It's Not About the Alcohol

• EP 185 Minisode: How to access upstream willpower

  In today’s episode, Colleen breaks down why willpower is an exhausting and unsustainable way to change your behavior. If you’ve ever tried to “power through” not drinking or force yourself into good habits, only to fall back into old patterns, this episode will shift the way you think about change. Instead of relying on willpower to control your drinking, your eating, your productivity, or anything else, Colleen shows you how to design an environment that makes success inevitable—without the mental struggle, without the exhausting inner battle, and without feeling like you're constantly fighting against yourself.   Key Takeaways: 1. Willpower is a Finite Resource—You Will Run Out Willpower is just forced focus—it’s what you use when you don’t actually want to do something. The more decision fatigue, stress, or depletion you experience, the less willpower you have. If you’re relying on willpower to avoid drinking at night, you’re already set up to fail. 2. External Rewards Make You Feel Powerless We are conditioned to chase performance-based rewards—grades, promotions, social validation. This mindset makes success feel scarce—like you have to constantly prove yourself to earn your own power. If someone (or something) gives you power, it’s not actually yours. 3. You’re Not Chasing a Goal—You’re Chasing a Feeling It’s not about not drinking, it’s about how you think not drinking will make you feel. When you place your self-worth in achieving a goal instead of designing a life that supports you, you create an exhausting cycle of struggle. Real power comes from creating a life where you feel good right now—not just after you hit some goal. Actionable Steps to Make Change Easy 1. Stop Beating Yourself Up—Start Observing Instead Instead of thinking, I need more willpower, ask: “How can I make this easier for myself?” Notice the conditions that lead to overdrinking, and shift your environment—not just your mindset. 2. Design Your Success Instead of Forcing It If your goal is to drink less, don’t just “try harder”—change your surroundings. Example: Instead of sitting in front of the TV and trying not to drink, switch up your routine. Take a bath, read in a different room, go for an evening walk—anything that naturally moves you away from the habit. 3. Make Your Future Self’s Life Easier Instead of spending willpower on not drinking, use it to set up a better tomorrow: ✅ Get a good night’s sleep. ✅ Hydrate and eat nourishing food. ✅ Move your body and reduce stress before it builds up. The more you invest in yourself today, the less you’ll need to rely on willpower tomorrow.   Homework: Ask yourself: ✔ Where in my life am I forcing things instead of designing things? ✔ How can I change my environment so I don’t have to struggle as much? ✔ What if my power wasn’t in my performance, but in how I take care of myself? Because real power doesn’t come from proving yourself—it comes from setting yourself up for success.   Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. If you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober (side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking),You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.   Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    —Want daily updates from me? Find me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG @thehangoverwhisperer   —Click here to TAKE THE QUIZ: Do you have a drinking problem or a thinking problem?

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• EP184 The connection between chronic pain and emotional stress with SIRPA founder Georgie Oldfield

  Have you experienced lingering pain after an injury that doesn’t go away even though you’ve done everything you can to heal?   Most of us assume that physical pain is a physical issue and seek medical diagnoses from expensive specialists who promise to fix the problem or at least manage the symptoms.    But what do you do when treatment doesn’t work and chronic pain becomes demoralizing?    Today I’m talking with Georgie Oldfield, a pioneering physiotherapist and founder of SIRPA–the Stress Illness Recovery Practitioners Association. She’s here to explain the connection between physical pain and emotional stress. We’re talking about issues like sciatica, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and how mind-body strategies can lead to remarkable recoveries.   Find Georgie Oldfield and the SIRPA community at https://www.sirpa.org/   —Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.   Click here to get my free PRIVATE podcast on How to Reduce Drinking by 80%.   —NEW! Colleen’s doing Q&A episodes! Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    —Want daily updates from me? Find me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG @thehangoverwhisperer and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@hangoverwhisperer    –Click here to take the QUIZ: Do you have a drinking problem or a thinking problem?  

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• EP183 Minisode: How to escape negative thinking

  In today’s episode, Colleen dives into the power of setting a central guiding intention—one that helps rewire limiting beliefs, quiet overthinking, and keep you moving forward even when things feel uncomfortable. She explains how to create a personal mantra that serves as both a compass and a reset button, giving you the emotional resilience to take action in spite of fear, doubt, or past conditioning. If you've ever felt stuck in your thoughts or emotions, this episode will give you a simple yet powerful tool to shift your mindset and step into your next level of growth. Key Takeaways:    Why Overthinking Keeps You Stuck Your mind will always generate thoughts and emotions—but not all of them need your attention. The mindset that sees something as a problem is often the mindset creating it. Learning to recognize and detach from distracting thoughts is a superpower.    Action Over Emotion: The Secret to Moving Forward Acknowledge your feelings, but don’t wait for them to change before taking action. The ability to act in spite of discomfort is what creates change. Your brain is wired to resist growth—recognizing and working through this resistance is key.    The Power of a Central Guiding Intention Setting a personal mantra is like installing new programming into your subconscious. Your mantra should be something you believe in as deeply as gravity—something that reminds you who you are becoming. This practice is especially powerful when used on hard days, not just good ones. Actionable Steps: Create Your Mantra: Use the template: I expand in [first word], [second word], and [third word] every day as I inspire those around me to do the same. Examples: I expand in peace, confidence, and joy every day… or I expand in clarity, courage, and freedom every day… Pick words that truly resonate with you. Whisper & Absorb: Say your mantra softly to yourself and let it settle into your body. Breathe deeply and let it sink in before repeating. Expect & Overcome Resistance: Your old programming will push back—notice the negative thoughts that come up. Instead of resisting, simply observe them and return to your mantra. Use It in Moments of Stress: Practice your mantra in peaceful moments so it’s available when you really need it. Next time you wake up feeling off, overthink something, or feel stuck, shift your focus back to your mantra. Homework: Write down your personalized mantra and say it out loud every morning. Use it as a mental reset throughout the day whenever you catch yourself stuck in negative thought loops. Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. If you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober (side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking),You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.   Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    —Want daily updates from me? Find me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG @thehangoverwhisperer   —Click here to TAKE THE QUIZ: Do you have a drinking problem or a thinking problem?

