How I Quit Drinking (Again) and Got My Motivation Back

In this powerful episode of Fitness With Jade, I open up about slipping back into old habits: binge drinking, skipping workouts, emotional eating and exactly how I’m pulling myself out. After completing my Ironman 70.3 and losing momentum, I realized the toxic cycle that alcohol created in my life and how it affected my training, motivation, and mindset.

This episode is your ultimate real talk recovery guide, perfect for anyone struggling to bounce back after falling off track with fitness, wellness, sobriety, or self-discipline. I share my feminine approach to quitting alcohol, how to shift from shame to self-awareness, and how to build momentum again—without all-or-nothing thinking.

Whether you're curious about sober living, looking to rebuild a healthy routine, or just need motivation to become the best version of yourself—this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How alcohol impacts your fitness, sleep, and self-worth
• The feminine approach to sobriety and “sober girl energy”
• How to stop self-sabotage and take back your power
• Daily rituals for self-care, structure, and emotional regulation
• How to build confidence and create fun without alcohol
• Practical tips to identify triggers, redefine fun, and cultivate discipline

Let’s become that girl together, the one who shows up, glows up, and lives in full alignment.

Transcript

 Hello, and you are listening to the Fitness of the Jade Podcast, where I discuss all things wellness, fitness, and lifestyle, helping you to become that girl, the version of yourself you've always wanted to be. The past few months, I feel like I've been a bit of a blur, both literally and, uh, figuratively. I just completed my Ironman 70.3.

That was back in June, and I wasn't really happy about my time, but I'm super grateful that I finished it. But the month of training leading up to that event, I lost a lot of motivation and I actually started to drink alcohol again. So for those of you that don't know, I quit drinking for around 13 to. 14 months, I believe.

And then I started again. Um, and that was for about three months before my Ironman 70.3. And Daniel and I, I think in the final month we binge drinking quite. So I began skipping training sessions and then swapping them for veggie out in bed and ordering Uber Eats. And this is kind of the reason why I stopped drinking in the first place.

I just feel like it doesn't do you any good. It literally impacts your training regime, impacts your sleep, impacts your health, impacts your eating habits, and then also you do stupid things that you regret doing. I'm telling you this because I wanna be transparent and I feel like you need to own your shit and own your mistakes.

And so going back drinking, although it was fun, like don't get me wrong, it just wasn't worth it. It's not worth it. Um, so I'm slightly annoyed at myself for going back to these old habits, but I'm not gonna punish myself for making mistake 'cause I'm human and I feel like we're on this journey together.

So let's go over. What went wrong and how you can jump back on that horse after falling off it essentially. So that's what this episode is all about, picking yourself back up when you make a mistake. Because just because you have a little bit of a plateau, just because you do stuff something up, it doesn't mean that everything is ruined.

That's a very all or nothing mindset and it's going to get you nowhere. And I guess one thing I need to keep telling myself is that alcohol is addictive. It is something that. Many people excuse because it's so normalized in society and most people can't actually really control their alcohol like they think they can.

But you go out, for instance, for dinner and you say you're gonna have one drink, you know, one wine. Most people, no, but most people end up having more than one. Let's be real, like they might not go to excess, but they'll still end up having more than the one drink that they promised themselves. And I now listen to a human podcast.

A little while back it was about alcohol consumption, and I think it was something along the lines, and don't quote me on this, but something along the lines of, if you have more than two glasses of wine a week, it impacts your brain function and impacts your health in some way. Like alcohol is literally a toxin.

There's nothing beneficial about it in any way, shape, or form. And I guess one way to kind of start to rectify this negative self-talk is to stop the punishing language that I was telling myself. So instead of being like, Ugh, you're an idiot, why did you do that? It's, I just set back because of alcohol.

Alcohol is addictive and my coping skills are still a work in progress. I'm learning. I care enough to feel bad about it, and that means I'm not giving up. And so here we are. It's been nearly a month. Oh no, we're halfway 16th, two weeks of July, July of not drinking and I'm feeling great. I was even in Bali, not drinking, so I really can't complain about it.

