What if making one intentional, alcohol-free day didn’t have to feel like a test of willpower or a white-knuckle challenge you had to survive? In this practical solo episode, your host Anna Donaghey shares a clear, step-by-step structure for what a supported, intentional day off drinking can look like in real life.

Inspired by a listener who found Dry January a “white-knuckle ride,” Anna explores why sustainable change isn’t about deprivation or strict rules, but about adding support, care, and intention into your day. She’ll walk you through gentle but powerful tools you can use: from a simple morning check-in and choosing your mantra, to micro-habits that help transition from work mode to rest mode without defaulting to a drink.

No matter if you’re struggling to string one alcohol-free day together or just want to experiment with drinking less, this toolkit breaks it down into doable, kind steps so you can approach the question of drinking with more choice and less self-judgment.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome back and the listener question behind this episode

00:55 Why lasting change is rarely about willpower

01:39 “I struggle to put even one alcohol-free day together”

03:02 Sustainable change is about adding support, not just removing alcohol

04:07 What does one intentional alcohol-free day actually look like?

05:26 Starting with a gentle morning check-in (and why it matters)

07:27 Have a “coffee with yourself” and checking in on your needs

09:25 Choosing a mantra to anchor your day

15:29 Micro-rests and working with the day you really have

17:36 Hydration as an act of self-care, not just another box to tick

20:45 How being well-resourced softens evening cravings

21:08 Dealing with the “witching hour”

23:33 Finding new rituals to mark the threshold between work and rest

26:20 The importance of identity cues, not just discipline

27:31 Ending the day with a gentle reflection (not a journaling marathon)

30:30 One intentional day is always worth coming back to

33:30 How to get more support with the Thirsty For More Mindset Lab.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the...

What if the limits we feel around age, change, and possibility aren’t real but simply old, worn-out stories we’ve inherited? In this energising episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Allison Davis, traditional naturopath and author of ‘Sixty is a Good Start: A Powerful Body, a Purposeful Life, and a Plan to Make it Happen’, to bust wide open the myth that it’s ever “too late” to rethink your life or your drinking.

Together, Anna and Allison explore the deep-seated cultural scripts that tell us when we should want less, slow down, or shrink our dreams. Allison shares her own journey: becoming a new mom at fifty, reclaiming her health in her mid-fifties, writing a book at sixty, and refusing to let a single decade define what’s possible. You’ll hear how small, sustainable routines, what Allison calls the “self-perpetuating circle of purpose” can help us create vibrant lives at any age.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Rethinking the script on age and alcohol

00:41 The “too late” myth and culturally inherited limitations

02:15 Allison’s story: parenting, fitness, writing, and starting new chapters

08:30 How the narratives about age take root and how to question them

13:02 Introducing the “circle of purpose”

15:02 Why real longevity is about energy, not just living longer

16:00 Learning to listen to your body (instead of just managing it)

19:13 Alcohol, numbing, and re-awakening to what you really need

25:00 The role of the inner critic

32:40 The power of “threshold moments”

34:02 Rethinking “world work”: purpose, connection, and creating a life worth living

39:06 Loneliness and the vital importance of connection as we age

42:08 Introducing the Sixty-Day Dare: baby steps toward a bigger, richer life

43:00 Why sustainable change is always made up of doable, micro-shifts

46:46 Simple places to begin: water, movement, and intentional choices

48:13 “Is this enough?” The question that can start everything over, at any age.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and...

What if change doesn’t start with a dramatic rock bottom or a grand decision, but with the tiniest flickers of awareness? In this reflective episode, Anna Donaghey shines a light on those often-overlooked “tiny clarity moments”, the split seconds when you see your drinking, and your habits, with fresh honesty.

Anna shares personal stories and insights from her work as an alcohol mindset coach, exploring how real transformation rarely starts with ultimatums or huge declarations. Instead, it begins with small, honest realisations. Noticing when a drink isn’t actually enjoyable, seeing the mismatch between the promise and reality of alcohol, or catching yourself pouring a glass before you've even decided if you want it.

This episode is for anyone who’s wondered even briefly about their drinking. If you’ve been waiting for a dramatic sign or a clear plan, this is your permission to start smaller. Sometimes all it takes is noticing what’s already there.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome back to The Big Drink Rethink

00:40 What are “Tiny Clarity Moments”?

