Take a Break from Drinking

480: Tolerating the discomfort of not having another drink

It might feel like the hardest part of drinking less is forcing yourself to stop, but what if the discomfort isn't coming from wanting more at all? This week, we're taking a closer look at what really happens in the moment you decide not to have another drink. You'll discover why wanting and liking aren't the same thing, why pleasure naturally fades whether you keep drinking or not, and how your brain's running commentary can trick you into believing that stopping is what feels so uncomfortable. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ [https://rachelhart.com/guide/] Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ [https://rachelhart.com/tab/] Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/480 [https://rachelhart.com/480]

479: How do I get back on track after I slip up and drink too much?

Making progress with your drinking doesn't mean you'll never have another night where you drink more than you intended. But what happens next can either keep you stuck or become the most valuable part of the learning process. In this episode, we're exploring why the idea that you need to "get back on track" after drinking too much may actually be keeping you trapped in the same cycle. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ [https://rachelhart.com/guide/] Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ [https://rachelhart.com/tab/] Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/479 [https://rachelhart.com/479]

478: I've made so much progress with my drinking. So why doesn't it feel any easier? [Listener Q&A]

Have you ever wondered why, even though you've made so much progress with your drinking, it still feels like alcohol takes up way too much space in your mind? Tune in this week to learn why feeling stuck doesn't mean you've stopped making progress. You'll hear the difference between drinking less and needing alcohol less, why anticipation and worry can keep alcohol at the center of your thinking, and how measuring progress by what occupies your attention can be far more meaningful than simply counting drinks. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ [https://rachelhart.com/guide/] Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ [https://rachelhart.com/tab/] Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/478 [https://rachelhart.com/478]

477: Chasing the Sweet Spot with Your Drinking

Have you ever found yourself trying to hit the perfect buzz? Enough to feel relaxed or more confident, but not so much that you wake up the next morning wishing you had stopped sooner. It's easy to think the answer is simply finding and maintaining your sweet spot, but what if that's not actually possible? This week, we're exploring why so many people chase the perfect buzz and why it can feel so frustrating when you can't seem to stay there. You'll learn what happens when impatience, anticipation, and the brain's reward system combine, and how misunderstanding the temporary nature of pleasure can keep you stuck in a cycle of drinking more than you intended. Discover how letting go of the need to hold onto a feeling can completely change the way you think about drinking. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ [https://rachelhart.com/guide/] Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ [https://rachelhart.com/tab/] Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/477 [https://rachelhart.com/477]

476: Why You Can Always Find a Good Reason to Drink

Does it ever feel like your brain can always come up with a good reason to drink? Maybe you've had a stressful day. Maybe it's a celebration. Maybe you've been "good" all week. Whatever the situation, the excuse always seems to make perfect sense in the moment. This week, we're exploring a concept called the Rolodex of excuses and why your brain is so good at flipping through one justification after another whenever you try to change your drinking. You'll learn why these thoughts aren't signs that drinking is the right choice, but simply well-practiced permission slips your brain has learned to offer because they've been rewarded so many times before. Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/ [https://rachelhart.com/guide/] Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/ [https://rachelhart.com/tab/] Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/476 [https://rachelhart.com/476]