March 17, 2024 • 47 mins
In 2023 the world saw "Alcohol Free" trending everywhere, in 2024 those trends are forecasted to continue to grow. As 3 friends living beautiful alcohol free lives, we couldn't be happier to see this! This is why we have been doing what we do with LAF Life Podcast for the past 2 years, to help raise awareness and normalize living an Alcohol Free life!
From celebrities sharing why their removing alcohol, to a growing amount of recovery resources being share on social media; there are sober communities, recovery coaches, virtual meetings, sober podcasts, and lots of books focused on addiction & recovery. Getting the help and support we need has never been more accessible. There are a few trends we are seeing in the Alcohol space though that we are not big fans of.
Listen here to get the BUZZ on all things trending "AF" now!!
Shout Outs:
Couch Carrie Body Fit for Life https://www.bodyfit4life.ca/
Lindsay Sutherland Boal She Walks Canada https://www.shewalkscanada.com/
Recommended YouTube Videos to watch about what happens when you quit alcohol:
https://youtu.be/0E8mClIa_0I?si=XcynhHBNWEtfNb-R
https://youtu.be/tYWlDOSSbhM?si=sz0H6BeXcVzDvC4i
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Tracey: https://www.instagram.com/tnd1274/
Kelly: https://www.instagram.com/pamperedkel/
Lindsey: https://www.instagram.com/hariklindsey/
**Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this episode are not professional or medical opinions. If you are struggling with an addiction please contact a medical professional for help.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kelly (00:02):
Welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, and Lindsey Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:24):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Hey everybody, welcome back tothe LAF Life Podcast.
This is Season 3, Episode 16,and tonight we're gonna chit
(00:49):
chat about trends around alcoholand living alcohol free, yeah
let's start chattin Hi ladies!Hey, Kel.
Hello.
Hi.
Trends started happening when westarted hearing about Sober
October and Dry January andthings like that.
Seeing lots on social media andcelebrities and things like
(01:13):
that.
So what do you guys think?
January was something to do andbe like, see, I can make it an
entire month without drinkingalcohol.
I don't have a problem.
I see a lot of billboards aroundour city, Kelly, here in
Winnipeg about, Making sure youeat when you're drinking
alcohol.
But lots of promotions on thedry January and February was
(01:36):
something too.
I can't remember what theycalled it here in Winnipeg, but
they were, they had named it andpeople were participating on
Facebook and posting about it.
I think February is dry Feb too.
Is it?
I think they're both dry.
Yeah.
Yeah, but I've noticed that Ithink that they're adding more
months in, which is awesomebecause I know there's July too,
(01:58):
right?
Dry July.
Lindsey (01:59):
July.
That's right.
You're right.
And
Tracey (02:02):
I feel like there was one getting squeezed in May or
something.
I saw something pop up and I waslike, Oh, this is awesome.
We're just getting more and moreof these pretty soon.
Every month is going to be dry.
No, it is for us.
We're trending with that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I do think it just, brings anawareness around, like people
(02:25):
are doing this, it's a thing.
And then people who try it, itbrings an awareness around what
their relationship to alcohol isand how they feel without it.
Absolutely.
I think that a lot of peopleafter they do it definitely are
more aware of how it makes themfeel and probably even somewhat
(02:48):
hesitant to go back to it.
Although I think that a lot ofpeople probably fall back into
it, but then there's somediehards that are like, as soon
as the 30 days up they'recounting down the days and.
They're celebrating, take backon the bottle.
Yeah.
Kelly (03:04):
Yeah, but I was just talking to somebody the other
day and they went for lunch withan old friend and they'd gone on
vacation and drank too much and,just hadn't had a drink since
then.
That was in the fall.
So months and months ago.
Yeah.
It wasn't a big deal.
They didn't do this, dry,whatever month.
They were just like, you knowwhat, I don't feel great.
And they haven't gone back to ityet.
(03:24):
And maybe they never will.
So I like that's happening too.
There's no label on it.
There's no definitive.
I am this.
and I need to do this.
It's just yeah, I don't feelgood with it, so I'm not going
to do it anymore.
So I think that's really coolthat's happening.
Lindsey (03:40):
living in a culture of inclusivity and recognizing
different diverse groups andmaking sure that people feel
included, right?
It's not just let's be honest,it's not just about LGBTQ now
it's expanding into people whoare alcohol free versus people
who are drinkers.
And I think just because we'rein that culture of inclusivity,
(04:02):
I think there are more spacesfor people who don't drink
alcohol and More options, wewere discussing before we hit
record that restaurants areoffering mocktail menus and
they're openly displayed now,whereas before you had to be
like, Hey, I'm not drinkingalcohol what can I get that
doesn't have any alcohol in it?
And someone would be like, whywould you want to do that?
Just that look, but yeah.
(04:24):
Yeah, it's more sociallyacceptable.
Tracey (04:27):
Yeah, I've seen an uptick in that for sure in
Ontario and restaurants thatthere's mocktail menus and
actually some displayed on thetable.
Me and Randy went to arestaurant a couple of weeks
ago.
I was saying before we hitrecord here and there was a buzz
free.
Cocktail menu.
I love that.
Yeah.
(04:48):
Yeah.
It was really cute on the table,which I thought that's amazing
because it was right there inyour face.
Yeah.
And not hidden at the back of amenu, which they tend to be or
typically are.
And then I'm just thinking yeah,you're at like this, trendy
restaurant and you get to pointto this cool.
Drink instead of saying Oh, havea virgin mojito, having to
(05:08):
announce it, but you don't evenhave to say it's alcohol free.
It's on the menu.
This is everybody's.
Yeah.
I like that.
I think it probably creates adifferent attitude towards it
with servers because there was atime where servers would be
like, Oh God, these peoplearen't drinking, you're not
going to get tipped.
(05:28):
Yeah, the
Kelly (05:29):
bill's gonna be too small.
Yeah.
So I think it really shifts thementality that way too.
And because they're making itstill like a special drink, they
can charge a little bit more forit.
So it's still can be put in thatcategory, if you're indulging.
I think that's good for thatindustry for sure.
(05:50):
Yeah.
That's a really good point.
Also have just noticed ingeneral that, and maybe it's
just my feed, but I don't thinkso that we were saying, there's
a lot of celebrities coming outnow, sharing how they have
chosen to give up alcohol andthe reasons why I see a lot of
(06:11):
interviews with celebritiestalking about that and not
necessarily celebrities that areclaiming they had Problem with
it, but that they just came toterms with the fact that they
weren't enjoying it anymore ortheir relationship with it had
changed and they weren't feelingit was really adding value to
their life anymore.
(06:31):
And even celebrities that arecoming out and being honest and
vulnerable about how they'vestruggled with it, right?
There are people writing booksthat Matthew Perry book, I
always talk about it, Idownloaded it on Audible and it
was insane.
I had no idea.
No idea how he struggled sobadly.
It was horrible.
(06:51):
And just to be that open andhonest about it, it really
paints a picture of a celebritywho has, access to all this
money and the lifestyle and it'sso glamorous and they can do and
have whatever they want.
And this individual is somiserable and so alone and
isolated and sad because of, Thealcohol use and the
(07:13):
overconsumption and all of thenear death experiences.
And I'm just like, Whoa, I thinkit's becoming more normal to
share these life experiences andto put yourself out there and,
cause a lot of people feelembarrassed in shame.
So I keep those things a secret,but when you have celebrities
speaking out about it and howthey've struggled, geez.
(07:37):
It's eye opening.
Yeah.
Society tends to put celebritieson a pedestal I think that's
strange, like for some reasonthink their life is perfect and
that's helpful to, to hear that.
Yeah.
It's not.
There is no, now we're talkingabout addiction, but like
addiction doesn't discriminateat all.
(07:58):
Yeah.
Yeah, I see a lot of youngcelebrities to talking about it,
which I think is great for theyounger generations because
they're a lot more influential.
I think you said, Kel people,our age don't really look to
celebrities so much as rolemodels, but younger people do
definitely.
So I think it's great thatthere's some young ones out
(08:19):
there talking about how they'renot indulging in alcohol either.
All these coaches now areemerging, it's not just AA
anymore, there's new trends inhow to get help and how to get
the support you need when you'reattempting to ditch alcohol for
good, or, Evaluate yourrelationship with it.
And, I think that's great.
(08:40):
These people are reachable onInstagram and they have social
medias and you can do zoom callsand do online coaching.
I think it's just the resourcesare becoming more accessible.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's, one of the reasonswhy we wanted to do this podcast
is to show that there isn't justone way to do this.
(09:01):
And yeah, even just in the lasthow long have we been doing
this?
Three years.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Three years.
It doesn't seem that long.
Two years.
Three seasons.
Sorry.
Oh, two years.
I believe.
Yeah.
Two years.
And even in that amount of time,it's changed a lot.
It has.
I've said, look at how manypodcasts have popped up in this
(09:22):
space as well.
When we started, we were one ofa handful, it seemed definitely.
I think we're still one of theselect few in our region, like
in Canada.
I think it's becoming a lot morepopular in the US but even
people we've had on the podcasthave started their own podcast
since.
Having them on as guests, whichis great.
(09:43):
It's amazing'cause it's just,yeah.
The more people that are talkingabout it and the more.
Different ages and differenteverything it's better to have
as many people as possibletalking about it openly without
shame and just sharing ourexperiences.
It's really helping normalizeit, right?
Normalize it.
(10:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
It's funny.
I was talking to my mom aboutthat the other day, she was
talking about someone she knewrecently that somebody in their
family is an alcoholic.
And I said, it's just about timepeople understand that there are
successful thriving people withthis problem.
It's not just, the guy on thestreet corner.
(10:25):
Drinking out of a bottle with abum on the street, these are
successful people out therestruggling in the world and
struggling with these problemsand it's becoming more and more
normal that it's that type ofproblem and people have to
recognize that.
Yeah, In general.
I was reading an article thatwas saying in 2023, it became
(10:50):
more of a trend, the wholealcohol free thing, especially
an uptick and Alcohol Free freebeverages and whatnot.
