#123 3rd Most Popular Podcast of 2024: Confronting Grey Area Drinking, the Rise of "Wine Mum" Culture, Performance Benefits of Cutting Back Alcohol - Sarah Rusbatch

As the year comes to an end, we're getting ready to unwind and take a break, syncing with our company's rhythm. We understand and encourage our audience to find some time to rest and reconnect with yourselves, as there is great value in pausing to recharge and restore.   While holidays are perfect for relaxing, for some of us it means reaching for alcohol to self-soothe. Notably Australia is the world's top binge drinking country. Which is why this week we are introducing an episode with Sarah Rusbatch is an award-winning Health and Wellbeing Coach, accredited in Grey Area Drinking Coaching, and an author of the bestseller “Beyond Booze: How to Create a Life You Love Alcohol Free”.  In this episode Sarah shares:  • Her Journey and Early Drinking Experiences: Sarah began drinking at 14, influenced by her parents' social drinking habits and her own need to fit in. This behaviour continued through university and into her professional life. • Impact of Alcohol on Her Life: Sarah describes her heavy drinking habits, social expectations, and how alcohol affected her career, relationships, and health. • Turning Point and Recovery: Key incidents that led Sarah to reconsider her drinking habits, including two significant events that made her realise the need for change. • Life After Quitting Alcohol: The benefits Sarah experienced after quitting alcohol, how she improved her self-esteem, and the positive changes in her personal and professional life.In this episode Andrew and Sarah discuss:1:20  Sarah and Andrew's reflections on the podcast since its release. 10:40 How Sarah met her husband and started living in Perth, the start of Sarahs relationship with alcohol and the drinking culture in UK schools in the 80s and 90s.15:25 How much Sarah was drinking throughout her young adulthood, the drinking culture in corporate industries and Sarah’s first break from drinking.21:25 Sarah’s social smoking, coming home at 5am then vs getting up at 5am now and Sarahs downward spiral into heavier drinking.27:10 Beating yourself up for not being happier, the lack of an outside of work persona and needing to find a personal purpose.31:30 How and why Sarah’s drinking problem slowly got worse, the CBF factor that surfaced with the drinking and Sarah’s self-imposed rules around drinking.38:85 Using exercise to try and make up for excessive drinking, the 2 incidents that led to Sarah quitting alcohol for the 2nd time and discovering who she was after becoming sober.44:45 Having to become sober all by yourself, being told you’re more fun when you drink and why Sarah went back to drinking after 100 days of sobriety.50:40 Sarah’s denial about her life’s trajectory until she started therapy, feeling shame about her past actions and replacing that feeling with pride to have come through all that.53:45 How grey area drinking is different to alcoholism, dating and drinking going hand in hand and the false confidence you can gain through drinking alcohol.58:55 the alarming stats on alcohol abuse, alcohol companies targeting women in their marketing and the rise of the “wine mum” culture.1:03:00 70% of people are grey area drinkers, is no drinking the optimal way and the emotional impact of drinking.1:10:20 Sarah’s new lease on life living on purpose, don’t wait for rock bottom to make a change and the different programs Sarah runs.1:15:00 Sarah’s live presentations, it’s all about behaviour change and the key component to changing your relationship with alcohol.You can find Sarah at her Website: https://sarahrusbatch.com/add Sarah on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-rusbatch-4b189128Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch