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Finding your voice to ditch the booze! 

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Finding your voice to ditch the booze!

I was incredibly lucky to be part of a group listening to the very wise Ann Dowsett Johnston, the author of the amazing book Drink, this morning and we discussed how finding and expressing your voice can be so helpful in recovery.

Ann mentioned that she believes our bodies hear our voices and I believe this is so true.

Many people, particularly women, reach for alcohol to find their voice, to be heard and express their opinions.

I know I did. I am short, I have a quiet voice and was quite shy growing up but I had a lot to say. Alcohol made me louder, certainly less eloquent, but confident. This set up a pattern that lasted decades and formed beliefs that I needed something external to me to express myself.

Does this resonate with you? This feeling that you are not enough can be grounded in thoughts around whether you fit in, belong or have meaningful things to say that others want to listen to. It can start in childhood. Also, expressing our voice is integrally connected with discovering who we are, feeling comfortable in our own skin and developing into the adults we want to become.

Were you given an opportunity to express your opinion? Were you encouraged to debate topics and be heard?  You may come from a loud family and there may not have room for you to speak and be heard.  Or your voice may have been criticised, shouted down or ignored.

It can be really helpful in recovery to find meaningful ways of expressing yourself and do this as much as you can, including book clubs, connecting with friends, dancing to music, painting, writing.

Many use alcohol to find their voice but finding effective ways to use your voice can be instrumental in losing alcohol.

Isabella xo

Episode 6, Burnout – Mimmo’s Lived Experience

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In this episode, Bella talks to Miranda, a close high-school friend, about Mim’s  experience with burnout and her recovery from it.  Bella and Mim chat about the bizarre moment they each discovered that their lives had “imploded” at the very same moment. Mim discusses how her brain quite literally went into “safe mode” and she could no longer do basic things like send a text, how she recovered slowly but surely over 2-years and how one day she woke up and thought “I’m back!”.  Finally Bella and Mim reflect on how these life-implosion-moments can lead to a more purposeful and resonant life on the others side.

Episode 2, Meg’s Story

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In this episode, Meg shares her personal story behind her decision to become an alcohol free woman and a This Naked Mind Certified Coach.  Meg opens up about her generalised anxiety disorder and social phobia, the 3 things that happened in her childhood that contributed to her anxiety and how she found that alcohol initially helped her manage her anxiety at the start but later exacerbated it.  Meg discusses how ditching the booze substantially reduced her anxiety and also made her feel happier and calmer, so much so that she now helps other people do the same.

Meg is the founder and a certified coach at Glass Fulfilled and can be found at www.glassfulfilled.com.au.  Meg welcomes all enquiries.

Welcome to She’s Sober Sydney! Podcast

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In this first episode of She’s Sober Sydney Meg & Bella briefly touch on their personal experiences around becoming alcohol free women and how they met training to become This Naked Mind Certified Coaches.  Meg & Bella also share their vision for this podcast and discuss their excitement at sharing their personal stories and the stories of amazing individuals who have struggled and triumphed over alcohol.