And then in 2024, they'reforecasting That there's going
to be even more things comingabout and I know here, you guys
have the silver market inWinnipeg, which is awesome,
which they've come to Ontario tonow they've opened in Toronto.
(11:13):
So that's amazing.
It will be nice if we start tosee more of those types of
stores.
But what I have seen is an kindof increase in coffee shops.
Which I think is awesome, too.
Oh, that's a good point.
Yes.
Tracey (11:29):
Yeah.
Because, it gives people otherplaces to go, other than a bar
or restaurant, to meet up or tohave a good chat, even to catch
up with a friend.
And my only complaint is that alot of these coffee shops are
not open late enough.
Yeah.
So I'm putting that out there inthe world, you coffee shop
(11:51):
owners out there opening up, youneed to stay open later for
people so that more people gothere and not to bars and not to
restaurants where there isalcohol.
I wonder if there's going to bebars that are like strictly
alcohol free that open.
I don't think I've seen one.
There is.
There's sans bar.
(12:12):
Are there?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, we talked about it onthe podcast before.
It's in the U.
S.
I think there's more than one.
Oh, I think there's more thanone in the U.
S., but whether we'll startseeing them here in Canada,
Linz, I hope so.
Interesting.
Lindsey (12:27):
Yes.
That would be just awesome.
Just no alcohol available in thebuilding at all.
It's all just non alcoholicoptions.
That would be great.
It's funny.
My mom wanted to do that.
Really?
And I was like, Mom, I'm notprepared to go down that venture
at this point in my life.
And you shouldn't be either.
She's whoa.
(12:48):
In her 70s?
Yeah.
Anyways.
Kelly (12:51):
There's alcohol free events popping up, right?
What did you post in our groupchat there, Trace, about walks,
Tracey (12:58):
or?
Yes,
Lindsey (12:59):
Yeah, so That's really cool.
There's somebody else out therethat is putting together, again,
instead of meetings or whatnot,walks, where you can gather in
your community, and there'sdifferent, leaders of some sort
of these walks, and You can goon their website and check out
(13:21):
if there's a walk in your areaand then join these people for a
walk, which I think is awesome.
I love that.
Yeah, what a great way to meetsome like minded people and new
connections.
Absolutely.
Tracey (13:32):
Healthy connections.
And get out in nature and getsome exercise.
Yeah.
Lindsey (13:35):
I know.
And do exercise.
Without alcohol, like I'm reallysick of the gyms and stuff
celebrating fitness milestoneswith alcohol I'm just, oh, it's
so misaligned.
I'm not a fan of that or likethe yoga and wine events.
I feel like I'm seeing less andless of those things though.
I don't know if it's just myfeed now literally feeding me
(13:58):
things that I'm interactingwith, which doesn't include
those events any longer.
But beer and yoga do not gotogether at all.
Kelly (14:07):
Alcohol, any sort of alcohol.
Lindsey (14:10):
I don't know the trend that I'm seeing right now is the
alcohol with fitness
Kelly (14:16):
which is just complete and total bullshit.
Lindsey (14:20):
It doesn't mix.
I can't stand it.
I don't either.
Kelly (14:23):
I'll tell you what bothers me about that is
somebody like me, when I was init and struggling That type of
culture, it's similar to themommy wine culture, anything
like that's making it okay, mademe feel like I needed to figure
this out.
I needed to figure out how tocontrol this alcohol thing,
because it's such a part, and todrink normally, and to go to
(14:46):
yoga and drink, or go to a gymthing and drink.
And that's such crap because weknow now that it causes 7 that.
Yes, seven types of cancer.
And with the seven, one isbreast cancer.
So for women it's seven, for menit's six.
Lindsey (15:02):
But here's another perspective on it.
What do you tell the people,because I've heard this before
you're going to die eventually.
Kelly (15:09):
What kind of quality of life do you want to have?
For me.
It's quality of life.
I'm going to be 50 this year,and I'm so excited about it
because I feel better than I'veever felt.
And it's like a celebration.
I want to be the grandma thatdoes everything with the kids
and travel wherever I want totravel to.
It's quality of life for me.
(15:29):
So I think that's a total copout when people say that you're
going to hear that a lot.
I'm a lot.
You're going to die anyway.
Yeah.
So you want to be a burden toyour family.
You want to miss out on your,you want to miss out on your
kids and your grandkids.
Yeah.
And society and the healthcaresystem.
Yeah.
I was going to say, I thinkthat's just another excuse.
(15:50):
Yes.
Another excuse.
Right?
Everything's bad for you.
Yeah.
That's what people say.
Yeah.
Lindsey (15:55):
I hear that a lot.
Tracey (15:56):
Yeah.
But that doesn't mean you can'teliminate some of the bad, or as
much as you have control over.
Yeah.
Yes.
Lindsey (16:03):
Yeah.
There are people that I knowthat work really hard on their
fitness.
Like I'm talking, they put inthe work at the gym.
The diet, they're doing theirmacros, they are eating super
clean, and yet they say out loudand complain they can't lose the
(16:24):
weight.
And I'm like, wait, I see youdrinking wine every weekend.
People just don't want to givethat part to you.
And I just think man, like allof this hard work that you're
putting in, you're just flushingit down the drain every weekend
when you are partying hard withyour girlfriends or you're
relaxing and celebrating orhowever you use it.
(16:46):
I'm just like ah, give the noalcohol route a try because I
bet in six months you would seeResults it really does a number
on your liver, which is alsoresponsible for processing fat
and stuff right, your whole bodyis out of whack if you're
drinking alcohol and trying toLive a certain healthy lifestyle
(17:07):
and you have certain fitnessgoals.
I just don't think that it worksyet.
And then there are people thatdo drink, they can drink and
they do hit their milestones andtheir fitness goals and the
things they what's happening totheir insides.
See, I feel like there's a lotof people that maybe they ignore
all of that stuff because theyonly care about what they look
like.
So what about the quality oflife?
(17:28):
What about 10 years from now, 15years from now, 20 years from
now, what's happening on theinside?
Tracey (17:34):
I just want to give a shout out to a friend of mine,
actually, that owns her ownfitness business.
And I had posted and sharedsomething she shared on her page
the other day, body fit forlife.
Her name's Carrie.
Hi Carrie.
Yeah, we will put a shout out toher in our notes here.
(17:54):
But yeah, she's Carrie.
Yes, she shared some reallygreat information on alcohol and
fitness and what it does to yourbody and how it is
counterproductive for yourprogress.
And she even admits, which Iappreciate this about her, she
admits she drinks.
And she admits that it affectsher progress as well.
(18:15):
Kudos to her for that, forexplaining to people what the
effects can be, and admittingthat her herself struggles with
that.
But she's not promotingdrinking, she's telling you.
That it will affect yourprogress if you decide to drink
alcohol.
So I thought that was great.
And I liked seeing that opposedto the, Oh yeah, come do some
(18:39):
yoga and drink some wine at thesame time, oh yeah.
Kelly (18:44):
Yeah.
Yeah.
She's definitely done herresearch by that post.
Tracey (18:48):
Yeah.
Yeah, that was great.
Kelly (18:51):
So yeah, that's a trend that we would like to see go
away.
Lindsey (18:55):
Fitness and alcohol, right?
Don't mix.
They don't mix.
Yeah.
That one's not a good one.
Yeah.
But again, so happy to see allthe other good things trending.
The other thing I'm seeing a lotof is YouTube videos where
people are trying a temporaryalcohol free, like I'm not going
(19:16):
to drink for a thousand days.
And then here's what happenedwhen I didn't drink for a
thousand days.
And I've seen some reallyawesome videos on that where
people go into all the detailsof.
How it changed their life andall the changes they felt, which
I think is very powerful foranybody out there.
(19:37):
That's considering it.
Definitely go on YouTube andwatch a couple of those because
they are very inspiring and Ithink they're really well done
actually, by a lot of the peoplethat have done them.
what are some of the things thatthey experienced?
Oh, talking about the clarity,the mental clarity, the energy,
the creativity, like all thethings that we talk about, but
(20:00):
there's people going through it,just expressing it in a way
that's really impactful.
And I love that people aresharing that and showing their
journey through it.
There was a couple on there thatI watched that were great.
Chris Williamson, who's apodcast a very famous podcast
host of modern wisdom.
(20:22):
He did it too, and he has a goodYouTube video on it.
Yeah, there's a bunch of peopleout there, so it's really great.
I can definitely put some of theones I've seen in our show notes
as well for people to check out.
Yeah, I definitely didn'trealize, and I'm sure a lot of
people don't realize how muchmore space it creates, like
(20:42):
getting rid of the alcoholcreates space for anything that
I felt was lacking in my life.
Time to do things,
Tracey (20:50):
that's what a lot of people say to you.
Oh my God, I had so much time,all of a sudden,
Kelly (20:54):
creativity, reconnection with nature.
It just creates space for all ofthe things that your intuition
is telling you that you'remissing.
And then some, cause thenthere's even more on top of
that.
It's wide open space.
Lindsey (21:06):
That could be scary because I think people can feel
bored at first.
I know.
I did.
I did.
Yeah.
I was like, I don't know what todo.
Yeah.
Like I wanna watch Netflix and,but I'm it, but that's where
drink wine.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
So I don't know.
I would feel in the beginningreally bored and then over time,
like over a few weeks thattended to pass.
(21:27):
And then I realized how tired Iwas.
Because I think I said onanother podcast episode, come
Friday, I would be really tiredjust from the work week.
And I knew I was tired and Iknew what I needed was to go
home and probably go to bedearly, but I would stop at the
liquor store and buy my bottletwo bottles of wine and I would
drink, start drinking after Iate dinner Friday, right?
(21:49):
And I would stay up till threein the morning.
So I'm intoxicated.
I'm up late, pushing my body tostay up.
And then I'm eating super latebecause I'm drinking like, oh my
God, and snacking.
So yeah.
And now lindsay, that createdspace for what?
Lindsay is a master at Napping.
(22:10):
Napping.
Yeah, I was like, squirreling,squirreling out because here's
the thing, Saturday, more thanhalf the day would be gone
recovering, right?
I would be like, so sick, sohungover.
So you don't actually realizehow much time.
When you actually have it andyou're not hung over, you're
like, wow, okay, what do I do?
