S3 EP9 – Anna Donaghey of The Big Drink Rethink Podcast, Former Ad Exec Turned Alcohol Mindset Coach

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. Today’s guest is someone I don’t know personally but do follow and learn from.  Anna is a Coach who helps others reframe their mindset around drinking.  For 20 years, she drank daily, thinking nothing of finishing a bottle of wine in the evening. At the time, she believed the alcohol was helping her cope with the stresses of everyday life, but her drinking left her feeling exhausted, ashamed and unhappy.  She said “I just knew I couldn't carry on. I knew I was addicted but I didn't know what to do about it, and I felt an enormous amount of shame.”

One night, during one of the daily panic attacks she would experience because of her drinking, she typed ‘Am I an alcoholic?’ into Google and the results included a book called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Reading the book, which focuses on finding freedom through alcohol control rather than total sobriety, was a lightbulb moment for Anna.

By spending time understanding WHY she was drinking, she was eventually able to give up alcohol completely and her journey inspired her to become an alcohol mindset coach. The 53-year-old from Gloucestershire has now launched her own podcast called The Big Drink Rethink to get people talking openly and honestly about alcohol.  Please check her offerings out at https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/

I learned SO much from this conversation and will be using her guidance moving forward in my day to day.  One such nugget was it’s not about asking how “bad” is my relationship with alcohol but instead is my life as good as it could be right now given the nature of that relationship?  This is an evolved view to me.  Rock bottom isn’t the price of admission like some people believe.  It’s more about what limitations could it be putting on my potential or happiness and let’s get into the why behind why it’s that way. 

Her episode is available October 18, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always!

Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/

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