Editing Our Drinking and Our Lives

Feeling zapped, exhausted and just plain tired? Alcohol may be what you are turning or have turned to in the past to unwind and get a reprieve from the demands of modern life. So, what can you do to downshift and rest without a drink? In this episode, Jolene and Aidan discuss their personal experiences with burnout this year and the practical steps they are taking to reignite their energy. They both share how alcohol used to slow things down for them during times of pressure yet the alcohol itself was draining in the long run. Now that alcohol is long gone from the coping repertoire, Jolene and Aidan share they are getting deep rest and replenishing their internal fire.  CONNECT WITH JOLENE: * Gray Area Drinkers  - https://grayareadrinkers.com/ [https://grayareadrinkers.com/] * Jolene on Instagram -www.instagram.com/healthy_discoveries/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhealthy_discoveries%2F] * Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com   CONNECT WITH AIDAN: * The Dry Life Blog - www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/the-dry-life/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ivyleagueinsecurities.com%2Fthe-dry-life%2F] * Aidan on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/ [https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/] * Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com

Have you been berating yourself for your drinking, either past or present? It is time to delve into the work of forgiveness and self-compassion.  In this episode, Jolene and Aidan share how they approach thoughts of regret and shame around their drinking. Forgiveness is not that easy but powerful reframes and self-education can deliver relief and grace during those times you berate yourself for your past drinking behavior. Jolene discusses how brain chemistry is often the underlying cause of the gray area drinking cycle and how to view your drinking with compassion and understanding. Aidan reflects on how her cycle of gray area drinking was aggravated by thoughts of self-loathing and shares how she reframed her thinking to finally stop the cycle and feel into forgiveness.   CONNECT WITH JOLENE: * Gray Area Drinkers  - https://grayareadrinkers.com/ [https://grayareadrinkers.com/] * Jolene on Instagram -www.instagram.com/healthy_discoveries/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhealthy_discoveries%2F] * Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com   CONNECT WITH AIDAN: * The Dry Life Blog - www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/the-dry-life/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ivyleagueinsecurities.com%2Fthe-dry-life%2F] * Aidan on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/ [https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/] * Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com

What happens when Jolene and Aidan have a bad day, dine at an idyllic bistro in Paris, or desire to escape tough feelings? Sometimes they feel the urge to reach for a drink - but they don’t actually follow through. They also discuss how they manage the feeling with self-compassion, joy and confidence through the pissy moods, bad days and the feelings of missing out.  If you are struggling with moments of wanting a drink or thinking that you SHOULD be able to have just one then this conversation will be a balm for your soul. Learning to tolerate the discomfort in the moment is something that Jolene and Aidan are mastering in order to stay the course with an alcohol-free life.  CONNECT WITH JOLENE: * Gray Area Drinkers  - https://grayareadrinkers.com/ [https://grayareadrinkers.com/] * Jolene on Instagram -www.instagram.com/healthy_discoveries/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhealthy_discoveries%2F] * Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com   CONNECT WITH AIDAN: * The Dry Life Blog - www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/the-dry-life/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ivyleagueinsecurities.com%2Fthe-dry-life%2F] * Aidan on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/ [https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/] * Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com

Three years after giving up alcohol Aidan started having lightning thoughts about her purpose. And, as Jolene comes up on her 5th alcohol-free anniversary, she too feels deeply connected to her intuition and is able to access her inner knowing with more ease. And, as a result, their lives keep getting better and better. So, in this episode, Jolene and Aidan felt called to share their own experiences with how intuition both led them to quit alcohol as well as to a deeper connection with their own inner voice. They also share how drinking used to numb their pain, fear and discomfort and left them both feeling scattered and stuck in life. Yet, that tiny voice inside that was saying “I know I need to stop.” was still there, whispering to each of them. No one said, “alcohol isn’t good for YOU” or pushed them to stop. But they both listened to that little whisper. And since then that voice of deep inner knowing has grown louder, stronger and clearer than ever.   If you are contemplating giving up alcohol and need confirmation that your tiny voice is right or if you are in the early stages of giving up alcohol because you listened to that tiny voice, then this episode is exactly what you need to hear today. Cozy up and enjoy the conversation. CONNECT WITH JOLENE: * Gray Area Drinkers  - https://grayareadrinkers.com/ [https://grayareadrinkers.com/] * Jolene on Instagram -www.instagram.com/healthy_discoveries/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhealthy_discoveries%2F] * Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com   CONNECT WITH AIDAN: * The Dry Life Blog - www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/the-dry-life/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ivyleagueinsecurities.com%2Fthe-dry-life%2F] * Aidan on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/ [https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/] * Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com

There is a polarizing trend around drinking labels and what constitutes as “problem drinking”. So, what is gray area drinking and where does it fall on the “problem drinking” spectrum? This is a conversation in which Aiden and Jolene invite listeners to hear their personal stories with gray area drinking and one in which they work to define exactly what this label stands for. One doesn’t have to have a crash and burn story to stop drinking. Neither Jolene or Aiden had one. But, they both had a voice inside telling them “this doesn’t feel right”. That is all it takes to know that drinking isn’t working in your life. Jolene finds that it is more common than not that people identify with this gray area yet there is not a lot of conversation around it. Jolene and Aiden discuss why they didn’t need formal treatment and why no matter the route taken to becoming a non-drinker that we are all in this together. There is no judgment and in the end, we all need to do what is right, ok and safe for us. It is ok to say “I don’t want to drink alcohol anymore” regardless of where you are on the spectrum.   CONNECT WITH JOLENE: * Gray Area Drinkers  - https://grayareadrinkers.com/ [https://grayareadrinkers.com/] * Jolene on Instagram -www.instagram.com/healthy_discoveries/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fhealthy_discoveries%2F] * Email: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com   CONNECT WITH AIDAN: * The Dry Life Blog - www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com/the-dry-life/ [https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ivyleagueinsecurities.com%2Fthe-dry-life%2F] * Aidan on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/ [https://www.instagram.com/re__filled/] * Email: aidandonnelleyrowley@gmail.com