1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,900 Speaker 2: Mommy wine culture disguises dependence as empowerment. It makes us 3 00:00:11,020 --> 00:00:16,150 Speaker 2: think this is self-care. This is sophistication. This is bonding. 4 00:00:16,210 --> 00:00:20,610 Speaker 1: This is liberation, baby. You deserve this. Look at those kids. 5 00:00:20,650 --> 00:00:22,430 Speaker 1: You've done a great job, mom. It's 430, sis. 6 00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:26,970 Speaker 2: You get to crack open that wine or that bottle 7 00:00:27,010 --> 00:00:29,630 Speaker 2: or whatever it is, and this is your reward for 8 00:00:29,670 --> 00:00:31,210 Speaker 2: making it through motherhood. 9 00:00:31,670 --> 00:00:32,610 Speaker 1: What is that? 10 00:00:33,270 --> 00:00:36,330 Speaker 3: Welcome to Love Life Sober. I'm your host and your coach, 11 00:00:36,550 --> 00:00:39,490 Speaker 3: Christy Osborne. This podcast is for the woman who loves 12 00:00:39,550 --> 00:00:42,510 Speaker 3: Jesus or is longing to reconnect with him and who 13 00:00:42,530 --> 00:00:45,589 Speaker 3: knows deep down that alcohol is no longer serving her. 14 00:00:45,990 --> 00:00:48,750 Speaker 3: Here we talk honestly with grace and truth about how 15 00:00:48,790 --> 00:00:52,550 Speaker 3: stepping away from alcohol opens the door to the love, joy, 16 00:00:52,979 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 3: peace and connection you've been searching for. Because babe, those 17 00:00:56,700 --> 00:00:58,540 Speaker 3: things were never meant to be found in a bottle 18 00:00:58,580 --> 00:01:03,020 Speaker 3: of wine. They're found in Jesus. Through scripture, coaching and neuroscience, 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,140 Speaker 3: I'll help you make sense of your habits, your nervous system, 20 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,340 Speaker 3: and what you're really craving so that freedom feels not 21 00:01:09,380 --> 00:01:13,330 Speaker 3: only possible, but sustainable. You don't have to do this alone, babe. 22 00:01:13,690 --> 00:01:14,289 Speaker 3: Let's dive in. 23 00:01:17,150 --> 00:01:18,010 Speaker 2: Hi, friends. 24 00:01:18,069 --> 00:01:19,590 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Love Life Sober. 25 00:01:20,110 --> 00:01:23,430 Speaker 3: Today's conversation is a really good one, especially if you're 26 00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:26,350 Speaker 3: a mom who has ever thought into the idea that 27 00:01:26,450 --> 00:01:30,069 Speaker 3: wine is just part of motherhood, that it's our reward 28 00:01:30,170 --> 00:01:32,190 Speaker 3: at the end of a long day, that it's how 29 00:01:32,230 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 3: we take the edge off, that after lunches are packed, 30 00:01:34,980 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 3: the kids are driven everywhere, the work is done, and 31 00:01:37,220 --> 00:01:40,260 Speaker 3: everybody else has been taken care of, we've earned that 32 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,140 Speaker 3: glass of wine. My guest today is Catherine Redanz, and 33 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,610 Speaker 3: she calls this out for exactly what it is. Catherine 34 00:01:47,650 --> 00:01:50,450 Speaker 3: is the woman behind No Wine in the Carpool Line, 35 00:01:50,830 --> 00:01:53,090 Speaker 3: and she has been talking about mommy wine culture and 36 00:01:53,130 --> 00:01:56,030 Speaker 3: sobriety for years. But what I love about this conversation 37 00:01:56,110 --> 00:01:58,070 Speaker 3: is that we don't just talk about mommy wine culture 38 00:01:58,130 --> 00:02:01,370 Speaker 3: and why it's problematic, we talk about what's underneath it. 39 00:02:01,950 --> 00:02:03,950 Speaker 3: Because if we take the wine away, we still have 40 00:02:03,970 --> 00:02:07,070 Speaker 3: to answer the question, what was I asking alcohol to 41 00:02:07,110 --> 00:02:11,589 Speaker 3: do for me? Catherine shares so openly about her own drinking, 42 00:02:11,990 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: how quickly it progressed when she was raising little kids, 43 00:02:15,100 --> 00:02:17,620 Speaker 3: the shame that kept her stuck, and what finally helped 44 00:02:17,660 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 3: her get honest about what was really happening. And we 45 00:02:20,820 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 3: get to talk about something Catherine doesn't always get the 46 00:02:22,900 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 3: opportunity to share, which is her faith. She has an 47 00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:29,470 Speaker 3: incredible story about one of the darkest nights of her 48 00:02:29,530 --> 00:02:32,350 Speaker 3: life when she truly believed her children might be better 49 00:02:32,430 --> 00:02:34,989 Speaker 3: off without her and how God met her there and 50 00:02:35,030 --> 00:02:39,650 Speaker 3: gave her the hope she needed to take the next step. Friends, 51 00:02:39,690 --> 00:02:42,910 Speaker 3: this is a raw, honest conversation, but it is so, 52 00:02:43,010 --> 00:02:46,660 Speaker 3: so full of hope. And speaking of taking the next step, 53 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:53,410 Speaker 3: the next 40-day alcohol fast starts on Monday, on October 5th. 54 00:02:53,970 --> 00:02:56,630 Speaker 3: If you've been listening to this podcast and thinking, I 55 00:02:57,210 --> 00:03:00,150 Speaker 3: know alcohol isn't serving me anymore. I know I want 56 00:03:00,210 --> 00:03:03,230 Speaker 3: something different. I just don't know how to actually do it. 57 00:03:03,270 --> 00:03:06,570 Speaker 3: Then this is your opportunity. For 40 days, we are 58 00:03:06,620 --> 00:03:09,340 Speaker 3: going to do this together. You're going to have coaching. 59 00:03:09,380 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 3: You're going to have community. You are going to have 60 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,970 Speaker 3: so much support. and women walking right alongside you as 61 00:03:15,010 --> 00:03:18,980 Speaker 3: you discover what life can look and feel like without 62 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: alcohol getting in the way. You do not have to 63 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 3: figure this out alone. Head to the show notes and 64 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:28,429 Speaker 3: join us and come do these 40 days with me. Okay, friends, 65 00:03:28,630 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 3: let's get into my conversation with Catherine Redanz. Welcome back 66 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 3: to Love Life Sober. I'm here with my new friend, 67 00:03:36,780 --> 00:03:37,890 Speaker 3: Kat Radans. 68 00:03:38,010 --> 00:03:38,610 Speaker 2: Hey, babe. 69 00:03:38,670 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: How are you? I'm so excited you're here. Hi, Christy. Oh, 70 00:03:42,010 --> 00:03:44,390 Speaker 1: my gosh. I'm so thrilled to be here. I couldn't 71 00:03:44,430 --> 00:03:47,630 Speaker 1: be more excited. Oh, I love that. 72 00:03:47,650 --> 00:03:49,570 Speaker 3: I was saying before we hit record that I feel 73 00:03:49,590 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 3: like you're one of the OG sober influencers on the Instagram. 74 00:03:54,220 --> 00:03:57,660 Speaker 3: I remember coming across you when I first started and 75 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:02,380 Speaker 3: loving your content. And so will you just take us 76 00:04:02,580 --> 00:04:04,660 Speaker 3: back a little bit? And I cannot wait to talk 77 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:06,850 Speaker 3: about the book, but will you take us back as 78 00:04:06,890 --> 00:04:10,590 Speaker 3: you were saying of just that moment when you realized 79 00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:13,730 Speaker 3: this is not actually anything to be ashamed of. This 80 00:04:13,790 --> 00:04:16,740 Speaker 3: is something to be celebrated. And you had this beautiful 81 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,299 Speaker 3: opportunity to encourage other moms. 82 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:22,020 Speaker 1: Gosh, thank you. First, thank you so much for that 83 00:04:22,140 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: incredible compliment. 84 00:04:23,540 --> 00:04:27,610 Speaker 2: Um, Yeah, I was in the carpool line one day 85 00:04:28,029 --> 00:04:31,650 Speaker 2: and I was eight years sober. Few people knew my story, 86 00:04:31,910 --> 00:04:35,250 Speaker 2: not very many. I was relatively new to town. We 87 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:38,810 Speaker 2: had just moved here a few years before. And so 88 00:04:38,850 --> 00:04:41,420 Speaker 2: I didn't have a core group of friends that knew 89 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,270 Speaker 2: me really, really well. I was sort of coming in 90 00:04:44,330 --> 00:04:47,060 Speaker 2: as the underdog, fresh off of a divorce, moving to 91 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:50,339 Speaker 2: a new town and didn't really have a lot of 92 00:04:50,380 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: confidence or a lot of friends yet. And I was 93 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,580 Speaker 2: sitting in the carpool line one day And I overheard 94 00:04:55,660 --> 00:04:58,900 Speaker 2: some moms behind me talking about me and they didn't 95 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,580 Speaker 2: know that I was me. They were talking about Catherine 96 00:05:02,290 --> 00:05:05,090 Speaker 2: and saying the crazy stuff that she was doing when 97 00:05:05,130 --> 00:05:07,050 Speaker 2: she was drinking. And oh my gosh, can you believe 98 00:05:07,089 --> 00:05:09,870 Speaker 2: that she was this alcoholic? And oh, well, you know, 99 00:05:09,930 --> 00:05:12,450 Speaker 2: she's sober now. Well, that's what she says, like things 100 00:05:12,470 --> 00:05:12,930 Speaker 2: like that. 101 00:05:13,170 --> 00:05:16,190 Speaker 1: And oh my God. Yeah. 102 00:05:16,310 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 2: And this was a religious school too. Our children have 103 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,970 Speaker 2: all gone through religious school. And so I was it 104 00:05:22,010 --> 00:05:25,750 Speaker 2: was excruciatingly disappointing. Number one, because I was supposed to 105 00:05:25,790 --> 00:05:28,310 Speaker 2: be in a safe place. And number two, some of 106 00:05:28,350 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: the things they were saying weren't true. And number three, 107 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 2: nothing they were saying was nice. And I thought this, 108 00:05:34,220 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 2: this hurts so badly. And so I went home that 109 00:05:36,620 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: night and certainly didn't show any emotion in front of 110 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:40,650 Speaker 2: my children about it. 111 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: I picked them up and went along the rest of 112 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:43,940 Speaker 1: our schedule. 