93. You cannot stress yourself to peace

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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.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. You cannot stress yourself to peace. I know this to be true.

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I love a peaceful life, drama free. Who doesn't?

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Well, actually, me also, but an older version of me.

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I used to thrive in a zone of slight chaos and overwhelm.

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Part of my identity was busy and also being anxious about being busy. Not anymore friend. Not anymore. I love peace.

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I love calm, and as you may know if you've been in my world a while, I love contentment. It's so satisfying.

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My mind feels steady, my body can find stillness, and my soul shines a bit brighter.

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How do we move from chaos and overwhelm to a more tranquil way of being?

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I am afraid we cannot stress, strive, work hard, study deeply, or walk over hot coals to get to it. No. It's another way.

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For me, it began in about 2018, identifying someone ahead of me on the journey towards less overwhelm and following closely behind them.

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I recommend you follow Kelly Project Me on Insta for inspiration or find someone being who you want to be and ask them how they do what they do.

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I questioned what was making me feel less than fabulous, and some of the answers were feeling tired, feeling like I didn't

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exercise or eat well enough, not having a passion to pursue, not learning new skills, too much of the colour grey, watching

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or listening to the news, doom scrolling social media, oh, and alcohol as well, to name just a few.

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If there is a list of less than fabulous Pointers there must surely be an opposite, yes, things that bring me contentment

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and satisfaction, and those are some silence and stillness in my day, reading a fiction book always on the go and something

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to learn from, a bunch of cheery daffodils, a blanket and a hot water bottle in winter, and a cool breeze on a warm day, a

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lovely scented candle, at least 8 hours of sleep, a long, long walk, preferably around 20 kilometres with a lovely tea and cake shop about 15 kilometres in.

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Oh yes, tea and cake, writing in my notebook, making a rough plan for the day,

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coming to a place of acceptance that things don't always feel comfortable.

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There's illness, there's surgery, there's relationships ending, and some things are deeply and horribly uncomfortable, but

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I've found a level of peace in knowing what I can control or influence and what I can't. Finding peace. It's crept up on me gently.

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I used to chase it hard and be left feeling a bit hollow, but over the last few years I let go of my desperate need for peace and you know what?

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One day I looked back and I had it.

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

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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 1 coaching programme. Thank you for listening in today.

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