…and how to break it
Last week I saw a piece in a popular magazine for women suggesting that red wine should be the alcoholic drink of choice during lockdown. I swore at my phone, tweeted and deleted and then sat down to write something a little more considered – red wine, the alcohol industry and dodgy science. Oi!! Red…
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So, lets say that this is day one. You’re quitting alcohol and you’re on top of your game! But what about tomorrow? Will quitting alcohol feel as good tomorrow? Or what about when you’re in a really shitty mood? How will you cope then? Or when it’s your birthday or you get good news…. or…
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The thing about alcohol is that it’s everybody’s favourite drug addiction and if you’re not part of the ‘gang’ then quite frankly, you can f*ck off! We’re living in a world where it’s easier to drink alcohol than not. So if you want to give up for good you need to be able to see…
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When I stopped drinking I thought it would be the end of a way of life and in many ways it was. But I had no idea that it was the start of something so much better! Whether you’re doing Stoptober, Dry January or you’re knocking the demon drink on the head forever, here’s my…
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If you feel stuck, bored or depressed for no apparent reason then maybe you need to change your perspective on life. The Hindu concept of the River of Life is one that I find both comforting and compelling. Come with me on a trip to the river … Picture a beautiful river. The sun is…
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I woke up to the news that South Africa has banned all alcohol sales for the next 3 weeks of Covid-19 lockdown. Even though no alcohol has passed my lips for 2 years when I heard this news I had a mini meltdown by proxy. I may not drink any more but I still have…
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Current levels of crazy are through the roof! Corona Virus has the globe on lock down and people are panicking. Remember Brexit? Ah, good times! Anyone who is disposed to boozing might be forgiven for thinking that this is a time for hedonism and f*&k it thinking. Thing is, if you thought that then…
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So you want to look at your relationship with alcohol? You noticed it’s playing a larger part in your life than you’d like and rather than feeling positive and fun, your drinking has started to grind you down. Well you are in great company! You are riding a super woke, alcohol-free wave and you are officially…
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At this time of year most people’s thoughts turn to their weight, their drinking and their New Years resolutions, which invariably involve drinking and eating less. Not surprisingly many more people start Dry January than complete it. That’s because changing any habit is hard. Really hard! And if you don’t consider yourself to be the…
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A bold claim! And I’m not even selling a book or an online course! I just feel really strongly about how powerful a good morning routine is and I know so many people who could do with a little help in keeping their heads above water. So ….. here’s my 20 minute morning routine to make…
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Before I gave up drinking alcohol I could never understand why anyone would go through a whole month without drinking. If you also struggle with this then here are 5 excellent reasons you should definitely Go Sober For October. Reset your relationship with alcohol They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and…
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If you are a regular Voice of Calm reader then you will know all about my decision to give up alcohol. But today I want to get into the how instead of the why. No, it’s not easy but it’s totally doable and the best thing I’ve ever done. Here’s how I gave up alcohol,…
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The only good thing about a hangover is that it forces you to do sweet FA for most of the day. Since I quit drinking I have been super productive. I get so much done these days that I wonder how I achieved anything when I was still drinking alcohol. But occasionally I hit a…
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I celebrated my 1 year ‘soberversary’ this weekend and it felt amazing! It has been scary, awesome, impossible, enlightening, limitless, emboldening, celebratory and nuts! So, here are 12 things I have learnt in 12 months without alcohol. I could have done 50 things but I don’t wanna rinse it! 🙂 1. My relationships have been…
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Victoria Adams is a yoga teacher and nutritionist who fell in love with India. She tells Voice of Calm why being in the alcohol free environment of Rishikesh heightened her senses to the peace and joy of this chaotic place. Alcohol Free India: Peace Amid Chaos If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about India it’s…
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Recently, I keep seeing blog headlines along the lines of ‘mindfulness didn’t work for me’ or ‘mindfulness decreases motivation at work’ or ‘CBD oil will replace mindfulness as the new fad.’ Apart from the fact that the authors are clearly using mindfulness to get clicks, the articles illustrate how misunderstood mindfulness is. So I thought…
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Laura May is a music industry professional who was struck down with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2011. Unsurprisingly it was the toughest experience she’s ever endured but Laura got through it and developed a mindful perspective in the process. We’re so grateful that she spoke to Voice of Calm about cancer, tattoos, change, grated cheese and…
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Smoking is for losers. Fact! Vaping is super weird looking, expensive and probably also bad for you. Opinion! You may be trying to quit your nicotine addiction as we speak or perhaps you already managed the hard part and now you’re worried it won’t last. If you want to avoid relapse within the first year…