01:38 Why big changes often start with small, quiet recognitions

02:16 How overlooked thoughts are actually the seeds of awareness

03:12 Examples from Anna’s own journey

04:27 Catching the gap between self-stories and reality

05:17 Let moments percolate, don’t force change

07:12 Understanding your drinking triggers

10:06 Why you don’t need rules, labels, or willpower

11:19 The discomfort of awareness

12:07 Prompts to gently explore your own tiny clarity moments

13:35 Introducing the Thirsty Ffor More Mindset Lab

14:32 Let small things be noticed, because that’s where change begins.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn:

Is it possible that drinking isn’t really the problem or at least, not the whole story? In this episode, Anna asks you to rethink your relationship with alcohol by shifting the focus away from simply how much or how often you drink, to what deeper needs might be driving the habit in the first place.

Anna explores why we treat alcohol as the main issue, and how it’s often just the “smoke, not the fire.” Instead of fixating on willpower or self-control, she dives into the real desires beneath drinking: rest, relief, connection, pleasure, escape.

You'll learn how putting alcohol in context, and being gently curious about your own needs rather than harshly judging yourself can open up new possibilities for change.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome to The Big Drink Rethink

01:13 What if drinking isn’t actually the issue?

01:41 Drinking is often the visible symptom, not the deeper cause

02:18 Ask: “What am I actually thirsty for?”

02:53 Meeting your real needs weakens drinking’s grip

03:39 Alcohol shows up inside busy, pressured, complex lives

04:03 What role has alcohol been playing for you?

04:15 Reframing drinking as a response, not a moral failing

04:46 Calm, informed choices are possible when alcohol is explained

05:11 A new question: “What would actually support me here?”

06:01 Shifting from control to care, from shame to curiosity

06:38 Change happens gradually, not with a dramatic declaration

06:57 If something feels off, you don’t need to have a plan yet

07:36 Staying curious, not judgmental

08:21 Your feedback drives future episodes!

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram:

Have you ever wondered why even after a few alcohol-free weeks, life can feel flat or why it feels so hard to say “enough” in a world of endless overconsumption? In this transformative episode of The Big Drink Rethink, Anna Donaghey sits down with Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist, author of Dopamine Nation, and Stanford Addiction Medicine Director, to explore how alcohol hijacks our reward system and what it really takes to rediscover joy and meaning, beyond the next drink.

Dr. Lembke explains why life can feel “meh” after quitting drinking and how the brain slowly recalibrates, making real satisfaction possible again. This episode is a gentle yet powerful guide for anyone seeking answers about our brain’s quest for ‘more’.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Looking at compulsive over consumption in a dopamine loaded world

05:52 ‘The drug of choice’ and dopamine

08:34 Modern life pushes a ‘hijacked brain’ to crave intense stimuli

10:53 Addiction shifts the brain's balance

14:41 After 4 weeks alcohol-free, 80% no longer had major depression.

18:28 Micro stressors like cold exposure boost feel-good neurotransmitters

21:12 Pleasure-pain balance drives homeostasis

25:46 Modern boredom and addiction

29:22 The lizard brain and modern pleasure

31:59 Many people associate alcohol with relaxation and happiness

36:38 Dopamine, exercise and brain ‘tricks’

44:03 True joy comes from connection, curiosity, and enoughness.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram:

Ever caught yourself wondering, “Why is alcohol so hard to control for me?” In this episode Anna Donaghey urges you to challenge the story that the struggle is all your fault. Drawing from her experience as an alcohol mindset coach, author, and strategist, Anna examines why shame and blame are baked into how we talk about drinking and offers a totally different perspective.

Instead of focusing on willpower, Anna explores how social expectations, stress, and our culture’s obsession with alcohol shapes your relationship with drinking. She invites you to shift from self-judgement to compassionate curiosity, uncovering what alcohol actually does for you, and how to move forward with genuine agency (not force).

Listen now for fresh psychological insight, and actionable tools to gently reframe your habits and open new possibilities about rethinking the way you drink.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome to The Big Drink Rethink Podcast

00:53 What if you're not the problem?

01:33 Our culture confuses responsibility with blame

02:23 The dominant narrative comes from Alcoholics Anonymous

05:41 Using alcohol to cope, switching off, easing anxiety, marking the end of the day doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human.