Like I didn't even crave alcohol once over there. So yeah, super happy with that. And yeah, I'm gonna keep you updated. I feel like I'm gonna try and go another year without drinking. Um, the main thing is to do it one step at a time. If you tell yourself you're never gonna drink again, it's gonna give you that.

Thought in your head being like, oh my God, I feel like a drink. I can't ever drink again. We don't want that. We don't want that. I'm human. I'll have ups and downs, setbacks and triumphs, and I will continue to better myself every single day. 'cause obviously my main focus is to embody that girl and is sharing with you all.

The best way to do it. Let's go over the emin approach of stopping drinking and in the same time picking yourself back up once you've stumbled. So these tips can kind of be put onto anything you've messed up in. Like for instance, if you've gone to the fridge and you've binge ate that block of chocolate and those packet of crisps, et cetera, et cetera, these tips can be translated into any facet of life where you feel like you've messed up and you wanna pick yourself back up again.

And yeah, let's. Focus on self-care connection and aligning your actions with your values, and that was something that I simply stopped doing a few months ago. So let's. Get into it in order to stop this bad behavior of drinking so much that I actually black out in some sections. 'cause I know alcohol has so many calories in it.

Like it's so bad for you. When I drink a lot of the time, I won't eat. Before it, like dinner, I won't eat. I was actually told by someone again, dunno if it's true that if you don't eat before drinking, it actually increases the chances of you not remembering patches of the night. So I feel like that is where that comes in.

'cause I would just not eat dinner and then I'd start drinking and, 'cause I'm doing so much exercise too, and it just was not good. It was not a good concoction. So. Let's fix this. Let's fix this together. I've already started fixing it, but if you are, you know, thinking about stopping drinking or you're thinking about stopping this bad habit of binge eating, overeating, or whatever it is, it could even be simple things such as just being negative.

Okay? Like just anything these can apply to that. But I'm gonna focus a little bit on the alcohol side of things. I wanna embrace this feminine approach to stopping drinking and cultivate this sober girl energy, because I feel like this younger generation, they're drinking less. Tell me if I'm wrong, but there just needs to be more of the focus on fun things such as self care and doing things that make you feel good instead of that make you feel bad.

And to do this, it involves exploring my relationship or your relationship with alcohol and finding healthy coping mechanisms, and also building a strong support network. So if everyone around you is drinking. It's harder to stop drinking. I can relate to that. A lot of my old friends, they would drink every single weekend and so would I.

That's why, you know, we got along so well. That's all we would do together. We would literally go out every weekend and drink. So if that's all you are used to, that's all you're doing. Um, obviously that's familiar and you are more likely to go and do that behavior. So you need to remember to be kind to yourself, celebrate your progress, and create a life you love free from these constraints, whether it be of alcohol.

Overeating, undereating, or just stress, I mean negative stress, whatever it is. So here's a breakdown of how to approach it. The first step that you should be doing, or I would like you to do is to understand your relationship with alcohol. So understand your relationship with your advice, with the thing that is setting you back and to understand it.

The first step is to challenge a limiting beliefs, so question your narratives that you've built around. The thing that you want to stop. So question your narratives around alcohol and how it fits into your life. So a lot of people romanticize the way that alcohol affects them or the way it is in society in terms of relaxing or socializing.

A good example of that would be popping a bottle of champagne and having it in this beautiful champagne glass. It gives you that luxury element, gives you this narrative that you know, if you're gonna celebrate, whether it's a baby being born, an engagement, you need that. Glass of bubbles. Yeah. And it's important to challenge these beliefs 'cause that's just simply not, so like what's the difference between having a nice fancy glass and having some sparkling water or like, you know, the mocktail, something like that.

There isn't really any difference other than the way that alcohol affects you and the way that it affects you isn't positive As much as you like to paint this picture that it is, it's really, really not, it's remembering that this substance is harmful. Whether you have a little or a lot, it is a harmful substance.