113 00:05:43,980 --> 00:05:46,350 Speaker 2: And I got home that night and I was talking 114 00:05:46,370 --> 00:05:48,410 Speaker 2: to my husband and I was saying, gosh, can you 115 00:05:48,430 --> 00:05:50,990 Speaker 2: believe they were saying these things? And I was crying 116 00:05:51,010 --> 00:05:55,070 Speaker 2: and I was just to pieces because alcoholism, especially with mothers, 117 00:05:55,670 --> 00:05:58,890 Speaker 2: brings an incredible amount of shame at times because it's 118 00:05:59,130 --> 00:06:01,370 Speaker 2: more normal, I would say, for the dads to be 119 00:06:01,390 --> 00:06:04,229 Speaker 2: the alcoholics. You know, you grew up knowing, oh, well, 120 00:06:04,510 --> 00:06:07,029 Speaker 2: her dad's an alcoholic or his dad's an alcoholic. And 121 00:06:07,050 --> 00:06:09,940 Speaker 2: it was kind of that quiet, secret, hush thing. And 122 00:06:10,850 --> 00:06:13,450 Speaker 2: And I thought, gosh, this is so hard. I've been 123 00:06:13,510 --> 00:06:15,710 Speaker 2: sober for eight years, and I still feel like I'm 124 00:06:15,730 --> 00:06:18,609 Speaker 2: getting dogged by this. And how can this be? And 125 00:06:18,650 --> 00:06:20,870 Speaker 2: I was just rolling around in bed. And then finally, 126 00:06:20,950 --> 00:06:23,150 Speaker 2: I fell asleep. And I woke up at about, I 127 00:06:23,570 --> 00:06:26,380 Speaker 2: don't know, two o'clock in the morning, those same pervasive thoughts, 128 00:06:26,450 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 2: just these ruminating thoughts of worthlessness and pain and shame 129 00:06:31,220 --> 00:06:34,300 Speaker 2: on you, and your children should be ashamed of you. 130 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: And these are all things that I'm saying to myself. 131 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,300 Speaker 2: And I don't know what happened. It was in that 132 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:45,539 Speaker 2: moment that I had this instant of rage and fearlessness 133 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,099 Speaker 2: at the same time. And I had a private Instagram account, 134 00:06:49,140 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 2: but of course, I didn't have a public Instagram account. 135 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,580 Speaker 1: So right there at two o'clock in the. 136 00:06:53,580 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 2: Morning, I got on Instagram and the phrase no wine 137 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,220 Speaker 2: in the carpool line came into my head. 138 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: It rhymes, you know, I'm a writer. 139 00:07:02,220 --> 00:07:04,180 Speaker 2: So I'm always twisting the weird words and trying to 140 00:07:04,220 --> 00:07:07,539 Speaker 2: make things sound better and visual at the same time. 141 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,810 Speaker 2: And So I started that handle and my first post 142 00:07:10,890 --> 00:07:14,250 Speaker 2: was just this litany of, why are you doing this 143 00:07:14,310 --> 00:07:18,130 Speaker 2: to us? Why are you shaming us for getting help? 144 00:07:18,190 --> 00:07:20,940 Speaker 2: Why are you shaming us for being vocal about our sobriety? 145 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:21,780 Speaker 1: No more. 146 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: And I just kind of went off, something I've never 147 00:07:24,980 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 2: done before. And I did that several days in a row. 148 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 2: And then I just kept writing and writing. And then 149 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,210 Speaker 2: the platform started growing. And then people started emailing me 150 00:07:34,270 --> 00:07:36,730 Speaker 2: and DMing me and saying, oh my gosh, your story 151 00:07:36,770 --> 00:07:38,570 Speaker 2: sounds just like my story. 152 00:07:38,610 --> 00:07:39,850 Speaker 1: And I said, really? 153 00:07:39,870 --> 00:07:43,190 Speaker 2: And at first I was so afraid being online because 154 00:07:43,250 --> 00:07:45,850 Speaker 2: I thought all of these horrible new people are going 155 00:07:45,870 --> 00:07:47,810 Speaker 2: to come from the internet that we've all. 156 00:07:47,730 --> 00:07:51,710 Speaker 1: Been taught and they'll crucify you. And it did happen. 157 00:07:51,810 --> 00:07:54,650 Speaker 1: People did, people still do. And that's totally fine with me. 158 00:07:55,370 --> 00:07:56,510 Speaker 1: It's part of the. 159 00:07:56,930 --> 00:08:01,060 Speaker 2: Reckoning of this disease and letting people know that It's 160 00:08:01,140 --> 00:08:02,260 Speaker 2: okay to feel this way. 161 00:08:02,350 --> 00:08:03,820 Speaker 1: It's okay. This is going to happen. 162 00:08:03,850 --> 00:08:05,410 Speaker 2: People might say nasty things to you. 163 00:08:05,470 --> 00:08:07,750 Speaker 1: You might say nasty things to yourself, but it's all 164 00:08:08,250 --> 00:08:09,180 Speaker 1: in what we do with it. 165 00:08:09,210 --> 00:08:11,770 Speaker 2: Are we going to turn it into purpose or are 166 00:08:11,790 --> 00:08:13,510 Speaker 2: we going to keep ruminating in that pain? 167 00:08:13,570 --> 00:08:15,110 Speaker 1: Why in the world would I do that? I don't 168 00:08:15,150 --> 00:08:16,350 Speaker 1: want my children to think that. 169 00:08:16,390 --> 00:08:18,870 Speaker 2: I don't want my children to think I'm ashamed of 170 00:08:18,910 --> 00:08:20,270 Speaker 2: something that I've done in my life. 171 00:08:20,370 --> 00:08:22,110 Speaker 1: I need to get up. I need to talk. 172 00:08:22,170 --> 00:08:25,730 Speaker 2: I need to say everything that I need to say 173 00:08:25,770 --> 00:08:27,570 Speaker 2: so that people can hear this and know that they're 174 00:08:27,590 --> 00:08:31,370 Speaker 2: not alone. And more than that, so that my children 175 00:08:31,420 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: would know that if you have a problem and it's 176 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 2: something that you're willing to address honestly, openly, and faithfully, 177 00:08:38,740 --> 00:08:39,819 Speaker 2: you can. 178 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: Get through it. 179 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,980 Speaker 2: You can get through it and it might be tough, but, um, 180 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 2: but there's always a way out. So that's kind of 181 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,260 Speaker 2: how I started. And then once I started the Instagram, 182 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 2: I started finding more sober accounts and I had never 183 00:08:52,140 --> 00:08:55,130 Speaker 2: looked at sober Instagram, sober anything. I didn't, there wasn't 184 00:08:55,150 --> 00:08:58,250 Speaker 2: really a sobriety movement, you know, when, when I got 185 00:08:58,309 --> 00:09:01,030 Speaker 2: online and started doing all of this and, Then slowly 186 00:09:01,090 --> 00:09:03,190 Speaker 2: but surely over the next two and three years, I 187 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:07,770 Speaker 2: started to see dozens of accounts, now hundreds. And people 188 00:09:07,830 --> 00:09:10,609 Speaker 2: are all sort of waking up to this idea that 189 00:09:11,250 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: we need to save ourselves and. 190 00:09:12,820 --> 00:09:13,740 Speaker 1: Especially the moms. 191 00:09:13,780 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 2: We need to get out and talk to each other 192 00:09:15,820 --> 00:09:18,340 Speaker 2: and tell each other, oh, really, you did that? I 193 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 2: did that too. And I did that worse. Let me 194 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 2: tell you what I did. And how did you get 195 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:22,300 Speaker 2: through that? 196 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 1: And opening the. 197 00:09:23,380 --> 00:09:25,819 Speaker 2: Dialogue so that it's not so shameful and not so 198 00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 2: scary and not so secretive. 199 00:09:27,260 --> 00:09:29,500 Speaker 1: I didn't know any other alcoholic moms. I didn't think 200 00:09:29,590 --> 00:09:32,069 Speaker 1: I did. Of course I did. But I didn't think 201 00:09:32,110 --> 00:09:34,390 Speaker 1: that I did because nobody was talking about it, right? 202 00:09:34,970 --> 00:09:35,970 Speaker 1: Nobody was like me. 203 00:09:36,030 --> 00:09:37,910 Speaker 2: I was the only mom out of a school of 204 00:09:37,910 --> 00:09:42,390 Speaker 2: 700 moms that was struggling in silence with alcoholism. 205 00:09:42,429 --> 00:09:44,890 Speaker 1: This is what I thought. Yeah, me too. 206 00:09:44,950 --> 00:09:47,510 Speaker 2: So, you know, me, a little bit of a loud mouth, 207 00:09:47,590 --> 00:09:50,589 Speaker 2: just got online and started talking about it. 208 00:09:51,610 --> 00:09:53,670 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, I love that so much. So we'll 209 00:09:53,710 --> 00:09:56,340 Speaker 3: be back right after a quick word from our sponsors. 210 00:09:56,780 --> 00:09:59,970 Speaker 1: So how old were your kids when you. 211 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,339 Speaker 3: stopped drinking? I would just love to like spend a 212 00:10:03,380 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 3: few minutes like encouraging the mom who still has littles 213 00:10:07,340 --> 00:10:11,100 Speaker 3: at home and is really struggling with this because there 214 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,990 Speaker 3: are women in my community. Like I think I said 215 00:10:14,020 --> 00:10:15,650 Speaker 3: to you, like I had a post this morning of, 216 00:10:15,890 --> 00:10:18,470 Speaker 3: you know, a young mom, four kids at home. 217 00:10:18,940 --> 00:10:19,990 Speaker 1: And she's struggling. 218 00:10:20,250 --> 00:10:25,089 Speaker 3: So what made you decide to finally just put it 219 00:10:25,130 --> 00:10:27,390 Speaker 3: down once and for all? What helped? 