Podcasts about oynb website

Do you ever get hung up on perfection, black and white thinking, and the feeling that you must choose between all and nothing? That’s the kind of thing that today’s guest deals with on a regular basis. Listen in to Jessica Seeley Jennings to find out about her work with wellpower and accepting yourself. Jessica is the wife of Jeff Jennings, of Relationship Remastery. You can hear his interview in an earlier episode. In today’s episode of One Year No Beer, Jessica discusses some of the things that she’s learned in over 20 years of working with mental health disorders, eating disorders, and couples therapy. She’s also a certified alcohol and drug rehab counselor.  “I think we as human beings get stuck in polarizing opposites. We feel we have to be perfect and push and push ourselves to unrealistic extremes.” Jessica talks about the common all or nothing attitudes that she hears about in counseling and therapeutic settings. She discusses how people can let go of that way of thinking and find a balance that’s healthier and more sustainable.  Jessica also talks about communication and its importance. Chris, Kristine, and Jessica all agree that loneliness is a common problem, especially for people in certain stages of the OYNB process who have difficulty making connections with others. Jessica explains why people in our society have difficulty with connection and what they can do about it.  Listen in to the episode to hear what Jessica has to say about the power of wellpower vs. willpower, and why it can be important to accept what is and learn to reach for your goals in a different way. Jessica gives examples of her work and what people can do to help themselves when they’re struggling, as well as sharing how listeners can reach her. LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  JESSICA SEELEY JENNINGS Email: jessica@relationshipremastery.com

Changing your relationship with alcohol is a huge and important journey. But humans are complex, and they can go through more than one huge and important journey in their lives, and maybe even during the same time period. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Seth Staggs about his childhood in the Bible Belt of America, coming out as a member of the LGBT community, and making his OYNB journey. As of this recording, Seth Staggs is on day 388 with no alcohol, making him a OYNB success story. Seth has had a lot of interesting things happen in his life, however, and giving up alcohol is just one of them.  “Looking back, I was looking forward to my 30s and was just kind of okay, what am I going to do to make my 30s better?” In today’s interview, Seth talks about what it was like for him to grow up in the Bible Belt among a religious family and community that did not accept LGBT people at the time. Seth understood that he was different, understood that he was gay, and even faced homophobia at school and in the community, but did not feel comfortable admitting it out loud as a teenager. It wasn’t until after high school that he began to tentatively admit who he really was as he found friends that were also part of an LGBT community that he hadn’t realized existed in his home state of Arkansas. Of course, coming out didn’t solve all of Seth’s problems. While he found acceptance and a sense of belonging at gay clubs and bars, he also found something else – alcohol. And it was from there that Seth developed a pattern of drinking that interfered with the other things that he wanted to do with his life. Seth says that he remains supportive of gay clubs and bars, but the alcohol was a problem for him.  Things really came to a head when a friend of Seth's caused an accident that involved drinking and driving. That helped Seth to realize that if it had happened to his friend, it could happen to him to. In January of 2019. Seth joined One Year No Beer.  In today’s episode you’ll learn more about Seth’s OYNB journey, and about how he decided to become vegan as well. You’ll also hear about how he had a slip in his journey but picked back up and successfully completed 365 days and then some. Finally, Seth also addresses the future – what he sees ahead for himself in 2021 and beyond.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

One Year No Beer is about something much bigger than changing an individual’s relationship with alcohol. It’s about changing society’s relationship with alcohol. And often, when one person makes a significant change, they find a way to share that change with a broader group of people. That’s what today’s guest did. In today’s episode, Johnny Johnson discusses the drinking culture that he was a part of. He didn’t consider himself an alcoholic or think of his drinking as anything over the top – it was just normal. It was normal to go out for drinks on weeknights with colleagues and go out on the weekends with old school friends. It was normal to work through hangovers. It was normal to spend Sundays recovering so that the cycle could start over again with the next work week. “I looked back at my life and I started thinking, I'm just on this hamster wheel and I'm not enjoying life.” Johnny decided after his wedding that he was tired of this version of normal – tired of having hangovers, tired of worrying about what he might have done and forgotten about while he was drinking. So, he decided to give up alcohol for a while, then decided to join One Year No Beer so that he could experience the support of a community during his journey. But that’s not where Johnny’s story stops. He found himself telling friends and family about going alcohol-free because he was excited about it. And because he still wanted to go out and join in social activities, he also started exploring alcohol-free drinks. Johnny did find some nonalcoholic beers that he liked, but most venues carried big brands that he didn’t care for as much. Rather than giving up, Johnny was inspired by the situation. He decided to create his own alcohol-free beer. His goal was to get it into pubs and restaurants so that when he and other people like him went out, they could order an alcohol-free beer that they liked and were proud to be seen drinking. In today’s episode, Johnny discusses his journey with alcohol, his foray into nonalcoholic brewing, and his experiences with the One Year No Beer community. Listen in to learn how Johnny managed to create a healthy nonalcoholic beer and to pick up a promo code that will give OYNB members a discount on Johnny’s alcohol-free beer. LINKS & RESOURCES OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  JOHNNY JOHNSON’S LINKS UNLTD Beer: https://www.unltd.beer/

Sometimes, in the wake of a tragedy or difficult life event, people find themselves turning to alcohol to numb the pain. But today’s guest is proof that it’s possible to overcome tragedy and difficult life circumstances and to give up alcohol. It takes work and commitment, but it can be done. Chris Hemming is a man with a dramatic life story. In today’s episode, he frankly discusses how his little brother began experimenting with alcohol, and how that experimentation culminated in a fatal car crash on Halloween. Chris says that you might assume that after such a tragic event, he wouldn’t allow alcohol to be a problem in his own life. But of course, things don’t always work out the way that you might assume they would. “It's not easy. If somebody says it is, they're not telling you the truth. I think the answer is, is this is a daily battle.” Chris goes on to explain how, as an adult, he ended up getting pulled over, arrested, and charged with a DUI. And further, he relates how, while he was waiting for sentencing on his DUI case, he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain tumor. His sentencing had to be postponed so that he could undergo brain surgery and recover from that.  Fortunately, Chris did survive the tumor and brain surgery, and he learned some things from the whole experience. In today’s interview, Chris talks about the power of forgiveness – both forgiveness from other people and forgiving yourself. He also discusses his own relatively new alcohol-free journey. At the time of this recording, Chris has been alcohol-free for four months.  Chris talks about some of the things that he’s learned since his brain surgery, including how to cope with changes in his memory. He discusses his business, how it’s changed during this time due to COVID, and what he has coming up on the horizon. Finally, he shares his own advice for people who are beginning their alcohol-free journey. Listen in to today’s episode to learn more about Chris and his story.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

Dr. Alan Desmond is a returning guest to the One Year No Beer podcast. Alan is a gastroenterologist and a passionate advocate of plant-based diets.  In today’s episode, Alan discusses his own One Year No Beer journey. He talks about how he would give up drinking when he was training for Spartan races and why he finally decided to give up alcohol for good. He was training for a Spartan Ultra, and he decided to begin a challenge 90 days before a race. Like many people who try the One Year No Beer challenges, he found that he slept better, woke up fresher, and was generally more productive without the alcohol.  “For me, it's been a real gamechanger. It's like you discover all this extra time in the day.” Alan also discusses his interest in plant-based diets. As a gastroenterologist, he explains, he frequently gets questions from patients about what they should be eating, what they should be avoiding, what types of foods will make them feel better and improve their diagnoses. Alan’s interest in giving his patients evidence-based answers to their questions led to his advocacy for a plant-based diet.  Now, Alan’s written a book about plant-based diets and how they can help individuals lead healthier lives. In discussing his book, Alan talks about how the right diet can lead to a healthier mind and a healthier body. His book details a 28-day plan that people can use to test out a plant-based diet and see for themselves how much better they feel. He even talks about how the right diet can reverse serious conditions like diabetes and chronic inflammation. Listen to the episode to learn more about Dr. Desmond, his book, and the power of plant-based diets.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Dr. Alan Desmond Links: Dr. Alan Desmond on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alandesmond/?hl=en The Plant-Based Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GKCF7B6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

The One Year No Beer Podcast has a new co-host! Kristine Laping will be joining host Chris Laping to bring you guests, stories, and insights on the One Year No Beer Podcast. In today’s episode, Chris and Kristine talk with Rakale Hannah. Rakale is a one-to-one coach in the ONYB community, but that’s not her only important role. Rakale is also a gifted musician who has just released an album entitled Other Side of Blue. Rakale has a moving personal story to share, and in today’s episode, she discusses her own journey and how she ended up in a position to help others in their journeys. Music has always been part of Rakale Hannah’s life. She grew up as the daughter of a Baptist preacher and both of her parents were singers, so Rakale has been singing since she was very young. But there was also a darker side to Rakale’s upbringing. She reveals that as a child, she experienced a lot of religious control as well as physical and verbal abuse at home. She talks about experiencing shame and feeling as if she had to present a face to the world that suggested everything was beautiful, even when the opposite was true.  "I've had times where I'll be on stage singing a song and someone will come to me and say, you were coaching me while you were singing like I felt the energy of change in your music.” Rakale discusses how her childhood experiences left her with pain and trauma, and how her journey involved working through those experiences. She talks about what helped her through her difficult childhood – notably, her own imagination played a big role, as well as connections that she made with others in her church.  She explains how she chose healing and transformation, and how that changed her life’s journey. Rakale discusses how her changes weren’t instantaneous – she spent time working with different therapists until she found the right one and she had to work through the unfinished business of her life one step at a time. Rakale states that it’s consistency that people need to seek, not perfection. She talks about the importance of showing up and making progress, even if doesn’t go as quickly as you’d prefer.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

Over the past few weeks, the One Year No Beer Podcast has had several great guests who have discussed things like how relationships change when you stop drinking, the importance of finding self-love and self-worth, and the exhilaration of taking a major leap, like quitting a day job to follow your passion. Today’s episode combines elements from all of those themes in one show.  In today’s podcast, you’ll hear from host Chris Laping and his wife Kristine Laping about their experiences with giving up alcohol together, as a couple. Chris and Kristine have reached their two-year anniversary of changing their relationships with alcohol together, and they have a lot to say about what the journey has been like for them.  “The reality is, when you do a lookback, now that we’ve hit our 2-year milestone there are some really interesting insights from who we were as a couple when we were drinking, vs. now, when we don’t drink.” Chris and Kristine discuss the difference in how they handle the kinds of common disagreements and annoyances that all married couples have now that they no longer drink. Kristine talks about her “belligerent drink” and recounts an episode that she would handle very differently today. They also discuss how alcohol can be used as an avoidance technique, and Chris talks about his increased ability to sit in discomfort now, rather than trying to avoid it.  Chris and Kristine also discuss the tensions that can arise when one member of a couple decides to give up drinking and the other does not, and the value of the accountability that occurs as a side effect of couples deciding to change their relationships with alcohol together. They discuss the things that they’ve done that they probably never would have done if they’d still been drinking and the occasional triggers that each still deals with. Listen in to learn more about Chris and Kristine’s alcohol-free journey. LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

Does making one big change make other changes easier to make? For example, can changing your relationship with alcohol also make it easier to make other healthy lifestyle choices? Can it give you the confidence to follow your passions professionally or personally? In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Clare Freeman. Clare has reached 775 days entirely without alcohol at the time of this podcast recording. She’s also built a successful business and hosts a popular podcast of her own.   In today’s interview, Clare talks about where she was just three or four years ago. She describes herself as just drifting and existing amid a turmoil of stress, grief, heartbreak, and exhaustion. While she outwardly looked like she was doing well as an award-winning BBC producer, but internally, she was making unhealthy choices like drinking excessively and overeating to avoid her feelings. She’d even begun to ask herself if she was an alcoholic. “What I was stuck with was I knew I wasn’t an alcoholic, but I knew there wasn’t something right.” Clare concluded that she wasn’t an alcoholic, and she decided that a group like AA wouldn’t be right for her. She believed that alcohol was part of her problem, but she didn’t want to be labeled as an alcoholic for life and she didn’t believe that the AA approach would be useful for her. She attempted to moderate her drinking, but she didn’t feel as if that approach would work for her either. Then she found One Year No Beer through Catherine Gray’s book, The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober. She explains that the difference she saw in the ONYB community was that the people were really moving forward, thriving, and living their best lives. Clare believed that that was the kind of community that she could do well in also.  Clare shares how she felt when she reached the last day of her 365 day challenge, and why it wasn’t the grand event that she expected it to be – but also why she felt driven to keep going. She also talks about how she handled challenges to her sobriety, and how those challenges still present themselves, even after close to 800 days of being alcohol-free. She goes on to talk about her work and even explains how she came to give her podcast consulting business its distinctive name, A Small Furry Bear Productions. Listen in to the episode to learn more about Clare’s journey, life, and work.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  CLARE FREEMAN’S LINKS The Slimming World Podcast: https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/blog/discover-the-new-slimming-world-podcast/ A Small Furry Bear Productions: https://www.asfbproductions.com/

One Year No Beer is all about changing your relationship with alcohol. But when you do that, you might find yourself dealing with changes in your other relationships as well. How do you maintain a relationship with a friend when the foundation of that relationship is meeting up for drinks – and you’ve stopped drinking? What about your romantic relationships? Is your relationship with a spouse or partner doomed if you stop drinking and they don’t? What’s the best way to get your partner to support you? Is it fair to ask them to stop drinking just because you do?  Relationship struggles are a commonly discussed problem in the One Year No Beer forums. In today’s episode of the ONYB podcast, you’ll hear from Jeff Jennings, a clinical psychologist who specializes in educating and coaching individuals and couples as they work on connecting and maintaining relationships.  “Be firm in your commitment, and if you are committing to an alcohol-free life, you want to communicate that commitment to people.” In today’s interview, Jeff talks about several different aspects of relationship issues that a person might encounter when they give up drinking. Jeff discusses both spouse or partner relationships as well as relationships with friends and others. He explains the importance of clear communication and how to address issues that are likely to arise during your alcohol-free journey.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  JEFF JENNINGS’S LINKS Relationship Remastery Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/relationship.remastery Jeff’s email: Jeff@relationshipremastery.com     

Everybody experiences dark times in their lives. Many people are experiencing those dark times right now, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it requires a significant change in order to see you through the darkness and into a brighter future. Today’s guest has some experience with that sort of change.  Dr. Dominika Uhrikova was on day number 273 of her alcohol-free journey at the time when this podcast was recorded. A year ago, Dominika says that she was very depressed, in such a dark place that she wasn’t sure that she would be able to go on for another year. But now, in 2020, despite all of the unique challenges of this year, she says that she’s experiencing her best year yet.  “I am doing great. I am doing amazing. I know it may sound fake. But this is actually how I feel, and I didn’t always feel this way.” In today’s episode, Dominika explains that alcohol was always a part of her life. She came from a culture that normalized social drinking to a large extent, and she was influenced by that culture. She found herself in difficult circumstances – embroiled in a toxic relationship, feeling depressed, unsure of her own ability to reliably interpret her own experiences, and feeling largely out of control of her own life. She needed to make a change. So one day, Dominika booked a flight to Bali and there, she got to work on uncovering the root causes of her problems.  Before she left Bali, she joined One Year No Beer, knowing that it wasn’t enough for her to spend a month far away from home working on herself – she needed a community and ongoing support after she returned home as well. For Dominika, One Year No Beer was that community and provided the support that she needed.  Dominika discusses how One Year No Beer, especially the online community, helped her and provided her with support and resources. Not only did she become a part of the community, but she also elected to join a MasterMind program as well, after she was no longer feeling regular cravings for alcohol. She discusses what she learned about herself during this program. Dominika also shares some of the hobbies and interests she’s been developing along the way during her alcohol-free journey, and what she sees for herself in the future. Listen in to learn more about Dominika’s experiences and progress in the ONYB community and in the MasterMind program.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

