To 50 and Beyond

Episode 242 So many women realize that their drinking is not “normal.”  Women have a vision of what a normal drinker looks like, and a lot of women, including myself, wish to be one.  So, what happens when you realize you’re not?  My guest today is a listener of To 50 and Beyond who volunteered courageously to share her journey to sobriety with us.  I’m honored to share the incredible Maria with you today.  Maria is here to talk about what was happening in her life when she started drinking, and when she realized that she was not a normal drinker, and how she decided to stop drinking.  Maria also shares a spot-on vision of what she believes a normal drinker is! Maria will share the importance of joining a community, being vulnerable, and finding tools to help you start your a/f journey. Thanks for listening today, my friend! I'm with you.    If you would like to reach out to Maria, please send her an email.    To read this episode's full show notes, click here.   Resources mentioned in this episode:  To join the Booze Free Brigade, send a request to Elizabeth Cloud on Facebook  Hello Someday Coaching  Payton Kennedy's Expand Beyond Recovery  Soberful Podcast with Veronica Valli   Say hello! Use the “Dear Lori” listener feedback form and share your thoughts about this episode with me or reach out to be a guest!   Join Team Alcohol-Free™ Founding Member enrollment before 4/7/23 here.         

Episode 241    Thank you for listening today! This is a short episode from my heart about why I think exploring your relationship matters later in life.  I talk about my relationship with alcohol and how it changed over three decades, and what to highlight when exploring the role that alcohol plays in your life.  Wherever you are on your a/f journey, I'm with you!  Disclaimer:  I’m talking about missing the relationship with alcohol in this episode. If you feel like hearing about the nostalgia of drinking will take you back, please, my friend, step away from this episode. It will always be here when you're ready.    Please share your thoughts on this episode by filling in the Dear Lori Listener Feedback form.    Join Team Alcohol-Free™ my new community and home of The Alcohol-Free Habit Kickstart 30-Day Challenge starting April 11th!      

Feeling awkward when you don’t drink and other people are, especially if you’ve been a drinker like me, is a real thing. If you’re here because you know this feeling and you’re tired of it or you avoid doing things you love because of feeling awkward, this episode is for you. In this episode, I talk about three different “awkward” scenarios when you’re around people who drink and you're sober.  To read this episode's full show notes, click here.  To join the enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free, click here.  Say hello! Use the “Dear Lori” listener feedback form and share your thoughts about this episode with me.

Episode 239  You are not alone if you drink to manage shyness and blushing. I have for most of my (which is a long time;). The ultimate message of this episode is to encourage all of us to be ourselves, and no longer hide and use alcohol to be someone we’re not.  Please share your story with me or leave me feedback for this episode, by using the listener feedback from, Dear Lori, here.  Join the early enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free, my new program, challenge, and community for women over 35, here. To learn more about me and this episode, visit https://www.lorimassicot.com/to-50-and-beyond-podcast Resources mentioned:  Insight Timer app   

We all mess up! Practicing forgiveness towards ourselves and moving on is not always easy.  Today, we're answering a listener's question: How do you deal with “messing up” repeatedly? I’ve had so many day ones throughout the past year. I feel like I can’t get “this” right. And the “this” is sobriety.  To the person who sent this question, I thank you for sharing this with me. I’m with you, and so are my guests Anne and Leigh Walkup! The dynamic Kentucky twin sisters are back on the podcast for the 4th time!  Anne and Leigh are the Founders of Retro Rodeo Publishing, LLC and Front Porch Life Magazine - a beautifully curated seasonal magazine full of story, emotion, and lots of delicious recipes! They have been sober for 7 years and I will link their past episodes in the notes to hear their stories.  What you'll hear in this episode: The gal's views on “messing up” in life   The challenges of getting sober and expectations Why it’s important to accept disappointment in ourselves Their experience with taking 30-day breaks  How our identity is tied to being a drinker  How to shift out of your “drinking identity”  How to focus on forgiving yourself before others  Why the language of sobriety can mess you up and what to focus on instead  How to move on by taking action  The main message here is we all mess up, you are human, and you are never alone.  Read this episode's full show notes here.    Anne and Leigh on To 50 and Beyond:  Episode 190: How to Build Discipline   Find Anne & Leigh here:  The Southern Lady Cooks The Front Porch Life Magazine Instagram: Front Porch Life Magazine The Southern Lady Cooks Facebook: The Southern Lady Cooks   Join Team Alcohol-Free early enrollment list.  To 50 and Beyond Listener Feedback form   

