62. Are you tired?

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Hello darling heart and welcome to the Drink Less, Live Better podcast.

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This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely or boring.

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I'm your host, Sarah Williamson, and I decided to have a year alcohol free as a little life experiment and haven't looked back.

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With my experience and training, I now help other people with their alcohol free or drink less adventures.

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You can find out more about me and sign up to my 5 day drink less challenge at drink less live better.com.

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I'm here to tell you that you can relax, connect, and have fun without alcohol in your life.

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Join me here each week to find out how.

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I was away last weekend, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, on an expedition with 87 15 16 year olds.

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I share the load with a dedicated team of professionals who are trained and experienced in outdoor education, staying calm

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in stressful situations, and the needs of young people. We love what we do.

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We happily share our love of the outdoors, teach navigation skills, demonstrate camping techniques, and model excellent teamwork.

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But I was knackered by Monday night.

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On Monday, when I got home, my son had some homework to do, which he was finding particularly hard.

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Instead of getting on with it, he kept getting distracted on Instagram.

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To cut a long, tedious, and slightly horrific story short, I lost my temper with him, and he threw his iPad off the table. Oh, what a joy.

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We both shouted at each other and both felt dreadful afterwards.

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Meanwhile, my other son was supposed to be in the shower and has actually locked himself in the bathroom and was watching

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YouTube clips of people playing mine phone.

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At

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phone. At this point in proceedings, I had made disappear 2 phones, 2 iPads, an Xbox controller, and my sanity. I was so cross.

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As I was about to go and hide, I realized the TV had been turned on and YouTube had been resurrected on a different screen.

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I turned the Wi Fi off at this stage and then went up to my room.

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I found a large packet of chocolate peanut m and m's hidden since mother's day, sat on my bed and ate the lot.

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I'm very conscious of my emotional eating patterns and so I managed to feel both calmed by the chocolate and also horrific at the same time.

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Quite an achievement, I'm sure you'll agree.

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I then read a chapter of my book.

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My husband was out for the evening so I was freestyling my parenting.

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Mr w and I are usually a very compatible parenting duo.

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We can see when each other are reaching points that are bound not to be helpful or useful with the boys.

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And a moment like the one I had just experienced would normally have been seen off because mister w w would probably have

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found a perfect distraction technique in the heated moment.

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Hats off to all solo parents everywhere, every damn day.

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So I'm upstairs reading and scoffing chocolate. The boys have no screens.

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I do not have a glass of wine to turn to.

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The glass that said, God, you've survived a tough 3 days with 87 teenagers in tow.

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The glass that said holy cow parenting is bloody hard work sometimes.

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The glass that said you deserve this. The glass that said, relax. Take a load off. You need some me time.

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The glass that said, you are knackered. Drink me. I'll make you feel better.

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You see, the answer to tired is never alcohol. The answer to tired is rest. But wait, let's get specific here.

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Let's question: are you physically tired, Or are you emotionally tired? Maybe you're both. Well, I was both.

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I needed to read a book for an emotional break from my thoughts, and I needed to sit down by myself as a physical rest.

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Next time someone says to you, 'I need a drink', when they are tired, run through in your own mind. 'I need a drink? No, I don't.

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Let's see, what do I really need? Perhaps I need a lie down.

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Perhaps I need a head clearing walk.

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Perhaps I need to do a meditation, or I need a long bath, maybe I need to talk to a friend, or perhaps what I really need is a cuddle.

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You don't need wine when you're tired. It's a depressant. You do need something else.

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Think about it, identify it, and then take the action.

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You are so much better than alcohol when you're tired.

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One last idea for when you're tired: perhaps treat yourself to a fabulous restorative retreat weekend.

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The drink less, live better retreat will be taking place early in 2023, and bookings are now open.

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DM me or drop me an email for all of the details.

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I would love to see you there. Thank you for listening. Please come back again next week. I'll be here once again. And, PS, I believe in you.