Sangria Sans Alcohol
Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose-leaf tea in an infuser; decaf tea is fine)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar (or honey)
3 cups pomegranate juice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 medium orange, sliced into thin rounds
1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds
1 medium lime, sliced into thin rounds
1 medium apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2-4 medium strawberries, sliced into thin rounds
3 cups carbonated water
Directions:
Pour the boiling water over tea bags and cinnamon sticks and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and stir in sugar to dissolve. In a large jar or pitcher, combine tea, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange, lemon, lime, and apple. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight). Just before serving, stir in carbonated water. Serve in glasses over ice.
Rosemary Blueberry Fizz
Ingredients:
7-8 Blueberries
1 Rosemary sprig, stripped
1 oz Honey syrup
1 oz Fresh lemon juice, strained
4 oz Sparkling mineral water
Ice
Directions:
Gently muddle blueberries, rosemary leaves, and honey syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add lemon juice and shake, covered, with ice vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain through a mesh strainer into a tall glass of fresh ice. Top with sparkling water and stir to incorporate. Garnish with additional blueberries and rosemary.
Strawberry Chamomile Mocktini
Drinking less doesn't mean you have to bore your taste buds! Take time to make yourself something special every once in a while. Today I'm trying out this refreshing mhocktini!
Ingredients:
1 oz Elderflower Cordial
½ oz Simple Syrup
½ oz Ginger Base
4 oz Chamomile
1 Strawberry
5 Mint leaves
Orange and lemon wedge
Directions:
Muddle strawberry with simple syrup and ginger base. Add the elderflower and chamomile and five mint leaves along with the orange and lemon wedge. Add ice and shake before straining into a cocktail coupe.
One Year Anniversary!
Today is 11/11.
It marks the one year anniversary of the launch of my book, Drink Less Be More: How to have a great night, and life, without getting wasted. I picked the launch date because 1111 is an angel number. Many people associate the repeating 1111 with a ‘wake-up call’, a ‘Code of Activation’ and/or an ‘Awakening Code’, or ‘Code of Consciousness’.
I always believed I was being divinely guided to write this book. In fact, the inspiration to write the book was one of my clearest “talking to God” moments. It hit me like a ray of light coming down from the heavens and I heard God’s voice: You must write this book for women who struggle with alcohol.
This is before I even began studying to be a holistic health coach. I was only baby steps into the transformation of my own relationship to alcohol.
Yet I knew that I was being called to serve in a big way. Writing a book was always a huge part of that.
11/11 is also the day of Remembrance in Canada and many countries around the world. It’s a day to honor those who risked their lives to be of service and to celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit.
The one-year anniversary of my book also falls on what has been an incredibly emotional week for many. The presidential elections in the United States have led to increases in anxiety, stress, fear, resurfacing of PTSD symptoms from past traumas being triggered.
There is something more than just the timing that joins my book, Remembrance Day, and the effects of the election together.
It’s the fact that alcohol is so often used a coping mechanism for trauma. It has been well-documented that veterans suffer in higher numbers from alcohol and substance abuse disorders.
This is also true for survivors of abuse, trauma and childhood loss.
According to Dr Frank Ochberg, “Alcohol is the most common self-medication for PTSD. It reduces awareness, blunts traumatic memory, helps with insomnia, and allows inhibited people to socialize.”
While you may never have fought a physical battle at war with another country, you may have waged war against your own body.
You may be the survivor of emotional, spiritual or physical abuse that told you “you’re not enough, you’re not okay, you are undeserving of love.”
You may have used alcohol to cope with pain, loss and grief.
You may have struggled with debilitating anxiety or awkwardness socializing, making friends, or becoming intimate.
You may have been betrayed, abandoned, heartbroken.