And the same is said when you overeat. It is harmful. If you smoke cigarettes, it is harmful. One cigarette, two cigarettes, a hundred cigarettes. It's all harmful. It's all bad for you. There's nothing really great that can be received from smoking or overeating or even undereating. Yeah, nothing really good can come from it.

So then the second step to understanding your relationship with this issue is to identify triggers. So pinpoint situations or emotions or social settings that make you want to drink. And I know for me. Like after like a long day, I feel with the kids especially, and I, I feel like a big trigger is after a long day with the kids and you just wanna relax and let your hair down and just do something silly.

That's my trigger. That's when I want to be like, let's go to a wine bar. Let's go to, you know, there's a local bar or cell, a door that I love. I'm like, let's go to salad theor, let's go there, have a cheese platter, have a wine, and just. Relax and not have to worry about kids, not have to worry about being an adult, essentially.

And so for me, that's a trigger point. Uh, another trigger point I guess. I feel like that's stress in general, and that trigger point can really, uh, translate to other aspects. Like a lot of people, when they're stressed, they'll overeat. They'll go to the fridge and they'll eat all the chocolate that's in the house, they will eat all the lollies, that kind of thing.

And it is, it's identifying that trigger and finding something to replace it with. And then the third point for understanding your relationship with alcohol is exploring your why. So reflect on why you drink and what needs. You're trying to fulfill with it. Are you using it to cope with stress like I was anxiety or loneliness?

A lot of people or experts recommend identifying alternative coping mechanisms for these emotions, and the first way to do this is to form self-care rituals. So engaging activities that nurture your mind, body, and spirit. And I know my personal favorite ones. Uh, taking baths. I love bath in winter.

Freezing at the moment. It's absolutely freezing. I just got back from Bali, uh, where it was 28 degrees whenever there to visit my dad and um, his partner and my half siblings and my cousins actually. So it was like a whole family affair. But yeah, I went over there and it was so nice and hot and amazing and I was getting a tan and now I'm here and it's 12 degrees and breezing and, and I know that some people that are in Europe and they're like 12 degrees.

It's not cold. It is cold. It's so cold. And like I couldn't, couldn't live in the snow. I couldn't live. Where it gets to under, well, I wish, actually I lived in New South Wales. Um, that'd be prime. I feel like it's much better than here. And ideally even I could live up north in Queensland to be honest. Um, if the food and the coffee was a bit better.

But anyway, I digress. So in winter I like taking baths. Amazing. Another thing that I really like to do is obviously exercise. Uh, going for a run when I'm feeling stressed is the best way to offload and de-stress myself, or that's what I find anyway. Um, but other things you can do if running and baths aren't your thing is practicing yoga, spending time in nature.

So nature walks, listening to music, listening to podcasts, just spending time with friends in general in terms of going to an activity that doesn't include the things that you are trying to avoid, such as, I don't know, going bowling and it's. Escape room. Something where you don't need to have alcohol to have fun.

Something where you're not gonna get triggered to do the thing that you don't wanna do. Obviously if you're trying to stop overeating, like it's a bad idea to go to a dessert bar. Yeah. Like just, yeah. Pick something that's a self-care ritual, which is actually nourishing your soul. The second way of finding healthy coping mechanisms is emotional awareness.

So learning to identify and process your emotions in healthy ways. So deep breathing, meditation, journaling, or talking to a therapist can be extremely healthy tools. I still feel like I need to work on my emotional awareness, and that's another reason why I've started this podcast is so we can work on it together.

I feel like. Sometimes I'm a bit emotionally numb and you can feel it in your body, but you can't actually articulate what the emotion is that you are feeling. So it's about recognizing what is going through your mind and the why you're feeling the way you're feeling, and becoming aware how it's affecting you, and also the people around you.