Today’s episode of the One Year No Beer podcast is hosted by a guest host, Chris Laping. Chris is sitting in for Ruari and Jen Fairburns as they take some time to mourn the recent loss of Ruari’s father. In this episode, you’ll hear Chris interview his wife, Kristine Laping, about her One Year No Beer journey. Chris and Kristine begin the discussion by talking about the reasons why Kristine decided to make a change in her relationship with alcohol. As Kristine explains, an outside observer may have questioned why she wanted to make that kind of change in her lifestyle in the first place. She was doing well outwardly – she’d achieved professional success, was in a stable relationship, and was a loving parent. She was active and maintained a healthy diet. Although drinking was an everyday occurrence for Kristine, she also maintained boundaries, like not drinking before dinner time. But Kristine also had some health issues – that disappeared after she stopped drinking – and was starting to experience severe hangovers, even when she didn’t drink very much. And she became concerned with her own preoccupation with drinking. “All of that to say, I really took that life experience and now that I'm alcohol-free, I am able to just look at life a lot differently.” Kristine first gave up drinking for a few weeks at the suggestion of an acupuncturist, who she was seeing for a health issue. However, that attempt to stop drinking entirely. It was Chris who first discovered One Year No Beer, and when he decided to give the 28-day challenge a try, Kristine decided that she would do the same. After completing the 28-day challenge, they decided to go back to drinking in moderation, but it soon became clear to Kristine that moderation just wasn’t working for her. So, she decided to go back to One Year No Beer for a longer challenge. From that point, Kristine became more involved and invested in the One Year No Beer community, and started to really notice the benefits of abstaining from alcohol entirely. Listen in to hear more about how Kristine’s journey progressed over the past two years, working with the Mastermind program, and what she has to say to members who are new to the alcohol-free challenge.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

Drew Schapper leads an interesting life. He’s a musician who plays with a band, and an academic who’s currently working on writing a book. And on top of that, he’s a dad and a husband. He’s also a One Year No Beer member who’s joining today’s podcast to discuss what his alcohol-free journey has been like.  Drew joined One Year No Beer in September 2018 and has about 520 days alcohol-free as of this recording. In today’s interview, he explains that he’d been a binge drinker since he was about 13 years old. He found himself struggling with binge drinking as time went on, and he found himself doing things that were putting his marriage in jeopardy.  “Initially, I was so worried about what people would think and all this kind of stuff, but then I realized they’re wrapped up in their own things, problems, and whatever.” Drew talks about what it was like for him to find One Year No Beer and start his alcohol-free journey. He initially looked into AA but found that it wasn’t the right fit for him. However, he liked the challenge aspect of OYNB and decided to give that a try instead. He started out with a 28-day challenge and moved on to three months and then a year.  Drew credits the community at One Year No Beer with helping him when he felt like he might be ready to backslide. He describes going out with his band to perform shortly after he started his alcohol-free journey and seeing the pints of beer in the venue where he was performing. He knew that he wanted to drink and turned to the ONYB forum for help to resist, and that was what got him through the crisis.  Listen in to hear more about Drew’s journey, his work and writing, and how he benefitted from and contributed to the One Year No Beer community.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

As the idea of creating spaces for people who want to change their relationship with alcohol continues to grow, it’s only natural that people will start to create spaces for those who want to change their relationship with alcohol and also have life experiences and perspectives that are outside of the majority. That’s what today’s guest, Scott Pearson, is doing with Proud and Sober, an online social platform geared toward supporting those in the LGBT+ community who have decided to change their relationships with alcohol.  In today’s episode, Scott describes his own experiences with getting sober. He explains that he knew when he was 25 that he needed to stop drinking, but he grappled with the decision for a couple of years before finally giving the alcohol up for good. He talks about the specific challenges faced by people in their 20s who want to give up drinking in an alcohol-soaked youth culture.  “I just woke up one morning after way too many drinks the night before and I knew that that was it.” Scott discovered that there was a sober community out there that was willing to help and support people on their journey to becoming alcohol-free, and that community helped him on his journey as well. However, he also found that there were far fewer young people speaking about the experience of giving up alcohol. He also discovered that there weren’t many LGBT+ people who were talking publicly about what it was like to give up drinking. Scott wanted to hear more of those voices, and that desire is what gave him the idea to work on creating Proud and Sober.  In today’s interview, Scott also talks about the importance of allyship, and what it really means to be an ally. He describes situations that he experienced when he felt alone and could have used an ally. He also speaks about the universal nature of allyship – how the definition of allyship is fundamentally the same to the Black community, the LGBT+ community, the Jewish community, and so on. He discusses the actions that an ally should take and how they can speak up for the communities that they’re allied with. Listen to the episode to hear more about Scott’s journey and his goals for the future.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Scott Pearson’s Links Website: https://www.proudandsober.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proudandsober/

One Year No Beer can change your relationship with alcohol. But it can also open the door for you to change your life on even more fundamental levels, and that’s what you’ll hear discussed in today’s episode.  In today’s show, Ruari speaks with Chris Laping, Jen, and Damien about the MasterMind program. Chris begins by sharing his One Year No Beer journey and how he got involved in the leadership of the MasterMind program. He explains how he was drawn to the MasterMind program in the first place and what it was like to jump into it. He describes what happens during the MasterMind program and what parts of the program he was most affected by. He also talks about the changes and reactions that he sees from others who are going through the MasterMind program.  “Sometimes, the smallest tweaks in our life create a breakthrough.” Jen joins the group to talk about her own experiences with OYNB and joining the MasterMind program. Jen is a 365, One Year No Beer Legend and she also participated during every single day of her time in the MasterMind program. She explains that she almost decided not to sign up for the program, but that doing so was the right decision because it helped her get past the hump in her alcohol-free journey. She explains what changed for her and what surprised her about her experience in the MasterMind program.  Damien was part of the April MasterMind program. He explains where he was in his life when he found the One Year No Beer program – a driven corporate man, focused on success, who was looking for ways to improve himself, and specifically to get more time. Eventually, he came to the realization that what he needed to do was to stop drinking. He found the 28 Day Challenge on Amazon and later joined the online group. In March, he was still part of the group and working on staying alcohol-free, but he was at a low point in many ways. Around that time, he saw the ad for the MasterMind group and decided to go for it.  During today’s conversation, Ruari and the others also read and respond to comments from group members. Listen in to today’s episode for insights about how OYNB and MasterMind can help you change your life and make it into the life that you’ve always wanted.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB LINKS OYNB MasterMind Program: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/mastermind/ OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ 

Some jobs are more social than others, and people who have social jobs often find that alcohol accompanies the social aspect of their work. That may be especially true for those who work in the entertainment industry, like today’s guest.  Suzanne Shaw auditioned for the ITV show Popstars in 2001. As a participant in the show, she won a place in the newly-formed pop band, Hear’say. The band saw great success, including two number one records and four top 10 hits, as well as their own TV show.  “At the end of the day, if you do put your mind to something and you are determined, you can achieve great things.” When the band eventually broke up, Suzanne found career success in musical theatre, plays, and television. But despite her career success, Suzanne’s life was not perfect, and in today’s episode, she talks about some of the challenges she faced over the years.  At the time of this interview, Suzanne was 95 days into her One Year No Beer challenge, and she talks frankly about the improvements in her life as she changes her relationship with alcohol as well as the difficulties of saying no to alcohol, especially during isolation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Suzanne describes some of the changes that she’s made since giving up alcohol, like turning vegan and taking up running. And she also talks about her own podcast, The Challenge Files, where she explores some of life’s difficult challenges.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ SUZANNE SHAW’S LINKS & RESOURCES Suzanne Shaw on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzi_shaw/?hl=en Suzanne Shaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzanneshaw?lang=en Suzanne Shaw on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanneshawofficial

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to give up alcohol for a month? A couple months? Six months? A year? Do you think your relationship with alcohol needs some work or you are becoming a little too dependent? Then this is the podcast for you! I first found OYNB on a podcast called Zestology and it immediately sparked my interest. When this podcast airs, I am on day 57 alcohol free and have only drank on one night since January 1, 2020. Check out this episode if you are ready to discover what an alcohol free life looks like! _______________________________________ Born in Mull, Ruari set up his first business on the island at the age of 16 selling and servicing PCs. A successful oil broking career in London followed where Ruari was quick to establish himself as a success. However, it was a career path that was fuelled by alcohol, and it led Ruari to realise the impact that regular drinking was having in other aspects of his life. After a few failed attempts, Ruari quit drinking and found the effects life-changing, Keen to spread the word, Ruari formed a friendship with fellow alcohol-free oil broker Andy Ramage and established OYNB in 2016 with the aim of helping other people realise the life advantages that come from changing their relationship with alcohol. OYNB has since helped over 70,000 people in 90 countries create healthier lifestyles. It’s not just about not drinking. It’s about putting members back in the driving seat and helping break down the habits associated with drinking - the same habits that can help change multiple areas of your life. A major reason for OYNB’s success is the MEND system. Standing for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do, it’s all about developing a more positive and proactive mindset about going alcohol-free and making the most of the time, money, energy and positive relationships that comes as a result. _______________________________________ OYNB 28 Day Challenge for FREE - https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/hereforyou OYNB Website - https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Podcast - https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/podcasts/ OYNB on Zestology - https://tonywrighton.com/podcast/mindset-hacks-andy-ramage-236 _______________________________________ If you have any questions or recommendations, email me at emily@emilymorello.com. You can find me on my website www.emilymorello.com and over on Instagram @emilymorello. Tune in next week to continue learning how you can live your best and most honest life. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Patrick Sweeney is an entrepreneur, an adventurer, and an author. He’s also known as the “Fear Guru”. In the current climate, many people are experiencing even more fear than they normally do, so today’s interview with Patrick may be helpful for people who are looking to overcome or control their own feelings of fear.  In today’s interview, Patrick speaks about the neuroscience of fear. What is fear for? Why do we feel it? Why do we need it, and how can we keep it from controlling us. Patrick explains how fear can be leveraged as the fuel that drives you to your peak performance.  “The first thing that everyone should know out there is that our brains were designed to adapt.” He discusses how the brain works as a prediction engine, and why being unable to predict an outcome causes feelings of fear and anxiety. He also discusses the different types of fear and what they mean. And Patrick also explains the relationship between fear and alcohol or the decision to give up alcohol.  Patrick also talks about how parents should talk to their children about fear. He discusses the importance of teaching children not to be victims, and how parents can teach children to take control of their own lives and to see themselves as creators, not victims.  Toward the close of the interview, Patrick discusses his backup plans – what he might have ended up doing with his life if his current occupation didn’t work out. And he also shares some helpful encouragement and wisdom for audience members who may currently be struggling with fear.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

This is a difficult time for many people. The spread of coronavirus is having a devastating impact. Whole countries are instituting lockdowns. Even people who aren’t compelled to stay home may do so out of fear of catching the virus. Some people have lost their income, others are adapting to working from home for the first time. Children are out of school and stuck at home with parents who are also stuck at home.  What does this mean for the One Year No Beer community and the wider community? Anxieties are high. Emotions are volatile. People are fearful – and perhaps bored at the same time. This is going to result in many people turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism. But we know that alcohol really doesn’t help you cope.  “Alcohol is a depressant. We don't really realize the impact, and I'm yet to have a scientific study around this, but one day we definitely will.” Alcohol increases anxiety. It’s a depressant, so it may also increase feelings of sadness and depression. It puts you at risk, both because you have to go out to get alcohol and because it negatively impacts your immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses than you would be without it. If you’re a parent who is spending more time at home with your children than usual, drinking – and the accompanying hangovers – won’t make it any easier for you to function as a parent.  There are healthier things that you can do to relieve your feelings of anxiety and fear. A breathing exercise can help you calm your nervous system and regain some clarity and focus. You can use this time in positive ways – to bond with your family, for example, or to work on goals that will allow you to come out on the other side of this as a better and healthier version of yourself.  This is also a good time to support others who are considering changing their relationship with alcohol. You can set an example and encourage others not to use alcohol as a crutch during these challenging times. Here at ONYB, we’re working to help and reach more people by giving away our 28-day challenge for free to anyone who’s struggling. And you can help as well – by spreading the message, by sharing the podcast and other content, and by showing up in the community to support the new people coming in. Together, we can have an incredible positive impact on the world during a very difficult time.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

The subject of today’s interview is Andrew Liddle. Andy is a teacher who’s made great progress in his alcohol-free journey. In today’s episode, Andrew shares some of his history with alcohol. He says that he was introduced to alcohol at a fairly young age – around 14 or 15 years old. Like many people, he found that the people around him, including friends and family, enabled his alcohol use, and by the time he reached the age of 18, he was well-versed in drinking.  Andy said that he had some great times and great holidays, and didn’t see drinking to be a negative at that time in his life. But by his early 30s, he had started to question whether this was where he really wanted to be in life. He was experiencing anxiety, especially when dealing with hangovers. And that’s where he was when he discovered One Year No Beer. “Being alcohol-free, I’m just not as stressed anymore.” Andy says that he had tried giving up alcohol before, especially by attempting to participate in Dry Januarys, but those attempts were unsuccessful. He talks about what it was like for him to give up alcohol – what his challenges were and what worked for him.  Andrew also talks about his career, and what made him decide that he wanted to be a teacher. He explains how drinking affected his career and also how giving up drinking has improved things. He discusses how a colleague describes him as less flustered than he used to be.  Andy also talks about how he got into running and doing marathons, and how being alcohol-free has helped him healthwise, as well as in terms of his personal life and hobbies. He also discusses the effects of going alcohol-free on his mental health. Finally, Andy shares his advice to people who haven’t yet attempted to give up alcohol and what he would say to somebody to convince them to try the alcohol-free challenge.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

Today’s guest is the founder of Expert Empires, the cofounder of the Elite Closing Academy, and the creator of the Expert Empires Mastermind. Nick James joins the podcast today to talk about a secret sauce he’s discovered that will help him grow his businesses even more – and it’s a secret that OYNB members already know about.  Nick started running events in 2008. He recalls that 8 people showed up for his first event. His most recent event attracted 1500 people. He brings in experts and speakers to talk about how to successfully grow businesses and establish brands, and he’s already successfully grown his own business quite a bit. But when he sat down to set his intentions for 2020, he wanted to find a way to grow even more and help even more people.  “This is not fashionable in the personal development world, but I actually don’t read books. But I like to digest content through audio.” An audiobook prompted him to ask himself what one thing he could do to make everything else either easier, or unnecessary. And the answer was for him to be more present, have more time, and become an even better leader. And Nick decided that the best way to accomplish that was to give up alcohol.  Nick says that he had set this intention before. Reducing his alcohol intake was on the list every year, and it was the only intention that he fell short on every year. He decided that trying to moderate his alcohol intake wasn’t working, so the answer was to give it up entirely.  Nick describes feeling very worried during his first week of going alcohol-free. He was a public figure and he’d posted his intention on Facebook, so if he failed, he would be failing publicly. He was also afraid that even if he succeeded, he’d hate it, but be stuck with it. However, he found that after that first week, it was much easier than he’d expected to abstain. Listen in to hear Nick talk more about his alcohol-free journey. He talks about how much the OYNB community has helped and how the change has affected his business. He explains how he has more energy, more productivity, and more time now. And Nick and Ruari talk about what a game-changer it would be to get this message across to other entrepreneurs.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ NICK JAMES’S LINKS & RESOURCES: Expert Empires: https://www.expertempires.co.uk 

Is alcohol especially problematic for women? What exactly are the effects of alcohol on women’s health? That’s one of the subjects that today’s guest is going to address.  Kanchan Koya has a PhD in Molecular Biology from Harvard Medical School. She’s also a certified health coach, an author, and the founder of the online platform Spice Spice Baby. Kanchan has also recently completed One Year No Beer’s 90 Day Challenge.  Not only is it preventing our body from detoxifying estrogen efficiently, but the estrogen that’s accumulating is then making the alcohol more irresistible. So, you get stuck in this loop. Kanchan grew up in India and considers herself to be a health and wellness educator. One of her areas of interest is the science of spices. She’s studied the health benefits of spices and their value as preventative medicine. She explains that many medicines have their roots in plants and that it’s worthwhile to consider both traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals as parts of a whole wellness solution.  In today’s interview, Kanchan also speaks about alcohol, specifically about the different effects that alcohol has on men and women. She explains that alcohol inhibits the body’s ability to detoxify estrogen, which is why even moderate alcohol consumption can lead to an increased risk of certain health problems, like breast cancer, in women.  Kanchan also discusses her own journey with alcohol. She grew up seeing moderate alcohol consumption as a source of relaxation for her own father and started drinking herself for the same reasons. She describes her own typical alcohol consumption as moderate as well, but she began to feel concerned that even that moderate amount of alcohol was an addiction for her, and that it wasn’t serving her highest health needs.  Kanchan discovered One Year No Beer through a podcast interview that she was listening to, and the program appealed to her because she felt it was geared toward alcohol users like herself – those who weren’t addicts in the typically accepted sense of the word, but who wanted to create some distance between themselves and a potentially harmful habit.  Kanchan discusses her experiences with the 90 Day Challenge and how she’s handling alcohol consumption now that she’s completed the challenges. She also shares her thoughts about mindfulness and being part of a group like One Year No Beer, as well as some tips for people who might be just starting their first alcohol-free challenge.   LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ KANCHAN KOYA’S LINKS & RESOURCES: Spice Spice Baby: https://www.spicespicebaby.com/ The Momlight Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/momlight/id1457407033 Kanchan Koya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiefspicemama/?hl=en Kanchan Koya on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkoya?lang=en

When it comes to raising children, you have to make your moments count, because your child will only be a child for so long. Parents know this, but many find it harder than they expected to get in the quality time that they and their children need. And worries about doing it wrong can lead some parents not to even try.  Today’s guest joins the podcast to talk about intentional parenting. Justin Batt is the founder of Daddy Saturday, an organization designed to help dads raise good kids to become great adults. Justin explains how Daddy Saturday got started – his wife was getting started establishing her own business, and Justin found himself in the position of being the primary parent on most Saturdays. He noticed that these Saturdays didn’t always result in the kind of time he wanted to spend with his children, despite good intentions, so he decided to make a change.  “It starts with you as the parent first, and you modeling for your kids what you want to see in them.” Justin started making plans to engage with his children in an intentional way. With a plan of action in place, not only did Saturdays go more smoothly, but Justin found that he was able to be really present with his children, not just physically, but emotionally as well.  It didn’t take long for Justin to discover that he was not the only father experiencing similar things, and he set out to find a way to use his own engagement with his children to help out other fathers as well. This is what led to Daddy Saturdays.  In today’s episode, Justin explains how he began helping other fathers develop plans for engaging with their children and how that intention helped relationships improve. He also discussed his research into the problem of fatherlessness, including how fathers can sometimes be present in the household but not emotionally available for their children, and how that affects children and families. He also discusses his own experiences with alcohol and giving it up. Listen in to learn more about Justin, Daddy Saturday, and intentional parenting.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     JUSTIN BATT’S LINKS: Daddy Saturday: https://daddysaturday.com/ info@daddysaturday.com

Mark Williamson says that he came from a privileged background – not in the sense that he came from wealth, but in the sense that he came from a loving family and enjoyed a happy, carefree childhood. Initially, Mark saw himself pursuing a scientific path. He studied engineering and became interested in understanding how to fix things and how the world works. This interest led him to finish a degree in electronics and pursue a Ph.D. He also worked on developing WiFi technology. However, Mark realized that he fundamentally enjoyed making connections with other humans, and he just wasn’t getting the human contact that he wanted from science or academia. So he decided to pursue another path. He went into management consulting but found that this career didn’t make him happy either. He liked the people he worked with but didn’t enjoy the job itself.  “What I realized on that journey is that it’s not just the planet that’s broken, our culture is broken.” It was during this period of his life that Mark began to develop debilitating back pain. He would wake up in the morning unable to get out of bed. He stopped running and participating in sports activities. He was told that he had a degenerative spine disease and that he might be in a wheelchair by the time he reached his forties. During this time, his wife, who was training to be an osteopath, gave him a book introducing him to the idea that emotional stress might contribute to physical pain. This led Mark to quit the job and pursue a new path.  Although Mark was on the path that would lead to him becoming the co-founder and director of Action for Happiness, that didn’t happen right away. Mark went back to school and got an MBA, but he wanted to use his skills and knowledge to do something with a social purpose. So, he spent five years working on the problem of climate change with Carbon Trust first.  It was this work that made him realize that the problem wasn’t just the environment that was in trouble, it was the culture. So Mark set out to find a way to improve the culture, which was what led him to found Action for Happiness. In today’s interview, Mark talks about thinking of success in terms of happiness, not income, discovering the things that really matter in life, and helping others do the same. He also discusses his status as a recovering people pleaser and his decision to take a break from alcohol. Listen in to hear more about Mark and his work, as well as how you can get involved with Action for Happiness.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     MARK WILLIAMSON’S LINKS: Mark Williamson - Director of Action for Happiness Action for Happiness: https://www.actionforhappiness.org/

Graham Roberts is a coach who believes that everyone is capable of anything. He believes that to change behaviour, one just has to figure out what makes people tick, why they make the decisions that they make, and how to ignite their motivation so that they’re able to achieve their aspirations. In today’s conversation between Graham and One Year No Beer’s Jen Fairbairns, Graham talks about starting his own business and the difficult decisions that he has had to make. Graham says that beginning his own business took a lot of soul searching. At the time he was only a little over a year into being a father, and going out on his own was a leap of faith. “The real strength of humankind is the ability to be authentic with the conversation that’s going on inside.” Graham works with organizations to transform the way that they work, and with world-class athletes to help them understand what they’re capable of achieving and how to go about it. According to Graham, authenticity is the key ingredient to success, and more importantly, to happiness. He sees it as a privilege when the people he works with make the space for him to be there with them and listen to them.  Graham believes that it’s important to put yourself in a position to explore and challenge your perspectives on the world. Graham himself does this by participating in adventure racing. He describes a recent event that he took part in – Rat Race’s Race to the Wreck in Namibia. He talks about the difficulty of biking through sand, the panic attack that he had on the fourth day of the race, and what he learned from the experience. Graham also talks about the advice that he would give to people who are working to give up alcohol. He talks about the importance of being fair with yourself, breaking a large goal into smaller, more manageable chunks, and why it’s important for people to understand that they do have choices. Listen in to the episode to hear more of what Graham has to say about changing behaviour and living honestly and authentically.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     Graham Robert’s Links: Ispire Motivational Coaching Ispire on Instagram

What happens when you quit your job to spend more time running ultramarathons? Just ask Chase and Nikki Parnell. Together, they’ve made big lifestyle changes and turned their love of running into a family activity.  Previously, Chase worked as a lawyer in Bend, Oregon. He was always interested in distance running and got into running ultramarathons about 8 years ago. He describes running as his passion. However, while Chase was still working as a lawyer, he was also a big drinker. Between that and the stress and hours of his job, his efforts to scrape by eventually came crashing down. He decided it was time to make a life change. Chase had heard Andy interviewed on a podcast and was inspired by the dialogue, and that encouraged him to get into the OYNB community. Chase quit drinking, and he also quit his job.  Chase’s wife, Nikki, is also a runner. Chase got her interested in ultramarathons, and she’s found ways to not only get involved in running and in the ultramarathon community but also ways to include their children as well. Nikki says that they enjoy it and that it’s good for them to see their parents show up and say yes to something that’s difficult.  “It’s fun to discover what you can and can’t do.” – Chase Parnell Chase says that abstaining from alcohol has improved his training. Although Chase is relatively new to One Year No Beer, he says that just waking up without a mild hangover in the mornings is a big improvement.  In today’s interview, Chase and Nikki talk about their Treeline Journal, where they write about running, marathoning, and their family. They discuss managing their relationship now that they work together and run together, what their goals are, and how they fit into the ultramarathoning community. Listen in to hear more about what Chase and Nikki are doing and how giving up alcohol has made a difference in their lives.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     Nikki and Chase’s Links: Treeline Journal: https://treelinejournal.com/about-us-chase-parnell-nikki-parnell/

Which is better for health and weight loss, paleo or veganism? Is one diet really better than all the others? Or is weight loss more about mindset and what works for you as an individual, rather than about finding the one correct diet plan? And what is it that causes disordered eating or just a seeming inability to lose the weight that you want to lose in order to look and feel your best? Today’s interview will address some of those questions. Today’s guest is Adele Tevlin, who has devised a revolutionary weight loss program and created a coaching business to help business executives manage their weight for life. Her goal is to help bridge the gap between what people know and what they actually do.  “There’s always something in the background that’s holding us back from achieving our level of greatness.” Adele knew from an early age that she wanted a career that would allow her to help people. At one point, she was gearing up to follow in her mother’s footsteps and attend dental school, but she realized that wasn’t quite the way that she wanted to help people. So, Adele studied neuroscience in college. Additionally, she had a background as a ballet dancer, which meant that she spent time around women who had eating disorders. She was curious about why some people struggle with mental health issues while others are resilient to them, and she brought this curiosity into her life’s work. In today’s episode, Adele talks about actionable ideas that can help people eat better and lose weight, like planning ahead so that they don’t end up overeating or grabbing unhealthy food just because it’s fast and easy. She discusses the importance of identifying your own blind spots and finding healthy food options wherever you happen to be, as well as the importance of choosing a diet plan that works for your individual body and circumstances.  Adele also discusses why it can be so difficult to make needed changes, even when someone has a lot of pain that could be addressed by making those changes. She posits that for some people, the pain points still might just not be high enough, and explains how narratives or imprints that people have about themselves may affect how much effort they’re willing to put into losing weight and how successful they are, as well as how people can address those negative imprints.  Adele talks about how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is action-oriented and focused on the present and the future, and why she finds CBT to be a useful tool in helping people address weight loss and other issues. She also discusses the idea that successes come with a cost, the lasting effects of trauma in childhood, and the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. Listen in to hear more details about Adele’s philosophy and work. OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     ADELE TEVLIN’S LINKS  Weight Loss Website: https://adelewellness.com/ Elevating Leadership: http://ceoblueprint.co/home

Can changing your morning routine change your life? And what do you have to do to not only grow on a personal level, but also get out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, and achieve your larger goals? Those are the things that you’re going to hear about from today’s guest Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning and a new book, The Miracle Equation. Hal starts by talking about his first book, The Miracle Morning. However, as Hal explains, the idea for the Miracle Morning wasn’t really a book idea at all to begin with. The idea originated after the crash in the US economy in 2007. Hal says that his own life went into a spiral along with the economy. So, he began looking up habits and rituals of successful people. Much of the information he came across referenced morning routines, but Hal himself wasn’t much of a morning person. But he decided to give it a try.  “The miracle is always inevitable when you live by the miracle equation.” Hal came up with a list of six practices. At first, he was going to try only one, but then he decided to see what would happen if he tried all of them. He anticipated needing to put this change into practice for six to twelve months before seeing any results – but he saw dramatic changes in only two months. His wife dubbed the practice his “miracle morning” and the six practices became the acronym SAVERS: Silence (meditation), Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (journaling). It took Hal three years to finish writing The Miracle Morning. Hal also talks about his newest book, The Miracle Equation. As he describes it, the concept of the miracle morning is the process for daily personal development, but that by itself is not enough to get a person out of their comfort zone so that they can achieve larger goals. The process for doing that is what Hal lays out in The Miracle Equation. Hal explains the rearview mirror effect – how people can come to believe that they can’t accomplish a thing because they look in their personal “rearview mirror” and see that they haven’t achieved that thing before. He also talks about the importance of having faith in yourself, the four steps to effective affirmations, and what to do when you’re stuck dwelling on something in the past that you can’t change. Listen to the interview to hear more about Hal and The Miracle Equation. OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     HAL ELROD’S LINKS  The Miracle Equation: https://halelrod.com/

In today’s episode of the One Year No Beer podcast, Chris Barez-Brown joins the show. Chris is the founder of Upping Your Elvis, a movement designed to bring more energy into the workplace and to help individuals level up their performance in business and in life. Chris is a speaker, the author of four books, and a regular writer for publications like GQ Magazine and the Harvard Business Review.  Chris started out his adult life in the army, but says that his military career didn’t last long because he quickly realized that he was more of a lover than a fighter. So, he went to college and earned a degree and started pursuing the things that he thought he was supposed to want – a job with an expense account, a car, a chance to climb the corporate ladder. And then he found that those things didn’t make him happy either, so he made a drastic change. Now, he says he’s on a mission to help others love their lives as much as he does.  “The important thing is it’s always all about making sure every individual has a bit more awareness, a bit more choice about how they show up.” Upping Your Elvis is about a belief that when you have the right energy, things go smoothly and life is fun and easy. And if you don’t have the right energy, the opposite happens. Chris says the first thing that’s important to do is make people aware of their own energy and help them understand how it works. Then they need to figure out the things that enhance and improve their energy – this can include anything from nutrition to exercise to time management. Finally, people have to learn how to prevent their energy from being depleted.  In today’s interview, Chris also talks about his own experience going alcohol-free. Chris says that he’s currently at around 100 days without alcohol. While he’s gone without alcohol for short periods before, Chris says that going alcohol free for an extended period is a different experience that’s had unexpected benefits. He also talks about the change in perspective that can be achieved by identifying and breaking a big habit, such as drinking alcohol. To hear more about Chris’s work and life, listen to today’s episode.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  CHRIS BAREZ-BROWN’S LINKS Upping Your Elvis: https://www.uppingyourelvis.com/ Clear Your Head in Just 60 Minutes: https://www.uppingyourelvis.com/talk-it-out