You likely used alcohol to cope. It’s so easy. It’s there. It starts in highschool or college. It allows you to turn off, to disconnect from the negative self-talk, to break free of the bonds and the barriers you’ve created to keep yourself safe in your day to day, to feel wild joy and passion, even briefly. It allows to you forget. It gives you permissions. And it works beautifully for many years. Until it doesn’t.
Until it doesn’t. Until you start realizing that you are slipping further away from yourself. That the control you thought you had is becoming an illusion. Until you realize the pain you sought to bury isn’t going anywhere, that the cycles and bad choices keep repeating themselves. Until enough time has passed and you are stronger, more aware, more resilient, and you are ready to do the real, honest and difficult work to heal.
This book only scratches the surface but it’s a really good start.
This book supports the idea that there IS another way to that freedom, joy and “okay-ness” you so desire.
This book is one of the things I’m most proud of in my life.
Which is why, as a celebration, it’s available for FREE on Kindle all day today. If you already have bought the book, I thank you! Please share this with someone else.
If you own a copy of the book, please post a pick of you reading it, with the hashtag #drinklessbemore #showmeyourbook Here’s an example:
If you’ve already read the book and it has impacted your life, please write a review on Amazon so that others will feel inspired to read the book as well. Here’s an example of a testimonial that was so personal and heartfelt, I cry every time I read it:
"I'm 36yr old and a busy Momma to 5 beautiful children. I found myself drinking a lot in the last 9 months. I was exhausted, mentally and physically. I turned to alcohol to try and numb it all. Having twin infants and a 2yr old home with me alone all day, every day is a lot.
My marriage was super rocky, I was extra "snappy" with my big kids. But really I hated me. I started to gain weight and I thought my only solution was to drink when my kids went to bed.
I started reading Caitlin’s Drink less be more, and it took me awhile to get into it and open up within myself. (Finding time to read with twins and a busy 2yr old also isn't easy).
And then about 2.5 months ago, I woke up super hungover, babies crying, infant demanding breakfast and all I wanted to do was crawl under my bed and hide.
I didn't want to be a Mom this day. I started bawling, thinking why am I doing this to myself?? And to my kids.
From that minute on. I started reading more and more. Every spare moment I had, I would pick up the book.
And I would also like to say from that day on, I have abstained from alcohol, not a single drop.
I feel amazing. it's been a little over two months (I honestly don't even know that actual date) I've lost 15 pounds, my skin is fresh, my mind is clear. Not only that, but I've been getting stuff done around my house that I’d put off for months.
I'm enjoying every minute of being a Mom again. My relationship with my hubby is stronger than it has ever been, we are having the best sex ever, and sober sex... who knew it would be so great?!
So all in all, it's the best decision I've made yet. I feel on top of the world.
Caitlin, I haven't even had a chance to write to you until now. My life is pure chaos, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Your book is simply amazing. I'm reading it again and I missed so much my first read. You have a way of using words that speak directly to me and others, obviously. You are a very gifted writer. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart."
I have some amazing prizes including Amazon gift cards and months of free coaching!! Everyone who writes a review and/or posts a photo will be entered (and if you do both or post more than one pic, you get as many entries as posts)!
I know now more than ever it’s so important to share this message and to ensure that those of us who are struggling have as many supports and tools as possible.
Thank you, thank you thank you!
xoxo,
Caitlin
I got tipsy and I'm totally okay with it
“What are you intentions for the night?” my best friend asked as we were primping and getting ready to go out in New York City for a belated birthday celebration for my 35th.
I was slightly taken aback at first, then flooded with gratitude.
“It’s working!” I thought to myself. This life and process I created for myself and share with others - it’s working!!
I paused to think about it. I wanted the evening to feel fun, playful and carefree. I wanted to feel tipsy but remain in control. I didn’t want to have to think about it too much, count drinks or “worry.” In short, I wanted to feel like I could have a great time that involved alcohol, without feeling like someone with a problem.
A lot of my clients have a similar goal: to have a healthy relationship to alcohol.