220 00:10:28,350 --> 00:10:31,030 Speaker 2: Gosh, that was the hardest part. Obviously, the beginning was 221 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,300 Speaker 2: the hardest part. I was pretty sure that I had 222 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 2: a really serious problem. My husband had spoken to me 223 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:41,449 Speaker 2: many times about how much I was drinking, not just 224 00:10:41,490 --> 00:10:43,469 Speaker 2: when we were out with friends or out to dinner 225 00:10:43,570 --> 00:10:46,050 Speaker 2: or going to a party or show or something like that, 226 00:10:46,110 --> 00:10:48,930 Speaker 2: but even when we were at home and he traveled 227 00:10:48,950 --> 00:10:52,490 Speaker 2: a great deal for business. And so I had opportunities 228 00:10:52,590 --> 00:10:55,290 Speaker 2: that a lot of moms didn't have. And that's being 229 00:10:55,350 --> 00:10:59,850 Speaker 2: home alone late at night with young children. My daughter 230 00:10:59,929 --> 00:11:04,910 Speaker 2: was six when I began struggling. My next child in 231 00:11:04,950 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: line is a boy and he was four and the 232 00:11:08,390 --> 00:11:13,250 Speaker 2: baby was almost two. I didn't actually start my really 233 00:11:13,309 --> 00:11:17,670 Speaker 2: destructive relationship with alcohol until after my first three children 234 00:11:17,710 --> 00:11:20,980 Speaker 2: were born. Things were moving along pretty well. You know, 235 00:11:21,030 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 2: everybody was working and trying to get to school and 236 00:11:24,380 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: play dates and all those kind of things. And I 237 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 2: was trying to mother three children, six and under. And 238 00:11:29,860 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: for some women, hey, that's a natural thing for them. 239 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,850 Speaker 2: They're able to do it and it just completes their 240 00:11:34,890 --> 00:11:37,540 Speaker 2: entire life. For me, I was finding a great deal 241 00:11:37,590 --> 00:11:39,650 Speaker 2: of struggle in it. And it was all I ever 242 00:11:39,690 --> 00:11:42,290 Speaker 2: wanted to do was to mother my children. I loved 243 00:11:42,510 --> 00:11:46,790 Speaker 2: them and loved them more than anything, right? But there 244 00:11:46,830 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 2: was something about it I wasn't able to handle. I, 245 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 2: you know, the tantrums and the crying and the clothes 246 00:11:53,540 --> 00:11:56,410 Speaker 2: and the dinners and the, play dates and all the things. 247 00:11:56,470 --> 00:11:59,140 Speaker 2: And I was starting to sort of go underwater with this. 248 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 2: And I thought, how are you going on? Kevin, you 249 00:12:01,260 --> 00:12:04,220 Speaker 2: have a master's degree, get up, get your stuff together, 250 00:12:04,620 --> 00:12:05,820 Speaker 2: do it and just get it done. 251 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:07,650 Speaker 1: I couldn't, I just couldn't do it. 252 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:11,150 Speaker 2: The one glass of wine started turning into two to three. 253 00:12:11,230 --> 00:12:13,689 Speaker 2: Then it turned into straight whiskey because wine wasn't going to, 254 00:12:13,790 --> 00:12:15,650 Speaker 2: wine was like water for me at the end. And 255 00:12:15,670 --> 00:12:19,250 Speaker 2: so the first thing I did was stay in denial 256 00:12:19,350 --> 00:12:23,089 Speaker 2: for six months. Didn't tell anybody, kept drinking, would sort of, 257 00:12:23,790 --> 00:12:28,370 Speaker 2: leave comments hanging out and in conversation with people about 258 00:12:28,429 --> 00:12:30,589 Speaker 2: my drinking, sort of waiting for somebody to pick it 259 00:12:30,690 --> 00:12:32,550 Speaker 2: up because I wasn't quite strong enough to say, I 260 00:12:32,970 --> 00:12:36,150 Speaker 2: think I'm having a problem. But nobody was really picking 261 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,059 Speaker 2: it up. I think people were sort of talking a 262 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,060 Speaker 2: little bit behind the scenes. I know that my husband 263 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:43,620 Speaker 2: was speaking with his parents about it, with my parents 264 00:12:43,660 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 2: about it. And I really did think that I could 265 00:12:46,340 --> 00:12:50,180 Speaker 2: get it under control until I realized that waking up 266 00:12:50,220 --> 00:12:50,420 Speaker 2: in the. 267 00:12:52,429 --> 00:12:54,910 Speaker 1: Packing the lunches was becoming a chore. 268 00:12:55,390 --> 00:12:58,410 Speaker 2: Wanting to do anything with enthusiasm was trying to hype 269 00:12:58,429 --> 00:12:59,030 Speaker 2: myself up. 270 00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:01,070 Speaker 1: There was nothing that was making me happy anymore. 271 00:13:01,130 --> 00:13:03,589 Speaker 2: I wasn't finding joy in everyday moments. It was just 272 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 2: slowly slipping away little bit by little bit. And so 273 00:13:07,140 --> 00:13:11,060 Speaker 2: I called my dad and I thought, maybe I should. 274 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: Go to an AA meeting. 275 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 2: And I didn't really talk to him about that, but 276 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 2: I told him maybe I thought I had a little 277 00:13:15,540 --> 00:13:17,370 Speaker 2: bit of a problem. And I had a really close 278 00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:19,550 Speaker 2: friend who had gotten sober the year before me. She 279 00:13:19,590 --> 00:13:21,990 Speaker 2: didn't have kids yet. And I called her and said, 280 00:13:22,010 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 2: can you take me to an AA meeting? We went 281 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:27,550 Speaker 2: to an AA meeting and I got really psyched about it. 282 00:13:27,580 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 2: And I thought, okay, I'm in the right place. And 283 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,580 Speaker 2: I did that a little bit here and there, but 284 00:13:32,620 --> 00:13:34,719 Speaker 2: I wasn't all in. There was no way that I 285 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,969 Speaker 2: was ready to commit. And that was one of my first, 286 00:13:38,630 --> 00:13:41,830 Speaker 2: I think, major stumbling blocks on my. 287 00:13:41,770 --> 00:13:45,069 Speaker 1: Path is that I thought that I could easily go 288 00:13:45,290 --> 00:13:45,730 Speaker 1: all in. 289 00:13:45,750 --> 00:13:48,809 Speaker 2: I thought that going to an AA meeting and finding 290 00:13:48,850 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 2: a sponsor and saying I would go five days a 291 00:13:50,929 --> 00:13:54,020 Speaker 2: week would solve my problem. I had no idea that 292 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 2: it was going to take our true gut check and 293 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:58,860 Speaker 2: real soul work. Like you have to get down to 294 00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:00,540 Speaker 2: why are you drinking in the first place? This doesn't 295 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,500 Speaker 2: have anything to do with your husband. This doesn't have 296 00:14:02,540 --> 00:14:04,490 Speaker 2: anything to do with your kids. This has something to 297 00:14:04,530 --> 00:14:07,030 Speaker 2: do inside. And that's true for every single one of us. 298 00:14:07,370 --> 00:14:09,850 Speaker 2: When we have to take accountability within our alcoholism, we 299 00:14:09,870 --> 00:14:11,990 Speaker 2: have to realize that we are the root. It is 300 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,410 Speaker 2: not because of a divorce. It is not because of 301 00:14:14,950 --> 00:14:17,090 Speaker 2: something that's going on with your spouse. It's because of 302 00:14:17,150 --> 00:14:19,390 Speaker 2: something that started within. Those things all might be a 303 00:14:19,430 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 2: product of what I'm doing, but that's not what caused it. 304 00:14:23,410 --> 00:14:25,950 Speaker 2: And so I didn't figure that out for a while. 305 00:14:26,030 --> 00:14:29,130 Speaker 2: It took me probably another year of sort of bouncing 306 00:14:29,170 --> 00:14:32,270 Speaker 2: in and out of maybe daily treatment centers or just, 307 00:14:32,370 --> 00:14:34,450 Speaker 2: you know, kind of half weighing it all the way 308 00:14:34,510 --> 00:14:38,660 Speaker 2: through and, and nothing was changing. Um, That would be 309 00:14:38,700 --> 00:14:41,739 Speaker 2: my biggest warning for anybody that comes to me for help. 310 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,330 Speaker 2: And it is, is that please don't ignore these signs. 311 00:14:44,380 --> 00:14:47,170 Speaker 2: These things are serious. And this is a progressive disease. 312 00:14:47,630 --> 00:14:49,810 Speaker 2: We think that if we stop drinking for four months 313 00:14:49,870 --> 00:14:53,330 Speaker 2: or four weeks or four days, that we have that 314 00:14:53,450 --> 00:14:56,270 Speaker 2: much of sobriety. And so, okay, we've gotten that under 315 00:14:56,330 --> 00:14:58,980 Speaker 2: our belts. I'm going to go here forward. 316 00:14:59,010 --> 00:15:00,260 Speaker 1: And that's true. Let's try that. 317 00:15:00,580 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 2: But if you don't, we have to realize that where 318 00:15:02,820 --> 00:15:05,060 Speaker 2: we stop drinking, that's not where we start again. 319 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: We start above that. 320 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,580 Speaker 2: And one of the facts that my family kept telling me, Kat, 321 00:15:11,260 --> 00:15:13,860 Speaker 2: if you can stay sober for a month, that's great. 322 00:15:14,140 --> 00:15:16,990 Speaker 2: But if you relapse, it's not relapsing back to where 323 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,830 Speaker 2: you think you stopped drinking. Just fill in all that 324 00:15:20,890 --> 00:15:23,530 Speaker 2: sober time with drinking. That's really what it's like. And 325 00:15:23,570 --> 00:15:24,950 Speaker 2: people can argue with me all day long. 326 00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:27,470 Speaker 1: They do. I don't care. This is a scientific fact. 327 00:15:27,570 --> 00:15:29,870 Speaker 1: And I'm living proof. I did the same thing. I mean, 328 00:15:30,070 --> 00:15:30,930 Speaker 1: you know, and you think, oh. 329 00:15:31,050 --> 00:15:33,460 Speaker 2: I've gotten this much time, so I can probably handle 330 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 2: this a little bit. But the slippery slope got really, 331 00:15:36,420 --> 00:15:37,090 Speaker 2: really fast. 332 00:15:37,570 --> 00:15:38,270 Speaker 1: And I ended. 333 00:15:38,210 --> 00:15:42,690 Speaker 2: Up finally in a 90-day treatment center. And it was 334 00:15:42,750 --> 00:15:46,770 Speaker 2: really for professionals. It was for moms, dads, women, men 335 00:15:46,890 --> 00:15:49,950 Speaker 2: who have been in some sort of professional capacity setting 336 00:15:49,990 --> 00:15:52,550 Speaker 2: so that they were around other adults. It was almost 337 00:15:52,590 --> 00:15:54,380 Speaker 2: like you were going to an office every day. And 338 00:15:54,390 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 2: I found this to be really useful for me because 339 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,780 Speaker 2: I was with people that were really highly functioning alcoholics. 