Take a Break from Drinking
Episodes
167: Emotional Fluency
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I walk you through how to start creating emotional fluency for yourself, and how this is going to help you figure out a new way t...
Special Episode: Busy or Bored
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the middle of this pandemic are you busy or bored? Do you wish you had the opposite problem? Today, I’m explaining how both being busy and being ...
Special Episode: Hope
29 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is hope really, and how can you have more of it at a time like this? Not to be confused with idealism, optimism, or wishful thinking, hope is a m...
Special Episode: Resentment
28 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Right now resentment toward others abounds. Many people are certain that others have it easier or are responding to the virus in the wrong way. The pr...
Special Episode: Regret
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
COVID-19 has put into such sharp relief what’s actually important in life because it’s made death so much more present in our daily lives. Learn h...
Special Episode: Conflicted
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are you feeling conflicted about whether or not you’re making the right decision. This special episode of the podcast will teach what this conflict ...
Special Episode: Information Overload
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Struggling to pull yourself away from the news right now? By asking yourself what’s the purpose of consuming more information, you’ll start to she...
166: When You’re Not “Getting” It
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week to see how trying on a new belief about attempting new things can make you unstoppable on your journey to creating change. Instead o...
Special Episode: Self Care
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Too often we think self-care is impossible when crisis hits or that it has to be a big production in order to make a difference. But there’s a simpl...
Special Episode: Terror
22 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Terror is not an everyday emotion, but right now it’s something that a lot of people are experiencing. When you are terrified your brain shuts down ...
Special Episode: The Loss of Routine
21 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when your world turns upside down? Is the loss of your normal routine freaking you out? Join me for this special episode where I talk abo...
Special Episode: Scarcity
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Scarcity doesn’t just fuel the habits of overeating and overdrinking, it has people running to the store and emptying the shelves of toilet paper. T...
Special Episode: Pandemic Justification
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who can take a break from drinking at a time like this? Making the decision not to drink when the world is giving you permission to imbibe is one of t...
Special Episode: Quarantini
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are you diligently using hand sanitizer during the day, only to fix yourself “Quarantinis” as soon as the evening rolls around? If you’re feelin...
165: Why You aren’t Doing the Work to Change the Habit
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week to see if you identify with the examples I’m using to highlight how we often find excuses to not actually do the work required to ...
BONUS CLASS: Managing COVID-19 Anxiety
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You don’t need to drink your way through a pandemic. If you need help managing fear, anxiety, constant worry, news overload, or the urge to drink (o...
164: Worry
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week to discover why you might catch yourself wanting a drink when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious about something in ...
163: When People Feel Sorry You’re Not Drinking
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I define terms and show you what is actually going on with the person who is pitying your situation. Yes, being pitied isn’t id...
162: Self-Forgiveness
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Even if your friend is angry at you, or someone is blaming you for something that happened, their forgiveness isn’t what you need. Listen in today t...
161: Shame
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I show you why we want to hold onto shame, why it can feel like such a singular experience, like you’re the only one going thro...
160: When Others Think You Don't Have a Problem
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me on the podcast as I show you the power that lies in valuing your opinion of you first, and knowing that your inner voice is your built-in expe...
159: Drinking + Awkwardness
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I show you what awkwardness is and how it’s created, why you are trying so hard to avoid this feeling, and how you can start to...
158: Different this Time
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you know how the think-feel-act cycle works, you’ll understand the importance of your thoughts and the language you’re using. So today, to give...
157: Using Curiosity to Change the Habit
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in this week to discover how cultivating curiosity can help you see your think-feel-act cycle more clearly when it comes to the habit, and why as...
156: How to Have Your Own Back
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode, I’m showing you how to always have your own back, no matter the actions you take. You might not think of the habit as something you...
155: New Year New You
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I show you how to truly create a new version of yourself in the new year. The think-feel-act cycle plays a huge part in this proc...
154: Tapping Your Potential
31 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
2010 was the year I started questioning my brain about my own potential, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. 10 years on now, I can’t bel...
153: How to Get Your Needs Met
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week to discover how you can start having your own back to change anything in your life. This is the key to stepping out of the habit of ...
152: Hostess Anxiety
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode, I’m going to redefine what it means to be a good host or hostess, how to get over common obstacles you might face that diminish you...
151: Urge Fuel
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I dive into the real cause of why you’re overdoing anything in your life, whether it be overdrinking or anything else. Understa...
150: Letting Go of the Forbidden Fruit
03 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I discuss how to use the concept of the forbidden fruit to break free from desire and deprivation. I know I felt like I was going...
149: The Binge & Restrict Cycle
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The cycle of binging and restricting really rears its head during the holiday season, and that’s why it is the perfect time to understand what is ha...
148: Harnessing the Impossible (Updated)
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I explore a fairly advanced concept, but one that I think you’ll benefit hugely from. I spent years using the excuse of an impo...
147: Your Purpose
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, I'm talking about how taking a break from drinking can help you get back in touch with the reason why you are here. I'll tell you ...
146: Alcohol & Emotions
05 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me this week as I highlight the connection between the habit of drinking and your emotions. Understanding the process that takes place is so cruc...
145: Three Reasons You Drink Too Much
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today I'm talking about the three reasons you drink too much (actually). I'll tell you how I figured out that my drinking wasn't caused by my personal...
144: Subtle Willpower
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today we'll talk about subtle willpower and how to identify it. I'll tell you all about a situation I was in recently that triggered my willpower and ...
143: Health Shame
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m addressing the idea that you can shame yourself into better health and why it’s such a destructive pattern. We’ll talk about why so ma...
142: Insuring Your Brain
08 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm talking about the concept of insuring your brain and what you can do to make sure you're mentally stimulated on a daily basis. It...
Create Optimal Health in October
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Take a break from drinking this month in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. All month long, Rachel is teaching a special bonus course on optimal health...
141: Health Avoidance
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we'll discuss health avoidance, why we tend to do it, and the impact it has on our minds and bodies. We'll also revisit why the think...
140: Optimal Health
24 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we'll talk about optimal health and why many of you are settling for less-than when it comes to your physical and mental wellbeing. I...
139: Goal Drama
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm breaking down goal drama and giving you tools to catch your brain in the act. We'll talk about why our brains create drama, why i...
138: Obstacle Mirages
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What an obstacle mirage is and how to identify them in your own thinking. We'll talk about why our brains make them, why it's your responsibility to d...
137: The Worst Advice I Ever Got About Drinking
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I want to emphasize that your drinking doesn't mean anything about who you are as a person, your character, or whether or not you're ...
136: Setting Foolproof Resolutions
27 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why panic, fear, and shame are such poor motivators, why you have to understand the "why" behind your current habits, and why you should have a plan f...
135: Why You’re Not Having Fun When You’re Not Drinking
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why we shouldn't set up a false choice between drinking and having fun versus not drinking and having less fun. I'll tell you about why socializing wi...
134: I Don’t Want to Stop Drinking
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we're talking about the thought "I don't want to stop drinking" and how to approach it. We'll talk about why even a temporary break ca...
133: Redefining Failures
06 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I redefine failure and talk about why it isn't a bad thing. I talk about why our thoughts are what makes failure seem like a negative,...
132: Showing Up for Yourself
30 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
From the time we're children we're taught how to show up for other people: parents, friends, teachers, and eventually bosses. We're taught to seek oth...
Recommended Reading from the Take a Break Podcast
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The right book at the right moment can change everything. I’ve put together a list of my favorite books for all my podcast listeners. They cover eve...
131: Are You Willing to Be Wrong about Drinking?
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we're talking all about being wrong, why we cling so hard to being right, and how to build up your capacity for being wrong about ...
130: Listener Q&A: I Really Like to Drink
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I dig into how we can create motivation to stop drinking, and why the idea that you have to hit rock bottom in order to create change ...
129: How to Reduce Drama in Your Life
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How to reduce drama, create more neutral thoughts, and slowly but surely create a less dramatic existence. I provide a lot of real-life examples in th...
128: Is Drama Behind Your Drinking?
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I focus on what drama is, why we create it, and how to tell if you're creating drama for yourself. I talk about how to slow down your...
127: Compare & Despair
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How compare and despair may be keeping you from changing your habit of drinking. Compare and despair comes up in all areas of life, so it's important ...
126: The Rolodex of Excuses 2.0
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as I review the Rolodex of Excuses and talk about the tenets of the work I do with clients. Then we'll dive into these next-level excuses, w...
125: Listener Q&A: How to Handle Drinking & Insomnia
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk about how alcohol affects your sleep, two of the common instances where I see people drinking to fall asleep, and why it's act...
124: How to “Take It or Leave It” with Drinking
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, I'm breaking down the take-it-or-leave-it mindset so you can assess whether it's really something you want to work toward. I talk ...
123: Why Things Get Worse Before They Get Better
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about why things may seem to get worse when you take a break from drinking. Spoiler: things aren't actually getting worse - you're jus...
122: What to Do After Drinking Too Much
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode walks you through the process of understanding why you overdrank the night before and how you can react differently the next time your ...
121: Picturing Yourself Without the Desire to Drink
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I'm discussing how you can picture a future version of yourself who doesn't have the desire to reach for a drink. This may seem dubious, an...
120: Listener Q&A: Handling Comments About Not Drinking
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in as I analyze the four comments from others that my featured listener struggles with and how you can formulate a response when faced with simil...
119: It Doesn't Matter
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk about why "it doesn't matter" is such a sneaky, detrimental thought. I walk through some of the situations where it's most com...
118: Commitment
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as I dive deep into the concept of commitment and explain why it plays a crucial role in changing your relationship with alcohol. I talk abo...
117: Your Emotional Immune System
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me today to learn how using alcohol to numb feelings perpetuates the cycle of avoidance and sickness of your emotional immune system. Harm itself...
116: Dares
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me today as I break down why we stop daring ourselves and pushing the limits of what we think is possible after childhood and how you can start a...