If you’re interested in a fun and versatile way to work out, you might be interested in the kettlebell. And if you are interested in learning about the kettlebell or improving your skill with the kettlebell, then today’s guest is somebody that you need to know about.  Taco Fleur is a certified kettlebell trainer and the creator of Cavemantraining, one of the most well-known kettlebell training programs out there. In today’s episode, Taco talks about how he got into kettlebells and what it is about kettlebells, specifically, that he’s so attracted to.  “But overall for ourselves, we enjoy the kettlebell more. It’s just so versatile.”  Taco also talks about teaching beginners to work with kettlebells, and what kind of exercises and routines are appropriate for those just getting started. He also explains how beginners can find out what type of kettlebell they should choose for themselves. He talks about where Cavemantraining started, how long it’s been around, and where it’s going next.  Taco also talks about his relationship and history with alcohol, and whether he’s up for another alcohol-free challenge. Listen in to hear more about Taco’s background, his work with Caveman training, and what type of kettlebell routine he would choose to do if he could focus on only one routine for 30 days in a row.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com    TACO FLEUR’S LINKS  Cavemantraining Cavemantraining on YouTube Cavemantraining on Facebook Cavemantraining on Instagram Cavemantraining on Pinterest Cavemantraining kettlebell training group on Facebook

Everyone has something that they’d like to fix about themselves, whether it’s related to their drinking habits or substance use, their professional status, their diet and exercise habits, or some other areas of their lives. But how do you get started on fixing something that’s important for you to change in your life? Today’s guest may have the answer.  Today’s guest is Shaa Wasmund. She is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and author. In 2015 she was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to Business and Entrepreneurship’. She’s also been named one of the top 20 most influential entrepreneurs in the UK by the Sunday Times. “If you own your own business, your business can never outgrow you. You can’t have business growth without personal growth.” Shaa avoids alcohol and other substances scrupulously, with the exception of an occasional small sip of champagne for toasts at weddings. In today’s interview, Shaa explains her feelings about alcohol and other substances and why she avoids them.  Today’s interview also covers Shaa’s latest book, How to Fix Your Shit. Shaa talks not only about the messages and lessons in the book, but also about her struggle to get the book written in the first place, and the difficulties involved in pursuing a creative project and seeing it through to the end. Shaa discusses her online educational company, which focuses on teaching consultants, coaches, and others how to leverage their knowledge and skills into becoming 6-figure experts. She explains the importance of self-worth and being specific about what you want to do with your career and professional life. Listen to the episode to hear the whole conversation and learn more about what Shaa has to teach.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  Shaa’s Links Shaa’s Website: https://www.shaa.com

In today’s episode, One Year No Beer’s Jen Fairbairns is joined by Grant Flynn of Social Fit Edinburgh. Social Fit is a free group that’s giving back to the community by encouraging fitness through mini and mega missions, meet and eats, and buena vida sessions that are open to all who are interested.  In today’s interview, Grant discusses his background and interest in fitness and related activities, and he also shares some of the background on how Social Fit Edinburgh got started. Grant explains that in the beginning, the group was just three individuals jogging – the larger social aspect and variety of activities came later.  “We’ve got what we’ve got, and often what we’ve got is enough.” Grant and Jen discuss how people find Social Fit and the role that social media plays in getting their message out to the public. They talk about wanting more people to feel included and about the inclusivity goals that are core to Social Fit’s mission. Grant also shares his thoughts on how to get people into fitness activities when they feel those activities are out of their comfort zone, and what words of encouragement he would use for someone who wanted to get involved but didn’t know where to start.  Listen to the episode to learn more about Social Fit Edinburgh, including what kind of feedback Grant is getting on the project, what different types of people are getting involved in the experience, and what Grant’s plans are for the future of Social Fit. Grant and Jen also talk about how Social Fit Edinburgh supports sobriety and about getting Social Fit members together with OYNB members for a group walk.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com    GRANT FLYNN’S LINKS Social Fit Edinburgh on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/socialfitedinburgh/about/?ref=page_internal Social Fit Edinburgh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialfitedinburgh/

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Jerry Lyons. Today, Jerry is the author of a popular children’s book that offers an important message that children of all ages need to hear. But that wasn’t always Jerry’s life.  Jerry grew up in a working-class Irish family and played football, and as he explains, there was always alcohol around. So Jerry became a heavy social drinker for over 30 years of his life. But eventually, Jerry began to get tired of the drinking. He wanted a break. He saw the ad for One Year No Beer after trying Dry January. He decided to do a 90-day challenge on his own, without joining OYNB. After completing it (and on April Fools Day) he opted to drink again and felt bad dealing with the resulting hangover. That was when he decided to take the plunge and join OYNB.  “I look back and I think did drinking affect what I do? It definitely did, it definitely did.”  Listen to the episode to hear more about Jerry’s journey, which has now reached over 500 days without drinking. Hear him explain how going alcohol-free improved his health and boosted his mental health and emotional stability. And listen in to hear Jerry’s surprising discovery of talent that he didn’t even know that he had – the ability to write a children’s story. In today’s episode, he’ll talk about how he came to write that story, why its message matters so much, and what’s next on the horizon.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  Let’s Do This! by Andy Ramage: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Do-This-motivational-psychology/dp/1783253282/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=andy+ramage+lets+do+this&qid=1567684584&s=gateway&sr=8-3 JERRY LYON’S LINKS  Spot the Different: https://www.spotthedifferent.co.uk/

What is happening in your gut when you drink alcohol? If you’ve never thought about it, now is the time to give it some thought. On today’s episode of One Year No Beer, Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum explains what an imbalance in the gut biome is, what happens when you have an imbalance, and what alcohol has to do with it.    Dr. Ghannoum is the author of the book Total Gut Balance. He explains how people get involved with his organization, Biohm, and what happens when people have a gut imbalance. He explains that people usually want to know what they can do to rebalance their gut – which foods and lifestyle changes will help.    “I direct the center for medical mycology which is the fungal research. That’s why I’m known as a fun guy.”  Dr. Ghannoum also talks about the role that alcohol plays in the gut biome, especially in relation to problems like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Dr. Ghannoum explains that gut bacteria isn’t the only factor to consider – factors like genetics and lifestyle play a role as well – but that the gut environment plays a significant role in health.   Dr. Ghannoum talks about the differences between good and bad bacteria and how alcohol affects each. He also explores topics like leaky gut syndrome, what causes it, what symptoms a person with a leaky gut might experience, and how leaky gut and alcohol consumption are related. Listen to the episode to learn more about gut health and how it’s connected to alcohol, as well as what kind of benefits you might experience in your gut when you decide to give up drinking.    OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com    DR. GHANNOUM’S LINKS: BIOHM: https://biohmhealth.com/   

No one has unlimited time in this world to do all of the things that they may want to do, so why waste time? Today’s guest says that he plans to live to 100, and understands that if he wants to work and build and create all the things that he wants to do in that time, then it’s important to get started now.  Richie Crowley has been alcohol-free for about two years now. He stresses the importance of health, wellness, meditation, and connecting with others. Richie points out that while people often encourage their friends to leave toxic relationships and workplaces, they don’t necessarily encourage them to change toxic ways of living, and that the relationship with alcohol is a toxic one for many people.  “There’s just so many different things that I want to build and create and work on and be a part of in this life, that I look at and say hey, the clock is ticking in a way, let me start doing it all.”  In today’s episode, Richie talks about his current adventure, a bike ride across America. Richie will be starting his ride in Boston, Massachusetts, and finishing in Los Angeles, California. Along the way, he plans to meet and connect with people from communities that he’s never visited before and share what he knows about health, wellness, and meditation with the people who need to hear it.  Richie wants to make connections and show the importance of connections, and he believes that there’s no time to waste. Listen to the episode to hear more about Richie’s background, philosophy, and plans for adventure.  OYNB LINKS  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  RICHIE CROWLEY’S LINKS  The Wellness Ride: https://www.veestro.com/pages/the-wellness-ride Richie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richie-crowley-9a749667/ Richie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickieticklez/ Richie on Medium: https://medium.com/@rickieticklez 

Today’s guest is a motivational speaker, business coach, and bestselling author. Pete Cohen joins the One Year No Beer podcast to talk about addiction, delayed gratification, and meditation, among other things.  Pete describes his own background when it comes to drinking. He says that he began drinking at around age 14 and that the pub he went to never asked for ID until shortly before he turned 18. Pete also says that drugs were accessible and available where he lived, but some early bad experiences prevented him from getting seriously involved. Pete says that his college was a sports college with a heavy drinking culture. Now, however, Pete says that he values feeling healthy and being able to get up early in the morning more than he wants to drink. Pete worked as a personal trainer and got a degree in sport science. He says that his goal is to help give people a different perspective.  “For me, I just love getting to that place where I feel like there’s possibility.” On the subject of willpower, Pete says that the human ability to delay gratification is where the real power lies. He talks about how making choices and getting better at something can cause momentum and energize people, which is what he feels that One Year No Beer is accomplishing. He believes that if people can quit drinking, they will feel empowered to accomplish other things as well.  Pete also talks about the power of meditation and the power of feeling possibility. He discusses the importance of having a coach and of people helping each other as they work to reinvent themselves. He explains the importance of not only finding your own why but also buying into your own why and then using that emotional connection to achieve your goals and have an impact on the people around you. Listen to the episode to hear the full interview with Pete Cohen.  OYNB LINKS  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  PETE COHEN’S LINKS  Pete’s Website: https://petecohen.com/ Pete on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pete-cohen/about/ Pete on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itspetecohen Pete’s Newest Book: https://www.inspirators.me/  

Getting through a 365-day challenge is no small feat. It’s an achievement that deserves to be celebrated. And what’s the best way to celebrate an alcohol-free year? Why not with a Spartan race?  In today’s episode, Ruari talks to Zoe Grant and Sharon Hartley not only about their experiences going alcohol-free but also about their experiences running a Spartan Race. The interview was recorded in a tent at a Spartan event, shortly after Zoe finished her first race. And though she signed up for the race much earlier, the event itself came just after finishing her one year challenge. “I knew it was like the ultimate, ultimate celebration, actually. And I knew I’d cry.” Zoe talks about herself and her experiences before joining One Year No Beer. She says that she was a low-level constant drinker, drinking just one glass a night, every night. She realized later that the alcohol was keeping her anxiety high, but without it, she was happier and less anxious. She explains that things have changed a lot over the last year and that she spent a lot of that time discovering herself.  Zoe and Sharon discuss the connections that they’ve made in the group and what it feels like to meet up in person with people who have been supporting you in your alcohol-free challenge in the group. They talk about the importance of making connections with people who are experiencing or have experienced the same things.  They also talk about what the first month or so without alcohol is like, and how it can be exciting to watch the days add up into weeks and months. They explain what it’s like to go out to restaurants or bars without drinking and how, over time, it gets easier to bat away negative comments about not drinking. Listen to the episode to hear the whole conversation and what it’s like to celebrate an alcohol-free year with a Spartan race.  OYNB LINKS  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com

If you’re new to One Year No Beer, or if you’re just considering taking a challenge and starting to change your relationship with alcohol, you may be wondering not just about the short-term challenge, but what going alcohol-free might look like in the long term. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from a long-time member of One Year No Beer about her journey from her first challenge in 2017 to now.  Louise Vickers discovered One Year No Beer in January of 2017. She had done Dry January a few times before and was planning on doing it again, so she decided to go to a party and drink on December 31st. The night ended with Louise breaking several of her toes. She describes herself sitting on her couch the next day, resting her sore foot and scrolling through Facebook, when she came across an ad for One Year No Beer and decided to give it a try.  “I think me finding me took longer than 90 days. It maybe even took longer than the 365.”  Louise started out with a 90-day challenge and then decided to try the 365-day challenge next. She says that before she found OYNB, she was a partier, but that her hangovers were starting to last two days instead of one, and that she was experiencing a lot of anxiety during a hangover as well. Louise describes herself as a goal-driven and deadline driven person, so she decided to set a goal of one event a month along with her alcohol-free challenge. And despite the broken toes that kept her from completing a physical event in January of 2017, she still managed to complete 12 events that year.  Louise says that the first 90 days were tough but going to events and completing challenges gave her a way to channel her energy and adrenaline. Louise also says that without alcohol, she was able to discover more things about herself and feel her feelings more fully.  Louise explains that at some point, she began substituting sugar for alcohol, and she’s now working on weight loss and healthier living. She says that she’s using the same tools that she learned when originally cutting out alcohol now to meet her new goals. She says that she still loves the OYNB group and that she’s now approaching 900 days without alcohol. Listen to the episode to hear more of Louise’s story in her own words.  OYNB LINKS  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com

Everyone knows about rehabilitation facilities and Alcoholics Anonymous, but what is out there for people who want to live a healthier, alcohol-free life or who want to moderate their drinking, but aren’t in need of interventions or total permanent abstinence? One Year No Beer provides one community for people in those situations, and today’s guest is also helping to create a community by hosting events for the sober curious and talking about her own journey with alcohol and with giving up alcohol.  Janey Lee Grace is a television presenter and radio personality who’s been featured on BBC Radio 2. She was a singer who toured with Wham and performed alongside artists like Boy George and George Michael. Today, she’s a journalist and an alcohol-free inspirationalist. “You actually get younger when you get sober.”  Janey says that when you give up drinking, you’re actually giving more than you’re giving up. Abstaining from alcohol improves health and relationships and reduces anxiety. Janey says that even her eyesight has improved since she quit drinking.  Although Janey has a background in health, wellbeing, and holistic wellness, she explains that she didn’t change her diet or do any other special health-related work while she was in the process of getting sober. She says that she felt she needed to just focus on getting sober and that she actually ate more sugar in the beginning. Janey explains that sometimes you need to put your energy and focus into doing one thing – in this case, getting sober – and it’s OK not to also be trying to lose weight or avoid sugar during that time.  Janey has partnered with a charity called My Yard to host Self Care for the Sober Curious events for people who are trying to get sober or who are considering it. My Yard is a small charity that focuses on providing healthy food for people in crisis, and they found that in the course of that work, they encountered a lot of people who were dealing with alcohol and substance dependence issues. These free events are meant to help people who want to cut down or quit drinking meet other people who feel the same way.  Janey explains that she kept her alcohol-free journey quiet at first, but going public with it helped her by providing accountability and community. She now hosts a podcast called Alcohol Free Life where she speaks to authors, experts, and other guests about living a sober life. Listen to the episode to hear more about Janey’s story and her work in the alcohol-free community.  OYNB LINKS  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  JANEY LEE GRACE’S LINKS  Website: https://janeyleegrace.com/ Blog: http://imperfectlynatural.com/category/alcohol-free-life/ Events: https://janeyleegrace.com/eventsseminars/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeyleegrace/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeyleegrace/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/janey-lee-grace-alcohol-free-life/id1448715889