Episode 237 Listen to all episodes here.  Hello, friend! This episode is for you if you find your drinking is not what it used to be and you are questioning whether or not you should take a break from drinking.  In this episode, I will talk about what a break from drinking is to give you a different perspective. I talk about how much time a break should be, and why quality vs. quantity matters most during your break. I will talk about the five signs that it may be time to take a break from drinking in midlife and beyond and give you insight into how a break from drinking can help you.  To listen to my story of why I quit drinking at 45, click here.  Thank you for listening! Read this episode's full show notes here.   Would you like to share feedback from this episode?  Share your thoughts or questions or topic suggestions, here.   Get early access to Team Alcohol-Free. Join the enrollment list here.     

Episode 236  Hello there, friend!  Thank you for tuning into this episode with my guest, Jeff Graham, a This Naked Mind Coach and sober gentleman.  Jeff is here to talk about the influence that alcohol had on life from a young age in the 80s to when he was 56 and got sober.  Jeff talks openly about how alcohol affected his marriage, his anxiety, and how his first panic attack in his late twenties changed how he used alcohol.  Enjoy this episode!    Please click here if you would like to send me feedback or suggestions for upcoming episodes.  To read this episode's full show notes, please click here.  To learn more about Jeff, please visit his website.    If you want to join Team Alcohol-Free, my new community for midlife and beyond women, get on the early enrollment list here.  Enrollment opens February 22, 2023         

Episode 235  Hey there, friend!  It's not too late to plan your 2023 theme and word of the year!  In this episode, I walk you through how I recapped 2022, what I learned about myself after Thanksgiving, the challenges I faced as a mom, and how I chose my theme of the year, and WOTY.  You can read the full show notes here.  Thank you for listening. I appreciate you. xo  Lori    I want to connect with you in 2023! I want to hear about topics or guests you would like to hear on the podcast, and any takeaways you had while listening to the episode. This will help me create episodes that you want to hear!  Please take a few minutes to leave me feedback here.    Click here to join the early enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free.                   

Episode 234  Let's face it. As we age, our bodies change, making it more difficult to take care of them.  When the stresses of life are derailing your rigid eating plans or intense workouts are leaving you sore and tired, you have to find a realistic way to stay healthy.  Thankfully, my guest Amy Connell has developed a plan for women to "break the rules" of traditional health and reach their goals while acknowledging the outside factors we all face.  Giving yourself grace and acknowledging how you really feel in your mind and body is key to creating a sustainable, healthy life.  What You'll Discover Six things women in their 40s should implement into their weekly rhythms  Finding freedom in health by breaking all the rules The real reasons we take care of ourselves How to leave space for your stressors but focus on the moment more  Amy Connell is a certified personal trainer who wants you to take a rest day and a nutrition coach who wants you to enjoy dessert.  You can read this episode's show notes here.    To join the enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free, click here.      