340 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 2: I wasn't a non-functioning alcoholic or someone who's never been 341 00:16:03,260 --> 00:16:05,550 Speaker 2: a go-getter. I can set my mind to something and 342 00:16:05,570 --> 00:16:06,950 Speaker 2: I can do it. And this had to be the 343 00:16:06,970 --> 00:16:09,670 Speaker 2: same way, but I needed to be with other people 344 00:16:09,970 --> 00:16:12,950 Speaker 2: that had that same kind of dogged mentality. Like I 345 00:16:13,010 --> 00:16:14,750 Speaker 2: have to get this thing licked and I haven't been 346 00:16:14,770 --> 00:16:16,250 Speaker 2: able to do it. And I found that to be 347 00:16:16,690 --> 00:16:19,250 Speaker 2: extremely beneficial. I had been in and out of several 348 00:16:19,330 --> 00:16:23,270 Speaker 2: other treatment centers along the way within that first year 349 00:16:23,330 --> 00:16:26,859 Speaker 2: period and nothing was really sticking. And I think sometimes 350 00:16:26,910 --> 00:16:29,700 Speaker 2: my family probably thought she's just not trying. She's not 351 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: trying this. And I kept saying, the people where. 352 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,030 Speaker 1: I am are not like me. 353 00:16:34,290 --> 00:16:37,420 Speaker 2: And you know, call it what you will, spoiled, privileged, whatever, 354 00:16:37,490 --> 00:16:40,730 Speaker 2: but every single person is worth sobriety and every single 355 00:16:40,770 --> 00:16:44,130 Speaker 2: person is worth the fight. And just because you're able 356 00:16:44,170 --> 00:16:46,390 Speaker 2: to find a resource or get into a program or 357 00:16:46,430 --> 00:16:48,510 Speaker 2: something like that doesn't automatically mean that you're going to 358 00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:50,690 Speaker 2: get sober. It still takes a gut check. It still 359 00:16:50,730 --> 00:16:53,830 Speaker 2: takes everything that you have from within. And that's part 360 00:16:53,870 --> 00:16:55,490 Speaker 2: of the thing that I didn't realize is I thought 361 00:16:55,510 --> 00:16:59,350 Speaker 2: this was probably going to be just about as easy 362 00:16:59,410 --> 00:17:01,450 Speaker 2: if I worked hard enough at it as everything else 363 00:17:01,490 --> 00:17:03,210 Speaker 2: was in my life. And I was just dead wrong. 364 00:17:03,870 --> 00:17:06,850 Speaker 3: There's so much there, babe. There's so many encouraging things 365 00:17:06,890 --> 00:17:09,550 Speaker 3: that you said. I want to go back to when 366 00:17:09,590 --> 00:17:12,129 Speaker 3: you mentioned, you know, not blaming, not blaming the divorce 367 00:17:12,190 --> 00:17:14,210 Speaker 3: or not blaming the kids or whatever it is and 368 00:17:14,310 --> 00:17:16,770 Speaker 3: really getting under like the root of what that is. 369 00:17:17,130 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 3: Because I think there is actually so much encouragement in that. 370 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 3: We don't have to play this victim anymore, right? Like 371 00:17:23,619 --> 00:17:26,580 Speaker 3: we get to make the conscious choice to transform our 372 00:17:26,619 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 3: lives by not drinking and It is not something that 373 00:17:29,340 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 3: is necessarily happening to us. Like, it gets to happen 374 00:17:32,780 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 3: for us, you know? And so I think some gals 375 00:17:36,780 --> 00:17:39,500 Speaker 3: that I've spoken to over the years are getting just 376 00:17:39,580 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 3: stuck into the, well, the kids are a lot or, 377 00:17:42,940 --> 00:17:46,260 Speaker 3: you know, work is a lot or whatever it is 378 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:50,020 Speaker 3: is too much to handle. That is why I'm drinking. Well, 379 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,300 Speaker 3: you know, that might be something that is, you know, 380 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,620 Speaker 3: encouraging you to to pick up that glass, but that's 381 00:17:56,660 --> 00:17:59,420 Speaker 3: not making you pick up that glass. It's like you said, 382 00:17:59,460 --> 00:18:02,350 Speaker 3: the thing inside you. And so I want to talk 383 00:18:02,430 --> 00:18:06,470 Speaker 3: a little bit then about identity because you talk so 384 00:18:06,490 --> 00:18:10,970 Speaker 3: beautifully about mommy wine culture and this becoming an identity 385 00:18:11,109 --> 00:18:13,830 Speaker 3: and this is happening earlier and earlier and we don't 386 00:18:13,850 --> 00:18:18,450 Speaker 3: even recognize it that it's happening, which I certainly 100% 387 00:18:18,450 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 3: agree with because it happened to me. You know, listeners 388 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 3: of this podcast probably have heard the term mommy wine culture. 389 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 3: but will you just let us know kind of what 390 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,260 Speaker 3: it is, when it starts and why it's so dangerous? 391 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:32,120 Speaker 1: Oh, sure. I love that you asked that, Christy. 392 00:18:32,260 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 2: Mommy wine culture to me is one of the biggest 393 00:18:36,380 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 2: problems facing mothers, motherhood, and more importantly, children, particularly in 394 00:18:42,540 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 2: our American society. I've always said Europe is ahead of 395 00:18:46,369 --> 00:18:50,170 Speaker 2: us in this movement. They always have been. My first 396 00:18:50,210 --> 00:18:52,910 Speaker 2: published work was published in Europe because the U.S. was like, 397 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 2: we're not going to publish anything writing about mommy wine culture. 398 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,140 Speaker 2: And the European sector was like, yeah, what is this? Hey, 399 00:18:59,740 --> 00:19:01,429 Speaker 2: bring us some more of this. We want to hear 400 00:19:01,450 --> 00:19:04,310 Speaker 2: what this is. You know, and I've said mommy wine 401 00:19:04,330 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 2: culture disguises dependence as empowerment. It makes us think This 402 00:19:10,390 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: is self-care. This is sophistication. This is bonding. 403 00:19:14,340 --> 00:19:18,300 Speaker 1: This is liberation, baby. You deserve this. Look at those 404 00:19:18,380 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 1: kids you've gotten back there. Hey, they're all dressed up. 405 00:19:21,220 --> 00:19:23,070 Speaker 1: They're all ready. They're ready to go. You've done a 406 00:19:23,090 --> 00:19:24,570 Speaker 1: great job, mom. It's 4.30, sis. 407 00:19:26,060 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 2: You get to crack open that wine or that bottle 408 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,620 Speaker 2: or whatever it is, and this is your reward for 409 00:19:31,660 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 2: making it through motherhood. 410 00:19:33,660 --> 00:19:35,930 Speaker 1: What is that? What is that? 411 00:19:36,369 --> 00:19:38,250 Speaker 2: What are we telling our children? What are we all 412 00:19:38,310 --> 00:19:40,250 Speaker 2: telling our children when we pick up those things? Have 413 00:19:40,270 --> 00:19:41,649 Speaker 2: you seen mom water? 414 00:19:42,390 --> 00:19:47,890 Speaker 1: Yes, I can't. Don't. I can't. Y'all, I went off. 415 00:19:48,070 --> 00:19:49,810 Speaker 1: I went off on my page a few months ago 416 00:19:49,850 --> 00:19:51,060 Speaker 1: about this. I had never seen it. 417 00:19:51,130 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 2: Obviously, it'll drink, so I'm not really into whatever is new, 418 00:19:54,619 --> 00:19:57,060 Speaker 2: but I saw it, and I was so horrified, and 419 00:19:57,100 --> 00:19:59,020 Speaker 2: I stood there. I was in Target, and I took 420 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,680 Speaker 2: it out, and I was like, what is this telling 421 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,100 Speaker 2: our children? What is this telling my daughter when I say, 422 00:20:06,690 --> 00:20:07,940 Speaker 2: I've had a long day. 423 00:20:08,180 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: I've had a long day. Mommy just needs her mommy juice. 424 00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 2: I even saw sippy cups, little wine sippy cups with 425 00:20:13,460 --> 00:20:15,340 Speaker 2: the top on it so that you could put the 426 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,239 Speaker 2: toddler's straw in it. 427 00:20:17,460 --> 00:20:22,370 Speaker 1: It's grotesque. It's sick. And yeah, I'm mad. That should 428 00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:26,350 Speaker 1: never happen. These aren't funny. It's not cute. It's killing mothers. 429 00:20:26,430 --> 00:20:29,670 Speaker 1: It's taking families from each other. It's ripping families apart. 430 00:20:29,730 --> 00:20:31,150 Speaker 1: It's ripping apart our society. 431 00:20:31,450 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: That's what mommy wine culture is. 432 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: This is stress relief. 433 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:40,340 Speaker 2: Coming from a substance instead of regulation, rest, boundaries, honesty, support. 434 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,500 Speaker 2: All of the things that we need to do as 435 00:20:42,580 --> 00:20:44,889 Speaker 2: moms to support each other and to support our babies, 436 00:20:44,930 --> 00:20:47,830 Speaker 2: this strips it all away. Take it all away. Let's 437 00:20:47,890 --> 00:20:50,710 Speaker 2: just numb it all down. Put the problem under the 438 00:20:50,770 --> 00:20:53,150 Speaker 2: rug and pretend like none of this is happening. Mom's 439 00:20:53,170 --> 00:20:55,490 Speaker 2: going to relax right now. Kids, you do your thing. 440 00:20:55,530 --> 00:20:57,710 Speaker 2: And like I said, what does that tell your child? 441 00:20:57,890 --> 00:21:00,080 Speaker 2: I need this to survive you. 442 00:21:00,580 --> 00:21:05,500 Speaker 3: Yes, 100%. I wrote an article for Grazia magazine over 443 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 3: here a few years ago. And of course, when they 444 00:21:09,100 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 3: went to put it on Instagram, they pulled like a headline, 445 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,030 Speaker 3: you know, something about like, It's like mommy wine culture 446 00:21:15,109 --> 00:21:18,130 Speaker 3: harming our kids or something. And nobody goes and reads 447 00:21:18,210 --> 00:21:20,780 Speaker 3: the actual article, right? They just read the headline. And 448 00:21:20,820 --> 00:21:23,420 Speaker 3: they came for me in the comments. 449 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: Who is this woman? She probably doesn't have kids. This 450 00:21:30,380 --> 00:21:32,179 Speaker 1: makes me want to write something on it today and 451 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:36,100 Speaker 1: post it online. Just to start it. Yeah. You know 452 00:21:36,260 --> 00:21:37,820 Speaker 1: I will. I got really upset. 