(22:31):
And you're not getting goodquality sleep when you're
drinking anyways.
Tracey (22:33):
When you're screwing up your circadian rhythm, really,
because like you said, and I wasreading something about this
today, actually in my menopausecoaching that I'm taking about
how Yes.
When you push yourself past whatyou should do as a steady
bedtime.
Yeah.
You're messing up your circadianrhythm.
(22:54):
So then top that with havingalcohol in your system and your
sleep's going to be disruptedand everything else.
It's just, it's so bad.
It's not good.
No, it's not shocking that whenyou stop like you, Lynn's, You
feel tired.
So tired.
When you probably should, yeah.
(23:15):
I think it just all catches up.
Because you aren't pushingyourself fast.
Exactly.
You're where you should be.
And the problem is that a lot ofpeople, including myself, we use
that as our wind down time.
Our wind down activity.
Yeah.
And then end up pushingourselves way past what we
(23:35):
should and then really pay forit on the other side.
Yeah,
Lindsey (23:39):
total opposite.
The other thing I was justthinking that came to mind is
I'm noticing a lot of apps haveyou guys heard of reframe?
So these things are trending nowwhere it's like an app you
download to help you moderate.
how much you drink.
So this is the other thing.
It's like the sober curiousthing is trending.
(23:59):
And then I'm noticing moderationis now trending where there are
these apps.
You download it.
I don't know what is involved.
I've not downloaded this app,but I want to because I'm
curious, but it's supposed tohelp you like, say you're
somebody that drinks.
Eight drinks a week.
It's going to help you go fromeight to six, from six to four.
(24:20):
And it's to slowly cut back onyour drinking.
And I feel like that's trending.
What do you guys think?
Tracey (24:27):
I've seen it definitely coming up in my feed.
I don't know what it's abouteither, but I agree.
So I want to shout out to thegirl we were talking about
earlier, or the organizationabout the walks.
It's called She Walks Canada.
Yes, she is also created an app.
I'm not sure what her app iscalled and it hasn't been
(24:50):
launched yet, but I know her appis more around actually
providing coaching.
That's cool.
And some other things as well.
But yeah, so in saying thatyou're right, Linz, I am seeing
that as a trend for sure.
I know we had Chrissy on herein, I think, season one and she
was talking about an app as wellthat was just starting at that
(25:13):
time.
I think it was called Live andit was all geared towards living
alcohol free as well.
Lindsey (25:19):
I think maybe that's not as scary.
Just saying, that's it, you'restopping drinking I think maybe
that's why it's gainingtraction.
Because if you're thinking toyourself, Oh God, like I, I
can't do this anymore.
I know I need to cut back.
That's what I started outsaying.
I have to cut back.
It wasn't like, I have toeliminate this altogether.
I feel like that's such a finalthing.
(25:42):
It can be so intimidating that Ithink people, start out
moderating and then theyeventually get to zero and
realize, wow, I don't need thisanymore.
It's that little crutch alongthe way okay, I don't know.
I didn't moderate.
I was just gave it up completelyall in one go, but I know that
everybody's different and maybenot everybody's going to be able
(26:04):
to do that.
I couldn't.
I tried.
That was pretty exhausting.
The only drink that you couldcontrol was the first one.
I've heard that before and I waslike, dang, that applies to me.
Cause if I'm having one, I'mhaving 27.
Yeah,
Tracey (26:18):
I think it's something that they can experiment with
and in private, right?
Because they can just downloadit to their phone and do it on
their own without having tolike.
Shout out that they're tryingthis or doing it.
I think it's the privacy of itand the experimentation of it.
It's something that they canexperiment with at low cost to
(26:41):
themselves.
And yeah, I think that's why itwould be intriguing as well.
Lindsey (26:47):
Here on the Reframe app, not that I'm plugging them,
but they're saying six steps todrink less, or signs you drink
too much, the ten benefits ofsobriety.
These apps are designed to helppeople cut back.
And again, that awareness,right?
Like it is all bringing anawareness of what is your
relationship with alcohol andhow do you feel when you don't
(27:11):
drink or drink way less?
Yeah.
Tracey (27:15):
And also showing everybody what we're trying to
do, that there's not just oneway to do it.
No, there are so many options.
There that may be able tomoderate, that may be able to
wean themselves off and thatworks for them.
And as they drink less and less,they see how much better they
feel.
Although that wasn't somethingthat worked for us because we
(27:37):
were more all or nothing typepeople, which a lot of people
are too, that struggle withalcohol or addiction.
But there are people out therethat probably.
Could moderate or could practicethat anyways, and it might work
for them.
Lindsey (27:52):
And I think it takes practice, right?
Because I think it's reallyscary when you've been doing
something for so long.
It just becomes that securityblanket and.
I think people, that's justexactly it.
People need to practice.
And I like that's a really goodpoint about apps is it's
private.
You can download it on yourphone.
You don't have to be face toface with anybody.
(28:14):
And it's something you can workon your own.
It's like going into what I did,which I think Kelly did as well.
I went into a Facebook group,right?
When I was becoming curiousabout giving up alcohol.
I went into a group that nobodyI knew would be in.
And that I could just, on my owntime or whatever, be in there
(28:35):
and investigate what's going onin here, pique my curiosity,
basically.
Oh
Kelly (28:39):
my gosh, I remember reading people's posts and then
creeping their profiles and thenbeing like, Oh my gosh, they're
just like me.
Like we were talking earlierabout I call it in the gutter.
Like I thought I didn't have aproblem because I wasn't in the
gutter, but yeah, that wasinteresting to create their
profile and be like, Oh theyhave a normal looking life.
(29:01):
Just like I do.
Yeah.
Tracey (29:04):
That's a good point.
And I think to even I'm gonnashout out my Peloton sober
squad, hashtag sober squad eventhese sports groups or you think
something like Peloton hasnothing to really do with not
drinking, but yet us soberpeople, or the people who are
questioning their relationshipwith alcohol, come together
(29:25):
within these groups and wecreate these little subgroups.
So now there's a Facebook groupand I'm in it and There are
thousands of people in it.
We have almost 5, 000 people init.
And you come together and you'redoing a Peloton ride and you see
your other sober squad people onthere from all over the world.
And you're like, dang, we're inthis together.
And people share some reallyheartbreaking posts in there.
(29:47):
One person the other day, andthey're able to share
anonymously too.
You can post as an anonymousmember, One person was like, I'm
just done.
I can't do this anymore, but Ialso can't stop.
I don't know what to do.
And then everyone's Hey, did youknow we have zoom meetings?
I was like, what?
So I'm like reading the commentsand these people within this
(30:08):
group that have this similarpassion of, spinning on the bike
or just, doing the, theworkouts, are banding together.
To make their own meetings onzoom.
Anybody can attend them.
And I'm that's really great.
Sobriety is poking its head upand all these different
activities and groups.
And I don't know.
(30:29):
I just, I love it.
I love seeing that the support.
Kelly (30:32):
Yeah, the community, I think community is essential.
I don't think for me, I wassuper lonely, trying to do
things in private and thingslike that.
That was torture for me.
I was just like living in shameand it was awful.
And it's not until I found thatcommunity feeling like you're
describing lens is that's when Iwas like, okay, I'm not the only
(30:55):
one.
That feels this way.
I'm not the only one thatstruggles with alcohol that's so
important.
That's, one of the positives ofsocial media is that we have
these groups and things likethat.
And there are in person groupsand there is AA and there are
other in person groups that arenot AA.
And, there's lots of options forcommunity, but I think community
(31:15):
is essential for this whenyou're really struggling.
Yeah.
Tracey (31:20):
And what a great platform for that Linds because
that is trending like Pelotonis.
Yeah, it is.
Yes, it is.
And then that aligns with ahealthy lifestyle.
Yes.
So that's such a great platformfor it.
I love it.
I am fortunate enough to havehad that experience in some of
(31:41):
the fitness facilities.
I've chosen to go to in my areatoo.
My friends at free to be, theyasked me to speak there and they
definitely supported the girlthat owns that Jim does not
drink herself.
She went alcohol free duringCOVID also our friend Deb, who
was on the podcast, I believe,in season 2.
(32:03):
I met her at a yoga studio herein town that also she hosted,
Sober seminars there.
So it is great to see it,especially when it does align
with a healthy lifestyle andseeing people in the health and
fitness industry supporting it.
That's really great.
Yeah.
It's really the perfect platformfor it.
(32:24):
Yes.
So it is a shame when people gothe other way.
It makes me question even thegym that I love, that I'm a
member of here.
I'm like, am I going to renew inApril?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Cause it's really expensive.
And sometimes I'm like, huh.
And it's funny how these thingscome into your life and not
(32:44):
everything is permanent.
And it, helps you transform andkickstart your journey.
Then you're like, you move up oryou go a different direction or
you go this way and you're like,Oh, that's where I want to be
now.
Yeah,
Kelly (32:56):
When it's time for a change, I told you guys in our
group chat that I changed yogastudios after six years.
I was shocked.
I know, we had talked about itAnd I have an attachment to it
because I cried when I thoughtabout leaving.
And, we talked about that on anepisode too, like having
attachments to things and havingthat awareness around
attachments.
I'm like that means it's timefor change.
(33:17):
So found a great little newlittle yoga studio.
And my first friend that I madethere, maybe she's listening,
met her in the change room.
And if after a few conversationsmentioned that we have this
podcast.
And then she told me that she'seight and a half years.
It's alcohol free.
Gosh.
Amazing.
Yeah.
I love those synchronicities andthings that happen and I never
(33:39):
think that anything like thathappens by accident, but yeah,
follow that gut feeling, thatcuriosity Linds, maybe there's
something different down theroad for you.
Yeah, it's interesting becausethat happened to my sister in
law as well.
She goes to a gym she loves.
She really connected with theowners and became friends with
them.
But then she started questioningsome of their practices because
(34:02):
they were doing these Yeah.
Outings that involved alcoholyoga and wine, tasting and stuff
like that.
And she started to question do Ireally want to be around this?
Because I don't really think itsupports or aligns with my
needs.
