My guest this week is Deb from Kentucky – aka Mocktail Mom   This was her second time on the show - click here to listen to the first interview In this episode:- Deb quit drinking on December 31, 2020. She originally took a break to evaluate her drinking and felt so good she just kept going! Deb was a Late Starter and only started drinking heavily in her 40s during after her divorce. Like many of us she was a Gray Area Drinker: She often found herself drinking more than she had intended, particularly when she was alone on weekends without her kids. Debs Turning Point: came when she realized that alcohol was taking up too much mental space I loved her analogy of the ticker tape of breaking news that we see on tv – Deb felt she had an alcohol related ticker tape constantly turning in the background of her mind! She joined a sobriety challenge in January 2021 and community did the trick It was a breakthrough for Deb when she finally accepted that moderation wasn’t working for her Like many of us she discovered it was easier to stop completely altogether than to try to control it. This is because alcohol changes our brain chemistry – once we have crossed the line into dependence just one drink can trigger intense cravings I wish someone had explained that to me before I spent 10 long years trying (and failing) to control my drinking! Deb's Top 3 Benefits of Sobriety: Freedom from ticker tape mental chatter about alcohol. No more waking up with guilt and shame. Confidence and trust in herself (she gave that example of being able to collect her daughters if they called her in the evening.) Mocktail Mom Platform: Deb shares mocktail recipes and alcohol-free fun on Instagram and TikTok. Created a mocktail recipe book: The Happiest Hour. Learn more via her website mocktailmom.com Both Deb and myself are breast cancer survivors. We didn’t know about the alcohol-cancer link when we were drinking so are keen to let as many women as possible understand that alcohol is linked to 7 types of cancer Debs Sobriety Advice: Don’t think in terms of “forever.” Take it one day or one event at a time. Don’t worry about future events (e.g., weddings or trips). Celebrate any alcohol-free progress; it all adds up. Her last tip was to get support—having a community made all the difference for her If you're looking for a community then try Tribe Sober! More info  Tools & Resources in Tribe Sober Member Journey Course (7 modules: psychology, biology, neuroscience) Members Vault with searchable tips and content Daily check-ins, trackers, 5 Zooms meetings a week – to suit all timezones Personal guidance from coaches, ambassadors, and cheerleaders Subscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE To access our website click HERE If you would like a free copy of our e-book "66 days to sobriety" please email us at janet@tribesober.com If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community just email janet@tribesober.comEpisode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.   Help us to spread the word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can join our private Facebook group HERE Thank you for listening!