453 00:21:38,810 --> 00:21:40,609 Speaker 3: And then I had to step back and think if 454 00:21:40,790 --> 00:21:43,389 Speaker 3: I was in that place where I was stuck and 455 00:21:43,550 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 3: I didn't know there was another way. And I thought 456 00:21:46,140 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 3: wine was my only way and wine was my only identity. 457 00:21:49,660 --> 00:21:53,619 Speaker 3: And I saw this headline. I would be pissed at 458 00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 3: me too, right? Because I thought it was the only 459 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,230 Speaker 3: thing that was my reward. It was the thing that 460 00:21:59,270 --> 00:22:01,310 Speaker 3: I got to finally, you know, do at the end 461 00:22:01,350 --> 00:22:03,170 Speaker 3: of the day or on a night out or whatever. 462 00:22:03,230 --> 00:22:04,310 Speaker 1: It was the thing. 463 00:22:04,330 --> 00:22:08,330 Speaker 3: And it wasn't until I realized that I was so wrong. 464 00:22:09,430 --> 00:22:12,869 Speaker 3: that I realized how dangerous this was. We'll be back 465 00:22:13,150 --> 00:22:15,619 Speaker 3: right after a quick word from our sponsors. I'm just 466 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 3: going to pause this for one second to remind you 467 00:22:19,260 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 3: that the October Love Life Sober 40-Day Fast is right 468 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,649 Speaker 3: around the corner. We officially kick off on October 5th. 469 00:22:27,130 --> 00:22:29,490 Speaker 3: And if you've been listening to this podcast for a while... 470 00:22:29,650 --> 00:22:32,300 Speaker 3: or reading your copy of Love Life Sober and watching 471 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 3: from the sidelines and thinking, I know I need to 472 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:36,980 Speaker 3: do something, but I have no idea where to start. 473 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,710 Speaker 3: That is exactly why I created this coached 40-day fast. 474 00:22:42,430 --> 00:22:44,970 Speaker 3: I'm not asking you to decide on forever. I'm just 475 00:22:45,109 --> 00:22:48,540 Speaker 3: asking you to give yourself 40 days. 40 days to 476 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 3: get really curious about the role alcohol is playing in 477 00:22:51,619 --> 00:22:54,640 Speaker 3: your life. 40 days to experience what it feels like 478 00:22:54,660 --> 00:22:57,490 Speaker 3: to wake up without regret or anxiety about the night before. 479 00:22:57,490 --> 00:23:01,170 Speaker 3: 40 days to notice your sleep, your energy, your relationships, 480 00:23:01,190 --> 00:23:04,210 Speaker 3: your thoughts, and maybe even your relationship with God when 481 00:23:04,310 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 3: alcohol is no longer taking up so much space. And 482 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 3: you are absolutely not doing this alone. We'll be walking 483 00:23:11,060 --> 00:23:14,070 Speaker 3: together through my bestselling book, Love Life Sober, day by day, 484 00:23:14,210 --> 00:23:17,610 Speaker 3: and you'll have access to four live coaching calls every 485 00:23:17,670 --> 00:23:21,669 Speaker 3: single week with me and my incredible team of coaches, Reena, Maureen, 486 00:23:21,770 --> 00:23:24,770 Speaker 3: and Susan. And if you can't make those coaching calls live, 487 00:23:24,790 --> 00:23:26,790 Speaker 3: we're going to record them for you and pop them 488 00:23:26,950 --> 00:23:30,619 Speaker 3: in your private community space. You'll have access to that 489 00:23:30,650 --> 00:23:34,460 Speaker 3: completely private space inside the Love Life Sober community filled 490 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 3: with other women, doing these 40 days right alongside you. 491 00:23:38,460 --> 00:23:41,780 Speaker 3: Women who get it, women you can be completely honest with, 492 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 3: women who are going to celebrate the wins with you 493 00:23:44,140 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 3: and remind you why you started on the harder days. 494 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:50,750 Speaker 3: And the community piece of this is so important because 495 00:23:50,850 --> 00:23:52,890 Speaker 3: so many of us have tried to do this quietly 496 00:23:52,950 --> 00:23:55,490 Speaker 3: and by ourselves. You don't have to do that anymore. 497 00:23:55,490 --> 00:23:58,830 Speaker 3: 40 days is long enough to experience real change, but 498 00:23:58,950 --> 00:24:01,409 Speaker 3: short enough to feel possible. If there is even a 499 00:24:01,450 --> 00:24:04,230 Speaker 3: tiny voice inside you saying, maybe this is my time, 500 00:24:04,980 --> 00:24:07,160 Speaker 3: maybe you should listen to her. The Love Life Sober 501 00:24:07,180 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 3: 40-Day Alcohol Fast begins October 5th. And I would absolutely 502 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:14,380 Speaker 3: love to meet you and walk these 40 days with you. 503 00:24:15,020 --> 00:24:16,419 Speaker 3: Head to the link in the show notes to get 504 00:24:16,540 --> 00:24:18,590 Speaker 3: all the details. I cannot wait to see what God 505 00:24:18,619 --> 00:24:20,810 Speaker 3: is going to do in these 40 days. Okay, let's 506 00:24:20,830 --> 00:24:24,610 Speaker 3: get back to today's conversation. And so I guess for 507 00:24:24,630 --> 00:24:27,969 Speaker 3: the woman who obviously is listening and is interested in 508 00:24:28,150 --> 00:24:32,090 Speaker 3: a alcohol-free lifestyle, but maybe for the one who is 509 00:24:32,330 --> 00:24:35,939 Speaker 3: newer to this, How do we encourage that mom of 510 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,020 Speaker 3: a bunch of littles that there are other ways to 511 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 3: take part in self-care, to rest, to find connection, all 512 00:24:44,060 --> 00:24:44,580 Speaker 3: of the things? 513 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,150 Speaker 1: Education. Bar none. 514 00:24:47,690 --> 00:24:51,090 Speaker 2: The answer is education. It's listening to things like podcasts, 515 00:24:51,130 --> 00:24:55,970 Speaker 2: getting online and reading, finding books, making yourself aware of 516 00:24:56,460 --> 00:24:58,899 Speaker 2: what can happen and how quickly it can happen. Because 517 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 2: especially women like you and me, we were just normal 518 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 2: women living our lives, mothering and parenting. I didn't have 519 00:25:05,260 --> 00:25:08,550 Speaker 2: any frame of reference for addiction. Like I said, I 520 00:25:08,590 --> 00:25:11,790 Speaker 2: didn't think I knew any alcoholics. I didn't have alcoholic 521 00:25:11,850 --> 00:25:16,740 Speaker 2: parents or siblings. I didn't even really know what it was. 522 00:25:16,820 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 2: And I certainly didn't think I was an alcoholic. Gosh, 523 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,010 Speaker 2: even after I'd been drinking abusively and knew that I 524 00:25:22,050 --> 00:25:24,229 Speaker 2: was drinking abusively, I still didn't think that I was 525 00:25:24,250 --> 00:25:27,390 Speaker 2: an alcoholic. And when I have the women that come 526 00:25:27,470 --> 00:25:30,470 Speaker 2: in to my DMs or emails or anyone that I 527 00:25:30,530 --> 00:25:34,149 Speaker 2: see that has a question on how do I start? Honestly, 528 00:25:34,170 --> 00:25:36,909 Speaker 2: the first thing has to be honesty with yourself. It's 529 00:25:36,970 --> 00:25:39,780 Speaker 2: got to be that check. And you have to displace 530 00:25:39,820 --> 00:25:42,550 Speaker 2: that fear. That fear has no place Because right now, 531 00:25:42,609 --> 00:25:45,540 Speaker 2: you know, in the very beginning, you're so scared. Is 532 00:25:45,580 --> 00:25:47,100 Speaker 2: this going to take me over? Am I going to 533 00:25:47,130 --> 00:25:49,780 Speaker 2: lose everything like Kat? I've had women DM me and say, 534 00:25:50,180 --> 00:25:52,980 Speaker 2: I got a handle on myself. I went to rehab 535 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,820 Speaker 2: because I read this story of yours and I saw 536 00:25:55,859 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 2: the writing on the wall. 537 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: I know that's going to happen to me. You know, 538 00:25:59,060 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: I was married. 539 00:26:00,940 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 2: I'm remarried now to my wonderful husband, Matt, of 13 540 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,139 Speaker 2: years now. But, you know, I was married to my 541 00:26:08,180 --> 00:26:12,330 Speaker 2: first husband and thought, This can't happen because I'm supported. 542 00:26:12,350 --> 00:26:15,090 Speaker 1: I have a working husband. I'm a stay-at-home mom. 543 00:26:15,750 --> 00:26:17,729 Speaker 2: Just because I'm doing this, it doesn't mean that it's 544 00:26:17,750 --> 00:26:20,010 Speaker 2: going to continue and end up down that path. 545 00:26:20,050 --> 00:26:20,670 Speaker 1: And it really did. 546 00:26:20,710 --> 00:26:23,969 Speaker 2: And so I think the honesty with yourself is the 547 00:26:24,010 --> 00:26:28,020 Speaker 2: very first thing. And having at least one trusted person. 548 00:26:28,390 --> 00:26:31,220 Speaker 2: Maybe this woman or mom doesn't feel safe to tell 549 00:26:31,260 --> 00:26:33,739 Speaker 2: her husband because she feels like if I tell him that, 550 00:26:33,780 --> 00:26:34,980 Speaker 2: he's going to think I'm defective. 551 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,340 Speaker 1: I thought that. I was pretty. 552 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,220 Speaker 2: sure that if I told my husband exactly how I 553 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,940 Speaker 2: was feeling really early on, I was going to get judged, 554 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,020 Speaker 2: maybe shamed. Maybe he wouldn't think I was cute anymore. 555 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 2: Maybe he wouldn't want to go out with me anymore. 556 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,639 Speaker 2: Maybe if I didn't drink anymore, he wouldn't want to 557 00:26:50,660 --> 00:26:53,179 Speaker 2: take me out anymore. Our entire relationship, you know, we 558 00:26:53,220 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 2: met when we were kids in college. 559 00:26:55,220 --> 00:26:57,619 Speaker 1: And so we were drinking and partying and kicking it. 560 00:26:57,660 --> 00:27:00,890 Speaker 2: And now that we're adults and he's able to control 561 00:27:00,970 --> 00:27:03,250 Speaker 2: his life as an adult in a healthy way, and 562 00:27:03,310 --> 00:27:06,350 Speaker 2: I'm having more difficult time managing that, How do I 563 00:27:06,410 --> 00:27:08,410 Speaker 2: even say that to him? Because I'm not the same 564 00:27:08,470 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 2: girl that I was when he married me the nine 565 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 2: years prior. You know, I had sort of morphed into 566 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:20,710 Speaker 2: this sad, almost dark, unrecognizable person. 