My health goals, so not that shestopped going to the gym or
(34:25):
anything, but I think she justsecond guess spending her time
with the people that she wasjust getting to know as someone
new in her life and how it mightnot make as much sense as she.
Had hoped kind of thing.
Yeah, change is good.
Change is healthy.
Yeah, it is good.
Yeah,
Tracey (34:44):
absolutely.
I'm proud of you, Kel for that.
Oh, thanks.
Lindsey (34:47):
Yes.
That's been a positive.
That should be
Kelly (34:49):
said for sure.
Yeah, there was, it wasn'talcohol related, what was going
on there, but there was stuffthat was definitely not in
alignment with Me and I did notwant to be spending my money
there anymore and it was a lotof money, so right.
Lindsey (35:04):
Yeah, but you have the confidence I don't know my
drinking version probably wouldhave just been like saw
something that I didn't agreewith and then just continue to
go anyways.
But you're like, no, I have theconfidence to say to myself,
wait a second, I don't quitefeel aligned here.
Something feels off and I'mgoing to take action and do
something about it.
And it's painful.
(35:24):
The change is not something youwere, looking to do.
But.
I don't know, you're able tomake that tough decision and let
go of something that you weresuper attached to and move on.
And it's going to be, I thinkit's going to be a really good
experience to meet other people.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kelly (35:44):
Yeah.
Sometimes you got to shakethings up.
This seems to be my year ofshaking things up.
I moved.
Yeah, all this stuff.
So it's exciting and not knowingwhat it's all going to look like
or how it's all going to playout is pretty exciting.
I like it.
Lindsey (36:00):
I was going to say another trending topic that
popped into my head is Peoplesaying that they're sober, but
California sober, usingpsychedelics or marijuana, but
not drinking alcohol and saying,I'm sober.
There's so many different trainsof thought on that.
(36:22):
But I think even that topic andthose things like psychedelics,
I've not experienced.
Haven't experienced those thingsmyself personally, so I can't
really comment on it, but I feellike I'm hearing more about it.
There's lots of research aroundpsychedelics and healing really
good stuff.
(36:42):
We talked about this on thepodcast before the series to
watch is how to change yourmind.
Ooh, wait, is this on netflix?
Yes, it is so eye opening,Lindsay, I think you'd really
like it.
I'm writing it down right nowbecause I'm gonna, I have
Alzheimer's, I'm gonna forgetwhen we get off this.
I'll be like, what was thatcalled?
Kelly (37:00):
How to change your mind.
How to change your mind.
But yeah, we talked about thattoo on an earlier episode about
the definition of sober and howI think we should just let
people define it.
themselves.
Like we're here to talk aboutalcohol free.
I've had really good experienceswith psychedelics and healing.
That's good to hear that.
Cause I was like, Oh, I shouldtry.
(37:21):
And then I'm like, I'm scared.
We can definitely talk about myexperiences.
I'm happy to share.
Yeah.
And you could yeah, there's allkinds, but I think you should
watch that series.
One of them is specifically onmushrooms, but there's four
different episodes.
Lindsey (37:36):
It's really good.
I'm going to watch for sure.
Cause I feel like I want tolearn more about it.
I was really judgy about it inthe beginning.
I was like because,
Kelly (37:46):
yeah, because they were, and same with cannabis, there's
another I think the best Onethat I've seen documentary is
called the grass is greenerwriting it down.
Yeah, it's really good it'llchange that like the judging
Your perspective because in myopinion like after watching
those I think that those twothings Specifically should never
(38:08):
be classified as drugs like wesaw in the 80s the war on drugs
and all that stuff.
Yeah, it's pretty interestingstuff I believe in plant
medicine.
I really do.
I think that's why though yousee a lot of new and trending
terminology for being sober.
It's not just one umbrellaanymore, right?
It's not just being sober.
(38:29):
There's alcohol free.
There's, sober curious, and Ithink that's why people are
coming up with these terms,because that's what they can
relate to and identify with.
Even we say, none of us reallylike the term alcoholic, right?
It's a label that's yeah, it isa very negative label.
(38:50):
It is.
That's what some people can seeis for sober too, especially if,
they do color outside the lines,so to speak.
We were sharing today, this wasa potential topic for a podcast,
but there's even trends this isbeing researched now from a
genetic point of view and genesare being looked at, is
(39:13):
addiction a disease, is it achoice?
I think there's a more trendingresearch although I know they've
been researching this since theeighties, but I think we're now
just hearing about it.
And I think there's a lot moreawareness that research is being
done and.
I think there's more curiosityabout it.
(39:33):
Like, why is somebody unable tostop drinking?
They literally can't stopthinking about it.
Somebody like Matthew Perry,somebody like me, I'm like,
okay, if I don't have alcohol,I'm not thinking about it.
I don't miss it.
I've gone so long now that Idon't like, I don't know what
it's like to fight every daytrying to stay sober.
But there are people who That istheir reality.
(39:56):
Yeah, I think we're just, yeah,there's a lot more research, I
think, being done on those kindsof things now and more curiosity
about it.
Tracey (40:04):
The good news is it looks like some of the research
is supposed to be being done forthe good to help put together,
preventative treatments for thiskind of thing, or identify it a
lot earlier than, we have beenable to.
So that in itself is amazing.
Lindsey (40:24):
Even with that being said, there was that thing that
I shared in our Facebook grouptoday in the LAF Life Facebook
group.
It was from Annie Grace.
And when I read it, it literallyblew my mind.
Before you drank alcohol, youdidn't miss it.
You didn't think about it.
You were happy and free.
And I'm like shit You were happyand free.
(40:46):
But I don't miss something thatI've never done.
I don't crave something thatI've never done.
So is that the answer?
I think we're leaning towardsthat where we're going to
eventually be in a world wherepeople just don't even try
alcohol.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kelly (41:03):
Our natural state as humans is peace, right?
So anything that takes away thatpiece is something that's been
piled on to us, some sort ofconditioning or belief or, is
alcohol such a thing?
Tracey (41:17):
this could be a whole nother topic, but I know how
many topics are we going to talkabout today.
Randy was saying to me after helistened to our spirituality and
sobriety episode.
He was saying, when we'retalking about the whole concept
of people using alcohol to comeout of their shell.
(41:38):
Oh, yeah.
He was saying, do you think thatpeople would feel the need to do
that if there wasn't so muchsocietal pressure on them for
everything else, like parentspushing kids to go find friends,
go play with friends, thenparents and society pushing
people, you need to find apartner.
(41:59):
All those things require you tobe social or have social skills.
If we didn't feel so much,underlying pressure to do all
those things, would we then feelas much pressure to drink or use
alcohol to bring us out of ourshells if that wasn't our
natural state?
Lindsey (42:18):
So let's say you're around a bunch of people that
you have nothing in common withand you have a hard time
socializing with.
You use alcohol to tolerate it.
Yes.
Exactly.
You numb yourself with alcoholso that these people become more
tolerable.
So I think that's a clue, right?
(42:41):
You're around the wrong people.
You're just around the wrongpeople.
It's not, I need to add insomething.
You need to take away somethinglike, yes.
Oh, that's so good.
That's a real good.
Tracey (42:51):
I think I sent you guys a clip of someone talking about
how people think that I'll callmakes people interesting or fun
when in reality, most peoplethat.
are heavy drinkers are some ofthe least interesting people
you'll meet.
Yeah, because they just repeatthemselves all the time.
(43:12):
And I'm talking about myself,but yeah, thinking I was funny
or a good dancer or whatever.
It's just, I was annoying, Ithink.
Interesting.
Do you truly learn actual socialskills when you're drinking?
No, because in order to have anintellectual conversation with
(43:33):
someone you're not.
I'm going to use alcohol forthat, because your intellect
should come from a clear mindedperson, not someone who's
intoxicated, because as soon asyou get intoxicated, you're not
on an intellectual level, you'rejust on the, I'm doing stupid
shit.
And I can't make cleardecisions.
(43:54):
Your brain is turned off yeah,basically you're off, you're not
switched on.
Things aren't firing properly.
You're not processing properlyand you're not going to fricking
remember anything.
And yeah, you look and sound Idon't know.
It's not very flattering, right?
Kelly (44:13):
No, exactly.
Tracey (44:14):
If it was flattering, I'm sure we'd all get drunk
before we went on a jobinterview, right?
Oh my gosh.
And if alcohol really did helpyou socialize, right?
Wouldn't we all just be, downingsome drinks before a job
interview?
Nobody really I shouldn't saynobody.
I'm sure there are people thatdo, but yeah.
But I think it goes back tothat's because that's what
(44:36):
society is instilled in ourminds.
Society is instilled in ourminds exactly what Randy was
saying or what Kelly was saying,all the systems out there and
society is instilled in ourminds that's what being social
is.
And that involves drinking.
Kelly (44:52):
I think, back to having curiosity around things.
I really think that's such aCuriosity is such a gateway to
understanding why we believe thethings we believe.
Or why you got judgy about thatthing, Linz.
Curiosity.
And taking your own path, like,why did I do this thing?
(45:15):
And that's why I find therapy sohelpful.
It's like, why am I doing thesethings in my life that are
making my life harder?
And just getting really curiousabout it.
Curiosity.
Tracey (45:25):
Yeah, that's good.
That's a good point.
Asking yourself the why.
Kelly (45:30):
Yeah.
Like, why do I believe thisthing?
Why?
And like, why do I think that Ican't go to bed with wet hair?
This is such a weird example,but I had this belief that I
could never have a shower.
I said that to somebody.
I'm like I can't go to bed yet.
My hair is wet.
And they were like, why?
Oh, my mom told me I couldn't,so I was like 40 something years
(45:51):
old when I said that I'm like,huh, why do we believe the
things we believe?
Yeah.
Tracey (45:59):
Yeah.
Because an adult was telling youthat when you're a child.
Yeah.
It goes back to the peoplearound us building these belief
systems for us.
Why did we believe life wasbetter with alcohol, Yeah.
I think we touched on a lot ofgreat things, a lot of great
trends that are being shown outthere.
(46:20):
The good news is that alcoholfree is trending.
Yeah.
And talking about alcohol istrending.
Talking about our relationshipswith alcohol is trending, and I
love it.