Episode 233  Happy New Year, friend! I'm so glad you are here today.  This year on the podcast,  I will explore more about our identity and the stories we tell ourselves to help you begin the process of changing any narrative you believe about yourself that is no longer true or serving your best self.  With so much of our identity wrapped up in "what we do," I reached out to my phenomenal guest today, Dr. Carol Parker Walsh, to help you examine and explore reinventing your professional identity in midlife and beyond.  Dr. Walsh is an expert in her field. She is an executive and leadership coach helping her clients showcase their brilliance and design an epic career and life that matters. She's an award-winning certified organizational consultant, career and personal brand strategist, executive coach, a TEDx presenter, 3x Amazon best-selling author, international keynote, and member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Newsweek Expert Forum, Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, and Entrepreneur Leadership Network. In this episode, you will learn: How to transition out of your current career Why you shouldn't let money hold you back from change What we can learn from the younger generation  How to turn the skills you already have into a career or business To read this episode's full show notes, click here.  Thank you for listening today, and I wish you nothing but the BEST in 2023.    Are you ready to BE alcohol-free in 2023?  Join the enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free today!   Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Private Coaching Are you interested in working closely to quit drinking for good?   Schedule a complimentary discovery session to learn more about how private sobriety coaching can help you find joy and confidence in sobriety.   Click here to schedule your session.              

Episode 232  The holidays are challenging for us all in some ways; adding in sobriety, it may seem a bit more challenging, so I’m coming to you today just to let you know that you are not alone if you are feeling the pressure this holiday and are having drinking thoughts like, it’s the holiday, I can get back on track with sobriety in the New Year- it’s normal they come and go, and sometimes they feel like they linger FOREVER, but they don’t, they are fleeting just like alcohol - it may promise you a good time, but it only lasts for about 20-minutes.In this episode, I want to highlight the importance of honoring your choice not to drink to help you stay on track and also to help you build your a/f muscle.  I will talk about my drinking thoughts during the holiday and what I would say to myself during my first few holidays to help you work through whatever is happening in your life and stay a/f this season. From me to you, no matter if you’ve been alcohol-free for a day, a week, 100 days, a year, or 5+ years, we need support during the holidays to ensure we honor our decision not to drink.  I'm with you!  Happy holidays!    To read this episode's full show notes, please click here. Join the enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free, my new community, and programs designed to help women over 35 go and stay alcohol-free in 2023.     

Episode 231   Welcome to a wonderful episode with one of my favorite alcohol-free friends: Meg Lomas.  I'm so happy you are here!  I met Meg during my Elevate group coaching program in 2021 and instantly fell in love with her personality and zest for travel and adventure.  Meg is retired and just turned 60 this year. She has a heart of gold and is passionate about connecting with women living an alcohol-free lifestyle and supporting those just getting started.  She is a natural-born cheerleader for others, and it’s been a true gift to be able to watch her learn how to cheer for herself these past two years. I invited Meg to the podcast because I knew her story would be relatable to many women in the tug-of-war of going alcohol-free later in life, being retired, and traveling solo and with groups alcohol-free. Meg shares:  Her drinking story: when she started drinking and how alcohol played a role in her life  How she went back and forth with quitting drinking and what led her to ultimately quit in 2020  How she’s worked through the association with traveling and alcohol  The highlights of traveling alcohol-free later in life  How to take a solo vacation: planning tips, Meg’s favorite destinations  How she spends New Year's Eve to set an intention for the New Year Contact Meg via email at liv2vaca@gmail.com   Thank you so much for listening today!  Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Team Alcohol-Free is coming soon!  Are you ready to "be alcohol-free" in 2023? If you said YES! I want to invite you to join the team!    Team Alcohol-Free is a community for women 35 who work together to create and live an alcohol-free lifestyle.    Early enrollment starts soon.   Join the waitlist to be the first to know when it's open. Click here to join.         

Episode 230 Hello, friend! I'm happy you are here! Journaling is a form of self-reflection or introspection where one accounts for their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is a helpful tool for people who want to reduce their stress levels & anxiety and can also be an effective recovery tool for those recovering from addiction. Whether you are looking for ways to improve yourself or want to explore what's going on in your life, journaling can help you get there. In episode 230, I'm joined by Noelle Van Vlierbergen (for the second time!), a certified life & addiction recovery coach and the author of the book; The Sober Leap: Practical Wisdom to Create an Amazing Life Beyond Addiction. What You'll Discover What led Noelle to get sober Common misconceptions about journaling Benefits of journaling in life and recovery Alternatives to journaling if you don't like to write Tips on how to be consistent with journaling How journaling helps reduce stress and anxiety Tips on how to start a journal practice   To connect with Noelle, please visit the following: Website: https://noellevan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellev/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobermoxie/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sobermoxie   Resources Mentioned High Functioning Alcoholism with Noelle (Episode 24)  Journal: Day by Daybook by Noelle Van Vlierbergen (enter code Lori20 at checkout for 20% off until 1/15/23) Motivational program for individuals in recovery or living a sober lifestyle: Sober Design Studio   Thank you for listening!    Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Private Coaching Are you interested in working closely to quit drinking for good?   Schedule a complimentary discovery session to learn more about how private sobriety coaching can help you find joy and confidence in sobriety.   Click here to schedule your session.                    

Episode 229 Listen to all episodes here.   Ah, the magic of a “good” night's sleep in midlife is pure gold, yet sleep doesn't come easy for most women. You are not alone if you are desperate to get quality sleep!  My guest today is Morgan Adams, a certified holistic sleep coach who assists women in reclaiming their rest & health by helping them to sleep better.  Morgan shares her sleep story and what prompted her to become a women’s sleep coach. Morgan also discusses how alcohol affects sleep, the benefits of good sleep in midlife, and the importance of sleep studies. Moreover, she talks about the causes of sleep apnea in women and its treatment and shares tips for getting better sleep. To read this episode's full show notes with resources, click here.  Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.    

Episode 228  Listen to all episodes here.  The purpose of this episode is to help you create a plan for yourself leading up to and after a holiday party, a get-together with friends, or a work event where you would typically drink, so you don’t. I also talk about my social anxiety today, FOMO, what you’re really missing out on if you don’t drink, and some fun practical tips to stay a/f!  I’m here to help you take care of yourself and protect your energy and your sobriety, whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert, so you don’t wake up the next morning saying, “you did it again - you drank when you said you wouldn’t” - instead, you will wake up saying - I’m so proud of myself! YAY, ME! I’m blowing my damn mind!   What You'll Discover in this episode: How to organize your thoughts to calm your nerves  Why planning for socializing is beneficial in staying alcohol-free  Tips to plan pre-party The importance of making a plan to “get ready” for the party  Tips to help you navigate social settings  How to choose a reward to treat yourself with post-party   Click here to join the enrollment list for Team Alcohol-Free.  If you like this episode, you'll enjoy these too!  How Are You Spending Your Energy? Going Alcohol-Free Later in Life Midlife Women and Drinking  

Episode 227 This is a very special episode with three women who are very special to me on the road to alcohol freedom later in life. If you are on this road, you know it's not linear. I invited three extraordinary women, Kathy, Karen, and Margie, who are members of my group coaching program, The Alcohol-Free Habit, to join me in a conversation about the decision to go a/f later in life. These brave women share what led them to look at their drinking, where they are today with their drinking, and their favorite practical tips to help you on your road to alcohol freedom.   If you like this episode, you'll enjoy these too!  Coming to Terms with Sobriety Midlife Women and Drinking Why Drinking is Harder than Sobriety in Midlife    Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Lori's website

Episode 226 As the holidays approach, it is a great time to check in with yourself and create a self-care practice that starts with some unconventional practices.  The holidays are not easy. From grieving the loss of loved ones to feeling stressed due to work obligations and family drama - we can tend to put ourselves on the back burner and say, “I’ll start taking care of myself on January 1st; let me just get through the holiday."  So, let’s make a pact to lessen our loads and make time for ourselves to do what we want this holiday which is the ultimate form of self-care, so we set the tone for 2023 to care for ourselves throughout the year.  In this episode, I share 10 ideas that are a bit more outside the box to help you create a self-practice that impacts your daily life and holiday season.  To read this episode's full show notes, please click here.  Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Private Coaching Are you interested in working closely to quit drinking for good?   Schedule a complimentary discovery session to learn more about how private sobriety coaching can help you find joy and confidence in sobriety.   Click here to schedule your session.     Listen to More Episodes  Going Alcohol-Free Later in Life You Don't Have to Skip to the Good Part in Sobriety 10 Ways to Get in the Habit of Living Alcohol-Free        

