Recovery Happy Hour

Just sitting here thinking about how grateful I am for doing the hard thing almost 10 years ago and quit drinking alcohol. Tackling my biggest demon and doing the work to learn how to live a happy, booze-free life was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. BUT that also set a new precedent for what “hard” really means. Ever since November 2016, I can look at a challenge and compare it to recovery. And I think, “I quit drinking, so I can definitely do fillintheblankhere.”

Recovery tested my limits. It helped me level up and know what I’m capable of. And I’m usually capable of much more than what I expect out of myself, I just have to get warmed up first.

If you’re early in sobriety, please know the today version of You is not the future version You. You are getting stronger each day that you decide not to drink… you’re building a muscle. And eventually you will laugh at challenges that used to make you shrink away! You can do this. You are capable of so much more than you know. Keep going. 💝

(Btw, the Recovery Happy Hour podcast is still available anywhere you stream your fav pods. They have tons of resources, so go back when you’re having a hard day and check out an old episode. They’ve aged well!)

I chatted with last week about what I’ve been up to since the podcast ended. Kelley was an early guest on Recovery Happy Hour and, like me, grew up in the restaurant business. After so many years of trying to “balance” my life with drinking hard & using exercising as a form of punishment the next day, I was introduced to a specific method of reformer Pilates at 14 months sober. The last 8 years of this practice have been an invaluable part of my recovery journey. Moving at Session taught me how to truly check in to my body and give it what it needs. My body and I are finally on the same team! After 3 months of intense studying and training, I am now teaching at and am so excited about this new chapter. You can watch the entire episode (it’s a good one!) on Kelley’s YouTube channel. Go check it out!

What a sweet little thank-you package from ! I had the pleasure of sharing my recovery story with a wonderful group of Swifties last week. There is an online accountability & support group for just about anything and I love that these folks who share of a love of TS can also get sober together and meet online for support. When I first stopped drinking, I was part of a super helpful Facebook accountability group (now defunct) through and it helped me in ways I could never imagine I needed. If you’re trying figure out your relationship with booze, there is a perfect fit for community for you somewhere, whether it’s online or IRL. Don’t stop looking, scrolling, listening, reading, etc., and don’t second guess paying a small fee for it. YOU are worth the investment, and your new friends are waiting for you. What groups do you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

Did you know there’s a community of humans in recovery who are also Swifties? I ♥️ this so much! I’m thrilled to share my story in a virtual meeting with on Tuesday May 12 at 8pm EST. If you’re curious about how I created a fulfilling life beyond the bottle, please join us! I’ll share my story, answer your questions, and maybe you’ll find a new community while you’re there. 🫶 ➡️ DM for the meeting link. ⬅️

A sober 45th birthday: sleeping in, a workout, a day at World Springs soaking in various hot tubs and cold plunges, a lymphatic massage, a big ol’ plate of fried food for dinner, and asleep by 9pm. I am super proud of how I party. 🎉 In my 10th year without alcohol, I have the following advice: eat more banana splits. They really will heal something inside of you. 💝

Dry January in a nutshell: Amazing drinks from and , hosting recovery happy hour at , a trip to , and a career change! Also, did you know that a certain major wh***ey company has paused production due to lack of demand? Check out/ subscribe to my Substack for more info! (Link in bio)