Evaluating those relationshipsis trending.
Yes.
Yes.
There's all kinds of books aboutalcohol and alcohol use disorder
yeah, some really awesome booksthat you can read.
(46:41):
Those are trending topics rightnow, and I think it's a really
good, it's a good thing.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I agree.
Lindsey (46:47):
All right, everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning inagain and joining us here on the
LAF Life Podcast.
You can find us on Instagram atLAF Life Podcast.
Don't forget to check out ourwebsite, laflifepodcast.
com.
We post content and havediscussions over there and our
Facebook page as well.
(47:07):
We will see you back here nextTuesday with another brand new
episode.
So until then, you guys knowwhat to do.
Keep laughing.
Kelly (47:17):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of theLAF life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
Welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, and Lindsey Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:24):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Hey everybody, welcome back tothe LAF Life Podcast.
This is Season 3, Episode 16,and tonight we're gonna chit
(00:49):
chat about trends around alcoholand living alcohol free, yeah
let's start chattin Hi ladies!Hey, Kel.
Hello.
Hi.
Trends started happening when westarted hearing about Sober
October and Dry January andthings like that.
Seeing lots on social media andcelebrities and things like
(01:13):
that.
So what do you guys think?
January was something to do andbe like, see, I can make it an
entire month without drinkingalcohol.
I don't have a problem.
I see a lot of billboards aroundour city, Kelly, here in
Winnipeg about, Making sure youeat when you're drinking
alcohol.
But lots of promotions on thedry January and February was
(01:36):
something too.
I can't remember what theycalled it here in Winnipeg, but
they were, they had named it andpeople were participating on
Facebook and posting about it.
I think February is dry Feb too.
Is it?
I think they're both dry.
Yeah.
Yeah, but I've noticed that Ithink that they're adding more
months in, which is awesomebecause I know there's July too,
(01:58):
right?
Dry July.
Lindsey (01:59):
July.
That's right.
You're right.
And
Tracey (02:02):
I feel like there was one getting squeezed in May or
something.
I saw something pop up and I waslike, Oh, this is awesome.
We're just getting more and moreof these pretty soon.
Every month is going to be dry.
No, it is for us.
We're trending with that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I do think it just, brings anawareness around, like people
(02:25):
are doing this, it's a thing.
And then people who try it, itbrings an awareness around what
their relationship to alcohol isand how they feel without it.
Absolutely.
I think that a lot of peopleafter they do it definitely are
more aware of how it makes themfeel and probably even somewhat
(02:48):
hesitant to go back to it.
Although I think that a lot ofpeople probably fall back into
it, but then there's somediehards that are like, as soon
as the 30 days up they'recounting down the days and.
They're celebrating, take backon the bottle.
Yeah.
Kelly (03:04):
Yeah, but I was just talking to somebody the other
day and they went for lunch withan old friend and they'd gone on
vacation and drank too much and,just hadn't had a drink since
then.
That was in the fall.
So months and months ago.
Yeah.
It wasn't a big deal.
They didn't do this, dry,whatever month.
They were just like, you knowwhat, I don't feel great.
And they haven't gone back to ityet.
(03:24):
And maybe they never will.
So I like that's happening too.
There's no label on it.
There's no definitive.
I am this.
and I need to do this.
It's just yeah, I don't feelgood with it, so I'm not going
to do it anymore.
So I think that's really coolthat's happening.
Lindsey (03:40):
living in a culture of inclusivity and recognizing
different diverse groups andmaking sure that people feel
included, right?
It's not just let's be honest,it's not just about LGBTQ now
it's expanding into people whoare alcohol free versus people
who are drinkers.
And I think just because we'rein that culture of inclusivity,
(04:02):
I think there are more spacesfor people who don't drink
alcohol and More options, wewere discussing before we hit
record that restaurants areoffering mocktail menus and
they're openly displayed now,whereas before you had to be
like, Hey, I'm not drinkingalcohol what can I get that
doesn't have any alcohol in it?
And someone would be like, whywould you want to do that?
Just that look, but yeah.
(04:24):
Yeah, it's more sociallyacceptable.
Tracey (04:27):
Yeah, I've seen an uptick in that for sure in
Ontario and restaurants thatthere's mocktail menus and
actually some displayed on thetable.
Me and Randy went to arestaurant a couple of weeks
ago.
I was saying before we hitrecord here and there was a buzz
free.
Cocktail menu.
I love that.
Yeah.
(04:48):
Yeah.
It was really cute on the table,which I thought that's amazing
because it was right there inyour face.
Yeah.
And not hidden at the back of amenu, which they tend to be or
typically are.
And then I'm just thinking yeah,you're at like this, trendy
restaurant and you get to pointto this cool.
Drink instead of saying Oh, havea virgin mojito, having to
(05:08):
announce it, but you don't evenhave to say it's alcohol free.
It's on the menu.
This is everybody's.
Yeah.
I like that.
I think it probably creates adifferent attitude towards it
with servers because there was atime where servers would be
like, Oh God, these peoplearen't drinking, you're not
going to get tipped.
(05:28):
Yeah, the
Kelly (05:29):
bill's gonna be too small.
Yeah.
So I think it really shifts thementality that way too.
And because they're making itstill like a special drink, they
can charge a little bit more forit.
So it's still can be put in thatcategory, if you're indulging.
I think that's good for thatindustry for sure.
(05:50):
Yeah.
That's a really good point.
Also have just noticed ingeneral that, and maybe it's
just my feed, but I don't thinkso that we were saying, there's
a lot of celebrities coming outnow, sharing how they have
chosen to give up alcohol andthe reasons why I see a lot of
(06:11):
interviews with celebritiestalking about that and not
necessarily celebrities that areclaiming they had Problem with
it, but that they just came toterms with the fact that they
weren't enjoying it anymore ortheir relationship with it had
changed and they weren't feelingit was really adding value to
their life anymore.
(06:31):
And even celebrities that arecoming out and being honest and
vulnerable about how they'vestruggled with it, right?
There are people writing booksthat Matthew Perry book, I
always talk about it, Idownloaded it on Audible and it
was insane.
I had no idea.
No idea how he struggled sobadly.
It was horrible.
(06:51):
And just to be that open andhonest about it, it really
paints a picture of a celebritywho has, access to all this
money and the lifestyle and it'sso glamorous and they can do and
have whatever they want.
And this individual is somiserable and so alone and
isolated and sad because of, Thealcohol use and the
(07:13):
overconsumption and all of thenear death experiences.
And I'm just like, Whoa, I thinkit's becoming more normal to
share these life experiences andto put yourself out there and,
cause a lot of people feelembarrassed in shame.
So I keep those things a secret,but when you have celebrities
speaking out about it and howthey've struggled, geez.
(07:37):
It's eye opening.
Yeah.
Society tends to put celebritieson a pedestal I think that's
strange, like for some reasonthink their life is perfect and
that's helpful to, to hear that.
Yeah.
It's not.
There is no, now we're talkingabout addiction, but like
addiction doesn't discriminateat all.
(07:58):
Yeah.
Yeah, I see a lot of youngcelebrities to talking about it,
which I think is great for theyounger generations because
they're a lot more influential.
I think you said, Kel people,our age don't really look to
celebrities so much as rolemodels, but younger people do
definitely.
So I think it's great thatthere's some young ones out
(08:19):
there talking about how they'renot indulging in alcohol either.
All these coaches now areemerging, it's not just AA
anymore, there's new trends inhow to get help and how to get
the support you need when you'reattempting to ditch alcohol for
good, or, Evaluate yourrelationship with it.
And, I think that's great.
(08:40):
These people are reachable onInstagram and they have social
medias and you can do zoom callsand do online coaching.
I think it's just the resourcesare becoming more accessible.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that's, one of the reasonswhy we wanted to do this podcast
is to show that there isn't justone way to do this.
(09:01):
And yeah, even just in the lasthow long have we been doing
this?
Three years.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Three years.
It doesn't seem that long.
Two years.
Three seasons.
Sorry.
Oh, two years.
I believe.
Yeah.
Two years.
And even in that amount of time,it's changed a lot.
It has.
I've said, look at how manypodcasts have popped up in this
(09:22):
space as well.
When we started, we were one ofa handful, it seemed definitely.
I think we're still one of theselect few in our region, like
in Canada.
I think it's becoming a lot morepopular in the US but even
people we've had on the podcasthave started their own podcast
since.
Having them on as guests, whichis great.
(09:43):
It's amazing'cause it's just,yeah.
The more people that are talkingabout it and the more.
Different ages and differenteverything it's better to have
as many people as possibletalking about it openly without
shame and just sharing ourexperiences.
It's really helping normalizeit, right?
Normalize it.
(10:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
It's funny.
I was talking to my mom aboutthat the other day, she was
talking about someone she knewrecently that somebody in their
family is an alcoholic.
And I said, it's just about timepeople understand that there are
successful thriving people withthis problem.
It's not just, the guy on thestreet corner.
(10:25):
Drinking out of a bottle with abum on the street, these are
successful people out therestruggling in the world and
struggling with these problemsand it's becoming more and more
normal that it's that type ofproblem and people have to
recognize that.
Yeah, In general.
I was reading an article thatwas saying in 2023, it became
(10:50):
more of a trend, the wholealcohol free thing, especially
an uptick and Alcohol Free freebeverages and whatnot.
And then in 2024, they'reforecasting That there's going
to be even more things comingabout and I know here, you guys
have the silver market inWinnipeg, which is awesome,
which they've come to Ontario tonow they've opened in Toronto.
(11:13):
So that's amazing.
It will be nice if we start tosee more of those types of
stores.
But what I have seen is an kindof increase in coffee shops.
Which I think is awesome, too.
Oh, that's a good point.
Yes.
Tracey (11:29):
Yeah.
Because, it gives people otherplaces to go, other than a bar
or restaurant, to meet up or tohave a good chat, even to catch
up with a friend.
And my only complaint is that alot of these coffee shops are
not open late enough.
Yeah.
So I'm putting that out there inthe world, you coffee shop
(11:51):
owners out there opening up, youneed to stay open later for
people so that more people gothere and not to bars and not to
restaurants where there isalcohol.