The third healthy coping mechanism, like I said before, is physical activity. So obviously exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mood and energy levels, do activities that you enjoy. I like running. I am now a runner, as I said in a previous podcast, running is my jam. I like it and I feel like I can now call myself a runner 'cause I've been doing it long enough.

Consider activities that you like. If you don't like running. Go dancing, do cycling, go for a walk, do your yoga. You know, there's Hess of different things you can do. Really like just pick something though, some form of physical activity. And then the last and final way to cope healthily is to have a creative expression.

And my creative expression is definitely a. My Instagram and my podcast. I love it. Love, love, love doing it. I'm so grateful and thankful that I can try and make a living out of this. It's something I really like and it actually is my creative outlet, so find something that you like doing too. My daughter, she loves drawing, so I was painting.

Do that if that's your thing. You know, some people like writing that's so creative outlet and some other people like playing music, singing. You'll find something lean into that. So I feel like you lose friends when you stop drinking. If you lean into the hobbies that you enjoy, you are going to find other people who also enjoy those hobbies, AKA other friends.

Now the third point is to build a strong support network. Connect with like-minded women. So join online or in person groups for people who are choosing to live alcohol free or just doing things predominantly without alcohol. You know, join a run club. There's, you know, heaps of different things. Like you can find something, just find like-minded people, whether it be within the physical side of it like I like to do, or whether it be in a hobby that you have.

Then another way is to lean in on your friends and family. So just let your friends and family know that you are working on stopping what you're wanting to stop. So let them know that you are not drinking anymore. Let them know that you are watching what you eat. Let them know that you are stopping smoking.

Let them know and that you would also appreciate their support instead of being pressured or peer pressured into doing things that you don't want to do. And if they're actually truly your friends. And obviously if your family cares about you, they're going to. Respect your wishes and help you with that.

And the last part of building a strong support network is to seek professional guidance. So if it's something that you really don't feel like you can do on your own, obviously consider talking to a therapist or a counselor if you're trying to quit Alcohol Sobriety coach or personalized support group, you know, aa.

You know Alan Carr, his books of, you know How to Quit Drinking. I read those a few years ago and they're quite good. So just something that has more of a professional tone to it and can give you the step-by-step on how to navigate quitting what you wanna quit. The fourth point is to embrace sober girl energy.

So celebrate your choices. So recognize and celebrate your progress no matter how small. Okay. So for me, I'm like, hell yeah. I went to Barley and I didn't even feel like a drink. I was surrounded by people drinking and I had no want or need to have a drink. And I was like, that's amazing. I was living off lemon iced teas, to be honest.

And also coffee. Love my coffee and what else was I drinking? Oh yeah, fresh coconut. So that's what I was doing. If I, everyone was drinking. I had my lemon iced tea. And yeah, I was very, very happy and I feel like I was also doing things such as going for massages. I would go and take Lily for massages. I was going tanning, I was drinking on the treadmill.

I was just going for walks. I was doing all the things that I liked to do. So that's how I was celebrating. 'cause I was, yeah, I was very, very happy. So you just gotta be kind to yourself and indulge in treats and self care that are different and not tied in with the thing that you're trying to stop. So the other way to embrace this energy is to redefine fun.

So explore activities and experiences that bring you joy that aren't ti in with alcohol or anything else. Yeah, plan an adventurous trip. Uh, go for a hike. Like the list goes on and on and on. Which I have found going to a bar and some bars mocktails, or they have fake gin or they have fake wine, can actually be quite good.

So even if you do feel like, oh, let's go out and let's, you know, go out and have a sneaky little pre-drink and we'll go out for dinner, just do something like that. If that's something you really, really want to do, like you can actually have some really nice drinks. Uh, the other way to embrace the energy is to embrace your authentic self.

So I feel like a lot of people just feel like they have to conform to society. Like a good, uh, example of this would be going to a party and people are saying, let's have a shot. And you're like, I don't wanna have a shot. And they come around and they bring the tray of shots and you're basically forced to do a shot that's basically just collapsing into bit pressure.