The definition of healthy varies from person to person, but the idea behind it is always the same - to be able to enjoy a certain amount of alcohol (usually well within the low-risk guidelines) without the negative consequences, without obsessing about whether to drink more or stopping within the limit they’ve decided for themselves.
I felt together and in control all night. I was tipsy but never felt close to losing my grip on consciousness or the beautiful reality and personal integrity I have worked so hard to create for myself.
We had a fantastic 12 course chef’s tasting menu at a hot new plant-based restaurant called “Dirt Candy.” Between 3 of us, we shared two bottles of prossecco over the course of 2 hours, and with a lot of food. We then went to dance the night away listening to Grandmaster Flash at a club in the Meatpacking district.
I haven’t danced so much in years! I drank 3 drinks at the club - gin and sparkling water with lemon.
Why am I sharing these details with you? I’m the Queen of Moderation - and here I am sharing how I drank MORE than I have in 3 years.
Why is this significant?
I’ve always wanted to be someone who could live with intention, who could give herself permission to do the things she had previously relied on alcohol for, who could learn how to manage stress and anxiety and self-doubt and sometimes self-loathing differently.
I wanted to be someone who could have a healthy relationship with alcohol.
My tipsy night out was so different than any other of the past.
Here’s why:
My best friend asked me what my intentions were for the evening.
We kept checking in with each other throughout the evening.
We stayed hydrated and drank lots of water.
I turned down many offers of drinks, making sure to not drink approximately more than 1 per hour.
The night was sandwiched between many other self-care activities that kept me grounded and in integrity, with myself. (If you haven’t yet read last week’s email “It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to” read here)
I stopped at tipsy, which would have NEVER happened in the past.
I now know that in order to have a “free” night like I did last week, I have to make sure I’m taking care of myself - big time.
Otherwise I lose my strength, and alcohol’s power to convince me that it is the answer (because sometimes it is the easy answer) becomes all too tempting.
I ended last week with a retreat in Woodstock, upstate NY.
Nine empowered women, lavishing ourselves in sensual self-care, eating the most incredible plant-based food, a full-moon ritual around the bonfire, naked swimming and saunas in a salt water pool with not a drop of alcohol to be had all weekend. It was blissful perfection and the definition of self-love. I had no desire to keep the party going or any pull to slide back into old patterns.
This is both reassuring and incredibly liberating!
The past 2 weeks of birthday celebrations have proven to me that I can truly have it all.
I spent my times connecting with amazing entrepreneurs, health coaching for Ralph Lauren (!!), hosting an intimate evening with 10 beautiful women on the topic of Drink Less Be More and how to truly show up for ourselves and each other, attending a retreat, and partying like it was 1999 (or 2009, haha).
I proved to myself that I can have a successful professional life, a nourishing and intuitive nutrition plan, self-care that includes both dancing and sacred rituals, an unshakeable “centre,” new habits that have become unconscious (ie I don’t have to think so much about them) and so much more.
When I first started - I didn’t have a system.
I didn’t have a plan to follow.
I didn’t have anyone taking the initiative to check in about my intentions.
I was alone - me and my thoughts.
When I did talk to friends - it was more along the lines of “I don’t want to get too drunk tonight” - and it stopped there.
We didn’t yet know how to talk about the quality of experience we were looking for, how we wanted to feel during the night or the next day.
New York City used to equal Trigger City for me and I used to end work trips and conferences absolutely destroyed.
It took me several years to evolve to the place where I am now.
That is I’m so committed to sharing the Drink Less Be More Masterclass with you.
I want you to have the support that I longed for years ago.
I want you to have the tools and systems that I’ve developed to not only redefine your relationship to alcohol, but to change your entire life if you want to.
There are limited spots available in this next round and I won’t be offering it again until later next year.
Click here for the application and don't hesitate if you feel the timing is right.
If you have any questions, simply reply to this email and let me know.
xoxo
It's My Birthday And I'll Cry If I Want To
Crying tears of happiness, that is! I am seriously so grateful and full of love that it is squeezing out of me and dripping down my face.