I wonder if there's going to bebars that are like strictly
alcohol free that open.
I don't think I've seen one.
There is.
There's sans bar.
(12:12):
Are there?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, we talked about it onthe podcast before.
It's in the U.
S.
I think there's more than one.
Oh, I think there's more thanone in the U.
S., but whether we'll startseeing them here in Canada,
Linz, I hope so.
Interesting.
Lindsey (12:27):
Yes.
That would be just awesome.
Just no alcohol available in thebuilding at all.
It's all just non alcoholicoptions.
That would be great.
It's funny.
My mom wanted to do that.
Really?
And I was like, Mom, I'm notprepared to go down that venture
at this point in my life.
And you shouldn't be either.
She's whoa.
(12:48):
In her 70s?
Yeah.
Anyways.
Kelly (12:51):
There's alcohol free events popping up, right?
What did you post in our groupchat there, Trace, about walks,
Tracey (12:58):
or?
Yes,
Lindsey (12:59):
Yeah, so That's really cool.
There's somebody else out therethat is putting together, again,
instead of meetings or whatnot,walks, where you can gather in
your community, and there'sdifferent, leaders of some sort
of these walks, and You can goon their website and check out
(13:21):
if there's a walk in your areaand then join these people for a
walk, which I think is awesome.
I love that.
Yeah, what a great way to meetsome like minded people and new
connections.
Absolutely.
Tracey (13:32):
Healthy connections.
And get out in nature and getsome exercise.
Yeah.
Lindsey (13:35):
I know.
And do exercise.
Without alcohol, like I'm reallysick of the gyms and stuff
celebrating fitness milestoneswith alcohol I'm just, oh, it's
so misaligned.
I'm not a fan of that or likethe yoga and wine events.
I feel like I'm seeing less andless of those things though.
I don't know if it's just myfeed now literally feeding me
(13:58):
things that I'm interactingwith, which doesn't include
those events any longer.
But beer and yoga do not gotogether at all.
Kelly (14:07):
Alcohol, any sort of alcohol.
Lindsey (14:10):
I don't know the trend that I'm seeing right now is the
alcohol with fitness
Kelly (14:16):
which is just complete and total bullshit.
Lindsey (14:20):
It doesn't mix.
I can't stand it.
I don't either.
Kelly (14:23):
I'll tell you what bothers me about that is
somebody like me, when I was init and struggling That type of
culture, it's similar to themommy wine culture, anything
like that's making it okay, mademe feel like I needed to figure
this out.
I needed to figure out how tocontrol this alcohol thing,
because it's such a part, and todrink normally, and to go to
(14:46):
yoga and drink, or go to a gymthing and drink.
And that's such crap because weknow now that it causes 7 that.
Yes, seven types of cancer.
And with the seven, one isbreast cancer.
So for women it's seven, for menit's six.
Lindsey (15:02):
But here's another perspective on it.
What do you tell the people,because I've heard this before
you're going to die eventually.
Kelly (15:09):
What kind of quality of life do you want to have?
For me.
It's quality of life.
I'm going to be 50 this year,and I'm so excited about it
because I feel better than I'veever felt.
And it's like a celebration.
I want to be the grandma thatdoes everything with the kids
and travel wherever I want totravel to.
It's quality of life for me.
(15:29):
So I think that's a total copout when people say that you're
going to hear that a lot.
I'm a lot.
You're going to die anyway.
Yeah.
So you want to be a burden toyour family.
You want to miss out on your,you want to miss out on your
kids and your grandkids.
Yeah.
And society and the healthcaresystem.
Yeah.
I was going to say, I thinkthat's just another excuse.
(15:50):
Yes.
Another excuse.
Right?
Everything's bad for you.
Yeah.
That's what people say.
Yeah.
Lindsey (15:55):
I hear that a lot.
Tracey (15:56):
Yeah.
But that doesn't mean you can'teliminate some of the bad, or as
much as you have control over.
Yeah.
Yes.
Lindsey (16:03):
Yeah.
There are people that I knowthat work really hard on their
fitness.
Like I'm talking, they put inthe work at the gym.
The diet, they're doing theirmacros, they are eating super
clean, and yet they say out loudand complain they can't lose the
(16:24):
weight.
And I'm like, wait, I see youdrinking wine every weekend.
People just don't want to givethat part to you.
And I just think man, like allof this hard work that you're
putting in, you're just flushingit down the drain every weekend
when you are partying hard withyour girlfriends or you're
relaxing and celebrating orhowever you use it.
(16:46):
I'm just like ah, give the noalcohol route a try because I
bet in six months you would seeResults it really does a number
on your liver, which is alsoresponsible for processing fat
and stuff right, your whole bodyis out of whack if you're
drinking alcohol and trying toLive a certain healthy lifestyle
(17:07):
and you have certain fitnessgoals.
I just don't think that it worksyet.
And then there are people thatdo drink, they can drink and
they do hit their milestones andtheir fitness goals and the
things they what's happening totheir insides.
See, I feel like there's a lotof people that maybe they ignore
all of that stuff because theyonly care about what they look
like.
So what about the quality oflife?
(17:28):
What about 10 years from now, 15years from now, 20 years from
now, what's happening on theinside?
Tracey (17:34):
I just want to give a shout out to a friend of mine,
actually, that owns her ownfitness business.
And I had posted and sharedsomething she shared on her page
the other day, body fit forlife.
Her name's Carrie.
Hi Carrie.
Yeah, we will put a shout out toher in our notes here.
(17:54):
But yeah, she's Carrie.
Yes, she shared some reallygreat information on alcohol and
fitness and what it does to yourbody and how it is
counterproductive for yourprogress.
And she even admits, which Iappreciate this about her, she
admits she drinks.
And she admits that it affectsher progress as well.
(18:15):
Kudos to her for that, forexplaining to people what the
effects can be, and admittingthat her herself struggles with
that.
But she's not promotingdrinking, she's telling you.
That it will affect yourprogress if you decide to drink
alcohol.
So I thought that was great.
And I liked seeing that opposedto the, Oh yeah, come do some
(18:39):
yoga and drink some wine at thesame time, oh yeah.
Kelly (18:44):
Yeah.
Yeah.
She's definitely done herresearch by that post.
Tracey (18:48):
Yeah.
Yeah, that was great.
Kelly (18:51):
So yeah, that's a trend that we would like to see go
away.
Lindsey (18:55):
Fitness and alcohol, right?
Don't mix.
They don't mix.
Yeah.
That one's not a good one.
Yeah.
But again, so happy to see allthe other good things trending.
The other thing I'm seeing a lotof is YouTube videos where
people are trying a temporaryalcohol free, like I'm not going
(19:16):
to drink for a thousand days.
And then here's what happenedwhen I didn't drink for a
thousand days.
And I've seen some reallyawesome videos on that where
people go into all the detailsof.
How it changed their life andall the changes they felt, which
I think is very powerful foranybody out there.
(19:37):
That's considering it.
Definitely go on YouTube andwatch a couple of those because
they are very inspiring and Ithink they're really well done
actually, by a lot of the peoplethat have done them.
what are some of the things thatthey experienced?
Oh, talking about the clarity,the mental clarity, the energy,
the creativity, like all thethings that we talk about, but
(20:00):
there's people going through it,just expressing it in a way
that's really impactful.
And I love that people aresharing that and showing their
journey through it.
There was a couple on there thatI watched that were great.
Chris Williamson, who's apodcast a very famous podcast
host of modern wisdom.
(20:22):
He did it too, and he has a goodYouTube video on it.
Yeah, there's a bunch of peopleout there, so it's really great.
I can definitely put some of theones I've seen in our show notes
as well for people to check out.
Yeah, I definitely didn'trealize, and I'm sure a lot of
people don't realize how muchmore space it creates, like
(20:42):
getting rid of the alcoholcreates space for anything that
I felt was lacking in my life.
Time to do things,
Tracey (20:50):
that's what a lot of people say to you.
Oh my God, I had so much time,all of a sudden,
Kelly (20:54):
creativity, reconnection with nature.
It just creates space for all ofthe things that your intuition
is telling you that you'remissing.
And then some, cause thenthere's even more on top of
that.
It's wide open space.
Lindsey (21:06):
That could be scary because I think people can feel
bored at first.
I know.
I did.
I did.
Yeah.
I was like, I don't know what todo.
Yeah.
Like I wanna watch Netflix and,but I'm it, but that's where
drink wine.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
So I don't know.
I would feel in the beginningreally bored and then over time,
like over a few weeks thattended to pass.
(21:27):
And then I realized how tired Iwas.
Because I think I said onanother podcast episode, come
Friday, I would be really tiredjust from the work week.
And I knew I was tired and Iknew what I needed was to go
home and probably go to bedearly, but I would stop at the
liquor store and buy my bottletwo bottles of wine and I would
drink, start drinking after Iate dinner Friday, right?
(21:49):
And I would stay up till threein the morning.
So I'm intoxicated.
I'm up late, pushing my body tostay up.
And then I'm eating super latebecause I'm drinking like, oh my
God, and snacking.
So yeah.
And now lindsay, that createdspace for what?
Lindsay is a master at Napping.
(22:10):
Napping.
Yeah, I was like, squirreling,squirreling out because here's
the thing, Saturday, more thanhalf the day would be gone
recovering, right?
I would be like, so sick, sohungover.
So you don't actually realizehow much time.
When you actually have it andyou're not hung over, you're
like, wow, okay, what do I do?
(22:31):
And you're not getting goodquality sleep when you're
drinking anyways.
Tracey (22:33):
When you're screwing up your circadian rhythm, really,
because like you said, and I wasreading something about this
today, actually in my menopausecoaching that I'm taking about
how Yes.
When you push yourself past whatyou should do as a steady
bedtime.
Yeah.
You're messing up your circadianrhythm.
(22:54):
So then top that with havingalcohol in your system and your
sleep's going to be disruptedand everything else.
It's just, it's so bad.
It's not good.
No, it's not shocking that whenyou stop like you, Lynn's, You
feel tired.
So tired.
When you probably should, yeah.
(23:15):
I think it just all catches up.
Because you aren't pushingyourself fast.
