Take a Break from Drinking: Practical Tools to Drink Less & Change Your Relationship with Alcohol

Latest Episodes:

457: How do I stop going to the bar in the afternoon? [Listener Q&A] Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Why does the pull to go to the bar in the afternoon feel almost automatic?

If you've ever found yourself heading out for an after-work drink and wondering why you can't seem to stop, you're not alone. The truth is, the after-work drink works. It changes how you feel fast. And that's exactly why the pattern can feel so hard to break.

In this Listener Q&A episode, you'll hear Michael's question about how to stop going to the bar in the afternoon. You'll learn why the issue isn't a lack of discipline and why willpower keeps failing, how to interrupt autopilot patterns, and how to build new end-of-day transition strategies that actually meet your needs.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/457

456: Alcohol, Ego & the Fear of Looking Weak Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

What's behind the pressure to drink, and why do we feel the need to prove we can handle it?

In today's episode, guest coach Patrick Fox is here to discuss how ego and the fear of looking weak shape drinking behaviors, especially for men. While this conversation focuses on masculinity, the themes are relevant for anyone who has ever thought, "I don't want anyone to think I have a problem."

Listen in to hear Patrick's insights on the cultural pressures that encourage men to drink, especially in social and professional settings. You'll also learn how ego and the fear of looking weak perpetuate drinking patterns, why shifting your relationship with alcohol starts with recognizing your own values, and how reframing your thinking can help you break free from these pressures.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/456

455: The Power of Delaying a Drink Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

What if changing your drinking didn't have to start with quitting, cutting back, or figuring everything out?

For many people, the hardest part of the habit isn't the drink itself, but the moment the urge shows up and feels impossible to ignore. That pressure can make it seem like change has to be dramatic or all-or-nothing to count.

This week, you'll learn a deceptively simple shift that can interrupt the habit without triggering panic or white-knuckling: delay. Listen in to hear how delaying the drink helps you get off autopilot, especially during the evening witching hour, why creating space between the urge and the action helps your brain learn something new, and why even imperfect attempts still matter.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/455

454: Why Sports and Drinking Feel So Connected Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Why does watching sports without a drink feel like something is missing?

Whether you love the game, tolerate it, or just see it as an excuse to get together, alcohol can feel baked into the entire experience. When you start thinking about drinking less, this connection can make it feel like sports, parties, or even belonging itself won't be the same.

Listen in this week to learn why sports and drinking feel so connected and what's really happening in your brain when alcohol isn't there. You'll hear how expectations, not necessity, drive that uneasy or restless feeling, why your brain often interprets "unexpected" as "something's wrong," and how to relate differently to boredom, excitement, or social pressure on game day.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/454

453: Afraid You'll Lose Friends If You Stop Drinking? Listen to This. [Listener Q&A] Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

If you've ever worried that not drinking will make you boring, wondered whether your friendships can survive without alcohol, or if part of you thinks maybe you should just have one drink to keep things normal, this episode is for you.

In this week's listener Q&A, you'll hear a question from Sean, who fears losing his friendships if he stops joining in with drinking.

Tune in to learn why you believe you need alcohol to be your "best self," what's really happening when you drink to feel comfortable socially, and how to access the ease and connection you want without needing a chemical mute button.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/453

452: Why Fear-Based Motivation and Replacing Alcohol with Food Doesn't Bring Relief [Listener Q&A] Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

What if the pressure you're putting on yourself to change your drinking is actually the very thing keeping you stuck?

In this episode, I answer a question from a listener named Deb who feels like she's on her last chance to get her drinking under control. She's caught in a familiar loop of replacing alcohol with snacking, and the frustration is palpable. But the real problem isn't the drink or the snack. So what is?

Tune in this week to learn why fear-based motivation bypasses the emotional skill-building you actually need to create change, how to break the cycle of replacing alcohol with food (and why it happens), and the counterintuitive truth about discomfort that changes everything.

Break the cycle of temporary challenges and learn how to make alcohol feel truly optional during my three-day Reset Your Drinking workshop starting January 21st, 2026. Click here to secure your ticket and discover how to find your "off switch" for lasting change: https://rachelhart.com/january/

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/452

451: The Identity Shift That Comes Before Drinking Less [Listener Q&A] Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a strong desire to change your drinking and yet, you're not where you want to be?

In this episode, I'm answering a question from a listener named Chris who's frustrated that he's still drinking more than he wants to, despite trying to make healthier choices. He's switched from hard liquor to premixed cans and is concerned about what his daily drinking is doing to his health.

Tune in this week to hear how Chris's question speaks to so many things people are thinking about in the new year: the identity shift that comes with trying to drink less, the anxiety about how drinking may be impacting your health, and the frustration that despite so much effort, you're not where you want to be.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/451

450: When Dry January Has Already Fallen to the Wayside Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

So many of you start the new year with the best intentions to cut back on drinking, only to find yourself slipping up within the first few days or weeks.

Maybe you promised yourself you'd cut back on drinking this year, but then life happened. A stressful day at work. An awkward social situation. A craving that felt impossible to ignore. And now your brain is telling you that you've failed, that nothing matters, that you might as well give up.

Tune in this week to learn why that first slip-up isn't actually the problem, and what is. You'll discover high-quality questions to ask yourself after a setback that will help you build awareness instead of shame, and how to redefine success beyond perfect streaks.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/450

449: If You Doubt Your Plan for Drinking Less in the New Year Will Stick Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

If you're feeling more tired and doubtful than inspired about the New Year, especially when it comes to changing your drinking habits, you're not alone.

We're sold this fantasy that the New Year is a magical time to create change, but massive change is always built through tiny steps. Instead of trying to figure out how to completely overhaul your drinking habits, I'm proposing something different: focusing on just a 10% shift.

Listen in this week to hear three questions that will help you identify what a small but meaningful change would look like in your drinking habits, especially if you doubt your plan for drinking less will stick.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/449

448: Ask Me Anything About Your Drinking Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever felt like you're the only one who can't get a handle on your drinking? Like all the success and determination you have in other areas of your life just disappears when it comes to alcohol?

For years, I carried so much shame about my drinking. I'd go to therapy and talk about everything else in my life, but never broach this topic. When I searched for answers online, everything pointed to the idea that some people are powerless over alcohol. That's why I'm excited to share something new with you on this episode.

Tune in this week to hear how you can submit your drinking questions directly to me, starting right now. Whether you're worried about cravings, excuses, other people's opinions, or feeling like it's too late to change, I'm here to help you see there's an answer that doesn't make YOU the problem.

Find a personalized approach that helps you change your habit in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Less, here: https://rachelhart.com/guide/

Discover alternative approaches to drinking less inside our membership program, Take a Break: https://rachelhart.com/tab/

Get the full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://rachelhart.com/448

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