115: Listener Q&A: Surrender
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we're going to do something a little different here on the podcast: I'm doing my very first Listener Q&A! I receive so many questions from you ...
114: Relationship Manuals
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I'm talking all about relationship manuals and how we use them as a way to avoid taking responsibility for our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. I'...
113: Boredom
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I discuss boredom, what's "wrong" with it, and what it has to offer us. Boredom provides a window into our minds, which is precisely why it's so benef...
112: Catastrophizing
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to this episode as I describe catastrophizing, why the brain does it, how it connects to overdrinking, and what you can do to start changing th...
111: Rejection
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's episode, I talk about how worrying what other people will think is hardwired into our brain as a survival tool. I also cover why it fee...
110: Why “I Should Know Better” Is a Lie
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me on this week's episode as I talk about why shame is never a productive or useful approach to changing our habits. "I should know better" is a ...
109: The Learning Trap
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in to this week's episode as I talk about how people often use learning as a way to avoid uncomfortable emotions. I talk about how learning oft...
108: Do You Really Love to Drink?
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This is a quick episode but a really important exercise. Join me as I talk about how I changed the narrative around my drinking and realized that I di...
107: Loving Your Lower Brain to Change Your Drinking
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as I talk about how you can shift your perspective on the lower brain and interact with your inner toddler in a new way. I talk about how th...
106: What if Alcohol Wasn’t Always a Problem for You?
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me today to discover how understanding the facts around the shift in your drinking habit can help you understand how the think-feel-act cycle fit...
105: Mastering the Urge to Drink
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I teach clients a four-step response to desire that creates space between feeling the urge and acting upon it. These steps are: pause, listen & watch,...
104: Authenticity
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join me today as I talk about authenticity and drinking. Learn why so many of us are so afraid to be who we really are and the rewards you will reap b...
103: Drinking and Emotional Tunnel Vision
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In reality, emotions only last in the body for about 90 seconds. You can do anything for 90 seconds, right? But each time we cut off the experience of...
102: How Drinking Prevents You from Creating a Future
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I want to talk to you about why it’s so hard to dream, why it can be so difficult to create a vision, and why the habit of drinking will mak...
101: Why Fixing Your Drinking Won’t Make You Happy
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You have to know how to manage your brain if you want to get off the treadmill of chasing happiness and never reaching full satisfaction. Drinking is ...
100: Lessons from the Take a Break Podcast
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of our 100th episode of the Take a Break podcast, I’m combing through the archives of the past 99 episodes and pulling out some of th...
99: You Are Not Powerless
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Struggling with something like overdrinking - or overeating, excessive spending, any other habit that's out of control - often goes hand-in-hand with ...
98: Wanting vs. Committing
04 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as I describe the crucial differences between wanting something to change and committing to making it change. Tons of my clients have been a...
97: Disproving Your Thoughts About Drinking
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I used to be really committed to a lot of my beliefs about drinking, like "not drinking is boring" and "everybody drinks," and they held me back. On t...
96: What You Really Think About Drinking
20 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Join me to find out how to identify the stories that you have around alcohol – what it does for you, how it hurts you, what it does for other people...
95: Planning for Obstacles
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode, I'm talking about how to change your mindset around confronting obstacles. Instead of being surprised by the challenges that pop up, ...
94: Proof Ahead of Time: How Long it Takes to Change Your Drinking
06 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I can't tell you exactly how long it will take you to shift your desire; that's different for everyone. But I do know that if you're willing to be unc...
93: Finishing What You Start
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re going to change, you have to consider your beliefs about your capacity for change. If you tell yourself that you never finish anything or ...
92: Uncovering You
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you've taken a break from drinking in the past (or maybe right now) have you felt frustrated by the fact that you're still unhappy... even withou...
91: Anxiety
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever experienced anxiety that feels so intense you're certain something terrible is going to happen? Do you experience that anxiety around al...
90: Numbing
09 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I want to talk about how we cope with negative emotions, the actions that we take in response to them. And specifically, what it means to numb ...
89: Motivation
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find yourself searching for the motivation to change your habit of drinking… or anything else in your life? I have some good news for you tod...
88: Personality or Mindset
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Most of you probably have thoughts along the lines of, “That’s just who I am,” “I’m just someone who has no impulse control,” or “That’...
87: The Allure of Normal
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Whether your numbing action is overdrinking, overeating, overworking or any other overindulgence, you may have had the thought, "Why can't I ___ like ...
86: Mirror Effect
11 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
People hate admitting that they judge others negatively, however, we all do it. On this episode, we’re talking about the Mirror Effect – why you j...
85: All or Nothing
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt like you either do everything right and do everything you said you were going to do or you've thrown it all out the window and allo...
84: Drink Pushers
28 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode, we explore why people are drink pushers and why we avoid them and blame them for our own choices around drinking. We also look at wha...
83: Improvement or Growth
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel like, no matter how much progress you make toward changing your drinking habits, you always focus only on the times when you stray from th...