Exactly.
You're where you should be.
And the problem is that a lot ofpeople, including myself, we use
that as our wind down time.
Our wind down activity.
Yeah.
And then end up pushingourselves way past what we
(23:35):
should and then really pay forit on the other side.
Yeah,
Lindsey (23:39):
total opposite.
The other thing I was justthinking that came to mind is
I'm noticing a lot of apps haveyou guys heard of reframe?
So these things are trending nowwhere it's like an app you
download to help you moderate.
how much you drink.
So this is the other thing.
It's like the sober curiousthing is trending.
(23:59):
And then I'm noticing moderationis now trending where there are
these apps.
You download it.
I don't know what is involved.
I've not downloaded this app,but I want to because I'm
curious, but it's supposed tohelp you like, say you're
somebody that drinks.
Eight drinks a week.
It's going to help you go fromeight to six, from six to four.
(24:20):
And it's to slowly cut back onyour drinking.
And I feel like that's trending.
What do you guys think?
Tracey (24:27):
I've seen it definitely coming up in my feed.
I don't know what it's abouteither, but I agree.
So I want to shout out to thegirl we were talking about
earlier, or the organizationabout the walks.
It's called She Walks Canada.
Yes, she is also created an app.
I'm not sure what her app iscalled and it hasn't been
(24:50):
launched yet, but I know her appis more around actually
providing coaching.
That's cool.
And some other things as well.
But yeah, so in saying thatyou're right, Linz, I am seeing
that as a trend for sure.
I know we had Chrissy on herein, I think, season one and she
was talking about an app as wellthat was just starting at that
(25:13):
time.
I think it was called Live andit was all geared towards living
alcohol free as well.
Lindsey (25:19):
I think maybe that's not as scary.
Just saying, that's it, you'restopping drinking I think maybe
that's why it's gainingtraction.
Because if you're thinking toyourself, Oh God, like I, I
can't do this anymore.
I know I need to cut back.
That's what I started outsaying.
I have to cut back.
It wasn't like, I have toeliminate this altogether.
I feel like that's such a finalthing.
(25:42):
It can be so intimidating that Ithink people, start out
moderating and then theyeventually get to zero and
realize, wow, I don't need thisanymore.
It's that little crutch alongthe way okay, I don't know.
I didn't moderate.
I was just gave it up completelyall in one go, but I know that
everybody's different and maybenot everybody's going to be able
(26:04):
to do that.
I couldn't.
I tried.
That was pretty exhausting.
The only drink that you couldcontrol was the first one.
I've heard that before and I waslike, dang, that applies to me.
Cause if I'm having one, I'mhaving 27.
Yeah,
Tracey (26:18):
I think it's something that they can experiment with
and in private, right?
Because they can just downloadit to their phone and do it on
their own without having tolike.
Shout out that they're tryingthis or doing it.
I think it's the privacy of itand the experimentation of it.
It's something that they canexperiment with at low cost to
(26:41):
themselves.
And yeah, I think that's why itwould be intriguing as well.
Lindsey (26:47):
Here on the Reframe app, not that I'm plugging them,
but they're saying six steps todrink less, or signs you drink
too much, the ten benefits ofsobriety.
These apps are designed to helppeople cut back.
And again, that awareness,right?
Like it is all bringing anawareness of what is your
relationship with alcohol andhow do you feel when you don't
(27:11):
drink or drink way less?
Yeah.
Tracey (27:15):
And also showing everybody what we're trying to
do, that there's not just oneway to do it.
No, there are so many options.
There that may be able tomoderate, that may be able to
wean themselves off and thatworks for them.
And as they drink less and less,they see how much better they
feel.
Although that wasn't somethingthat worked for us because we
(27:37):
were more all or nothing typepeople, which a lot of people
are too, that struggle withalcohol or addiction.
But there are people out therethat probably.
Could moderate or could practicethat anyways, and it might work
for them.
Lindsey (27:52):
And I think it takes practice, right?
Because I think it's reallyscary when you've been doing
something for so long.
It just becomes that securityblanket and.
I think people, that's justexactly it.
People need to practice.
And I like that's a really goodpoint about apps is it's
private.
You can download it on yourphone.
You don't have to be face toface with anybody.
(28:14):
And it's something you can workon your own.
It's like going into what I did,which I think Kelly did as well.
I went into a Facebook group,right?
When I was becoming curiousabout giving up alcohol.
I went into a group that nobodyI knew would be in.
And that I could just, on my owntime or whatever, be in there
(28:35):
and investigate what's going onin here, pique my curiosity,
basically.
Oh
Kelly (28:39):
my gosh, I remember reading people's posts and then
creeping their profiles and thenbeing like, Oh my gosh, they're
just like me.
Like we were talking earlierabout I call it in the gutter.
Like I thought I didn't have aproblem because I wasn't in the
gutter, but yeah, that wasinteresting to create their
profile and be like, Oh theyhave a normal looking life.
(29:01):
Just like I do.
Yeah.
Tracey (29:04):
That's a good point.
And I think to even I'm gonnashout out my Peloton sober
squad, hashtag sober squad eventhese sports groups or you think
something like Peloton hasnothing to really do with not
drinking, but yet us soberpeople, or the people who are
questioning their relationshipwith alcohol, come together
(29:25):
within these groups and wecreate these little subgroups.
So now there's a Facebook groupand I'm in it and There are
thousands of people in it.
We have almost 5, 000 people init.
And you come together and you'redoing a Peloton ride and you see
your other sober squad people onthere from all over the world.
And you're like, dang, we're inthis together.
And people share some reallyheartbreaking posts in there.
(29:47):
One person the other day, andthey're able to share
anonymously too.
You can post as an anonymousmember, One person was like, I'm
just done.
I can't do this anymore, but Ialso can't stop.
I don't know what to do.
And then everyone's Hey, did youknow we have zoom meetings?
I was like, what?
So I'm like reading the commentsand these people within this
(30:08):
group that have this similarpassion of, spinning on the bike
or just, doing the, theworkouts, are banding together.
To make their own meetings onzoom.
Anybody can attend them.
And I'm that's really great.
Sobriety is poking its head upand all these different
activities and groups.
And I don't know.
(30:29):
I just, I love it.
I love seeing that the support.
Kelly (30:32):
Yeah, the community, I think community is essential.
I don't think for me, I wassuper lonely, trying to do
things in private and thingslike that.
That was torture for me.
I was just like living in shameand it was awful.
And it's not until I found thatcommunity feeling like you're
describing lens is that's when Iwas like, okay, I'm not the only
(30:55):
one.
That feels this way.
I'm not the only one thatstruggles with alcohol that's so
important.
That's, one of the positives ofsocial media is that we have
these groups and things likethat.
And there are in person groupsand there is AA and there are
other in person groups that arenot AA.
And, there's lots of options forcommunity, but I think community
(31:15):
is essential for this whenyou're really struggling.
Yeah.
Tracey (31:20):
And what a great platform for that Linds because
that is trending like Pelotonis.
Yeah, it is.
Yes, it is.
And then that aligns with ahealthy lifestyle.
Yes.
So that's such a great platformfor it.
I love it.
I am fortunate enough to havehad that experience in some of
(31:41):
the fitness facilities.
I've chosen to go to in my areatoo.
My friends at free to be, theyasked me to speak there and they
definitely supported the girlthat owns that Jim does not
drink herself.
She went alcohol free duringCOVID also our friend Deb, who
was on the podcast, I believe,in season 2.
(32:03):
I met her at a yoga studio herein town that also she hosted,
Sober seminars there.
So it is great to see it,especially when it does align
with a healthy lifestyle andseeing people in the health and
fitness industry supporting it.
That's really great.
Yeah.
It's really the perfect platformfor it.
(32:24):
Yes.
So it is a shame when people gothe other way.
It makes me question even thegym that I love, that I'm a
member of here.
I'm like, am I going to renew inApril?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Cause it's really expensive.
And sometimes I'm like, huh.
And it's funny how these thingscome into your life and not
(32:44):
everything is permanent.
And it, helps you transform andkickstart your journey.
Then you're like, you move up oryou go a different direction or
you go this way and you're like,Oh, that's where I want to be
now.
Yeah,
Kelly (32:56):
When it's time for a change, I told you guys in our
group chat that I changed yogastudios after six years.
I was shocked.
I know, we had talked about itAnd I have an attachment to it
because I cried when I thoughtabout leaving.
And, we talked about that on anepisode too, like having
attachments to things and havingthat awareness around
attachments.
I'm like that means it's timefor change.
(33:17):
So found a great little newlittle yoga studio.
And my first friend that I madethere, maybe she's listening,
met her in the change room.
And if after a few conversationsmentioned that we have this
podcast.
And then she told me that she'seight and a half years.
It's alcohol free.
Gosh.
Amazing.
Yeah.
I love those synchronicities andthings that happen and I never
(33:39):
think that anything like thathappens by accident, but yeah,
follow that gut feeling, thatcuriosity Linds, maybe there's
something different down theroad for you.
Yeah, it's interesting becausethat happened to my sister in
law as well.
She goes to a gym she loves.
She really connected with theowners and became friends with
them.
But then she started questioningsome of their practices because
(34:02):
they were doing these Yeah.
Outings that involved alcoholyoga and wine, tasting and stuff
like that.
And she started to question do Ireally want to be around this?
Because I don't really think itsupports or aligns with my
needs.
My health goals, so not that shestopped going to the gym or
(34:25):
anything, but I think she justsecond guess spending her time
with the people that she wasjust getting to know as someone
new in her life and how it mightnot make as much sense as she.
Had hoped kind of thing.
Yeah, change is good.
Change is healthy.
Yeah, it is good.
Yeah,
Tracey (34:44):
absolutely.
I'm proud of you, Kel for that.
Oh, thanks.
Lindsey (34:47):
Yes.
That's been a positive.
That should be
Kelly (34:49):
said for sure.
Yeah, there was, it wasn'talcohol related, what was going
on there, but there was stuffthat was definitely not in
alignment with Me and I did notwant to be spending my money
there anymore and it was a lotof money, so right.