The stories of One Year No Beer members themselves can be some of the most powerful and compelling evidence for people who want to learn about how One Year No Beer works. On today’s episode, you’ll hear one of those personal stories from Sharon Hartley, a One Year No Beer member who joined eight months ago.  Sharon is a married mother of three from Lancashire. She has a background in broadcast journalism, and says that she got used to the culture of parties and freebies when she was working in radio. She used to be a regular drinker – the first to arrive at a party and the last to leave – who preferred rose wine and vodka with red bull. “Be brave and be bold and do what you’ve got to do.”  Sharon says that she didn’t have a dramatic experience of hitting bottom before she signed up for One Year No Beer. She just found that more and more of her life was revolving around alcohol, and that it was causing conflict within her family. She also found that she was becoming bored of drinking. She enjoys a challenge and pushing herself outside of her comfort zone, and that instinct led her to One Year No Beer.  Originally, Sharon signed up for a 28-day challenge, and she was skeptical when other members told her that she’d see more of a difference when she went for 60 days or 90 days, but she didn’t believe it at first. However, the further she took her challenge, the more she found that to be true. Sharon explains that it was hard at first, and even scary to try to go without alcohol. It was hard to think past the next party or next weekend and people would ask her why she wasn’t drinking and what was wrong.  However, over time, she got accustomed to it and also started seeing the benefits of going alcohol-free. She says she has more time to spend with the kids, spends more time doing new things like running and mountain climbing, and has even signed up for her first Spartan event. She is also seeing the health benefits of giving up alcohols. She sleeps better and has more energy for the gym, more mental clarity, and better skin.  Sharon says that one of the ways to avoid drinking in the beginning is to remove yourself from situations where you’ll be tempted to drink – it helps not to go to a bar or a party on your first alcohol-free weekend. She also says that it helps to remember that you’re not necessarily removing alcohol from your life forever, just for long enough to change your relationship with it. Her advice for people who are considering joining OYNB or taking an alcohol-free challenge is to just jump in with both feet and don’t wait. There will always be a reason not to do it, so it’s better to make up your mind that you’re going to do it and go for it. LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  

In today’s episode of the One Year No Beer Podcast, Ruari is trying out a new format. Rather than interviewing a guest, Ruari is going to spend some time talking about the community and some of the things that are going on with the OYNB community and its members.  First of all, Ruari shares some updates from the OYNB HQ, including the fact that OYNB has expanded to about 16 full-time members of the team. There’s also a new community manager, and OYNB members should expect to see some big changes over the next three months.  “It’s an interesting journey, this changing your relationship with alcohol. It’s different for everybody.”  Ruari also mentions that he’s noticed several people sharing stories of grief and personal loss in the community recently. He talks about how his experience with grief was to continue down the same destructive path that he was on before. Ruari believes that this is not unusual – heavy drinking is a common element of funerals and wakes, for example. But as Ruari points out, alcohol is a depressant, and adding it to a situation that’s already upsetting can cause a person to spiral.  Ruari believes that the answer is to really get in touch with your feelings and find a safe space in which to feel them. He recommends a book, Focusing by Eugene Gendlin, that was recommended to him by a counselor in his youth and that he believes can help people trying to get in touch with their feelings.  Ruari suggests contacting the Samaritans (at 116 123 in the UK) for people who are in need of someone to talk to. He also reminds listeners that they can contact info@oneyearnobeer.com for help and that they’re planning to relaunch their coaching program very soon.  Ruari believes that connections are an important part of the answer to dealing with addictions, as well as an important part of the One Year No Beer mission. He explains that OYNB is heavily invested in their partnership with Spartan, and they’re going to have a presence at every Spartan in the UK, as well as some in the US. The next upcoming Spartan is in early May and will be held in Kent, and OYNB will be there with a tent, providing an excellent opportunity for members of the OYNB community to meet and make connections.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com

If you or someone close to you has ever tried to give up alcohol for a stretch of time, you know that it can be a challenge, and hitting an anniversary or another milestone is a real achievement. Have you ever wanted to celebrate a sober achievement with someone? If so, you may have looked for a greeting card to commemorate the occasion – and if you did that, you probably noticed that there weren’t many choices. Today’s guest made that very discovery, then decided to do something about it.  Lucy Wilkins and her business partner Sara Bender both had people in their lives who had struggled with drinking. When Lucy went looking for a greeting card to celebrate her loved one’s 100 days sober, she was temporarily stymied when she couldn’t find what she was looking for. When she talked it over with Sara, they decided to start making their own cards for the sober space. Their company is called We Are In Good Co.  “We’re just saying, just make space for the people those cards aren’t relevant or appropriate for.  Just make space for the sober cards.” Lucy explains that attitudes around sobriety are changing and younger people are more likely to be open and celebrate their sobriety, where older generations are more likely to hold their sober status close to the vest.  As Lucy points out, sobriety doesn’t necessarily have to be a response to addiction or bad experiences with alcohol – going alcohol-free is a lifestyle choice, and many people choose it because they prefer it or because it’s healthier.  Lucy and Sara have run into some challenges distributing their cards because some people assume that their niche is too small. However, they believe that the sober niche is growing, and the feedback they receive suggests that there are people out there searching for the type of fun, sober greetings offered by We Are In Good Co.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  LUCY WILKINS’ LINKS & RESOURCES  We Are In Good Co.: https://weareingood.co/ We Are In Good Co. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareingoodco/ We Are In Good Co. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weareingoodcom

Joining the One Year No Beer podcast today is Eric Edmeades, a true serial entrepreneur. Over the past 20 years, Eric has started, bought, sold, and turned around businesses in 6 different countries. He’s also a speaker who has spent more than 10,000 hours on stages across 20 countries, and a trailblazer in the food revolution.  In today’s interview, Eric explains how he ended up becoming a serial entrepreneur. His story begins with graduating high school and not having the means to go to college – he had to go straight into the workforce instead. A bad experience early on resulted in Eric taking his future into his own hands and creating his first business. “The more intense your emotional response to the idea that you need to be taking a break from alcohol, the more you need to be taking a little bit of a break from alcohol.”  Eric’s nutrition program WildFit is the culmination of years of interest in diet and nutritional anthropology. As a teenager and into his early 20s, Eric struggled with allergies, acne, digestive issues, and other problems. Eventually, he was able to turn his health problems around with diet. WildFit is Eric’s effort to share what he’s learned with others. He has a passion for helping adults and children achieve optimal health through diet.  Eric explains that WildFit is not a weight loss program, but that it is effective at helping overweight participants to lose weight. People who successfully use WildFit range from ordinary people who are simply overweight or lacking energy to high-performance athletes to people struggling with serious health conditions like diabetes and cancer.  WildFit asks participants to change their relationship with food, and with alcohol as well. The idea is to make long-term, lasting dietary changes that lead to a healthier life overall. Eric is looking forward to moving WildFit to a more mainstream audience. There is currently a docu-series in development that will chronicle the entire journey through the program. Eric will also be doing a webinar with One Year No Beer for people interested in the WildFit program.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/    ERIC EDMEADES’ LINKS & RESOURCES  Eric’s Website: https://ericedmeades.com/ WildFit: https://getwildfit.com/

Giving up alcohol and other substances can help clear your mind and allow you to see things that you couldn’t see before. But once that’s accomplished, what do you do? What are your gifts? What’s your purpose? Today’s guest knows something about how you can find out.  Kitty Waters spent years working in the city in a recruitment business, and while she may have looked successful during that time, she wasn’t happy. Kitty had a nervous breakdown at 22, precipitated by an affair, and while she sought help, she didn’t really make the kinds of changes that would lead to long-term happiness. Instead, she masked her feelings with binge-drinking and cocaine use. Her wakeup call wouldn’t come until she reached the age of 28, when she discovered a family history of depression amidst her mother’s depressive crisis and suicide attempt.  “I kind of covered up my pain and my chronic depression with drug and alcohol problems.” In an effort to give up the drinking and drugs, Kitty seized on a challenge. She joined a personal development group and decided to participate in group trip to Kilimanjaro. Training to climb a mountain replaced alcohol and drugs.  It was on the mountain that Kitty became inspired to begin her own organization. Kitty’s 8-week online course, Do Your Dharma, is based around the concept of dharma from Vedic texts, where dharma means the right path of action for the individual and for humanity at the same time.  Kitty explains that her course is meant to help people reconnect to their true selves, discover their purpose in life, and create a vision for what their life is going to be going forward. She explains that in the philosophy of dharma, each person is unique, and it’s each individual’s job to discover their own passions. Listen to the episode to hear more about Kitty’s story and her organization.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  KITTY WATERS’S LINKS & RESOURCES  Kitty’s Website: https://kittywaters.com/home  

On today’s episode of One Year, No Beer, guest Rob Fink will be joining the podcast to talk about alcohol-free, nonalcoholic, and 0.5% beers. Rob Fink is the founder and CEO of Big Drop Brewing. However, he wasn’t always the founder of a brewing company. Rob is a lawyer by trade, and when he and another lawyer set up their office in a city, Rob had to go out and meet with clients to bring in business. This meant meetings in pubs and bars and led to a lot of drinking. When Rob’s son was born, he decided to give up alcohol for a while and quit drinking for seven months. However, he still wanted to be able to enjoy a beverage when he was out.  Rob found himself bored with the nonalcoholic options available in local establishments. He prefers to drink stouts, and couldn’t find nonalcoholic stouts offered anywhere. This gap in the market was what gave him the idea to begin his own brewing company.  “I scoured the bars, scoured the internet, and I just could not find anybody, dare I say in the world, who was making an alcohol-free stout. And I just thought, why not?”  In today’s interview, Rob describes more about the process of making low-alcohol beer and the different styles of beer that Big Drop Brewing Company makes. He also talks about why the beer is labeled low-alcohol or .05% alcohol. As Rob explains, beer cannot be called alcohol-free in the UK unless it has 0.05% alcohol or less. However, it’s impossible to make 0.05% beer using the normal brewing process. Therefore, in the UK, Big Drip Brewing beer that has 0.5% alcohol must be labeled low-alcohol instead. However, in the EU, 0.5% alcohol beer is classed as alcohol-free, and in Canada, 0.5% alcohol is called nonalcoholic. As Rob points out, at 0.5% AVB, it’s nearly impossible to drink enough to reach the legal drinking while driving limit.  Rob also talks about his own experience going alcohol-free. He says that he lost about 10 kilos in seven months, slept better, and felt generally healthier during the seven months when he gave up alcohol. He’s now beginning One Year No Beer’s 365 challenge, and he says that it’s helpful to know that he can now give up alcohol while still enjoying a great-tasting low-alcohol beer. He also shares details about how his business has expanded over the previous year, and where Big Drop Brewing Company’s beers may be found in the future.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ ROB FINK’S LINKS & RESOURCES  Big Drop Brewing Co.: https://www.bigdropbrew.com/ Where to Buy Big Drop Brewing Beer: https://www.bigdropbrew.com/where-to-buy

One thing that can be seen over and over again is that changing the way you incorporate alcohol into your life, whether that means quitting drinking entirely or simply becoming more mindful about when and where you choose to drink, can have a big positive impact on your overall health. People often describe feeling more energetic and clear-headed when they give up alcohol. But why stop there? Changing your diet can also have a big impact on your health. Today’s guest has expert information on the benefits of switching to a whole food plant-based diet.  Dr. Alan Desmond is a Consultant Gastroenterologist certified in Gastroenterology and General Internal Medicine. For years, Dr. Desmond has helped patients with a variety of digestive problems, including coeliac disease, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.  “All of the medical evidence is really pointing us toward the fact that the more whole foods and plant-based foods you consume on a daily basis, the better. It’s a win-win.”  Additionally, Dr. Desmond is an Advisory Board Member of Plant-based Health Professionals UK, a charity that educated doctors, Health Professionals and members of the public on the health benefits of a plant-based diet. He can often be found on Instagram, answering questions and sharing pictures of delicious plant-based meals, complete with cooking instructions and interesting scientific information about the food.  In today’s interview, Dr. Desmond talks about how the body is affected by diet and why medical science suggests that a whole food plant-based diet is the best choice for the body. He explains how this type of diet helps to maintain the gut microbiome, and how beneficial gut bacteria can help keep the body healthy and aid digestion.  Dr. Desmond also talks about his new venture, the Happy Gut Course. This is a project that was launched in January 2019 in partnership with dietician Rosie Martin and plant-based chefs Stephen and David Flynn of The Happy Pear. The Happy Gut is a 6-week online course that teaches students about the gut health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet. Students will have access to recipes, meal plans, shopping lists, educational modules, live Q&A's and online support. Listen to the episode to hear more about Dr. Desmond’s work. ONYB members who want to enroll in The Happy Gut Course can use a special coupon code, ONYB20, for 20% off.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  ALAN DESMOND’S LINKS & RESOURCES  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devongutdoctor/?hl=en The Happy Gut Course: https://courses.thehappypear.ie/happy-gut/ Free Happy Gut Guide: https://thehappypear.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/THE-HAPPY-GUT-GUIDE.pdf

Changing your relationship with alcohol changes a lot of other things as well, including the way you related to other people. And when it comes to dating, cutting out or limiting alcohol can be a dramatic change, because so many date scenarios include – or are even centered around – alcohol. Today’s guest brings an important perspective to the conversation around alcohol-free dating. Dalya Heron Brook is a Transformational Coach who has a special focus on dating and intimate relationships. She works as a professional matchmaker with Asprey Introductions and is featured on the television show The Ultimate Matchmaker, in addition to her work as a coach. “You definitely, definitely create more opportunity for yourself, in my opinion, by going on a date sober. Even if you are a drinker.” In today’s episode, Dalya talks about her work and how she became a Transformational coach after an intensive 3-year course of study with her own coach, in addition to studying with other wellness gurus. Dalya explains that eschewing alcohol in a dating situation can help by bringing more clarity to the situation, which can help you make more informed decisions. Dalya acknowledges that it can be awkward to talk to a date about not drinking and choosing activities that don’t involve drinking. However, she points out that this can be a way of weeding out potential dates who are inclined to be judgmental of your choices. What’s more, she explains that revealing your decision to avoid alcohol can be a bonding moment, as you’re showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Dalya goes on to talk about how being alcohol-free can affect intimate situations. She explains that alcohol suppresses the nervous system, preventing you from feeling as much physical. She points out that without alcohol to suppress your physical sensations, physical intimacy can be a more sensual experience. Dalya also talks about the book she’s working on, which is about evolving through the break-up process. Dalya believes that a break-up is a painful moment, but also a powerful one. In her book, she is exploring the different phases of a break-up, as well as including information about self-care and coaching. LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ DALYA’S LINKS & RESOURCES Website: https://dalyaheronbrook.com/about-dalya-heron-brook/ Email: dalya@dalyaheronbrook.com

It’s easy to imagine the world in black and white terms, especially when it comes to things like alcohol use. However, there are always gray areas, and questioning your drinking doesn’t necessarily mean that you need rehab or AA. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you should keep drinking the way you are now, either. Today’s guest calls this “sober curiosity.” Ruby Warrington is a British writer who currently lives and works in New York. She was the former Features Editor of the UK Sunday Times Style supplement. She is the Founder of The Numinous, and the author of two books: Material Girl, Mystical World: The New Age Guide to a High Vibe Life, and Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Laser Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol. Ruby is also the co-founder of an online spiritual mentoring program Moon Club and the “sober curious” events series Club SÖDA (Sober Or Debating Abstinence) NYC. “For me, ultimately removing substances is cultivating more presence in my life.” In today’s episode, Ruby talks about her experiences both before and after changing her relationship with alcohol. She describes dealing with mounting anxiety, unhappiness, and a feeling of purposelessness, despite her successful career in media, and she talks about making the decision to move to New York in the middle of this existential crisis. Ruby said that she’d checked out AA in the past, but that the stories there didn’t reflect her own experiences with alcohol. She knew that there must be others like her, and that’s why she partnered with a meditation coach and began arranging events for the sober curious. Ruby also talks about triggers and FOMA (Fear of Missing Alcohol) that people might experience at events when they’re trying to avoid drinking themselves. Ruby explains that her best advice is to accept and acknowledge your feelings, but don’t avoid the situations. Allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, then keep going, and remember that most other people in the room would feel the same way if the alcohol were removed. Listen to the episode to hear more about Ruby and her work. LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ RUBY’S LINKS & RESOURCES WEBSITESwww.the-numinous.comwww.rubywarrington.comwww.clubsoda.nyc INSTAGRAMwww.instagram.com/rubywarrington www.instagram.com/the_numinous FACEBOOKhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/clubsodanyc/ https://www.facebook.com/thenuminousmagazine/