06:27 The real question isn’t “what’s wrong with me?” but “why is this the tool I’ve ended up relying on?”

07:01 Curiosity about what alcohol is doing for you shifts the conversation

07:23 The goal isn’t just to become a non-drinker, but someone who listens to themselves and designs a life they don’t want to escape from

08:23 Struggles with drinking aren’t your fault

09:50 Change begins with curiosity, and honesty

10:09 Rethinking drinking is about being awake in your own life.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn:

This week is a big one for The Big Drink Rethink, with host Anna Donaghey, celebrating publication day and introducing her brand new, first book.

"What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

In this special episode, Anna invites you to continue your reappraisal - not just of alcohol, but what it is you are really craving in life. Rather than pushing rules or labels, she offers practical, compassionate insights drawn from her own journey (and many honest stories from you, the listeners).

At its heart, she invites you to ask a pivotal, different question. Not “Is my drinking bad enough?” but “Is my life good enough?” With warmth and zero preaching, Anna Donaghey welcomes anyone curious, cautious, or somewhere in the grey area, to explore what you really want from life, using gentle tools for awareness and self-discovery.

Whether you’re seeking new possibilities, or just looking to understand what truly drives your drinking, tune in for an uplifting, honest conversation and don’t forget to grab the book, now available everywhere!

1. Amazon: https://amzn.to/47agUn2
2. Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-are-you-thirsty-for/anna-donaghey/9781915780607

Here are the highlights:

00:00 Intro: Anna’s new book - What Are You Thirsty For? is here!

01:07 If you’re in the “grey area” around alcohol, you’re not alone

02:14 How cultural stories about alcohol shape our habits

03:43 The book is flipping the script from “is my drinking bad enough?” to “is my life good enough?”

05:01 The shift from self-judgement to self-inquiry, insights from podcast guests

07:01 Awareness, not rules why most people live in the vast in-between

08:23 The “jobs” we hand to alcohol (and why it never truly delivers)

11:11 What changed for Anna

12:05 Who the book is really written for

14:22 Designing your life by choice, not out of habit, find a pathway back to yourself

15:31 This isn’t just about alcohol; it’s about the life you want.

Anna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: https://www.winetowatercoaching.com/unstuck-1

To further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experiment

And apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listener.

If you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing...

Struggling to keep your momentum as the novelty of cutting back on drinking starts to wear off? You’re not alone. In this third mini episode, Anna Donaghey returns with five practical, pressure-free ideas to support you through January, especially when willpower is fading and real-life challenges kick in.

Building on previous mindset shifts, Anna sidesteps perfection and “shoulds,” guiding you to focus on what you actually want from life (not just what you’re trying to avoid). She invites listeners to rethink their motivation, reframe inevitable wobbles as valuable learning moments, and gently plan supportive evenings that help you feel safe and soothed and not stressed.

You’ll learn the ultimate nervous system hack (intentional breathing), why small rituals matter more than big gestures, and why celebrating tiny gains is the most powerful way to stay on track.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome back to the mini series, for a new year kickstart

01:09 The novelty wears off, how to get real momentum in sober curiosity

01:31 Five simple, practical ideas, not willpower, but gentle support

01:49 Swap “not allowed” thinking for “is my life good enough right now?”

02:42 Motivation from desire, not discipline or fear

03:18 The pull towards a better life is stronger than willpower

04:39 Wobbles are normal, it takes time to learn new habits

07:12 Treat setbacks with curiosity, not moral judgment

07:34 Plan evenings lightly, enjoy tiny, soothing rituals

10:12 The incredible power of intentional breathing (box breathing)

13:39 Pay attention to what’s getting better

14:32 Pick one idea to shape your evening, even if it’s gentle and small

14:54 What if this month was about becoming someone you feel good being?

15:04 The journey continues with more episodes and resources.

Anna’s group coaching community ‘Unstuck!’ helps identify your alcohol ‘stories’ and beliefs, breaking the cycle of alcohol and all the shame that goes with it. For more information and to find out how to join, please follow this link: https://www.winetowatercoaching.com/unstuck-1

To further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experiment

And apply the code POD99 to purchase for just £99 as a podcast listener.

If you’re loving the podcast and would like to give Anna a warm, fuzzy feeling of appreciation, then you can buy her a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram:...