Episode 225  One of the most powerful tools we have in sobriety is personal development.  Personal development like books, podcasts (like this one;), meditation, exercise...the list goes on are what will help you stay sober.  Matt Pink, my incredible guest today, has firsthand experience using personal development to help him feel more confident when he decided to quit drinking.  Listen in to Matt's story and how he found personal development, and discover simple tips to help you get started in your own self-improvement practice.  About Matt:  Matt Pink has taken the alcohol-free world by storm since starting his @better_life_guy Instagram account in 2021, amassing a significant following and pioneering some of the largest alcohol-free events ever seen in the UK. Matt is the author of the Amazon best-selling book ‘Better me, Better you’ which was released in November 2021. Matt has been alcohol-free since April 21st, 2020, and has since fully qualified as an alcohol-free coach. He is also the co-founder of dryyapp, which he will talk about today.  He now sees his purpose in life as helping as many people as possible to remove alcohol from their life. To connect with Matt, please visit: Website: https://www.betterlifeguy.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterlifeguy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/better_life_guy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-pink-a8444213/ I thank you for listening, my friend. Take care of yourself. Peace.    Please click here to read this episode's full show notes for the resources mentioned.    Do you want to stay in touch?  Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.    

Episode 224 Hey there, my friend! I'm glad you are here.  I recently listened to a book on audible, At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor, by Carey Nieuwhof, which inspired this episode.  With the holidays coming up and so many of us taking on too much and saying yes to everyone but ourselves, it's time to have a conversation about saying no.  In this episode, I briefly discuss a personal update and what my family has been going through for the past couple of months before leading into the topic of saying no.  I also talk about obligations and being an obliger from The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin as I walk you through how to implement a six-step (simple) strategy from At Your Best that you can start practicing today.  Please email me if you're in the San Diego area and would like to meet up.  To read this episode's full show notes, please click here.    Let's stay in touch! Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence in living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   PRIVATE COACHING Are you interested in working closely to quit drinking for good? Schedule a complimentary discovery session to learn more about how private sobriety coaching can help you find joy and confidence in sobriety. Click here to schedule your session.          

Episode 223  Having a sense of self-worth is crucial for our emotional and mental health. It can be challenging to find the inner strength to pursue our dreams when we constantly deal with feelings of low self-worth. Many people who lack self-worth turn to substance abuse as a coping mechanism. However, substance abuse gives you a temporary fix for your problems, but it does not solve them. So how do you work on your self-worth? Today, my guest, Meadow DeVor, is here to help you implement your very own worthy project.   Meadow is a personal development teacher and the author of books; The Worthy Project and Money Love; A Guide to Changing the Way That You Think About Money.  In this episode, Meadow discusses her book, The Worthy Project. She talks about the difference between ideal image & true self, worthless & worthy cycles, and the front door exercise. Moreover, Meadow shares what buying a Gucci dress taught her and how you can start worthy work.  Enjoy this episode. You are worth doing the work.  Peace,  Lori To read this episode's full show, please click here.    DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH? Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   PRIVATE COACHING Are you interested in working closely to quit drinking for good? Schedule a complimentary discovery session to learn more about how private sobriety coaching can help you find joy and confidence in sobriety. Click here to schedule your session.

Episode 222  It's hard to know the signs of narcissistic abuse and complex trauma.  This is why I invited my guest, Dr. Ingrid Clayton, to come on the podcast and share her personal and professional knowledge of dealing with a narcissist and recovering from complex trauma.  Dr. Ingrid is a clinical psychologist and the author of the books; Believing Me: Healing from Narcissistic Abuse and Complex Trauma and Recovering Spirituality: Achieving Emotional Sobriety in Your Spiritual Practice. In this episode, she shares how her book, Believing Me, helped her heal from complex trauma. Dr. Ingrid also talks about the difference between trauma & complex trauma, the symptoms of complex trauma, and shares her experience growing up in an alcoholic home. Moreover, she explains what gaslighting is and how it shows up and shares tips on healing from trauma. To read this episode's show notes, please click here.    Do You Want to Stay in Touch?  Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.        