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• EP182 Minisode: Finding your zone of genius

  In today’s episode, Colleen unpacks the hidden ways we keep ourselves stuck—whether it’s staying in a comfort zone that no longer serves us, running on autopilot, or avoiding the call to expand into something greater. She explores the four zones we operate from (incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius) and how staying in the wrong one can quietly drain your energy and fulfillment. Plus, she shares the one simple question you can ask yourself daily to shift into a life that feels more open, creative, and aligned. Key Takeaways: The Four Zones That Keep You Stuck Zone of Incompetence – The things you struggle with and really shouldn’t be doing. Spending time here out of fear or scarcity (like trying to fix your own tech issues instead of outsourcing) wastes time and energy. Zone of Competence – You can do these tasks, but so can others. Overloading yourself here leads to burnout because you’re not fully using your gifts. Zone of Excellence – The place where you thrive and others rely on you, but it keeps you comfortable and prevents you from stepping into the next level of growth. Zone of Genius – Where you feel expansive, creative, and most aligned. This is where fulfillment lives—but getting there requires releasing old patterns and allowing yourself to grow. The Emotional Test: Contraction vs. Expansion Every action, habit, or decision either expands your heart (makes you feel alive, curious, and in flow) or contracts it (makes you feel stuck, drained, or small). Noticing this difference in real-time helps you shift away from habits that keep you playing small—like overworking, people-pleasing, or numbing with alcohol. When the feeling of over-drinking meets redundancy  So many high-achievers stay stuck in the zone of competence or excellence, which leads to boredom and frustration. When we feel unfulfilled, we reach for something to take the edge off—like drinking. Of course.  The "probably" real solution?? STOP IGNORING THE PART OF YOU THAT WANTS MORE FOR YOURSELF. Actionable Steps: Check In: When you feel the overwhelming pressure from the opposite side of the mirror, ask yourself: Am I in a state of expansion or contraction? Expansion = openness, curiosity, creativity.  Contraction = stress, avoidance, overthinking, numbing. Drop It Like It’s Hot: If something feels like contraction (overthinking, unnecessary busyness, perfectionism), drop it as fast as possible. Give yourself permission to delegate, simplify, or step away from things that drain you. Prioritize What Actually Moves You Forward: Identify what actions truly create change in your life. Stop wasting energy in areas that don’t serve your highest potential. Make Space for Your Zone of Genius: Spend more time doing what makes you feel the most engaged and fulfilled. Trust that stepping into this space will naturally lessen your urge to numb, overwork, or self-sabotage. Homework: Start a daily practice of asking yourself:              ~Does this expand me or contract me? Make a list of things you need to let go of so you can step into more freedom, creativity, and alignment. ~Then, discard by a method of your choice.   👉 If you’re ready to make this shift but need support, schedule a discovery call today! Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. If you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober (side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking),You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.   Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    —Want daily updates from me? Find me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG @thehangoverwhisperer   —Click here to TAKE THE QUIZ: Do you have a drinking problem or a thinking problem?

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• EP181 Million-Dollar Mindset: Your genius deserves a bigger payday with Kay Allison

  Are you capable of earning more than you do?   A lot of brilliant women fall into the trap of doing their best work for someone else. Because the idea of going out on our own or trying something new is just too risky.   But if you’re listening to this show because you’re in the habit of using alcohol to cope with your stress, you already know that you’ve got some untapped potential.    What if the problems you're trying to fix or figure out–a lack of willpower, energy and motivation, would instantly disappear if you didn’t feel undervalued and overqualified?   Today I’m talking with Kay Allison, a 65 year old entrepreneur and coach who has mastered the art of monetizing creativity. Kay increased her own income by 600 percent when she finally decided to fully commit to her own personal growth, and now helps clients turn their ideas into marketable and profitable products.    This episode is an inspiring look at how success isn’t actually any harder or more complicated than staying small if you’re willing to adopt a million-dollar mindset.   Find Kay Allison on TikTok @kay_creative_capital and her website at ​​kayallison.com   —Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.   Click here to get my free PRIVATE podcast on How to Reduce Drinking by 80%.   —NEW! Colleen’s doing Q&A episodes! Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    —Want daily updates from me? Find me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG @thehangoverwhisperer and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@hangoverwhisperer    –Click here to take the QUIZ: Do you have a drinking problem or a thinking problem?  

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