This certainly wasn't always the case on my birthday.
Many are a blur, others ended up in horrific fights or missed days of work the next day that led to shame-filled meltdowns.
6 years ago we received numerous noise complaints at the hotel suite we rented, and the next day had to do the walk of shame, eyes shielded from the hot Cambodian sun and the piercing glare of other hotel guests as they loudly deplored us for "ruining their night"
5 years ago I woke up the day after my birthday with a giant goose egg on my forehead, from taking a head-dive directly onto the concrete
4 years ago I passed out after drinking too much absinthe
And just over 3 years ago, a few weeks before my 32nd birthday, I had that innocent girls night that turned into a wild one, where I woke up the next day and declared "I'm never getting drunk again"
I can't say that the next birthdays were all of a sudden amazing, simply because I wasn't wasted or getting blackout drunk
I was still trying to figure it out
I was also pregnant for one of those birthdays and so in my mind it "doesn't really count"
And now, I just turned 35 years old in in New York City.
Last week, I spent a full day doing health consultations at Ralph Lauren's HQ in Manhattan. I then relaxed in my friend's gorgeous apartment overlooking the east river.
I then headed to a luxe conference called Forefront, which is all about living the Rich Life. Rich in experiences, rich in relationships, rich in quality of life. I was be one of 500 who showed up ready to do the work to live a most fulfilling life. Ready to take charge of our lives and businesses and get clear on what a rich life means.
We met, we discussed and we learned from experts like Ramit Sethi (super online whiz and connector) and Daymond John (NYT bestselling author and one of the Sharks on Shark Tank - whose personal story is so inspiring and gave one of the best talks I’ve ever seen in my life!).
Friday night I danced at an open bar cocktail reception, with only a half glass of wine turned into a spritzer on my actual birthday. There's a video of my fake drunk dancing on Instagram which I think is pretty awesome. And here's a photo of a very bright eyed and satisfied me, back in my hotel room revelling my day.
The next night we were on a boat cruise on the Hudson river the breathtaking view of the Manhattan cityscape and the Lady Liberty beaming down at us. I also danced my ass off on the cruise. I had one gin and soda and after that I was pretty much oblivious to the copious amounts of alcohol flowing from the open bar (the only issue really was that I noticed how drunk other people seemed to need to be in order to allow themselves to have as much fun as I was having sober).
After the conference ended on Sunday, the conversation and connection continued with a lovely Italian dinner where I drank a glass of prosecco. We had planned to go out dancing but everyone seemed more content to spend time with each other in the hotel lobby.
There were definitely moments where I experienced a tad of FOMO (fear of missing out). Both Friday and Saturday night after the reception and boat cruise, the party train continued and I was invited to hop on.
Yet being sober and able to totally listen to my body, I realized how tired I was and that it wasn’t the best choice for me. It wasn’t always easy in the moment to say YES to my best yes, but as soon as I was tucked into bed with my tea and my oils, I was grateful. I certainly was grateful the next day when I bounded out of bed with energy and felt how easy it was to focus on the amazing content of the conference, while others were clearly nursing hangovers and rallying their energy just to be able to concentrate.
So yeah, tears of gratitude are streaming down my face. It is amazing to me how magical my life because once I truly got out of my own way and stopped sabotaging myself. While I had achieved a lot of external success before - I was misaligned and suffering on the inside.
I am so grateful that I have learned that there could be another way. Not only in living my life, but in my relationship to alcohol. Even when my drinking was at its worse, I intuitively knew that a life of total abstinence wasn't for me.
I now have an incredible and fulfilling career as a self-employed entrepreneur, a best-selling book, a house in Mexico and a precious family, and I can enjoy an occasional glass of wine or bubbly without obsessing about more or fear of spiralling out of control... all things that felt like a distant dream 5 years ago, when I literally crashed and burned my way out of my former career and life. This hasn’t all come “easy” - it’s been a ton of work and continues to be - yet as I realized this past week, I am already living a “rich life.”