Lindsey (35:04):
Yeah, but you have the confidence I don't know my
drinking version probably wouldhave just been like saw
something that I didn't agreewith and then just continue to
go anyways.
But you're like, no, I have theconfidence to say to myself,
wait a second, I don't quitefeel aligned here.
Something feels off and I'mgoing to take action and do
something about it.
And it's painful.
(35:24):
The change is not something youwere, looking to do.
But.
I don't know, you're able tomake that tough decision and let
go of something that you weresuper attached to and move on.
And it's going to be, I thinkit's going to be a really good
experience to meet other people.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kelly (35:44):
Yeah.
Sometimes you got to shakethings up.
This seems to be my year ofshaking things up.
I moved.
Yeah, all this stuff.
So it's exciting and not knowingwhat it's all going to look like
or how it's all going to playout is pretty exciting.
I like it.
Lindsey (36:00):
I was going to say another trending topic that
popped into my head is Peoplesaying that they're sober, but
California sober, usingpsychedelics or marijuana, but
not drinking alcohol and saying,I'm sober.
There's so many different trainsof thought on that.
(36:22):
But I think even that topic andthose things like psychedelics,
I've not experienced.
Haven't experienced those thingsmyself personally, so I can't
really comment on it, but I feellike I'm hearing more about it.
There's lots of research aroundpsychedelics and healing really
good stuff.
(36:42):
We talked about this on thepodcast before the series to
watch is how to change yourmind.
Ooh, wait, is this on netflix?
Yes, it is so eye opening,Lindsay, I think you'd really
like it.
I'm writing it down right nowbecause I'm gonna, I have
Alzheimer's, I'm gonna forgetwhen we get off this.
I'll be like, what was thatcalled?
Kelly (37:00):
How to change your mind.
How to change your mind.
But yeah, we talked about thattoo on an earlier episode about
the definition of sober and howI think we should just let
people define it.
themselves.
Like we're here to talk aboutalcohol free.
I've had really good experienceswith psychedelics and healing.
That's good to hear that.
Cause I was like, Oh, I shouldtry.
(37:21):
And then I'm like, I'm scared.
We can definitely talk about myexperiences.
I'm happy to share.
Yeah.
And you could yeah, there's allkinds, but I think you should
watch that series.
One of them is specifically onmushrooms, but there's four
different episodes.
Lindsey (37:36):
It's really good.
I'm going to watch for sure.
Cause I feel like I want tolearn more about it.
I was really judgy about it inthe beginning.
I was like because,
Kelly (37:46):
yeah, because they were, and same with cannabis, there's
another I think the best Onethat I've seen documentary is
called the grass is greenerwriting it down.
Yeah, it's really good it'llchange that like the judging
Your perspective because in myopinion like after watching
those I think that those twothings Specifically should never
(38:08):
be classified as drugs like wesaw in the 80s the war on drugs
and all that stuff.
Yeah, it's pretty interestingstuff I believe in plant
medicine.
I really do.
I think that's why though yousee a lot of new and trending
terminology for being sober.
It's not just one umbrellaanymore, right?
It's not just being sober.
(38:29):
There's alcohol free.
There's, sober curious, and Ithink that's why people are
coming up with these terms,because that's what they can
relate to and identify with.
Even we say, none of us reallylike the term alcoholic, right?
It's a label that's yeah, it isa very negative label.
(38:50):
It is.
That's what some people can seeis for sober too, especially if,
they do color outside the lines,so to speak.
We were sharing today, this wasa potential topic for a podcast,
but there's even trends this isbeing researched now from a
genetic point of view and genesare being looked at, is
(39:13):
addiction a disease, is it achoice?
I think there's a more trendingresearch although I know they've
been researching this since theeighties, but I think we're now
just hearing about it.
And I think there's a lot moreawareness that research is being
done and.
I think there's more curiosityabout it.
(39:33):
Like, why is somebody unable tostop drinking?
They literally can't stopthinking about it.
Somebody like Matthew Perry,somebody like me, I'm like,
okay, if I don't have alcohol,I'm not thinking about it.
I don't miss it.
I've gone so long now that Idon't like, I don't know what
it's like to fight every daytrying to stay sober.
But there are people who That istheir reality.
(39:56):
Yeah, I think we're just, yeah,there's a lot more research, I
think, being done on those kindsof things now and more curiosity
about it.
Tracey (40:04):
The good news is it looks like some of the research
is supposed to be being done forthe good to help put together,
preventative treatments for thiskind of thing, or identify it a
lot earlier than, we have beenable to.
So that in itself is amazing.
Lindsey (40:24):
Even with that being said, there was that thing that
I shared in our Facebook grouptoday in the LAF Life Facebook
group.
It was from Annie Grace.
And when I read it, it literallyblew my mind.
Before you drank alcohol, youdidn't miss it.
You didn't think about it.
You were happy and free.
And I'm like shit You were happyand free.
(40:46):
But I don't miss something thatI've never done.
I don't crave something thatI've never done.
So is that the answer?
I think we're leaning towardsthat where we're going to
eventually be in a world wherepeople just don't even try
alcohol.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kelly (41:03):
Our natural state as humans is peace, right?
So anything that takes away thatpiece is something that's been
piled on to us, some sort ofconditioning or belief or, is
alcohol such a thing?
Tracey (41:17):
this could be a whole nother topic, but I know how
many topics are we going to talkabout today.
Randy was saying to me after helistened to our spirituality and
sobriety episode.
He was saying, when we'retalking about the whole concept
of people using alcohol to comeout of their shell.
(41:38):
Oh, yeah.
He was saying, do you think thatpeople would feel the need to do
that if there wasn't so muchsocietal pressure on them for
everything else, like parentspushing kids to go find friends,
go play with friends, thenparents and society pushing
people, you need to find apartner.
(41:59):
All those things require you tobe social or have social skills.
If we didn't feel so much,underlying pressure to do all
those things, would we then feelas much pressure to drink or use
alcohol to bring us out of ourshells if that wasn't our
natural state?
Lindsey (42:18):
So let's say you're around a bunch of people that
you have nothing in common withand you have a hard time
socializing with.
You use alcohol to tolerate it.
Yes.
Exactly.
You numb yourself with alcoholso that these people become more
tolerable.
So I think that's a clue, right?
(42:41):
You're around the wrong people.
You're just around the wrongpeople.
It's not, I need to add insomething.
You need to take away somethinglike, yes.
Oh, that's so good.
That's a real good.
Tracey (42:51):
I think I sent you guys a clip of someone talking about
how people think that I'll callmakes people interesting or fun
when in reality, most peoplethat.
are heavy drinkers are some ofthe least interesting people
you'll meet.
Yeah, because they just repeatthemselves all the time.
(43:12):
And I'm talking about myself,but yeah, thinking I was funny
or a good dancer or whatever.
It's just, I was annoying, Ithink.
Interesting.
Do you truly learn actual socialskills when you're drinking?
No, because in order to have anintellectual conversation with
(43:33):
someone you're not.
I'm going to use alcohol forthat, because your intellect
should come from a clear mindedperson, not someone who's
intoxicated, because as soon asyou get intoxicated, you're not
on an intellectual level, you'rejust on the, I'm doing stupid
shit.
And I can't make cleardecisions.
(43:54):
Your brain is turned off yeah,basically you're off, you're not
switched on.
Things aren't firing properly.
You're not processing properlyand you're not going to fricking
remember anything.
And yeah, you look and sound Idon't know.
It's not very flattering, right?
Kelly (44:13):
No, exactly.
Tracey (44:14):
If it was flattering, I'm sure we'd all get drunk
before we went on a jobinterview, right?
Oh my gosh.
And if alcohol really did helpyou socialize, right?
Wouldn't we all just be, downingsome drinks before a job
interview?
Nobody really I shouldn't saynobody.
I'm sure there are people thatdo, but yeah.
But I think it goes back tothat's because that's what
(44:36):
society is instilled in ourminds.
Society is instilled in ourminds exactly what Randy was
saying or what Kelly was saying,all the systems out there and
society is instilled in ourminds that's what being social
is.
And that involves drinking.
Kelly (44:52):
I think, back to having curiosity around things.
I really think that's such aCuriosity is such a gateway to
understanding why we believe thethings we believe.
Or why you got judgy about thatthing, Linz.
Curiosity.
And taking your own path, like,why did I do this thing?
(45:15):
And that's why I find therapy sohelpful.
It's like, why am I doing thesethings in my life that are
making my life harder?
And just getting really curiousabout it.
Curiosity.
Tracey (45:25):
Yeah, that's good.
That's a good point.
Asking yourself the why.
Kelly (45:30):
Yeah.
Like, why do I believe thisthing?
Why?
And like, why do I think that Ican't go to bed with wet hair?
This is such a weird example,but I had this belief that I
could never have a shower.
I said that to somebody.
I'm like I can't go to bed yet.
My hair is wet.
And they were like, why?
Oh, my mom told me I couldn't,so I was like 40 something years
(45:51):
old when I said that I'm like,huh, why do we believe the
things we believe?
Yeah.
Tracey (45:59):
Yeah.
Because an adult was telling youthat when you're a child.
Yeah.
It goes back to the peoplearound us building these belief
systems for us.
Why did we believe life wasbetter with alcohol, Yeah.
I think we touched on a lot ofgreat things, a lot of great
trends that are being shown outthere.
(46:20):
The good news is that alcoholfree is trending.
Yeah.
And talking about alcohol istrending.
Talking about our relationshipswith alcohol is trending, and I
love it.
Evaluating those relationshipsis trending.
Yes.
Yes.
There's all kinds of books aboutalcohol and alcohol use disorder
yeah, some really awesome booksthat you can read.
(46:41):
Those are trending topics rightnow, and I think it's a really
good, it's a good thing.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I agree.
Lindsey (46:47):
All right, everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning inagain and joining us here on the
LAF Life Podcast.
You can find us on Instagram atLAF Life Podcast.
Don't forget to check out ourwebsite, laflifepodcast.
com.
We post content and havediscussions over there and our
Facebook page as well.
(47:07):
We will see you back here nextTuesday with another brand new
episode.
So until then, you guys knowwhat to do.
Keep laughing.
Kelly (47:17):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of theLAF life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
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