Hearing the stories of people who have walked a similar path to the one that you’ve walked and arrived at a similar destination – or at the destination you want to arrive at – can be powerful. Today’s episode of the One Year No Beer podcast is with another One Year No Beer member, Gary Allen.  Gary says that his relationship with alcohol was a typical one. He was born in a rural background and had a happy childhood, but he was also born with Spina Bifida, which caused him to spend some weeks or months in the hospital while he was growing up. He enjoyed English in school and focused on computer programming in college. He says that he was a late bloomer when it came to drinking, in that he didn’t start until he was 18.  “I decided, no. I’ve had enough for a while. I’m going to take a break.”  Gary explains that he had always been a bit shy, and alcohol helped him feel more comfortable in social situations, so he continued drinking. He met his wife and got married in his late 20s, and it was his wife who first came across One Year No Beer. Gary didn’t think much about it at first, but eventually, he decided that he’d had enough drinking. He found that he’d lost interest in things that he previously enjoyed, like reading, personal development, and writing. He felt apathetic and decided that taking a break from alcohol might be the answer. He joined One Year No Beer about 18 months ago, on August 25th, 2017.  Gary’s alcohol-free journey wasn’t without obstacles. He had 42 days alcohol-free when he went on vacation, and his vacation was not alcohol-free. Once he returned from vacation, he had stretches of 10 or 15 days without returning to it. He decided to stop for good around New Year’s Day, but only after another vacation. So on January 29th, 2018, he began working on a 365-day challenge in earnest. He got involved in the Facebook group and also did a Mastermind. Gary says that support from his wife was key to sticking with his challenge. He also says that it’s helped to find some non-alcoholic beers that he enjoys. Gary has seen some big changes since going alcohol-free. He’s lost weight, spends more time in the gym, and wakes up feeling more energized and motivated. He also says that it’s easier to get more done and that he feels more mental clarity. He also says that he’s planning to participate in a Spartan race next May.  Gary says that his experience with a Mastermind group was brilliant. He especially enjoyed the weekly coaching calls and the friends that he made in the group. He says that his Mastermind group is still ongoing and that he’s made lifelong friends in that group.  Gary is looking forward to the future. He’ll hit his 365 days in January and intends to keep the streak going. He says that he won’t say he’ll never have a drink again, but that there are no more hangovers in his future. He continues to enjoy his job in computer programming, his writing, and he’s also found a passion for coaching. Gary says that whatever his future holds, One Year No Beer will be a part of it.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

When things go wrong, it can be easy to turn to alcohol and use it as a crutch, especially when you’re involved in a culture that encourages and promotes drinking as a way to have fun, relax, or cope with problems. Today’s guest is a One Year No Beer member who understands what it’s like to come from a drinking culture, as well as the temptation to turn to alcohol during difficult times.  Gareth Davies joins the podcast today to talk about his journey to One Year No Beer and what giving up alcohol has been like for him. Gareth says that he had an average British youth and that he picked up drinking culture when he started playing rugby, as well as from his parents, who often enjoyed drinking after work. Four years ago, Gareth experienced a dark time when he lost his eyesight as a result of a genetic condition. Another difficult period occurred when he went through a divorce 18 months ago. Eventually, Gareth came across One Year No Beer, thanks to a Facebook ad.  “It’s all-encompassing. You know, my lifestyle’s improved that much.”  At the time of this recording, Gareth has been alcohol-free for 281 days. When he joined One Year No Beer, he made a point of telling people in his life – including people at the pub that he frequented – that he was giving up alcohol for a year. He explains that now, he believes that he’s done with alcohol for good.  During the interview, Gareth explains how drinking is hard-wired into the rugby club setting, as well as other settings like college and the military. However, he also talks about how rugby brings you in contact with so many different types of people and can be a truly positive experience. He also talks about how his life has changed since he gave up drinking. Gareth says that these days he has more confidences. He’s listening to more audiobooks, including self-help books, and he’s eating healthier food and maintaining a more plant-heavy diet. Gareth also says that he’s a better dad without the alcohol and that he’s setting a better example for his own children.  Gareth says that it’s natural to turn to alcohol as a crutch during difficult times, such as when you’re injured or ill. However, he also says that this does not need to be a permanent condition and that once you take ownership over your own life, you can begin to accept what has happened and stop dwelling on the past. Gareth also talks about the support he’s received from One Year No Beer. He explains that with OYNB, you feel listened to and supported, not judged. Gareth encourages others to be brave, dig deep, and keep smiling.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

Welcome to Spartan season! Today’s episode of One Year No Beer comes to you from the Spartan Windsor races. Rather than one long interview, today you’ll get to hear from a number of different One Year No Beer members who have chosen to join this year’s Spartan races, as well as some of the Spartan staff members. We’re going to talk about what it’s like to participate in the Spartan races, the sense of achievement it can bring, and how lives have been changed by One Year No Beer. Listen to the episode to hear Ruari interview various Spartan attendees.  During today’s episode, you’ll hear from Sam, a Spartan Race UK staff member. Sam says that there have been about 10,000 racers in attendance this weekend (many of whom are looking for a good non-alcoholic beer.) Sam encourages people who are thinking about trying a Spartan race but are unsure of their abilities to give it a shot because Spartan offers something for everyone.  “Nothing will inspire me to take away the happy glow that I carry around inside of me now since being alcohol-free.”  Carrie is a One Year No Beer member who signed up in October of last year. She signed up for the 28-day challenge to start and ended up doing 42 days. Though she had a few drinks after those 42 days, she signed up to volunteer at the Spartan races and decided that she didn’t want to be drinking alcohol while doing that, so she stopped again. She was on her 99th day alcohol-free as of this recording.  Sarah, attending the Spartan races with her son Angus, is at about 375 days without alcohol.  Before finding OYNB, Sarah was in an unhealthy routine of drinking every single day. She explains that she also realized that when she was going out, one drink was never enough. Sarah found One Year No Beer just by searching around on the internet. She describes the difficulty that she had quitting, but also asserts that it was all worth it. She says that she never would have come to the Spartan races without One Year No Beer. Sarah recommends that others who are thinking about joining One Year No Beer start today.  Ruari also talks to Jo, Kurt, and Jules, among others. Jo is 500 days alcohol-free, and she says that One Year No Beer has helped her find new confidence, and she’s now willing to try more new things. Kurt says that One Year No Beer helped him gain clarity and a new sense of connectedness to his family. He also says that he was nervous about trying the Spartan races, but that he had great fun and received help from the One Year No Beer members in attendance. Jules talks about her experience with going alcohol-free and describes how the posts in the One Year No Beer group helped her realize that she wasn’t alone.  Listen to the episode to hear all of the amazing interviews at the Spartan races. Hearing One Year No Beer members talk about their experiences will give you a great sense of the fun and excitement of the activity and the sense of community among One Year No Beer members.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  

Members of One Year No Beer may have heard about the Manchester Power-Up that’s coming up on September 22nd. Whether you’re looking to start your first alcohol-free challenge or you’ve sorted your relationship with alcohol and you’re looking to focus and improve on other aspects of your life, the Manchester Power-Up is the event for you. OYNB is excited to announce that one lucky person who attends will win a special prize – the keys to One Year No Beer. The winner will receive lifetime access to OYNB Masterminds programs, 50% off of all coaching programs, lifetime access to OYNB+ and Live Life Better, 50% off of merchandise, and more.  While only one person will win this valuable prize, everyone who attends will have a chance to see the amazing guest speakers at the event. One of those speakers is Pat Divilly, who is joining us for today’s episode. Pat has been a guest on the One Year No Beer podcast before. He’s an author, a speaker, and a high-performance coach whose passion is helping people find new levels of purpose, passion, and fulfillment through movement and mindset.  “I think corporate is really starting to see the value in things that I talk about.”  Pat tells us about what he’s been up to lately, including giving talks in corporate settings and making his lessons in personal development more accessible to corporate settings. He’s also spent time mountain climbing and practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Pat shares some of the things that he talks about in seminars, like mindfulness and the importance of recognizing the things that you can control, checking in with yourself and finding ways to support yourself, and understanding when you need to let certain things go.  Pat talks about the importance of finding creative ways to use energy, and how when people don’t use their energy in creative ways, they can turn to addictive behaviors like drinking too much alcohol. Pat says that for him, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is one method of using energy in a creative way. During the episode, you’ll also get to hear a portion of one of Pat’s one-day workshops. Pat shares a little bit about the kind of feedback that he gets at these events. He says that the people who attend his workshops can see that he lives what he speaks about, and that he makes his advice sound like common sense.  At the Manchester Power-Up, Pat will be speaking about confidence and fear, and how this can tie in with alcohol use. People may drink when they’re experience social anxiety or feeling a lack of confidence. Pat will talk about how to find clarity, purpose, and passion, and what confidence truly is. Pat explains that it’s important to recognize the value of emotions and understand how to recognize them, own them, and use them to push yourself into positive action.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Manchester Power-Up: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/event-ultimate-power-up-22-september-2018-manchester/ Pat’s Resources:  Pat’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatDivillyFit/ Pat’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patdivilly/?hl=en Pat’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/patdivilly?lang=en Pat’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-divilly-19343226/ Pat’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCinLgAm7dTz638phvl9O6YA

One of the best reasons to change your relationship with alcohol is that it’s an effective method of improving your health. Another way to improve your health is to change your relationship with food. Many people have found that the health benefits of going vegan, or even simply reducing how much meat they eat, can dramatically improve overall health. Going vegan is also good for animals and the planet as a whole. Today’s guest is interested in encouraging more people to give veganism a try. Matthew Glover is the co-founder of Veganuary, a campaign that’s similar to Dry January, but for veganism. People who sign up for Veganuary get 31 emails in 31 days that help them explore the vegan lifestyle. Veganuary provides practical advice like how to stock your cupboards, where to get food and how to read labels to determine if food is really vegan, how to order vegan food in different types of restaurants, and how to deal with social situations where you may find yourself needing to answer curious questions or explain your choices.  “If you want to target vegans, you call it vegan mayo. If you want to target the rest of the population, and the flexitarians, those people who are looking to reduce their consumption of animal products, then very much plant-based is the way to go with it.”  Veganuary 2018 was the 5th annual Veganuary, and 168,500 people signed up to participate. Matthew estimates that if participation continues to grow at the same rate, by 2028 the entire population of the planet will be vegan for January by 2028. Veganuary isn’t limited to January alone, though. Those who are interested in taking part but who don’t want to wait until next year can sign up and get the full Veganuary experience at any time. Veganuary also has a book out called How to Go Vegan.  In addition to helping individuals discover veganism, Veganuary engages with various businesses and corporations, like chain restaurants, food service providers, and supermarkets to help them develop vegan options and address branding issues. In today’s interview, Matthew talks about the differences in labeling food “vegan” or “plant-based” and who those labels appeal to.  Matthew also talks about the risky business of going undercover to film the conditions at various livestock farms, dairy farms, and egg farms. Matthew and his team go at night to farms to film the conditions that the animals are being raised in, and put those videos online so that people can see and judge for themselves whether they want to support standard industry conditions and practices.  Matthew explains that they only go to farms that are open – they don’t break in or cause damage, and in most cases, the farmers never know that they’ve been there. They also refrain from naming and shaming specific farms. Their goal is to expose standard practices that are common throughout the industry, not individual farmers.  The goal of Veganuary is to show that going vegan doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelmingly difficult. People who are interested in the idea but still unsure can check out the Veganuary campaign to get the information they need to help them give veganism a try.   LINKS & RESOURCES:   OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/   OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/   OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/   OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/   OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   MATTHEW GLOVER’S LINKS:   Matthew Glover: https://veganuary.com/people/matthew/   Veganuary: https://veganuary.com/   How to Go Vegan: https://veganuary.com/how-to-go-vegan-book/

When you change your relationship with alcohol, you leave more room in your life to challenge yourself in a number of ways, and that includes physical challenges. Giving up alcohol, or even choosing to drink less, improves your body’s health and your own energy levels and can help you get ready to take on challenges that you never thought that you could before.   “I want to look after my body, everything from what I eat, to drink, to what I put in it. I realize alcohol’s probably the worst thing you can put in it, from a sport point of view.”   Today’s episode of the One Year No Beer podcast comes to you from the Spartan Races at Marston Lodge in Market Harbor. At the event, Ruari has a chance to interview two elite racers, Jack Carpenter and Luke De-Benedictis. In addition to being elite racers, Luke and Jack have their own podcast, OCR Audio, where they discuss obstacle course racing and host guests.   In today’s interview, Luke and Jack discuss their backgrounds and past relationships with alcohol and what led them to the realization that they needed to make a change. Luke and Jack also discuss what got them into racing in the first place.   At the race, Ruari, Luke, and Jack visit the One Year No Beer tent, where Rurai challenges Luke and Jack to test their strength with the high striker. You can see how well they did by watching the Facebook video on the One Year No Beer Facebook page.   Luke and Jack offer advice for people who are interested in getting into racing and sprinting, but worry that they may not be up for the challenge. They also discuss some of their own races and the challenges that each of them has faced along the way. Listen to the episode to hear what comes next for Luke and Jack.   LINKS & RESOURCES:   OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/   OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/   OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/   OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/   OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   Luke De-Benedictis and Jack Carpenter’s LINKS:   OCR Audio Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ocr-audio/id1349290885?mt=2   Luke De-Benedictis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukedeben/?hl=en   Jack Carpenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spartan_jacked/?hl=en    

When you consider giving up drinking, it’s easy to think about the things that you believe you’ll be losing, like nights out with friends or the social confidence that alcohol can help bolster. But not only do you not necessarily have to lose those things, it’s important to also think about the things that you can gain from an alcohol-free life. There are many benefits to changing your relationship with alcohol, but often people don’t discover these benefits until after they take the plunge. Today’s guest gave up alcohol in October, and in today’s interview, he’ll share some of the benefits he’s discovered.  Tommy Vilés is a UK- based actor and model. He’s appeared in several movies, won international awards, and has represented several major brands as a model. He’s self-taught and has been working his way up in the industry on his own. Tommy discovered One Year No Beer through the podcast. Listening to a One Year No Beer interview led him to start thinking more about his own drinking.  “I was thinking, financially, how much money have I actually spent on alcohol? And I was just miffed. I thought, thousands and thousands and thousands of pounds.”  Tommy says that spent the years between the ages of 18 and 22 going out to clubs a lot, and would often experience anxiety before going out and drinking because he knew how he’d feel the next day. He started thinking about how much money he spent on alcohol and what other kinds of things he could have been doing with that money instead.  Since giving up alcohol, Tommy has noticed that he has more energy and that his moods are more stable and consistent than they were when he was drinking. He also talks about saving time, because he spends the time that he previously would have spent drinking or recovering from drinking doing more productive activities. Tommy notes that humans are pack animals and tend to do things that others in the pack are doing, which can lead to drinking even if you don’t really want to. However, One Year No Beer provides an alternative kind of pack. According to Tommy, giving up alcohol has led to a period of self-development for him. He reads more than he used to, and is currently interested in reading books that are helping to improve his financial development. This is one way that giving up alcohol is more than just giving up a bad habit – it also opens the door to develop new good habits. LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Tommy Vilés’ LINKS:  Website: https://www.tommyviles.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommyviles/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommyveeactor

One of the things that people worry about when they consider giving up drinking is what they’re going to drink at events, at bars with friends, and even with dinner. What do you do when you want the taste of an alcoholic drink, but without the alcohol?  Nonalcoholic beers have been around for some time, but many people avoid them. There’s a perception that nonalcoholic beers just don’t taste as good as the real thing, but even if that weren’t the case, many people feel that there’s a stigma attached to ordering a nonalcoholic beer. But what if that weren’t the case? What if there was a nonalcoholic beer that was associated with cool people, great flavor, and a healthy lifestyle? Is it possible that people would be more willing to change their relationship with alcohol if they knew that a popular and great-tasting alternative existed? That’s what William Shufelt is trying to find out with his business, the Athletic Brewing Company.  “The biggest risk in my life wasn’t doing this and moving on this, the biggest risk was not doing anything and potentially leaving the one time I could have a positive impact on the world on the sidelines.”  William quit drinking alcohol six months before he got married. However, that didn’t stop him from wanting good nonalcoholic drinks. He describes being in Jamaica and walking to dinner with his wife, talking about the lack of good drink options that the restaurant they were headed to would have. That’s when it struck him that he should try his hand at making a good craft beer that was nonalcoholic. And with his wife’s encouragement, William got started right away.  The process wasn’t without its obstacles. William describes hitting a plateau in the progress on his brewery business. He explains that he was nervous about giving up a steady job in order to pursue this goal. However, William also says that his market research had a lot of momentum, and eventually he got past his fears and moved ahead with the project.  William talks about the work that went into creating his company’s nonalcoholic brew. He explains that the alcohol in nonalcoholic beer is traditionally burnt off at the back end, which damages the quality of the beer. He did extensive research to find out if it was possible to burn the alcohol off on the front end of the process instead, and eventually concluded that it could probably be done.  William made the decision to partner with a skilled brewer from New Mexico. They raised more money than they expected to raise, and with the help of their investor team, grew the plans for the brewery by about three times what was originally intended. They broke ground on the brewery on January 1st, and they’re now preparing for a national launch. Over the summer, William and his team will be attending Ironman races, marathons, and other events to promote their beer.  Listen to the episode to hear more about William and the Athletic Brewing Company, and about how William plans to use his brewery and premium nonalcoholic beer to make a difference in the world.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   WILLIAM SHUFELT’S LINKS:  Athletic Brewing Company: https://www.athleticbrewing.com/ Athletic Brewing Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticbrewing/ Athletic Brewing Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/AthleticBrewing Email William: Bill@athleticbrewing.com  

People often find that when they give up alcohol, their sleep improves. They get more sleep or more restful sleep than they got while they were drinking. However, there’s always room for improvement. If you’re still not feeling rested or you struggle with getting as much sleep as you think you should, you may need to optimize your sleeping habits. Today’s guest knows a lot about sleep, and some of it might surprise you.  Nick Littlehales is a sports sleep coach and the author of the book Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps... and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind. Nick didn’t set out to be a sleep coach. He originally wanted to be a professional sportsman, and did spend some time working as a golf pro at a club. However, eventually, he got married and started a new career in furniture sales. Nick spent his time traveling and selling beds to retailers. As he rose through the ranks in his career, he had the opportunity to visit a number of different countries and learn about the different ways people sleep. In today’s interview, Nick explains how he made the jump from selling beds to providing sleep coaching services for Manchester United.  “Sleep is all about the sun going around the planet. It’s all about patterns, rhythms, and harmony.”  Nick explains how he helped the players he worked with improve their sleep with sleep kits. He would go so far as to replace items in hotels where the players were staying if the hotel’s bedding wasn’t suitable for the needs of the players he worked with. And his methods worked. Players were able to recover and heal more effectively from injuries because they were getting more and better sleep.  Nick also explains that sleep is about patterns and rhythms. He says that it’s important to have routines, and to wake and sleep at the same time every day. Sleep itself can be broken down into 90-minute cycles. Nick explains that not everyone should get up or sleep at the same type of day. Different people have different chronotypes – times of the day when they most need sleep or need to be awake. Some people really do benefit from getting up later in the day, while other people are at their best when they wake up early. What’s more, he says, not all of your sleep cycles have to happen in one long eight-hour block.  Nick also points out that uninterrupted sleep all night long is a relatively recent innovation anyway. Until the invention of electric lights, it was common for people to sleep in shorter shifts with periods of wakefulness in-between. He contends that sleeping for eight hours at a stretch is unnatural, and that’s why so many people find it difficult to do.  Getting better, more restful sleep is an important factor in improving your health and quality of life, just like changing your relationship with alcohol. Tune in to this episode to hear Nick’s story and to learn more about how you can optimize your own sleep.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   NICK LITTLEHALES’ LINKS: Nick’s Website: https://www.sportsleepcoach.com/ Nick’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Myth-Hours-Power-Recharge-ebook/dp/B01ISFAU1W

One barrier to giving up drinking is the feeling that you’re being asked to stop doing something you like. But another way to look at it is that you’re challenging yourself to try a new way of doing things. It may be difficult at first, but when you’ve done it, you’ll have new skills and achievements to add to your list of accomplishments. If you’re the sort of person who relishes rising to a challenge, this can be a helpful way to think about things.  Today’s guest knows something about rising to challenges. Grant “The Axe” Rawlinson is a former rugby player. Rugby can be a rough sport, and making it in that sport is a challenge in and of itself. But when Grant’s rugby days came to an end as a result of an injury, it didn’t stop him from taking on new challenges.  Grant began to pursue other challenging activities, like mountaineering and human-powered travel, which includes activities like kayaking across oceans and cycling across large land masses. He prefers to work with small teams and with as little outside support as possible. In addition to these physical challenges, Grant has also built his own business. He’s a motivational speaker who also runs decision-making workshops.  “One thing I really enjoy about the not drinking is the mental strength that it gives you.”  During today’s episode, Grant talks about his various adventures in mountaineering and human-powered travel. He also explains how he ended up on his own alcohol-free journey. After washing up on the shore in Australia during bad weather near the end of a long-planned and expensive human-powered journey to New Zealand, Grant found himself with some important decisions to make. The latest adventure had left him nearly broke. He had an offer to go back to the corporate world, but he also had a desire to start his own business.  During this time, Grant decided that he couldn’t afford the loss of time and energy that came with drinking. He describes himself as a binge-drinker – someone who wouldn’t miss alcohol if he went a few days without drinking, but who would be the last one to leave the bar if he did go out to drink. Grant explains that when he gave up drinking, his productivity went through the roof.  Grant also describes some of the other benefits to giving up alcohol. It allows him to spend more quality time with his children, and it also gives him another challenge to tackle. Avoiding alcohol gives him another way to push himself and build mental strength, similar to the way you can build physical strength by pushing yourself. Listen to the episode to hear more about Grant’s adventures.  LINKS & RESOURCES:   OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/   OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/   OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/   OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/   OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   GRANT RAWLINSON’S LINKS:   Grant’s Adventure Blog: https://axeoneverest.com/   Grant’s Public Speaking Site: https://www.powerful-humans.com/

One of the big problems with alcohol is that it seems so normal, acceptable, and even expected for you to drink in certain situations that it can become a routine part of your everyday life without you really realizing the importance that it’s come to have for you. When this happens, it can be easy to lose control over your relationship with alcohol, and end up with the alcohol controlling you.  Alcohol is not the only thing that can wind up assuming this place of power in your life gradually over time. If you’re alcohol-free but still feel like your time is not your own, it may be time to consider another relationship in your life – your relationship with your smartphone, your email inbox, or your computer. In today’s episode, I talk to Laura Willis, Founder of Shine Offline, about how technology can end up running your life if you let it, and how being more mindful of the way you use technology can help you take back control of your life.  “By making some small behavioral changes you can make sure that you’re in control, rather than feeling like this technology’s controlling you.”  Laura talks about how she became interested in the subject of how technology can begin to have too much of a hold over your life. She talks about her own experiences with habitually checking the phone and watching others use apps mindlessly, without really thinking about it. She points out that while we know a lot about the negative effects of alcohol and the dangers of alcohol addiction, less is known about the possible dangers of overusing technology and the negative effects of smartphone or internet addiction. There’s more to learn about the possible long-term effects of the way we are currently using technology.  Laura explains that Shine Offline isn’t about giving up your smartphone or other technology, just about being more mindful with it. Much like One Year No Beer is about changing your relationship with alcohol, not necessarily giving it up entirely, Shine Offline is about changing your relationship with technology. She also notes that while connectivity is necessary in business and can be useful in education, business leaders and teachers should give some thought to the way that they expect their employees or students to use technology, and ensure that those practices are more helpful than harmful. Laura believes that technology overuse can contribute to burnout at work, and that guiding teenagers toward using devices for schoolwork can lead to them in the direction of spending too much time on less productive and more addictive digital pursuits. Listen to the episodes to hear more of what Laura has to say about smartphones, technology, and mindfulness.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/   OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/   OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/   OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/   OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   OYNB’s Upcoming LIVE Event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oynb-ultimate-power-up-connect-collaborate-and-inspire-tickets-43896742338   LAURA WILLIS’S LINKS:   Laura Willis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawillisshine/   Shine Offline: https://shineoffline.com/  

Many people don’t dive right into binge drinking. It can start out as infrequent or moderate social drinking before eventually becoming heavier and heavier, and before you know it, your drinking can slip out of your control. What happens when you start to take back that control? That’s what One Year No Beer helps people do. Today’s guest is here to talk about the process of taking back control and how that feels.  Tom Kiely, of Western Australia, is a One Year No Beer member who has recently finished his 90-day challenge. In our conversation today, Tom explains some of the drinking culture in Australia. The legal drinking age is 18, and there is a heavy drinking culture where binge drinking and clubbing is common. Tom started drinking when he was 16, but got into it more heavily when he was 18 and at university, where weekend clubbing is more common. Eventually, he found that it had become more than just a social thing, and that he was drinking too much and sometimes even alone.  Tom describes feeling that he wanted to take back control over his relationship with alcohol. He discovered One Year No Beer through another podcast, and spent a lot of time looking over the website and considering whether or not he could commit to it. He describes worrying that if he wasn’t drinking, he wouldn’t be as social and would be thought of as boring. Eventually, he decided to take the plunge.  “I think the biggest thing early for me was just persistence.”  Tom describes the challenges and experiences that he had when first abstaining from alcohol. He says that he read books and articles to build confidence and willpower, and also that he found a lot of help and support on the One Year No Beer Facebook group and forums. He also explains that it wasn’t just getting help and advice from other members that motivated him. Realizing that he could contribute to the group as well by sharing his own experiences and advice was also helpful for him.  Tom talks about the way that giving up drinking made him feel. He says that he felt less anxious and more mentally healthy, and just happier overall. Tom works at the Department of Health by day, but is also part of a band, and he’s done at least 3 gigs during his 90-day challenge. Despite the fact that these gigs take place in environments where alcohol consumption is common, Tom says that abstaining, if anything, improved the experience, and his band released a CD during this period.  Having finished his challenge, Tom says he intends to continue abstaining for now. He says that he would like to pursue a Mastermind course and continue spending time in the ONYB forums contributing to the group. Listen to the episode to hear Tom’s full story.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ TOM KIELY’S LINKS:  Tom’s Band, Patient Sixty-Seven: https://patientsixtyseven.bandcamp.com/  Patient Sixty-Seven’s Album, Four Walls: https://patientsixtyseven.bandcamp.com/album/four-walls    

Giving up alcohol can feel like an isolating proposition, especially if most activities with your friend group revolve around drinking and you don’t know anyone else who is trying to abstain. Groups like One Year No Beer help by providing a community where people who are trying to change their relationships with alcohol can find others who are in the same place that they are, and be inspired by others who have been where they are. Today’s guest is one of those group members.  Lucinda Carney has been a member of One Year No Beer for 112 days. And while she’s the first to admit that those 112 days haven’t been perfect, she has managed to significantly change her own relationship with alcohol in that time. In today’s interview, Lucinda explains her background and her previous history with alcohol. She describes herself as someone who’d been a big drinker since her late teens or early 20s, and says that she was also part of a group of friends who drank heavily at social events. She also says that the stress of building a business contributed to her drinking.  “I certainly didn’t realize that alcohol was making me anxious until I stopped.”  Lucinda talks about her decision to join One Year No Beer and how she found help and support on the One Year No Beer Facebook forums. She describes learning about the triggers that made her want to drink, and the substitutes that she found helpful, like drinking kombucha tea or diet Coke out of a wine glass. She also talks about how her husband is now drinking less as well, and how her kids are happier with her thanks to her new approach to drinking. Lucinda points out that she hasn’t abstained completely for the entire 112 days that she’s been a member of One Year No Beer, but that she’s certainly been drinking far less than she would have without One Year No Beer.  Lucinda talks about the importance of not putting too much pressure on yourself, and setting yourself up to succeed instead of fail. She talks about surrounding herself with people who won’t put her in situations where the question of drinking will come up, and how to put alcohol in its place. Lucinda also gives some important tips for getting through the early days of an alcohol-free challenge, like setting small goals and giving alcohol-free alternatives a shot. She describes how her quality of life has changed since she began changing her relationship with drinking. Tune into the episode to hear more of Lucinda’s story.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/

Drinking can have a profound effect not just on the person doing the drinking, but on their relationships with others as well. This is true whether one person in the relationship is doing most of the drinking or when both people are drinking.  In today’s episode, Ruari’s wife, Jennifer Fairbairns, joins the podcast to talk about her story, her relationship with alcohol, and her relationship with Ruari. Jennifer talks about her family and growing up in Sweden, her modeling career that began at the age of 16, and what it was like to meet Ruari for the first time in London – at a costume party where he was dressed as Gene Simmons. She describes the beginning of their relationship, which included a lot of clubbing, dancing, and drinking.  “It’s sad to say that it’s normal, but it kind of seems what’s normal, when you have a young couple of a certain age and they party really hard, they always seem to have quite a volatile relationship.”  Jennifer discusses her issues with anxiety and depression, and how those issues were affected and exacerbated by alcohol. She also talks about the effects that drinking – both her own and Ruari’s – had on their marriage during the early years. She describes traveling around the world and going to couples counseling for the first time. She talks about motherhood and how the maternal instinct drove her to begin settling down.  Jennifer also describes a difficult period in their marriage that led her to temporarily leave with their daughter and return to her family’s home in Sweden. She and Ruari eventually reconciled and she returned home, and things were better for awhile, but eventually they began to backslide.  Jennifer talks about the changes that she observed in Ruari when he first decided to try an alcohol-free challenge, including the fact that he began to look younger and seem happier. At that point, Jennifer was pregnant with their second child and also not drinking. When she returned to drinking, she realized that it increased her mental health issues and made her feel worse. She talks about replacing bad habits, like drinking, with good ones, and how she started to get involved with One Year No Beer and get into CrossFit.  Jen talks about her love of fitness, and Jen and Ruari discuss their participation in the Spartan races. She also talks about her plans for the future, which include increasing her involvement with One Year No Beer, focusing on fitness and family, and possibly pursuing a coaching course.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  

