Hey Hey! Iâm sharing my answer to a question from a reader this week. And scroll down to watch the IG LIVE with Sober Mom Squad Founder Emily Paulson and Real Housewives star and sober mom Braunwyn Windham-Burke! đ
AF tip of the week
This one.
This is the one.
This process didnât start for me until I hit 1 year AF. The first year was a lot about how to âbeâ in the world without drinking. I went to events without booze. I had stressful, celebratory, lonely, and boring times, all without booze.
Year 2 was about figuring out who I was without it. For so long, I had been the life of the party. I wanted things to be fun, and I thought that meant getting a buzz on. The reality was that I couldnât keep up with that way of life and be happy. I wasnât going to live the life I deserved if I kept alcohol in my life.
The process of figuring out who you are without alcohol wonât be easy. It wonât be quick. I believe it takes years for us to truly figure it out - and even then, we still learn things about ourselves every day. The point is in the process. Keep an open mind, and keep learning about yourself.
Read books, listen to podcasts, and figure out what you like to do (and not do). Take an inventory of your life - who are your real friends? What types of things bring you joy or drain your energy? Do more joyful things and less draining things. You got this. â¤ď¸
Whatâs up?+ a picture
Last week was a busy (in a good way) week for me. I got a lot of projects done and made some progress on new ones.
Being productive feels SO. GOOD. to me. It boosts my mood more than a lot of things.
This week Iâve got 2 afternoons off, and I plan to use them wisely. Two meetings for prospective opportunities, and moreâŚ.you guessed it, writing! đ
Hereâs a photo I took a month back in my hometown. Thereâs something about recognizing how beautiful places are that you hadnât realized before. My hometown is one of these places. They call it âPretty Little Red Wingâ for a reason. As an adult, I realize why. â¤ď¸
Hereâs my latest writing:
Youâre Not the Only One Who Doesnât Drink. Find Someone Who Is Telling Your Story. [Medium]
Alcohol Doesnât Have to be An Accessory to Motherhood [SheKnows]
Should people with ADHD drink alcohol? Here's what the science says [Inflow]
Sober Instagram is reducing stigma around addiction [The Daily Dot]
Q & A
You askedâŚ
How do you deal with sugar cravings?
Hereâs what I thinkâŚ
Quick answer: eat something sweet. đ¤đ¤Ł
This all depends on where you are at in your AF journey. If youâre just starting out - eat all the sweets you want. You deserve it.
My motto is, âsugar isnât running my life just yet - so it can stay.â
But I realize that might not be a long-term fix for some. And even I start to feel icky after too much sugar too often.
Donât limit yourself to no sugar. Thatâs a huge lifestyle change, and itâs drastic. I like to get a bag of small chocolates and drop a few in my lunchbox for the week. I eat one every day after lunch as a treat. We also believe strongly in eating dessert in our family. And by âin our family,â I mean me. Lately, my son and I have ice cream after dinner. Itâs our âthing.â
Again, itâs a personal choice. But now that you donât drink - what are you treating yourself with? If you want that treat to be a sweet one - go ahead. Just know that too much is probably going to make you feel icky and might mess with your health-goals if you have them, so try to find a way to have it in your life without overdoing it.
Do you have a question you want to see answered here? Send me an email or DM me on Instagram.Â
You shouldâŚ
Read
One Of The Signature Cocktails Served At The Emmys Was Alcohol-Free [Tasting Table]
Watch
This IG LIVE!
braunwynwindhamburke: âSuch a great conversation with @emilylynnpaulson author of Hey Hun and Highlight Reel, finding honesty and recovery beyond the filtered life about the mommy wine culture, getting sober and having the honest conversations with our kids! If youâre sober, sober curious or just want info on how to live your best life ever watch and follow!! #sobermoms #sherecovers #onedayatatime #mommywinecultureâ
Things I like (with links)
Mocktail Club | use code: BLAIR15 for 15% off
Gruvi | use code: RELATABLEAF10 for 10% off first-time purchases
Curious Elixirs | use code: SHARP22 for $10 off $50
Recess | use code: RelatableAF for 15% off
NOPE | use code: RELATABLEAF for 20% off 2 or more 4-packs
Smart Sweets | use code: SOBRIETYACTIVIST10 for 10% off $30