I love how healthy, strong, clear and present I am now. I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything. I used to party my way through conferences and as a result, everything is a blur. Now I celebrate the quality connections, the energy I have, and most important, how comfortable I feel being me.
I also have tremendous love and compassion for the past Caitlin. The Caitlin that woke up banged and bruised, the Caitlin who loved to be the life of the party and was always the last one to leave, the Caitlin whose pain and shame stayed carefully buried behind booze and false bravado, the Caitlin who wanted to do better for herself but just couldn’t figure out how for so many years.
I love her. She is me and I wouldn’t be here, writing this email to you, if it weren’t for our journey.
I’ve also realized that me of today was always inside past Caitlin. I just wasn’t listening to her. I was afraid of her sometimes, afraid of what might change. Afraid of cracking open and afraid of truly changing.
Your ideal YOU is already inside of you too. You’ve heard her whispering to you. You’ve started listening, which is why you are reading these words right now.
One of the biggest lessons for me from the past few years was that it takes a village. I wouldn’t have been able to do this alone, and neither should you.
It was also one of the key takeaways for me from this weekend. It is so important to have a tribe, a group of people who see you, celebrate you, honour your dreams and desires, support you to keep moving through challenges, learning and growing.
That is why I’ve created the Drink Less Be More Masterclass.
Because if you keep doing the same thing, spending all your time with the same people, and yet expecting different results - well, that’s crazy making.
If you know you are stuck in a demoralizing cycle and you want to interrupt that pattern - this is for you.
If know how much more is possible for you if you could truly honour your ‘best yes’ - this is for you.
If you long for a tribe of women who really see you, love you and are there to lift you up - this is for you.
If you are ready to redefine your relationship to alcohol once and for all - this is definitely for you.
In fact, I know of no other experience like this out there. Which is why I created it. But don't just take it from me, here is some of what the first participants were saying:
“It's beautiful to work through this process in an environment with people who understand, have had their own ups and downs with alcohol and who don't judge.”
“This could be a life changing class for so many people. I loved how real you are Caitlin and the support of listening to the others in the class was priceless”
I am giving you the strategy, systems, community and support I wish I had had access to 5 years ago when I was slip sliding towards bottom, or even 3 years ago when I was finally trying to make some changes but had to figure it all out on my own.
The 6-week Drink Less Be More Masterclass includes the very best of what I’ve learned and implemented for myself and my clients over the past 3 years, including intentions, positive mindset and accountability, solid strategies that work for YOU, healthy habits/healthy impact, relationships/dating and intimacy, implementation and weekly personalized attention, support, and group calls.
This intimate group experience is by application only. Because I am so excited to share this resource with every woman who needs it at this moment in her life, I will be launching more broadly later this week when the sales page goes up. For now, I wanted to make sure you had the info to secure your spot asap.
Will you make this your year? Are you ready? If so, I’d love for you to join us!
xoxo
Brain Summit
Happy Monday !!
I have a question for you.
It might be one that you don't want to answer, but it's an important one nonetheless.
Do you ever wonder how healthy your brain is?
Or what damaged may have been caused by all of the drinking?
I know this what something that weighed heavily on me for years. All the blackouts, missed memories, brain cells flushed down the drain... it used to cause me a lot of stress and anxiety thinking about how much I may have messed up my brain.
Now, I've worked hard over the years to literally chance my mindset AND my mental health. A big part of that is getting informed and learning what I can do to improve my mental health - by what I eat, how well I sleep, what kind of thoughts I have, and more.
Taking action helps me feel empowered that I can control my current mental wellness and even reverse the effects of previous damage.
That's why I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining 30 other expects in brain performance and health for the first ever Female Brain Summit. The online event is completely free for you and packed with amazing info. The event starts today and interviews will be rolling out between now and the 10th. You don't want to miss this valuable content!
