Welcome to the Take a Break from Drinking podcast with your host, Rachel Hart. If you’re looking for a radically different approach to help you cut back or stop drinking, this is the place for you. You probably have plenty of good reasons to drink less, but that doesn’t mean saying no is always easy. Listen as Rachel dispels the most common myths about why it’s hard to resist temptation. Forget about labels, judgment, or one-size-fits-all solutions. Rachel will give you a logical framework to reexamine the moments you gave in or overdid it. You’ll collect data that reveals why your past attempts to change have been hit or miss. You’ll discover that people reach for a drink for reasons that aren’t always obvious. Alcohol can represent so many things: A reward for working hard. Liquid courage. Relief from your worries. Bonding with friends and family. A way to elevate your meal. Entertainment when you’re bored. An aphrodisiac. A sign that the work day is over. A solution for insomnia. And permission to cut loose and live a little. Because alcohol is intertwined with so many aspects of your life, you need to step back and see the big picture. You’ll approach change from the standpoint of “What tools am I missing?” rather than “I should’ve learned my lesson by now.” And you’ll find out why scare tactics, counting days, and strict rules often backfire. Rachel’s goal is to help you get curious without all the judgment or shame. Saying no doesn’t have to be a choice between being healthy or having a good time. Stop feeling like you’re on autopilot when you drink. Start trusting yourself to make conscious decisions that align with the life you want. Ready to get started? Take Rachel’s free Drink Archetypes quiz at findyourdrinktype.com. You’ll get a personalized report for the eight archetypes: The Upgrade, The Connector, The Hourglass, The Reward, The Escape, The Mask, The Release, and The Remedy. Or start with episode #358 and the unconscious patterns that influence your drinking.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.