will my relationship still work? What do I do with stress, anxiety, awkwardness, or family events without a drink? In this episode, I’m breaking down why that fear is so common, what’s really happening underneath it, and why “boredom” usually isn’t the real issue at all. We’re talking about the way alcohol becomes the signal to relax, connect, celebrate, and cope — and why removing it can feel like pulling a load-bearing wall out of your life. I also share a personal story about one of my biggest fears in early sobriety: that I wouldn’t be funny anymore. If you’ve been worried that life without alcohol will feel dull, lonely, or less fun, this episode will help you understand what’s actually going on — and why the version of you on the other side of this fear is more real, more confident, and more free. In this episode, we talk about: why people fear life without alcohol will be boring the real fear underneath “boredom” social anxiety, identity, and sober confidence how alcohol becomes the off switch for stress and discomfort why early sobriety can feel flat or empty at first dopamine, brain recalibration, and emotional healing how relationships and social life change without alcohol what it means to build a life you actually trust yourself in If you’ve ever wondered what life without alcohol actually looks like, grab your latte, pop in your earbuds, and let’s talk about what’s really going on underneath that fear.   Mentioned in this episode: Ready to stop drinking and start right now?DM me the word READY on Instagram or Facebook at Addiction Unlimited and let’s talk. Workshop:Why You Keep Starting OverMarch 26 at 10am CT$67 Register here:addictionunlimited.com/workshop Related Episode: The 4-Stage Recovery Roadmap and What to Work on at Each Stage

You know recovery is supposed to be more than just not drinking, but the day still feels like you’re mostly just getting through it. You might just be missing the foundation that makes recovery actually feel like something. Here’s what I know to be true: sobriety removes the alcohol. Recovery heals the patterns underneath it. And those are two very different things. But understanding the difference is one thing — living it on an ordinary Tuesday is another. In this episode, I’m walking you through a full recovery-focused day — hour by hour — and showing you exactly what living in recovery looks like in practice. We’re grounding it all in the three things addiction needs to thrive, and what you can do every single day to take them away from it. Not a perfect day. An intentional one. If you’ve ever wondered what recovery is actually supposed to look like — or you’ve been sober for a while and still feel like something’s missing — this one’s for you, my friend.   IN THIS EPISODE: The real difference between sobriety and recovery — and why it changes everything about how you approach your day The three things addiction needs to survive — and how recovery dismantles all three of them Why emotional isolation is just as dangerous as physical isolation — even if your calendar is full Why 99% of recovery — especially early on — is nervous system regulation, and what that actually looks like in your morning The eye contact story — and how breaking anxiety down into tiny pieces changed everything for me What active participation really means — and how to tell the difference between showing up and actually doing the work Why avoidance and procrastination aren’t laziness — they’re emotion regulation, and what to do about it instead How to close your day with honesty and intention — without the shame spiral This is the episode I wish I’d had when I first got sober. Hit play, my friend — let’s walk through the day together.   RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED: Episode 420 — Why You’re Sober But Still Have the Same Problems Episode 421 — Overwhelmed by Sobriety Advice? Here’s How to Actually Start Episode 418 — Presence Is Not Participation Recovery Accelerator — 4-Week Group Coaching Program: addictionunlimited.com/accelerator Book a Call with Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call   CONNECT: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addictionunlimited/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited

The 4-Stage Recovery Roadmap and What to Work on at Each Stage If you’re feeling stuck or confused about where you are in your sobriety and what you should actually be working on, this episode is for you. I see it all the time: people trying to fix everything at once, or trying to skip ahead to the deep emotional work when they haven’t even built a stable foundation yet. And then they relapse. Or they burn out. Or they just stay stuck in the same patterns. Today, I’m breaking down the four stages of recovery—what you should be focusing on at each stage, and why you can’t skip ahead. Here’s the thing: the timelines I’m giving you are general guidelines. They’re not rules. For me, I spent way more time in Stage 2. I needed that time. But Stage 3 went faster for me because I loved that part of my process —it was hands down my favorite part of the steps. So don’t get hung up on the timeline. What matters is that you’re doing the work required in each stage before you move on to the next one. You get out of this exactly what you put into it. In this episode, you’ll learn: –> 3:17: What Stage 1 actually looks like—and why the only goal is “don’t drink today” –> 6:03: How to navigate Stage 2 when you’re asking “Who am I without alcohol?” –> 11:05: Why Stage 3 is about rebuilding what matters and letting go of what doesn’t –> 14:11: What it means to shift from surviving to thriving in Stage 4 –> 16:50: Why you absolutely cannot skip stages—and what happens when you try Listen in and figure out where you are right now. Then focus on the work that actually matters at this stage—so you can build a life so powerful, so clear, so good that you’ll never want to leave it.   LINKS MENTIONED: Recovery Starter Kit Book a Free Consultation Call: addictionunlimited.com/call Episode 421 – Overwhelmed by Sobriety Advice, Here’s How to Actually Start Cozy Earth – Use code ANGELA for 20% off

You quit drinking. So why do you still have all the same problems? You quit drinking. That’s huge. But if you’re sitting there wondering why you still have all the same problems you had when you were drinking – I can tell you exactly why. Drinking was never the actual problem. It was a symptom. In this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between sobriety (removing alcohol) and recovery (healing the patterns underneath the behavior). Because putting down the drink is just the starting line, not the finish line. We talk about why you’re still making the same shitty choices (just without alcohol), the patterns keeping you stuck that have nothing to do with drinking, how to identify what you’re actually feeling when emotions are totally foreign, and the one thing that separates people who heal from people who stay stuck. Here’s the truth: most people think quitting drinking is the finish line. It’s not. Sobriety removes alcohol. Recovery heals the patterns. If you quit drinking but you’re still people-pleasing, self-sabotaging, avoiding discomfort, or reacting emotionally to everything – you’re just living your drinking life without alcohol. Same patterns, same problems, just without the numbing agent. This one’s raw, real, and no fluff. Just the truth about what it actually takes to heal. In this episode, I share: 3:30: Why drinking is only a symptom of bigger problems 8:03: The patterns you need to heal (and how to identify them) 13:14: What to do when you can’t even recognize what you’re feeling 15:10: Why action – not information – is what actually changes your life Listen in, and if you’re ready to take big action and get big results, I have three coaching spots open this month. Book a call at addictionunlimited.com/call. And check out this episode about how presence is not equal to participation: You’re Not Doing the Work — You’re Just Watching Other People Do It

Reading about sobriety isn’t the same as doing the work to get sober. If you feel like you’re doing everything for your sobriety—but nothing is actually changing—this episode is for you. And trust me, there’s a huge difference! Here’s the thing: when I got sober, the landscape looked completely different. There were no podcasts, no endless library of quit lit books, no free challenges. But today? You can fill every spare moment with sobriety content. And while that’s amazing in so many ways, it’s also created something I see over and over: people who mistake presence for participation. They’re reading books, listening to podcasts, signing up for challenges, even showing up to meetings – but they’re not actually engaging. They’re just… there. And that’s how people stay stuck for years—busy, informed, and still drinking. So in this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what it means to shift from passive presence to active participation. Because that shift? That’s where real transformation happens. I dive into: 3:48 – Why passive sobriety feels like progress but quietly keeps you stuck8:30 – The false comfort of other people’s stories vs. doing your own work13:12 – How to tell if you’re participating… or just observing17:36 – Why only showing up for celebration hurts your recovery (this one stings)19:56 – What real participation looks like—and why the same people succeed21:49 – Simple ways to start participating today, even if you’re uncomfortable Tune in and get ready to shift from being present in your recovery to actually participating in it. Because that’s where the magic happens, my friend. And I promise you’re capable of it – right now, exactly as you are. If you’re done consuming recovery content and ready to actually change, Sober Society is where that happens. Join us in Sober Society for just $27/month! We’ve got meetings throughout the week (and we’re adding more in February, including a meditation meeting!). This is a place where people actually show up, support each other, and do the work together. Find all the details at addictionunlimited.com/society Schedule a call to work with me at addictionunlimited.com/call