I also wanted to let you know about an amazing conversation I had with my friend Christine Hansen, who is the creator of "Sleep like a Boss" podcast.
I share a lot that I haven't shared on a podcast before, like how I was dependent on sleeping pills and using some in same dangerous combination as Heath Ledger when he died, how I used to brag about how little I slept (and why I find that totally unattractive now), and how it takes a lot of faith to create your "new normal."
This is also a topic that totally relates to your brain health - so why don't you start October with a bang and focus on your brain!! I can't wait to hear what you think of the summit and the podcast.
xoxo
Top 5 lessons learned
Happy weekend!
As you may have read in Monday's update, It's been three years since I stopped drinking to get drunk, to escape, disappear, numb out, etc...
Yesterday I recorded a video call that highlight's the top 5 lessons learned from my last 3 years, and they might come as a surprise to you.
Topics I cover include:
- Why I couldn't make any significant change until I created a positive vision for myself
- How mindfulness begets mindlessness (aka why you first need to think more in order to not have to think about alcohol so much in the future)
- It gets harder before it gets easier!! (something that definitely came as a shocker to me)
- Why truly facing the fear is so completely freeing
- I could never have done this alone (and neither should you)
- A special invitation for YOU
The video is only 35 minutes long, and I recommend you watch the whole thing for the lessons I learned along this journey, but in case you are dying to know that the special invitation is - drumroll please....
We are launching our first official Drink Less Be More Group Program!!
I am SO excited.
The reviews from the participants beta course in the spring were amazing, and we all learned a lot.
We've been incorporating the feedback and fine-tuning to make a super valuable, high impact, actionable, and incredibly supportive 6 week program, which will launch in the beginning of November.
As we are putting the finishing touches on the program, I want to hear from YOU!
Are you interested in joining a group program? If yes, what would you like to experience or learn from a group program? What kind of support or information would be helpful to you?
It would be amazing if you could reply to this email and let me know!! I'm really looking forward to your feedback.
xoxo
Supercharge September - Let's Do This
Can you believe it's September 1 tomorrow!?!?
For the past two years since launching my business, I've held some variation of a "supercharge September" initiative. Usually, it has been discounted and shorter opportunities to work with me 1-1.
But since my 1-1 roster is still full (I will have a couple of spots opening up later in September, more on that below) - I've decided to try something new this year! This September, I'll be leading a 21-day Supercharge September Challenge.
It's FREE for our community members and starts on September 5th. If you're already a part of our super secret and supportive Facebook community, then you don't need to do a thing.
If you'd like to join, reply to this email and let know why you'd like to supercharge September and what you hope to get out of this challenge.
This will be an opportunity to:
- set clear intentions for September and the rest of the year
- redefine your relationship to alcohol with the support of like-minded women (whatever that looks like to you, you can try a sober September or try moderation - it's totally up to you!!
- get on track with daily habits such as a solid morning and evening routine, a new nutrition plan, better sleep, etc
- meet and share with amazing women - listen to livestreams on relevant topics
- participate in a kick-off webinar Tuesday, September 6th with a Q&A
- and much more!!
Again, all of this is FREE!!
All you need to do is reply to this email and tell me why you want to participate (after all, it all starts with getting clarity on your intentions) and you'll be added to the group.
If you know that you'd also like 1-1 support to create powerful change, I do have a few spots opening up in September. Here's what Eileen said after just 2 months of coaching with me:
"I am really enjoying working with you. You are making me see things in my own behavior that no one else has been able to. I feel less a lot less guilt, too. Your approach about being kinder to myself has been a big win for me. I've noticed my confidence growing and actually WANTING to spend time doing healthier things vs. feeling like I CAN'T drink. It's been a much more positive spin and I don't feel rebellious at all, like I did before. I think I've done everything everyone else thought I should do for my whole life, and now I'm making my own choices. By doing this, I feel much less like I want to escape."