567 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 1: Existing human. And what do you do with that? 568 00:27:24,460 --> 00:27:27,360 Speaker 2: And I did not have the courage to say, this 569 00:27:27,420 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 2: is what's happening to me. 570 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:29,740 Speaker 1: And I think I need some help. 571 00:27:29,820 --> 00:27:32,010 Speaker 2: It took me a long time, a lot of failures, 572 00:27:32,670 --> 00:27:34,930 Speaker 2: a lot of really terrible nights, nights that I didn't 573 00:27:34,950 --> 00:27:37,270 Speaker 2: know that I'd make it through to see the next 574 00:27:37,350 --> 00:27:40,310 Speaker 2: morning simply because I didn't want to. I didn't think 575 00:27:40,330 --> 00:27:43,530 Speaker 2: that I was worth anything anymore. I thought, You're a drunk, 576 00:27:43,630 --> 00:27:46,110 Speaker 2: alcoholic mother. That's all you're ever going to be. That's 577 00:27:46,150 --> 00:27:47,909 Speaker 2: all you're ever going to be. Look where you landed. 578 00:27:48,210 --> 00:27:48,690 Speaker 1: Good for you. 579 00:27:48,710 --> 00:27:51,690 Speaker 2: I had this pity party for months and it's what 580 00:27:51,710 --> 00:27:53,980 Speaker 2: kept me drunk. And it's what kept me relapsing was 581 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,940 Speaker 2: for me. I can't believe this happened to me. And 582 00:27:57,420 --> 00:27:59,500 Speaker 2: I needed to pick up my chin and realize this 583 00:27:59,540 --> 00:28:02,940 Speaker 2: didn't happen to me. Like you said, it was happening 584 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 2: for me. And I've been very vocal about this throughout 585 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,090 Speaker 2: my sharing of my recovery process. 586 00:28:10,630 --> 00:28:12,940 Speaker 1: That If I hadn't had. 587 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 2: A super strong faith, I don't think I would have 588 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 2: survived it truly. I think it would have taken my life. 589 00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:21,490 Speaker 2: But I knew that I wasn't put here by accident. 590 00:28:21,609 --> 00:28:23,969 Speaker 2: I knew that God didn't make me like this by accident. 591 00:28:24,590 --> 00:28:25,330 Speaker 1: And I knew that. 592 00:28:25,230 --> 00:28:28,390 Speaker 2: Whatever I was struggling with was going to be helpful 593 00:28:28,450 --> 00:28:31,490 Speaker 2: to someone someday somewhere, whether it was my own children 594 00:28:31,530 --> 00:28:35,100 Speaker 2: through my mistakes or through what I did end up doing, 595 00:28:35,130 --> 00:28:37,540 Speaker 2: which was, you know, trying to speak openly about it 596 00:28:37,580 --> 00:28:40,900 Speaker 2: so that other mothers wouldn't be so scared or wouldn't 597 00:28:40,940 --> 00:28:42,140 Speaker 2: think that they were the only one. 598 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I love that so much, babe. Can you say 599 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,150 Speaker 3: a little bit more about how your faith helped carry 600 00:28:49,190 --> 00:28:49,550 Speaker 3: you through? 601 00:28:49,570 --> 00:28:49,710 Speaker 2: Oh, gosh. 602 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:52,900 Speaker 1: I'm happy to. And this is one that I don't 603 00:28:52,940 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: get to talk a lot about. 604 00:28:54,780 --> 00:28:56,900 Speaker 2: Christy, that's one of the reasons I was so excited 605 00:28:56,940 --> 00:28:58,380 Speaker 2: to be invited on your podcast. 606 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,180 Speaker 1: Because there's not a lot of us talking about this 607 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:01,860 Speaker 1: piece of it. 608 00:29:02,180 --> 00:29:04,900 Speaker 2: Because I think that sometimes, you know, I just actually 609 00:29:04,940 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 2: read an article about this on the Christian woman and alcoholism. 610 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: And so we grew up in the Episcopal Church and 611 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:11,980 Speaker 1: our children have too. 612 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,020 Speaker 2: And I always felt, you know, the Episcopal Church is 613 00:29:15,060 --> 00:29:17,030 Speaker 2: a little bit buttoned up, not quite as buttoned up 614 00:29:17,090 --> 00:29:20,750 Speaker 2: as Catholic. We call ourselves JV Catholic, but We're just 615 00:29:20,790 --> 00:29:22,650 Speaker 2: a little bit buttoned up. And so it felt like 616 00:29:23,150 --> 00:29:25,730 Speaker 2: when I was online, I wasn't able to share quite 617 00:29:25,780 --> 00:29:28,540 Speaker 2: as much about my faith. But as a Christian woman, 618 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 2: it was difficult for me to reconcile some of the 619 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:35,110 Speaker 2: things that I was writing that also were correlating with 620 00:29:35,140 --> 00:29:35,590 Speaker 2: my faith. 621 00:29:35,630 --> 00:29:37,750 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, what I realized 622 00:29:37,870 --> 00:29:42,370 Speaker 1: is I'm abused. made child of God. All of us 623 00:29:42,450 --> 00:29:44,150 Speaker 1: are beautifully made children of God. 624 00:29:44,310 --> 00:29:46,990 Speaker 2: And the reason I'm able to speak and reach the 625 00:29:47,110 --> 00:29:49,130 Speaker 2: audience that I'm able to reach is because I'm doing 626 00:29:49,170 --> 00:29:49,870 Speaker 2: it authentically. 627 00:29:49,890 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: And that's all Jesus wants for me. 628 00:29:51,730 --> 00:29:54,020 Speaker 2: That's all he wants for all of us is to 629 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,780 Speaker 2: show he's the way, he's how we're going to get 630 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 2: through this. 631 00:29:57,460 --> 00:29:58,500 Speaker 1: I had a dream, Christy. 632 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,820 Speaker 2: It was one of my last nights of drinking and 633 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 2: I'd been praying for, oh gosh, a year and please 634 00:30:05,530 --> 00:30:07,620 Speaker 2: get me sober. God, you have to help me through this. 635 00:30:07,660 --> 00:30:09,790 Speaker 2: And more than that, then I started praying for my children. God, 636 00:30:09,810 --> 00:30:12,350 Speaker 2: you've got to help them. Jesus, you have to help 637 00:30:12,410 --> 00:30:13,830 Speaker 2: us get through this. I don't know how I'm going 638 00:30:13,850 --> 00:30:17,410 Speaker 2: to survive this. And it was not, I had two 639 00:30:17,470 --> 00:30:19,810 Speaker 2: rock bottoms. I don't care for that term. I think 640 00:30:19,830 --> 00:30:21,250 Speaker 2: there can be lots of things like that. But I 641 00:30:21,530 --> 00:30:23,610 Speaker 2: had two very, very bottoms. And this was one of them. 642 00:30:24,710 --> 00:30:27,690 Speaker 2: It was, I'd say, most definitely the worst night of 643 00:30:27,730 --> 00:30:29,410 Speaker 2: my life. I've written about it in the book. It 644 00:30:29,430 --> 00:30:33,690 Speaker 2: was an extremely traumatic situation. And I had drunk a 645 00:30:34,470 --> 00:30:37,750 Speaker 2: a jar, a Mason jar of moonshine. And anyone that 646 00:30:37,790 --> 00:30:42,690 Speaker 2: doesn't know what moonshine is, it's, it's homemade, uh, basically 647 00:30:42,710 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 2: grain alcoholic whiskey. White lightning is what we called it. 648 00:30:45,410 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 2: My grandpa was from Louisiana. We called it white lightning. Um, 649 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,100 Speaker 2: and it had been either like someone had dropped it 650 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,580 Speaker 2: in there or somehow I'd come in contact with, um, 651 00:30:55,700 --> 00:30:59,700 Speaker 2: the date rate drug, the roof, the roof and all job. Um, 652 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,020 Speaker 2: so I drank a lot of the bottle and that, uh, 653 00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:06,820 Speaker 2: that did, occur. I could move, I couldn't move, but 654 00:31:06,860 --> 00:31:10,020 Speaker 2: I could hear and I could see and I could think. 655 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,060 Speaker 2: And so everything that was happening to me, I was 656 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:17,010 Speaker 2: well aware of, I just wasn't able to fight. And 657 00:31:17,310 --> 00:31:21,430 Speaker 2: as this horrible traumatic experience was happening to me, something 658 00:31:21,450 --> 00:31:23,210 Speaker 2: that I swore if this ever happened to me, I 659 00:31:23,230 --> 00:31:24,830 Speaker 2: would never, I wouldn't. 660 00:31:24,650 --> 00:31:25,070 Speaker 3: Want to live. 661 00:31:25,390 --> 00:31:25,950 Speaker 1: It was over. 662 00:31:25,970 --> 00:31:31,510 Speaker 2: And my attacker left and I fall asleep. 663 00:31:32,050 --> 00:31:34,830 Speaker 1: And I was like halfway in dream maybe and halfway awake, 664 00:31:35,550 --> 00:31:37,010 Speaker 1: but I wasn't conscious. Do you know what I mean? 665 00:31:37,050 --> 00:31:38,570 Speaker 2: Like you were kind of in a, I was kind 666 00:31:38,590 --> 00:31:41,130 Speaker 2: of in a dream state, very drunk, also drugged and 667 00:31:41,590 --> 00:31:44,390 Speaker 2: just not quite right. And I had a dream and 668 00:31:44,430 --> 00:31:47,550 Speaker 2: I saw three lights, stick lights almost, you know, just 669 00:31:47,590 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 2: three glowing. 670 00:31:49,260 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 1: And they spoke to me. 671 00:31:50,940 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: They didn't use human words or any words at all, 672 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 2: but I understood what they were saying. And they told 673 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:57,420 Speaker 2: me this is the worst it's ever going to be. 674 00:31:58,690 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 2: And I was asking them, please just take me to heaven. 675 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: Can I, you gotta take me to heaven, please. My 676 00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:04,100 Speaker 1: children will be better off. 677 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,100 Speaker 2: And I was like, in this dream, I was like 678 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 2: consciously thinking about my children being better off if I 679 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:10,930 Speaker 2: were in heaven, because then they would know that I 680 00:32:10,970 --> 00:32:14,050 Speaker 2: was in heaven and then a healthy, stronger individual could 681 00:32:14,090 --> 00:32:16,590 Speaker 2: come in and take my mother place and mother them 682 00:32:16,630 --> 00:32:18,650 Speaker 2: in the way that I wanted to, but I couldn't. 683 00:32:19,430 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: And so I was asking these lights to please take 684 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 1: me to heaven. 