So we don't want that. Embrace your unique personality and interest and yeah, just say, no, no, no. Thank you. When you say no, you are kind of setting the bar. I feel like people are shocked when you're not doing what everyone else is doing. And then a lot of people start to follow. Like I feel like whenever I stop drinking, for instance, a lot of people around me then either limit their alcohol or they just kind of stop too.

So. You kind of become the, oh my God, this sounds really cringe saying it trendsetter in a way. Yeah. And people will start noticing, and some people will criticize it, but then in the back of their mind they get this kneeling feeling that they should be doing something too. And then a lot of people end up making some type of change.

And then I guess the last way to. The sober girl energy is to focus on your goals, so make sure you are setting personal and professional goals that align with your values and aspirations. I know that me drinking completely derailed both my personal and professional goals completely, like it's, it is, there's no positive that can come from me drinking.

I just need to remember that like there is literally no positive and it is giving me setbacks in what I actually love to do and my goals and what I want to achieve. Don't want it. And this will help me. And you stay motivated and focused on building this fulfilling life that we're trying to build. Yeah.

'cause we are that girl. Yeah. We're amazing. So let's do it. Okay. So once we, we've done all those points. Yeah. Let's try and figure out what you think and what I think drinking. Will give you, because there's a reason people really struggle to quit drinking and quit things such as smoking, because you believe in your call that you are missing out on certain things.

And so let's go over on what these things are, that fake belief that you're missing out and how we can rectify these thoughts, how we can reframe them and change them for the better. So obviously people don't usually drink alcohol just because they like the taste. It's usually filling some gap or unmet need.

And I know that Daniel and I started drinking together and I feel like we we're missing a lot of the fun in our relationship prior and we wanted to kind of have that fun in this new phase of our relationship. Yeah, that's what the void we were trying to fill. And also when I would drink, I would be very like, blah, blah, blah, and just say what I think.

And I think he liked that and he liked that. I just had no inhibition and I was. Free to speak my mind. We like that. So we were drinking because yeah, just have some fun. And I guess to get to know each other again, let's go over the unmet needs that we can try and rectify. So the first one is connection.

So we've got loneliness, isolation, or feeling like you don't belong anywhere. Alcohol can become this shortcut to social ease and it makes it less awkward. And you feel like you're bonding more. You do, 'cause you are doing this thing together and your inhibitions are gone. The second is emotional regulation skills.

So difficulty tolerating, tolerant, so if you have a difficulty tolerating or processing stress, anxiety, sadness, or aga alcohol is this fast acting, but you know, temporary numbing agent. Also, confidence and self-acceptance. So if you're feeling inadequate, shy, or unworthy, it can create this temporary version where you feel good enough.

Healthy coping mechanisms. So when you don't have the tools for self soothing, decompressing, or processing hard experiences, drinking can be this easiest available strategy. Tructure and discipline, that's another one. So lack of routine goals or positive habits to anchor your day. And I feel like this was dropping for me when I said drinking.

So it often happens when people feel aimless, which I didn't feel, but I feel like the, you know, kind of chicken and the egg scenario, like when I was drinking, I started. To become, to feel aimless because I didn't have that anchor in my day. And also joy and aliveness. So yeah, this is a big one. This is a big one for me, not having hobbies, passions, or outlets that genuinely light you up.

So I feel like I do have hobbies and passions, but they're not relaxing. So I feel like it's finding something that's. A little more chill for me. So alcohol becomes a synthetic source of excitement and pleasure. If you recognize some of these are applicable to you, you're not alone. It doesn't mean you're weak and it just means you're human as alcohol is this incredibly effective but very short term tool for meeting these unmet needs.

And then long term, it leaves a wider gap. It makes you feel worse, and it kind of exacerbates the problem. So here are some healthier ways to fill in these spaces. If connection's, your problem, so what you're cravings is sense of belonging, being seen, being a part of something. So healthier. Alternatives would be micro connecting.