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Gayle Macdonald gave up alcohol 2 years ago because it had gradually become the most important thing in her life. As a Brit living in Spain she is very much swimming against a tide of overindulgence but quitting alcohol made her a better mum and improved her life on so many levels. We are so…
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You could have knocked me down with a feather this morning when I realised that Voice of Calm is 6 months old today! Where the heck did that go? I want to take a mo to look back on this little journey so far and then emplore you to share your story too. When I…
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When I awoke one day with a tight stiffness in my toes I thought maybe I’d slept funny. It was as if they had shrunk overnight and my bones were now ill fitting, the available space had changed. When it started to journey north finding my knees and elbows I realised it was time for…
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I am a working mother in what feels like an increasingly time demanding world. It can be hard to keep my head above water and only very occasionally do I feel like I just might be on top of my game. I have found that working and parenting demand a decent self care kit! Many…
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It’s Monday, it’s sunny and although it’s only February it feels like May! Don’t mention Beast From The East Part 2. DON’T! I am living in blissful denial and right now I feel super spritely because I am fresh from my yoga mat. So, let me tell you why 10 minutes of yoga a day…
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I love colouring things in, making lists and tracking my habits. If you are the same then bullet journalling was made for you! It’s fun, easy and encourages mindfulness and mental wellbeing. Here’s how you do it. Buy an empty journal with a dotted or square grid. I bought one like this from Moleskin. It…
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So, I was in my kitchen this morning, trying to meditate but my dog had other ideas. Little did I know that Esther, my golden-doodle was trying to teach me a very valuable lesson in mindfulness! I sat at the island, on a bar stool, my back straight, eyes closed, breathing deeply and evenly, allowing…
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It’s sunny, there are snowdrops in my garden and I feel all spring like! So I thought we’d do a bit of colour therapy together. It’s February and although spring feels close, we need colour and we need it now. So, here are 5 colourful ways to bring joy into your day. Buy Cut Flowers…
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In the last 2 years there has been a dramatic increase in alcoholic drinks specifically aimed at women: ready made cocktails, fruit flavoured beer, skinny wine, low-carb spirits and now, an abundance of pink potions! But with women’s alcohol consumption in the UK at the highest it’s ever been and incidence of liver disease among…
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I have been on a mission to find VOC’s 10 best alcohol free drinks and because I have some equally adventurous mates I invited them to an evening of mocktail tasting. They declined. … SO I rebranded it “Cocks, Mocks and Frocks!!” and they soon came knocking. They are so childish! (For the avoidance of…
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It’s the 10th day of Dry January and if you are still at it then fan-bloody-tastic! I salute you!! So, here is Dry January Tips Part 3 to get you through the tricky middle bit. We have – juicing for detox; drinking plenty of water and reading a shed load. I have the what, why…
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Christine is a working mum who made the decision to give up drinking (well almost) following the death of a close friend. She explains more about why and how she does life without alcohol. Why did you rethink alcohol? A friend of mine died of cancer some years ago and although it was never directly…
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Good god, can it already be the end of 2019 week one!? Christmas seems like years ago…Oh stop! Following on from Voice of Calm’s first post of the year 6 Tips To Smash Dry January, here is the next instalment – Tips For Smashing Dry January (part 2). If you are giving up for the month or maybe aiming for a little longer then don’t panic. I have more…
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If you are embarking on Dry January then you are among 3 million Brits who are doing the same and it’s an increasingly international activity. It may be your first time ever quitting alcohol or your first time in a long time and you might struggle along the way. Don’t worry, I have 6 great…
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My body is a separate entity to me. This may seem like a strange thing to say but that is how I see it and it has enabled me to make friends with my body. My mental / spiritual self is me, Liz, and my body is the physical vessel I fill. Like a car…
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Gemma Sandford, a Senior Landscape Architect in New Zealand, stopped drinking 4 years ago. She explains why she decided to quit and how she’s finding life without alcohol. Why did you stop? I realised I needed to stop drinking about 4 years ago. I loved drinking, especially wine, it was my way of relaxing, way…
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It was so great to see the awesome Emily Atack discuss life in the jungle without alcohol on last nights I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. She was chatting to Noel Edmunds about her drinking habits. ‘I’m a bit of a boozer on the outside and I thought coming in here without booze…
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Warning: This post is more of a rant than an article. It’s aimed at the invisible, unspoken pity targeted at those who live without alcohol. Some people, SOME PEOPLE, have made a decision to live without alcohol. Why? Well, maybe they don’t like the taste of it. Maybe, feeling drunk freaks them out. Or it…
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Before I found Kundalini Yoga this was how I did yoga… Can you name this pose? Let’s see if I can describe it… Wobbling on one leg, the other stuck out behind at an odd angle, arms reaching forward in a sort of waving for help gesture, neck pulsating, belly saggy and quivering, jaw clenched,…
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