82. Sober Socials

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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 and sign up to my 5 day drink less challenge at drink less live better dot 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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Almost 3 years into the life where I no longer drink alcohol, I've learned a thing or two about how I best like to spend my

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time, and it hasn't really turned out how I would have guessed.

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I used to be lovingly known as the social secretary within my friendship group, and I definitely used to relish that role. Who's up for a Christmas party? Right. Leave it to me. Date, time, venue, menu, drinks, sorted.

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Trip to a Christmas market with mulled wine, invite issued.

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New Year's Eve, games, food, drinks, done.

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Random nights out for dinner, drinks, theatre trips, comedy events, birthdays, I'm your organised friend. You say yes, and we're off. Now a walk, yes. A coffee date, yes.

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Occasional brunch or lunch, Yes and yes. Dinner? Rarely. What happened, Williamson?

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Well, I found out a bit more about myself, and whilst it took me a while I grew to like it. I prefer mornings and moving. I prefer hot drinks and chats. I prefer evenings in.

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I love seeing my friends 1 to 1 or in small groups, and after years years being really happy in my oldest friendship circles,

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I'm actually enjoying making lots of new friends at the moment.

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My advice to you is to carry on socializing as you always did, but when you go out, ask yourself several times, am I loving this? Is this bringing me joy? Am I having fun?

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Is this actually what I want to be doing with my time? If it is, great.

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If not, offer your friends other suggestions.

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The activities that don't centre around drinking, they might just want a break too.

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The other thing that has surprised me is just how much I love time alone.

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This week I was gifted a night in a hotel about an hour from home.

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I loved the solitude, the freedom to do what I wanted, eat when I wanted, and to generally please myself.

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Won't you feel lonely if you go by yourself? Someone asked me. Absolutely not.

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So switch it up friend, check-in and see how your social time is spent, make some new suggestions to your friends, try new

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things, and then see how you feel about it all.

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Send me a message and let me know what you do differently.

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Check out the show notes on this podcast or any other episode.

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You'll find details about the drink less, live better 2023 retreat.

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You'll see the link to a hidden podcast episode to help you with your 5 PM cravings, and you'll be able to read about my one to one coaching program.

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I'd love it if you could follow and download the podcast, and if you feel inclined to leave a review, that would be lovely too. Thank you for listening in today.

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Come back again next week and, p s, I believe in you.