So doing things such as small talk with a barista that counts. Gonna a cafe and talking to your local barista. Yeah, talking to people at the gym. A coworker. You don't have to really go into. Deep conversation. Just practice talking to people randomly finding community without alcohol or your vice as the glue.

Again, joining a hobby group could be a book club, pottery class, run club, something like that that gives you this sense of connection and community without needing to drink. Volunteering can be another good one, so it nothing builds connection faster than experiencing and working side by side with others towards something meaningful and volunteering gives you that.

And also another thing is. To forget, like a lot of people are expecting to be invited to things and for people to reach out to them, start reaching out to others instead. So don't wait for them to text. You text a friend and they, Hey, I wanna grab a coffee this week. Connection requires initiative. So if purpose finding purpose and meaning is something you're struggling with, here are some simple ways to rectify that.

So setting small goals or projects that you can build momentum with. Big one for me is training for an event, something. Like Alice is very similar as learning a new skill, you're learning a new language. Learning how to cook if you dunno how to cook, or even simple things such as decluttering your space can really give you this kind of purpose and goal.

Reflect on your values and pick one small action that honors these values each day and start journaling about what matters to you and what you want more. Life if you have children, it's very easy to tie yourself in with them and you know, they give you some purpose and meaning. But don't forget that one day your children will be gone.

Like they'll have left the home and you'll need to find other ways of having purpose and meaning. So it is good to find, uh, something else that is just yours. If emotional regulation is something you struggle with, learn simple breath work, and this is something I always forget to do, but box breathing.

So you fall seven, eight, breathing, or your box breathing is really good to calm your nervous system. Another way is to just move your body, walk, run. We've already spoken about this as movement shifts, stuck emotions for me, I need to run and you get the heart rate up. Walking doesn't do it for me, so running is a must for me.

Like it needs to be boom, boom, boom. Heart rate has to be out of the roof. Outta the roof, off the roof. Heart rate has to be up for me to calm down, if that makes sense. Very odd. And then keep a feelings journal. So naming emotions helps diffuse power. So if you are feeling stressed, just say it loud. I am feeling stressed.

It sounds silly, but it's meant to work and practice self-compassion instead of shaming yourself when you're overwhelmed. It's another thing I struggle with. I'm like, Ugh, idiot. Like, why are you doing this? Instead of doing that, stop shaming yourself. Yeah, be positive. Talk to yourself. I could said in the other episode, like you would your daughter, talk to yourself in a positive way.

If you wouldn't speak to your children like that. Don't speak to yourself like that, and then also try guided meditations or apps like Insight Timer or Headspace. This can help with that too. If you struggle with confidence and self-acceptance, write down ways or evidence of your strengths and the moments you were proud of.

Practice small acts of courage, so saying no, speaking up, showing up when you're alone and take care of your appearance, that feel affirming to you. Like I said, your appearance matters or you present matters. If you don't feel like you are good or you feel like if you don't feel confident in the way you look.

Make sure you're doing something that makes you feel confident the way you look, whether it's brushing your hair, trying out a new outfit, putting some makeup on. If that's your thing, just do something to make you feel like you are, you consider therapy or coaching to unpack or beliefs about your worth.

And also just doing things to stretch your comfort zone without. Your usual crutch of whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, or whatever. Yeah. Do something to get out of your comfort zone. For me, it'd be singing karaoke without being drunk or, uh, dancing without being drunk. Those are two things for me that I need to stretch my comfort zone with.

Tell me what your things are. If you feel like you don't have any healthy coping mechanisms, here are some things that you can do and some things that I really like to do too. So I create a calm kit. Like I don't actually have a calm kit, but I like to do the things that would usually be in a calm kit.

So things such as tea journaling, blanket affirmations, coming music. I have a weighted blanket that I actually bought from the site. Uh, this isn't sponsored or anything. It's literally just where I bought it from. It's like a thing. 15 kilos. It's very heavy to pick up. Like I feel like I'm this weak being, trying to pick up this massive blanket if I'm feeling stressed out, putting that blanket on me.

And then also, tea is a big one for me. I love my tea again, especially in winter when I want to die and calming music. I go, I go to bed with sleep music every single night. Yet something I've kind of like forced Daniel to do. Like when we first started dating, I would put the fan on and calming music and yeah, now he's just.

Learn to love it. So, yeah. And also the kids will listen to calming music, so we just have it blasting in the house so they can, we can all listen to it. But yeah, so that's all things that you can do to cope healthily. Uh, replacing a ritual too. So if you're a drinker at a specific time, replacing it with a mocktail, or taking a shower or a bath to decompress, or you know, a run, replace it with something.

If you are always drinking at 6:00 PM at 6:00 PM. Have that mocktail do something. Another thing is to learn to ride out cravings. They peak and pass like a wave. Yeah, just let it ride over you. Uh, explore your creative outlets like you've already listed, and again, practice grounding techniques. So stick your hands in some cold water sensory scan, counting down, et cetera, et cetera.

You got this. If structure and discipline is your struggle point your pain point. Start your day with a morning routine, even if it's tiny. Just do something. My morning routine is. Pretty bad at the moment actually. So I need to change that up. Use a planner or app to schedule meals, workouts, or downtime. I usually use Notion for a lot of my stuff.

Again, this isn't sponsored, but I love Notion, I'm addicted to plan out the day. So notion's more like a future planner and when I'm planning my day, I refer to it. And then to plan out my day, I just have a handwritten journal where I'll be like, this is what I wanna achieve today. This is kind of like the rough schedule and I'll go from there.

Uh, set out one to three daily priorities. And tick those off so you keep that momentum and celebrate consistency, not perfection. If you're consistent, you are gonna get things done. You're gonna be moving forward and also build a wind down ritual to replace your evening drinking, to replace that evening habit.

It can be very similar to, you know. Your little calm kid. And the last thing, the last, if the last problem that you're trying to rectify, join the liveness, which this is a big one for me. Try new experiences. So dance classes, road trips, cooking, reconnect with things you loved as a kid. Okay, for me, this is gonna sound so silly, I used to love witchcraft.

That was my thing. That was my jam. So, you know, I could look into doing that could be my thing. Again, make a joy list. So commit to doing at least one thing from this joy List a week. Spend time in nature. You know, science says that trees and stuff make you feel better. So go out and look at the trees, go to the beat, lift your mood, do it that way, and allow yourself to be playful and spontaneous without needing a substance to permit it.

And I feel like if you have kids, it's much easier to do this 'cause they're random. They're random children don't care. They are, they are playful. That's the whole point of being a child. You know, they've got joy, they've got their aliveness. Follow their lead. That makes it a hell of a lot easier if you don't have a child, do it with your dog.

Like, I'm not, I'm not trying to compare them, but like, they're also playful and like to be spontaneous. Cats dunno, I'm not like a cat person, so I can't, I can't give you advice on that. But if you have kids or a pet, lean on them too to try and make things a little bit more joyful and fun. And I think that's enough for today.

I feel like I've made a lot of points. I hope that these help you and we can do this together because again, I'm only two weeks in of not drinking. Since, so, yeah, like I said, 13, 14 months of not drinking, three months of drinking, and now I'm back to two weeks of not drinking. So if you, you know, wanna have a little non-drinking buddy and chat to me on Instagram.

Go ahead. I'm right here. I'm all ears. I'm here to listen. Please try some of these out and if they work. Let me know. I would love to know your success, so then I can also give them a go to. That'd be amazing. So thank you for listening and if you wanna follow me some more Instagram, it's Jade Palmer. I've obviously left a link in the show notes.

I also have a TikTok, which I've left in the show notes as well. And yeah, there's a few things upcoming, which I'm super excited about. In August, uh, Daniel and I are gonna be launching something together, which I've already been doing a little bit of. Sneak peeks about. But yeah, I'm super excited for that project and I will be announcing it very soon.

So yeah, thank you for listening and I will speak to you soon.