People who are struggling with drinking often feel the need to hide not just their drinking, but also the things that they do when they’re drinking. This can lead to lying or omitting facts, and trying to keep the story straight can end up feeling like carrying around a heavy weight. Today’s guest knows what that weight feels like, and how freeing it can be to set that weight down and let out the real story.  Catherine Gray is the author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober. The book details not only Catherine’s experiences with drinking, but also her experiences with life after drinking – what it feels like to live life sober and how it can lead to happiness in unexpected ways. In today’s episode, Catherine talks about her writing process, tips and tricks for people in the process of giving up alcohol, and Sober Spring.  “When I did start telling the truth about everything that actually happened, it felt like such a relief.”  Catherine explains that while she didn’t keep a journal while she was drinking, some moments stood out clearly in her mind – particularly those moments when she felt disappointed in herself. When she stopped drinking, she started writing and found that the words came pouring out. Catherine says that writing was cathartic, and that it’s ironic that her first book ended up being about something that she tried so hard to keep secret while it was happening.  Catherine also talks about some of the strategies people can use when they’re in the process of giving up drinking. For example, you can discourage people from pushing drinks on you at a party by keeping a glass of some non-alcoholic drink in your hand. Alternatively, it can help to practice some answers you can give for when people ask why you’re not drinking. Catherine also says that challenge programs like One Year No Beer, or her program, Sober Spring, which is 93 days of not drinking, can give people a reason to avoid drinking.  LINKS & RESOURCES:   OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/   OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/   OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/   OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/   OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   CATHERINE GRAY’S RESOURCES:   Catherine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unexpectedjoyof/?hl=en   Catherine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathgraywrites?lang=en   Catherine’s Website: http://unexpectedjoy.co.uk/

When tragedy strikes, it can be easy to retreat into anything that looks like it could be a form of escape, whether that’s a bottle of alcohol or some other destructive substance or behavior. On the other hand, surviving tragedy can also put you on a path of self-discovery, learning how to face inner demons and change your way of life entirely. Today’s guest knows something about both the challenges and triumphs of facing tragedy.  Justin Caffrey is a successful serial entrepreneur who after several major life experiences started to question everything in his life. This lead to Justin going alcohol-free, eating a plant-based diet and using meditation as a way to cope. Justin now aims to help people overcome adversity and struggle via meditation and healthy living through his wonderful Instagram posts on meditate_not_medicate.  Justin experienced a life-changing loss when his son died at only 11 months old. At the time, he tried to cope by throwing himself into his work. This led to a decline in his personal health and wellness. Justin became depressed and anxious, experienced panic attacks, and tried to cope by self-medicating with alcohol. Eventually he found himself struggling with suicidal thoughts. He knew he needed to make a change, so he sought out a psychiatrist who introduced him to cognitive therapy and meditation.  “Most of the things I’m searching for were already inside me.”  With the help of cognitive therapy and meditation, Justin turned his life around. In the episode, he explains why he calls himself “Justin 2.0”. He talks about the link between exercise and nutrition and mood, and the importance of meditating in the morning. He explains that meditation is a huge part of his life now, and he’s working to get the word out to others that meditation is a healthier alternative to self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, as well as a way to bring some spiritualism and meaning into your life.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   JUSTIN CAFFREY’S RESOURCES:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meditate_not_medicate/  Website: https://www.justincaffrey.com/

When you want to make changes in your life or challenge yourself in some way, it’s not enough just to wait for it to happen. You have to make it happen by taking action, and in order to take meaningful action, you have to have a plan and a process for making things happen. That’s true whether your goal is to give up alcohol or travel around the world. Today’s guest is an expert in the ways that planning intentional actions can lead you to amazing places.  Chris Guillebeau is an author, blogger, and speaker. He also has a podcast, Side Hustle School, and runs the annual World Domination Summit. Chris is also known for having visited every country in the world. He made it to all 193 countries before the age of 35.  In today’s episode, Chris talks about how making changes in your life can lead to more changes, and how experiences contribute to self-awareness and the ability to make wiser decisions. He talks about how important planning was in his quest to visit every country in the world. He also explains how he grew into that goal, starting with a smaller goal of visiting 100 countries, and only expanding the goal to include all the countries as he grew close to meeting the original challenge.  “In the world we live in, having more than one source of income can give you disproportionate security.”  Chris also discusses his podcast, and why he is interested in the concept of the side hustle. Chris felt that people who already have full-time jobs and can’t or don’t want to quit were being left out of the conversation about entrepreneurship.  Chris feels that it’s important for everyone to have more than one source of income, and that people who already have jobs should be empowered to create additional income streams for themselves. He believes that people can identify something they’re good at and figure out how to turn that into an additional income. Tune in to hear more of the conversation with Chris.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   CHRIS GUILLEBEAU’S RESOURCES:  Side Hustle School: https://sidehustleschool.com/  The Art of Non-Conformity: https://chrisguillebeau.com/  

Life can sometimes take you to very dark places, whether or not you struggle with alcohol. If you’re dealing with mental health problems, like depression, it can be difficult to overcome any other problems that you might also be facing. Today’s guest knows from first-hand experience how destructive depression can be and how much of a difference it can make to get the help that you need.  Josh Quigley attempted suicide by crashing his car going at 80 miles an hour. Not only did he survive the suicide attempt, he walked away without injury. This inspired him to get help and make a change. Eventually, he decided to cycle around the world. When he returned home, after cycling and walking more than 14,000 miles through 15 countries, he decided that what he really wanted to do was help other people find health and happiness.  “The more you start to make changes, the better you start to feel.”  Josh describes how he changed his mindset by reading and learning. He talks about the importance of taking responsibility for your life and making changes where you can make them. You may not be able to control every factor that contributes to depression, like biology or brain chemistry, but you can change things like how much alcohol you drink, what you eat, how often you exercise, and so on.  In our interview, Josh talks about the lessons that he learned during his cycling trip, like the importance of meeting new people and hearing their stories. He also talks about traveling the Camino de Santiago, an ancient religious pilgrim route. He also talks about his relationship with alcohol, how it impacted his life, and how he decided to make a change and commit to sobriety. Listen to the episode to hear the rest of Josh’s powerful story.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   JOSH QUIGLEY’S RESOURCES:  Josh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshquigley1992/  

Today’s podcast was recorded on World Book Day, and we want to take a moment to remind listeners about our book, The 28 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge, which you can find on bookstore shelves and online. The book is one way that we’re helping others change their relationship with alcohol. And we’re not the only ones working to help offer options to people who want to go alcohol-free or change the way we use alcohol. Today’s guest, Lee Davy, is the founder of the site The Truth About Alcohol and the host of the Alcohol and Addiction podcast.  Lee quit drinking in an effort to save a struggling marriage. He says that in his case, alcohol was masking deeper problems in the marriage, and the marriage ended anyway. After that, Lee decided to make massive changes in his life. He changed his career, got out of debt, traveled the world, got remarried, and transformed his whole life, right down to cutting off contact with old friends and giving away possessions. Lee realized that what he wanted to do with his life was to help people quit alcohol. That’s what led to the creation of his website.  “It’s like your entire life has been down to a set of decisions you made when you really didn’t have a clue what you were doing.”  Lee says that he felt that he was tricked into believing that alcohol had value, and he felt compelled to save others from experiencing the same things that he did. He compares alcohol use to a prison with the doors open – he could walk in and out, but others believed that the door was closed and wouldn’t try to leave.  Lee decided to become a professional poker player. He set a goal to earn a certain amount of money, and if he hit the goal, he would quit his job and use the money to help other people quit alcohol. This led to writing gigs about his experience. He created The Truth About Alcohol as a side gig while becoming one of the top poker writers in the world. Tune in to the episode to hear more about Lee’s story and how changing your relationship with alcohol can have unexpected positive impacts on your life.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  LEE DAVY’S RESOURCES:  The Truth About Alcohol: https://www.thetruthaboutalcohol.co.uk/ Lee’s Email: TheTruthAboutAlcohol@gmail.com  The Truth About Alcohol Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetruthaboutalcohol/  

When you look closely at the stigmas that are attached to people who are labeled alcoholics, it’s easy to understand why many people who struggle with alcohol fail to seek help, even if they might otherwise do so. All sorts of negative traits are attributed to alcoholics, and the perception of alcoholism as a chronic condition that never goes away means that the stigma can follow the person for life, throwing up barriers in the way of achieving success.  “Alcohol struggles do not equal alcoholism.”  Today’s guest, Adi Jaffe, understands those barriers from personal experience. After his own struggles with addiction, Adi ended up in jail and rehab, then found that he was met with numerous barriers after he was free and had completed rehab. Unable to find a job, Adi turned to the next best thing – school. He threw himself into studying addiction and became an expert in the field.  In today’s episode, Adi shares some of the things he’s learned about addiction through study, work and personal experience. He explains that just because someone struggles with alcohol, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they suffer from alcoholism. They often just need to find a way to change their relationship with alcohol, which is what we advocate at One Year No Beer. Adi also talks about the importance of how people who struggle with alcohol are treated, pointing to studies that show that people tend to react in different ways depending upon how others perceive them. He stresses the importance of removing stigma and giving people who struggle with addiction more options, which increases the possibility that those people will do better moving forward.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/    ADI JAFFE’S RESOURCES:  TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9xFJ_hqzDQ IGNTD: http://www.igntd.com/  IGNTD Recovery: http://www.igntd.com/igntd-recovery/  

Deciding to give up alcohol for a period of time is something of an adventure. When you’re starting out, you don’t know what your life is going to look like without the alcohol. You also don’t necessarily know what’s going to happen when you reach the end of your alcohol-free challenge. Will you go back to drinking the way you did before? Will you give up alcohol entirely? Will you choose something in the middle?  Every person’s journey is different, but it can help to look at others who have completed their challenges for inspiration and for an idea of what life might look like during and after your challenge. Today’s guest has some experiences to share, having recently completed her own 365-day challenge.  “If you keep saying to yourself that you don’t have time, it’s because you don’t want it enough.”  Sally Wilkinson runs her own Facebook page, called Get Over Yourself – Get Fitter. She does fitness challenges, organizes juicing retreats, and offers accountability programs. She’s also a member of One Year No Beer.  In our interview, Sally talks about her history with alcohol and how she came to join One Year No Beer. She describes feeling depressed, experiencing financial problems, and stealth drinking. She shares some of the events that led her to drink too much, and her concerns about joining ONYB and giving up the alcohol. She also talks about some of the difficulties she experienced during the challenge.  Sally also shares how she turned things around once she got rid of the alcohol. She’s found ways to make her business more profitable and enjoy life more at the same time. She explains how helpful the One Year No Beer group was in helping her get through the more difficult parts of the challenge. Sally also explains the importance of fitness, and how being fit and strong can help you overcome difficulties in your life.  LINKS & RESOURCES:  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  SALLY WILKINSON’S RESOURCES:  Get Over Yourself – Get Fitter Facebook Page Motivate to Make Change Facebook Page  

Here at One Year No Beer, we’re working to help people change their relationship with alcohol. For some people, that means giving up alcohol entirely. For others, it means completing a 28-day, 90-day, or 365-day challenge, then going back to including alcohol in your life, but in a healthier way. In either case, the important thing is that you have the choice to define your relationship with alcohol in the way that’s best for you. In order to make that choice, you need to find clarity on what alcohol is and isn’t doing for you and free yourself from social and cultural pressures to drink. Today’s guest has written a book on that subject. “It’s in the being aware of how you feel about things and learning to feel your feelings that you can really learn about yourself.” Rosamund Dean is a journalist and the author of the book Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life. In today’s interview, she talks about some of the interesting and important facts she learned while researching her book. For example, she explains that women in her generation are drinking more than women in previous generations, and that they’re drinking as much or more than men. Rosamund also talks about her own journey with drinking. She describes how easy it was not to drink while pregnant, because of the lack of social pressure to drink during that time – but also how easy it was to fall back into old habits when the pregnancy was over and the social pressure to drink returned. Rosamund talks about the importance of mindfulness and having a plan when you drink, in order to avoid overdoing it. Rosamund also shares some of the physical benefits of cutting back on alcohol. As she points out, alcohol is very dehydrating, which can have negative effects on your skin and hair, among other things. She points out that maintaining an attractive appearance is important to everyone and can be one of many powerful motivating factors for people who are interested in giving up or cutting back on their alcohol consumption.  LINKS & RESOURCES  OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/   ROSAMUND DEAN’S RESOURCES:  Rosamund’s Website: http://www.rosamunddean.com/home Rosamund on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosamundDean Rosamund’s Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindful-Drinking-Cutting-Down-Change/dp/1409178781/

When you first begin to contemplate the idea of giving up alcohol, 90 days can seem like a huge hurdle, and 365 days can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. But obstacles are meant to be overcome, and this one is within your grasp. You may have to start small, then build on your success. Remove alcohol. Add a healthy habit. Then another one. Before you know it, you’ll have achieved your first goal. You’ll feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, and you’ll be ready to work your way up to a larger goal. 28 days lead to 90 days, and 90 days lead to 365, and so on. When you have a goal and put the continuous effort into working toward it, you’ll find ways to get around your obstacles and reach your destination. “We all need those stakes in the sand that say “here’s your date, get it done.” Today’s guest is an authority on setting goals and overcoming obstacles. Joe De Sena is the CEO and founder of the Spartan Race. He’s also an author and the host of the Spartan Up! Podcast. Joe talks to us about his own background of overcoming obstacles. Joe credits his childhood in Queens with giving him the foundation for the work ethic that would be responsible for his success in life. As a young adult, Joe applied to Cornell four times before finally being accepted into the textile department. By the time he graduated, Joe was already running a successful business back in Queens. When a friend suggested that he should try his luck working on Wall Street Joe didn’t take it seriously. However, after achieving some success in the stock market himself, he decided to give it a go. He eventually ended up running a successful firm on Wall Street, and used physical challenges as a way of unwinding. This is what eventually led him to start founding races. Joe says that his first race was a disaster. It lost money, and a crew member was temporarily lost as well. Over the course of about 10 years, Joe continued to run races and they continued to lose money until he changed the format of the race. The new format, called Spartan, would consist of 3 mile, 8 mile, and 13-mile races. This format proved to be a winner. According to Joe, one of the similarities between Spartan races and One Year No Beer is the motivation that you get from having a specific goal and specific dates on the calendar in mind. Both are meant to help hold you accountable for meeting your goals. Like One Year No Beer, Spartan races are also inclusive: People of all shapes, sizes, and abilities can participate. “We’re an accountability machine.” Joe has a special offer for the One Year No Beer podcast listeners. For the next two weeks, if you sign up for a 90-day challenge or upgrade to a 365-day challenge and complete your 90 days, you’ll get a free entry to a Spartan race in the UK. Email us for more information. Links & Resources: OYNB Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/ OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/ OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/ OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/ OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ Joe’s Resources: Spartan Races: https://www.spartan.com/en Spartan Up! Podcast: https://www.spartan.com/en/media/podcast/episodes Joe’s Website: http://www.realjoedesena.com/ Joe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/realjoedesena?lang=en Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephdesena/