In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Christina Jelesky to discuss our journeys of becoming sober curious. From wild college nights to the reflective moments in our 20s and 30s, we explore the evolution of our relationship with drinking and the profound impact it has had on our lives.
Together, we delve into the health challenges that pushed us to reexamine our choices, the sometimes surprising reactions from others, and the internal conflicts we’ve faced along the way. We share candid stories about navigating weddings, reunions, and social gatherings without alcohol and the clarity that comes from asking the questions, "Why am I drinking?" and "What is it adding to my life?"
We also celebrate the joys of the sober curious lifestyle, including our favorite mocktail brands and non-alcoholic beverages like Curious Elixirs, Topo Chico, Athletic Brewing, Bero, and more. Whether you're exploring a sober curious path or just seeking inspiration, this episode invites you to get curious and embrace the possibilities of life beyond alcohol.
Important Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol use, please seek support from a mental health professional or contact your nearest Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group. There are resources and communities ready to help you on your journey to wellness. You don’t have to navigate it alone.
___________________________
Topics Discussed:
- College drinking culture and its impact
- Navigating drinking in our 20s and 30s
- Health issues related to alcohol use
- The decision to greatly reduce/abstain from alcohol
- Reactions from others to choosing not to drink
- Internal conflicts and polarization around drinking
- Social experiences without alcohol (parties, weddings, reunions)
- Asking the big questions: "Why am I drinking?" and "What is it adding?"
- Favorite mocktail companies and non-alcoholic drinks
Tune in and join us on this eye-opening exploration of a life less ordinary, one sober curious step at a time!
_____________________________
About Christina:
Christina Jelesky is the founder and Executive Creative Director of Piper & Co Creative Studio and a proud Tampa native. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in Merchandising, Apparel, and Textiles, Christina’s lifelong passion for artistry began at a young age, designing clothing with her grandmother. Her creative journey includes designing her alma mater’s official plaid and managing The Scout Guide Tampa Bay & St. Petersburg for over a decade.
Beyond her creative pursuits, Christina is active in the Tampa community, enjoys CrossFit, and cherishes time with her husband and their four daughters (all with "P" names), along with their dog, Phoebe.
Connect with Christina:
Email: hello@piperandcocreative.com
Instagram: @piperandco.creative
_______________________________
Want to work with Natalie? Contact her below
Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/
Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact
Instagram: @nataliedeering
_____________________________
Donate to the podcast Here!
Interested in sponsoring an episode of the podcast? Upgrade your business and let more people know about your amazing services or products by reaching hundreds to thousands of people by sponsoring an episode for only $100! Please email ndwellness.services@therapysecure.com for more information. Thank you for the support!
*Please support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review*
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.