As you know, I love love looooooove my work with 1-1 clients. I wish I could work with EVERYONE who wants this kind of support however, because of the time and energy required to fully show up and help someone make such a massive change in their lives, I can only accept a small number of private clients at a time.
If you are interested in working with me before the New Year, I would encourage you to set up a time to chat to see if it's a good fit for you. Once the 2 spots available are filled, I will not be accepting new clients until next year.
Now there's no excuse to make this month and the rest of the year amazing!!
Don't forget to let me know if you want to join the September Challenge or set up a strategy session to see if we're a good fit for 1-1 work together.
xoxo
Weekly Round Up
Wow - what a week!
I had my first article published in the Huffington Post (more on that later) and another meaningful article on what it means to be a highly sensitive person (and how to shine in stressful social situations without resorting to alcohol) went live on Mind Body Green. The tips in the article are helpful for anyone who experiences social anxiety. Check it out!
I also had the immense fortune to be a small group training call with Lisa Nichols, founder of Motivating the Masses, best selling author of Abundance Now and No Matter What, regular guest on Oprah and featured expert in The Secret.
Holy WOW. I had listened to recorded webinars with her before and was blown away. But the chance to hear from her live, have her say my name and interact myself and the 50 other blessed women on the call with her? LIFE-CHANGING!! We were so moved, shed tears, released fears and doubled over in laughter during the 1 hour and 15 minutes we spent with her.
I wanted to share some of my biggest take-aways with you! Whenever you are at right now, I can assure you that at least one of these will hit home.
1) "We are built for the journey." Know that. Repeat it to yourself. Have faith. You are made for this, whatever "this" is. Have faith, and tenacity and you will succeed.
2) "You will never be given a desire in your heart that you do not have the means to fulfill" When the going gets tough, remind yourself of this. If you can dream it, you CAN make it a reality.
3) "Other people's perceptions of you ain't none of your business" People will always have an opinion, but the more time you spend in other peoples heads, the less time and energy you have for yourself. Don't spend another day worrying about what others think. You only have one chance to "do you." YOU ARE AN UNREPEATABLE MIRACLE.
4) "Be willing to do it afraid." Change is scary, I get it. Not knowing what's going to happen next can be unsettling. Commit and be willing to do it anyways.
5) "Love the unloveable in yourself." Stop shit talking yourself. Do whatever you can to change that story. As Lisa says, she grew up dirt poor, was abused and overweight. Once she started loving the parts she had previously believed to be unlovable, her life began to change dramatically. She loved the fattest parts of herself, the parts she thought were the most damaged and unworthy. She actively worked on this every single day. She stopped talking shit, became kind and compassionate, even when it was hard. She says "fall madly in love with yourself and everything else will fall into place."
6) Make a non-negotiable short list. These are 4-6 things you do to refuel yourself. These are scheduled and planned out with the same priority as your other commitments.
7) "A healthy NO is an important as a scared YES." Think about that. Is it an all-in hell yeah? If not, then practice saying no. As Lisa says, "no is a complete sentence."
I had so many take-aways from this call and I hope some of these takeaways come at the right time for you as well. Please respond to this email and let me know which one of these spoke to you.
I know I still really struggle with what others think - and sometimes hold back because of this. In fact, I wrote After 15 years as a blackout drinker, I finally learned how to enjoy a single glass of wine months ago, then published it last week and two minutes later unpublished it, then thought about it for another week until I had the courage to post it.
It's my first post for The Huffington Post and I probably could have picked an easier topic to share. Yet - this is the story that needed to be told. That doesn't make it easier though! I would really appreciate any comments, likes or shares. I'd love for Arianna to see this post before she leaves the Huff ;)
I'm heading off the grid to an island without electricity for 3 days. I look forward to reading your takeaways from Lisa's tips and either of the articles when I get back on Monday. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the content as well.
Have a beautiful weekend!
xoxo