685 00:32:24,460 --> 00:32:27,850 Speaker 2: And they said, well, we will, but this day right 686 00:32:27,890 --> 00:32:30,130 Speaker 2: now today is the very worst it's ever going to be. 687 00:32:30,190 --> 00:32:32,370 Speaker 2: And if you wake up, if you get up, it's 688 00:32:32,410 --> 00:32:36,250 Speaker 2: going to be really, really hard. But, and they didn't 689 00:32:36,290 --> 00:32:38,230 Speaker 2: say this, but I had this overwhelming sense that if 690 00:32:38,310 --> 00:32:41,390 Speaker 2: I got up and I was able to move forward, 691 00:32:41,510 --> 00:32:46,620 Speaker 2: it would be the most wonderful, beautiful, glorious existence that 692 00:32:46,630 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 2: I had never seen so far that I could imagine. 693 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:52,660 Speaker 1: And I chose to wake up. 694 00:32:52,740 --> 00:32:56,860 Speaker 2: I remember in the dream, like, thinking, okay, I'm going 695 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 2: to wake up and knowing death isn't what I want. 696 00:33:00,060 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 2: I just thought they would be better if I weren't 697 00:33:01,780 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 2: here because I was so bad and so nasty and 698 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 2: so defective. And I woke up and I called my 699 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,990 Speaker 2: dad and I told him what happened. I met him 700 00:33:11,030 --> 00:33:14,150 Speaker 2: at the hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and I pulled up 701 00:33:14,230 --> 00:33:16,250 Speaker 2: and he met me there and I got out of 702 00:33:16,270 --> 00:33:20,410 Speaker 2: the car and I looked terrible. I'd been drinking for weeks. 703 00:33:20,430 --> 00:33:22,570 Speaker 2: I can't tell you the last day that I hadn't 704 00:33:22,590 --> 00:33:25,170 Speaker 2: had a drink in that point. My soon to be 705 00:33:25,190 --> 00:33:27,780 Speaker 2: then ex-husband and taken my children, moved to a rental house. 706 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:30,540 Speaker 2: Our house was on the market. I was nowhere stable. 707 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 2: Nothing was going right. And I checked into the public hospital, 708 00:33:35,660 --> 00:33:39,380 Speaker 2: did three days of detox. I had everything, DTs. I mean, 709 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:44,110 Speaker 2: just terrible hallucinations, tremors. It was just really bad. And 710 00:33:44,670 --> 00:33:50,510 Speaker 2: then after that, I got into a wonderful rehab in Williamsburg, Virginia. 711 00:33:50,550 --> 00:33:53,590 Speaker 2: It was called the Farley Center. I did 90 days there. 712 00:33:54,490 --> 00:33:57,170 Speaker 2: And my life started to get better. It was really 713 00:33:57,210 --> 00:34:00,390 Speaker 2: hard at first because I had to deal with all 714 00:34:00,410 --> 00:34:02,590 Speaker 2: of the things that I had done or not done 715 00:34:02,650 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 2: while I was drinking. I mean, I was in legal trouble. 716 00:34:05,690 --> 00:34:08,140 Speaker 2: I was in trouble with my parents. I was in 717 00:34:08,180 --> 00:34:11,320 Speaker 2: trouble with my ex-husband. I didn't have any friends anymore. 718 00:34:11,420 --> 00:34:13,240 Speaker 2: I didn't want my friends to see who I was, 719 00:34:13,300 --> 00:34:15,020 Speaker 2: who I'd become. I had cut all of them off 720 00:34:15,219 --> 00:34:17,940 Speaker 2: months before. I wasn't even calling my best friend that 721 00:34:17,980 --> 00:34:19,180 Speaker 2: I spoke to every day. 722 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: Of my life. 723 00:34:20,540 --> 00:34:22,779 Speaker 2: I hadn't spoken to her in months. Nobody knew where 724 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,310 Speaker 2: I was. And so I had to start thinking about 725 00:34:25,350 --> 00:34:27,469 Speaker 2: all of those things. And that was something that made 726 00:34:27,489 --> 00:34:29,290 Speaker 2: me want to drink again. And thank God I couldn't. 727 00:34:29,330 --> 00:34:31,509 Speaker 2: I was in rehab with other people who were going 728 00:34:31,550 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 2: through the same thing. And I had that safety net 729 00:34:34,780 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 2: around me to keep me from falling back into those patterns. 730 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,220 Speaker 2: But the pain in the beginning was what was going 731 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,310 Speaker 2: to get me to drink again. And so having the 732 00:34:45,350 --> 00:34:49,290 Speaker 2: sober supports around me in rehab and having that huge 733 00:34:49,390 --> 00:34:52,330 Speaker 2: faith in God, knowing that he promised me, he did, 734 00:34:52,350 --> 00:34:55,710 Speaker 2: he absolutely did, in that dream that everything would be better. 735 00:34:55,790 --> 00:34:56,569 Speaker 1: And I trusted him. 736 00:34:56,590 --> 00:34:59,190 Speaker 2: And it was a totally blind faith, one I've been 737 00:34:59,210 --> 00:35:01,930 Speaker 2: taught to have since I was a child, one that 738 00:35:01,950 --> 00:35:07,180 Speaker 2: I celebrate openly. And I knew that if I just 739 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,220 Speaker 2: kept going just one more day, just one more day, 740 00:35:11,070 --> 00:35:12,070 Speaker 2: that I would get there. 741 00:35:12,610 --> 00:35:14,390 Speaker 1: And that was the promise that I had from God. 742 00:35:14,410 --> 00:35:17,360 Speaker 1: I trusted him. I believed him and look what he 743 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,280 Speaker 1: did for me. Look what he did. He saved my children. 744 00:35:20,300 --> 00:35:24,420 Speaker 2: I've been married for going on 13 years, most wonderful 745 00:35:24,460 --> 00:35:26,580 Speaker 2: man in the world. We have two more sons together. 746 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,370 Speaker 2: All five of my children are together and happy. Of course, 747 00:35:30,410 --> 00:35:32,590 Speaker 2: I have a daughter in college and our son is 748 00:35:32,630 --> 00:35:34,710 Speaker 2: getting ready to leave for college this fall, one in 749 00:35:34,750 --> 00:35:38,049 Speaker 2: high school, one in middle school and one in diapers. And, um, 750 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:43,180 Speaker 2: And everything, this whole miracle, how could this have happened 751 00:35:43,219 --> 00:35:46,810 Speaker 2: if not for our faith in the Lord and for. 752 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:47,669 Speaker 1: The faith that I had? 753 00:35:47,710 --> 00:35:50,710 Speaker 2: And whatever your belief is, whether you're a Christian or 754 00:35:50,730 --> 00:35:54,890 Speaker 2: a Muslim or whoever, whatever, your faith in something, who 755 00:35:55,030 --> 00:35:57,950 Speaker 2: is that to you that's going to help get you there? 756 00:35:57,989 --> 00:36:02,509 Speaker 2: For me, it was God. And I've known him my 757 00:36:02,570 --> 00:36:04,650 Speaker 2: whole life. So it wasn't like I was asking a 758 00:36:04,690 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 2: stranger for help. And gosh, Say you haven't known him 759 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,969 Speaker 2: your whole life. Say you're just trying to dive into this. 760 00:36:10,150 --> 00:36:14,150 Speaker 1: So what? He's so psyched you're there. Come on in. 761 00:36:14,489 --> 00:36:18,090 Speaker 1: Let's all get together. Oh my gosh. He celebrates the 762 00:36:18,150 --> 00:36:20,830 Speaker 1: fact that you're coming in. You're on the bottom. Let's 763 00:36:20,910 --> 00:36:23,950 Speaker 1: get to the top. Let's start making those baby steps together. 764 00:36:24,030 --> 00:36:27,730 Speaker 1: It's excruciating. Who said this was easy? Listen, I have 765 00:36:27,750 --> 00:36:28,590 Speaker 1: people that come into. 766 00:36:28,469 --> 00:36:31,930 Speaker 2: My DMs and they're like, I tried. I just don't 767 00:36:31,969 --> 00:36:33,570 Speaker 2: think I can do this. I think I'm going to 768 00:36:33,610 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 2: try another this way, this way, this way. 769 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:38,070 Speaker 1: I say a lot. Baby step your way into it, 770 00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:39,140 Speaker 1: however you need to go. 771 00:36:39,980 --> 00:36:42,180 Speaker 2: But when you've gotten to those baby steps and we're 772 00:36:42,219 --> 00:36:45,670 Speaker 2: still talking about the same thing two, three, four months later, 773 00:36:45,690 --> 00:36:49,370 Speaker 2: that's not baby stepping. That's just delaying. That's just putting 774 00:36:49,390 --> 00:36:51,890 Speaker 2: this off. And it's going to keep getting worse. And 775 00:36:51,930 --> 00:36:56,980 Speaker 2: so while I try to support people gently, that'll go 776 00:36:57,100 --> 00:37:00,259 Speaker 2: pretty quickly. I mean, you have to have guts. to 777 00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:02,850 Speaker 2: get this thing going. And it's going to be the 778 00:37:02,890 --> 00:37:04,750 Speaker 2: fight of your life for some of us. And it's 779 00:37:04,810 --> 00:37:07,290 Speaker 2: so worth it. Oh my gosh, look at who's. 780 00:37:07,150 --> 00:37:07,850 Speaker 1: Coming behind you. 781 00:37:07,870 --> 00:37:09,770 Speaker 2: And look at all the women that are behind you 782 00:37:09,790 --> 00:37:12,730 Speaker 2: that don't even know yet, that haven't started their journey yet. 783 00:37:12,750 --> 00:37:14,930 Speaker 2: And they're just starting to listen to podcasts or they're 784 00:37:14,950 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 2: just starting to get online and find that there are 785 00:37:17,700 --> 00:37:21,100 Speaker 2: other women like them. I mean, my gosh, even if 786 00:37:21,140 --> 00:37:23,339 Speaker 2: you don't feel like you're helping anyone, you really are. 787 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:25,700 Speaker 2: I mean, we've all got something to offer somebody else. 788 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 2: We just have to really take a second and realize 789 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:29,610 Speaker 2: that we're all worth it. 790 00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:33,420 Speaker 3: Oh, that's so good, Kat. That's so, so good. Can 791 00:37:33,460 --> 00:37:36,580 Speaker 3: you tell us about the book? And what is your 792 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:39,299 Speaker 3: hope for the woman that reads it? And when is 793 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,230 Speaker 3: it available? And I will put all of the information 794 00:37:42,270 --> 00:37:42,850 Speaker 3: in the show notes. 795 00:37:42,890 --> 00:37:43,790 Speaker 1: But tell us about the book. 796 00:37:43,930 --> 00:37:44,969 Speaker 3: I'm so excited for you. 797 00:37:45,070 --> 00:37:47,710 Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you so much. So yeah, so I 798 00:37:47,750 --> 00:37:48,450 Speaker 1: wrote this book. 799 00:37:48,890 --> 00:37:52,270 Speaker 2: Basically, everything that you see of Vine Online is sort 800 00:37:52,370 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 2: of a prelude to what you're going to get in 801 00:37:55,219 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 2: the book. You get these mini stories of Vine Online. 802 00:37:58,700 --> 00:38:02,660 Speaker 2: And And the book basically goes from the very beginning 803 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:07,060 Speaker 2: to now. And it talks about everything in between from 804 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:10,870 Speaker 2: the very beginning of my problem drinking to where I 805 00:38:10,969 --> 00:38:14,170 Speaker 2: am today. It shows every step along the way. And, 806 00:38:14,390 --> 00:38:16,589 Speaker 2: you know, I started writing this book. I lost my 807 00:38:16,630 --> 00:38:19,899 Speaker 2: dad seven years ago on January 27th to a sudden 808 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:20,440 Speaker 2: heart attack. 809 00:38:20,500 --> 00:38:23,049 Speaker 1: He was my biggest problem. supporter in sobriety. 810 00:38:23,350 --> 00:38:27,529 Speaker 2: He never doubted me. When I didn't have anybody else 811 00:38:27,590 --> 00:38:30,590 Speaker 2: to turn to, I could turn to him and he 812 00:38:30,630 --> 00:38:31,690 Speaker 2: made me feel. 813 00:38:31,530 --> 00:38:32,450 Speaker 1: Human, you know? 814 00:38:32,469 --> 00:38:36,510 Speaker 2: And so when he died, he had said to me, 815 00:38:36,530 --> 00:38:39,100 Speaker 2: it was my first day in rehab. He had dropped 816 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,280 Speaker 2: me off and he called me and he said, you know, Catherine, 817 00:38:42,700 --> 00:38:44,360 Speaker 2: you really need to write about this someday. 818 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: You've got to write something. You've got to write a 819 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,859 Speaker 1: book or you've got to write this down somehow. I just. 820 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:51,839 Speaker 2: someone is going to read this. And I thought, gosh, daddy, 821 00:38:51,860 --> 00:38:53,669 Speaker 2: I don't know how I would ever do anything like that. 822 00:38:53,730 --> 00:38:56,110 Speaker 2: Of course, back then there was no Instagram and Facebook 823 00:38:56,130 --> 00:38:58,190 Speaker 2: was new, but you surely weren't going to put anything 824 00:38:58,230 --> 00:39:00,310 Speaker 2: real on Facebook. There was no way I was going 825 00:39:00,330 --> 00:39:03,310 Speaker 2: to get on Facebook and like start writing about my alcoholism. 826 00:39:03,710 --> 00:39:05,860 Speaker 1: So I was like, oh, daddy, you're such a dad. 827 00:39:05,890 --> 00:39:08,140 Speaker 1: You think I could be this great writer. I, God 828 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:08,540 Speaker 1: bless you. 829 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:11,549 Speaker 2: You know, And then when he died, it was the 830 00:39:11,610 --> 00:39:14,049 Speaker 2: next month that I was like, oh, gosh, I got 831 00:39:14,070 --> 00:39:15,820 Speaker 2: to write this book. And so I started writing. It 832 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 2: went through three or four different rewrites. I think I've 833 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 2: had four different versions of this book. But I wrote 834 00:39:21,020 --> 00:39:22,819 Speaker 2: it for the mom that was just like you, just 835 00:39:22,860 --> 00:39:27,590 Speaker 2: like me, sitting at home, crying into her Chardonnay, wondering 836 00:39:27,730 --> 00:39:29,969 Speaker 2: if she's an alcoholic or if she's not. 837 00:39:30,410 --> 00:39:32,959 Speaker 1: And why she's feeling like this. And where is all the. 838 00:39:33,300 --> 00:39:38,020 Speaker 2: Anxiety and depression and worry and shame and the reactive behavior? 839 00:39:38,100 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 2: Where is all that coming from? And then you start 840 00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:42,700 Speaker 2: to realize, shoot, maybe this is inside. And so I 841 00:39:43,270 --> 00:39:47,569 Speaker 2: wrote this book for every mom, really. And I don't 842 00:39:47,610 --> 00:39:49,630 Speaker 2: mean to leave the dads out, but for every mom, 843 00:39:50,390 --> 00:39:53,150 Speaker 2: that feels like she's alone. I didn't want anybody to 844 00:39:53,190 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 2: feel like they were defective or weird or a freak 845 00:39:56,219 --> 00:39:58,600 Speaker 2: because they couldn't get a handle on this. And that's 846 00:39:58,620 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 2: what I thought. I thought I was a freak, a 847 00:40:00,580 --> 00:40:05,100 Speaker 2: total freak. How could anybody possibly love me or want 848 00:40:05,140 --> 00:40:07,400 Speaker 2: to be my friend or want to do anything with 849 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:09,420 Speaker 2: me or take advice from me or even want me 850 00:40:09,460 --> 00:40:12,210 Speaker 2: to parent my children because I can't even get a 851 00:40:12,230 --> 00:40:15,050 Speaker 2: handle on my own life. And so I just wanted 852 00:40:15,090 --> 00:40:18,529 Speaker 2: to show people where I started and where I ended 853 00:40:18,650 --> 00:40:20,910 Speaker 2: up because if I could get here. And so I 854 00:40:20,930 --> 00:40:23,250 Speaker 2: think that was part of the reason I tried to 855 00:40:23,290 --> 00:40:25,500 Speaker 2: write this because I was trying to bargain my way 856 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:28,200 Speaker 2: out of this. I'll only drink wine. I'll only drink vodka. 857 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,420 Speaker 2: I can't drink dark liquor. I can only drink on. 858 00:40:30,380 --> 00:40:31,850 Speaker 1: Saturdays and things like that. 859 00:40:31,890 --> 00:40:33,750 Speaker 2: And You know, the bottom line is that it doesn't 860 00:40:33,790 --> 00:40:35,910 Speaker 2: matter how many days on a row you're drinking or 861 00:40:35,950 --> 00:40:38,529 Speaker 2: not drinking. If you're drinking and you can't stop, even 862 00:40:38,550 --> 00:40:40,130 Speaker 2: if it's on one day, that's a problem. 863 00:40:40,390 --> 00:40:40,930 Speaker 1: It's a problem. 864 00:40:41,230 --> 00:40:42,989 Speaker 2: I don't care if you're drinking twice a week and 865 00:40:43,030 --> 00:40:44,810 Speaker 2: you just can't stop those two times a week and 866 00:40:44,830 --> 00:40:47,430 Speaker 2: you're okay getting up the rest of the days, it's progressive. 867 00:40:47,550 --> 00:40:50,430 Speaker 2: And if it's anything that's harming your mental health, your 868 00:40:50,450 --> 00:40:53,180 Speaker 2: physical health or your wellbeing, it's just not worth it. 869 00:40:53,290 --> 00:40:55,570 Speaker 2: And for me, it wasn't worth it. And that's why 870 00:40:55,790 --> 00:40:58,430 Speaker 2: it's a disease because I couldn't control it. But that's 871 00:40:58,450 --> 00:41:00,299 Speaker 2: why I wrote the book and my hope is that 872 00:41:00,380 --> 00:41:04,969 Speaker 2: women read this, sisters read this, parents with children who 873 00:41:05,070 --> 00:41:09,629 Speaker 2: are struggling with alcoholism. It's for any family member who's 874 00:41:09,670 --> 00:41:13,370 Speaker 2: felt alone, who's felt isolated. I don't want anybody to 875 00:41:13,469 --> 00:41:16,469 Speaker 2: look at their computer screen like I did late at night, 876 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:21,540 Speaker 2: crying into a glass of alcohol thinking, I can't do 877 00:41:21,580 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 2: this anymore. There's got to be a way out for me. 878 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:26,870 Speaker 2: I hope that my book will bring some light and 879 00:41:26,910 --> 00:41:30,050 Speaker 2: some resolution and some understanding, not only to the disease, 880 00:41:30,550 --> 00:41:35,270 Speaker 2: but to the progressive disease of alcoholism in motherhood. And 881 00:41:35,570 --> 00:41:37,590 Speaker 2: it's not talked about enough. We have a lot to 882 00:41:37,650 --> 00:41:41,430 Speaker 2: learn in this space still. Yeah, 100%. 883 00:41:41,430 --> 00:41:43,610 Speaker 3: And it's called No Wine in the Carpool Line. 884 00:41:43,950 --> 00:41:44,189 Speaker 1: Yes. 885 00:41:44,790 --> 00:41:48,390 Speaker 2: No Wine in the Carpool Line is what it's called. 886 00:41:48,410 --> 00:41:51,930 Speaker 2: I've been having it online now for a few months 887 00:41:52,530 --> 00:41:56,320 Speaker 2: and it's starting to get some traction. Barnes and Noble, Walmart, 888 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,230 Speaker 2: all the places. I just, I'm really excited about it. 889 00:41:59,380 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 2: And I hope that it will help somebody, help anybody. 890 00:42:04,340 --> 00:42:05,609 Speaker 2: It's just, it's all. 891 00:42:05,570 --> 00:42:08,010 Speaker 1: I really wanted. That's amazing, Kat. 892 00:42:08,190 --> 00:42:09,989 Speaker 3: I will put a link to the book in the 893 00:42:10,050 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 3: show notes. Thank you so much for being here. I 894 00:42:13,340 --> 00:42:16,570 Speaker 3: absolutely like adore you. I adore what you're doing. I 895 00:42:16,610 --> 00:42:18,270 Speaker 3: wish we could go to lunch right now and just 896 00:42:18,310 --> 00:42:24,690 Speaker 3: keep talking. But you are just awesome and I appreciate you. 897 00:42:24,770 --> 00:42:27,850 Speaker 3: So thank you for being here and thank you ladies 898 00:42:27,890 --> 00:42:28,470 Speaker 3: for listening. 899 00:42:29,090 --> 00:42:33,239 Speaker 1: We will see you next week. Thank you, Christy. See 900 00:42:33,260 --> 00:42:34,620 Speaker 1: you soon. Thank you so much. 901 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:36,859 Speaker 3: Thank you for spending this time with me on Love 902 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:40,219 Speaker 3: Live Sober. If today's conversation stirred something in your heart, 903 00:42:40,590 --> 00:42:43,200 Speaker 3: Don't rush past it. Take it to prayer. If you're 904 00:42:43,239 --> 00:42:46,620 Speaker 3: feeling ready for deeper connection and support, I'd love to 905 00:42:46,660 --> 00:42:49,840 Speaker 3: invite you into the Love Life Sober community, a grace-filled, 906 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:54,759 Speaker 3: shame-free space where real connection grows and lasting change takes root. 907 00:42:55,050 --> 00:42:56,930 Speaker 3: You can find the link to join us in the 908 00:42:56,969 --> 00:43:00,549 Speaker 3: show notes. Love Life Sober is part of the Life 909 00:43:00,650 --> 00:43:04,790 Speaker 3: Audio Podcast Network, where faith-centered podcasts help you grow deeper 910 00:43:04,830 --> 00:43:07,839 Speaker 3: in your walk with Christ. You can find more faith-centered 911 00:43:07,860 --> 00:43:12,680 Speaker 3: podcasts at lifeaudio.com. Until next time, be gentle with yourself, 912 00:43:12,960 --> 00:43:16,779 Speaker 3: stay curious, and trust God's promises. He has freedom waiting 913 00:43:16,820 --> 00:43:17,060 Speaker 3: for you.