Episode 222  Clutter is a problem many people face in their homes and offices. We have many things we don’t use, so we get a lot of clutter. When we are constantly surrounded by clutter, it becomes difficult to focus on what’s important. Decluttering helps us simplify our lives and make space for what matters. So how do you start decluttering?  Join the conversation as I interview organizing expert Tracy McCubbin.  Tracy is the CEO of dClutterfly, a Los Angeles premiere organizing and decluttering company, and the author of the books; Making Space, Clutter Free, and Make Space for Happiness: Tracy shares how she developed a decluttering mindset and how she started her decluttering company. She also talks about the importance of decluttering your home before you die and gives tips on how you can start the decluttering process. Click here to read this episode's full show notes.   Thank you for listening! I appreciate you.    Want to stay in touch? Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.  

Episode 220  Today, we are talking about protecting your energy and paying attention to the resistance of low energy, so you stop pushing yourself to burnout.  I heard about a concept from the comedian Whitney Cummings through Laura McKowen’s podcast, Tell Me Something True.  The concept is you have $100 daily to spend on your energy. You have thoughts, feelings, and activities, people who deposit money into your account, and thoughts, feelings, and people that withdraw and overdraw your account.   In this episode, I will talk about activities that may help you gain energy and what drains your energy so you can start balancing your "energy account." I also talk about the energy drain that comes from drinking and hangovers in midlife and how I plan for low-energy days.  Thank you for listening! Peace. Read this episode's full show notes here.   Do you want to stay in touch? Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.        

Episode 219  Have you noticed an increase in your drinking or started drinking later in life? If you said yes! you are not alone. With menopause, grief, and financial and work stress, women choose to start self-soothing with alcohol for the first time in their lives. The good news is, you can get sober over 50 too!  I believe the same reasons we drink are the same reasons we can choose not to.  My guest today, Peggi Cooney, is on the podcast to share her story of starting to drink in her 50s and the methods she used to get sober over 50. What You'll Discover  How Peggi's work as a social worker led to an increase in her drinking What Peggi did the day she quit drinking Alcohol advertisement and its effects on women Peggi’s advice to ladies in their 60s who think it’s too late to quit alcohol Peggi’s top benefits of living a sober lifestyle Her biggest lesson in sobriety About Peggi Peggi is the author of This Side of Alcohol: Random thoughts and candid words of pain, hope, humor, love, and all that is possible in sobriety. – I highly suggest picking this one up!  She is also a social work instructor and coach with a master's in Social Work from California State University, Chico, and spent 16 years in Child Welfare and Adult Protective Services as a social worker. To connect with Peggi, please visit:     Website: https://thissideofalcohol.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thissideofalcohol Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thissideofalcohol/ Grab a copy of This Side of Alcohol book: https://amzn.to/3AGuMFG   To read this episode's full show notes, click here: https://www.lorimassicot.com/219   Connect with Lori    Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.      

Episode 218  Hey there, friend! I'm so happy you're here.  Are you ready to shake your tail feathers and DANCE?  My favorite "life tool" of all is dancing, and when I stopped drinking, I thought "I will never dance again!"  Not knowing in 2013 that dancing would have helped me reduce anxiety, boost my mood, and help me shake my body and all of the "I can't drink tension" out of it - I didn't tap into this wonderful "tool."  I turned to the expert in dancing in recovery, Payton Kennedy, to sit down for a chat about getting older, finding new energy in your 50s, recovering from alcoholism, and dancing as a "life tool" to expand your recovery.  I had so much fun talking to Payton and hearing her words of wisdom as a woman in recovery and dancing mindfulness facilitator and creator of SHE RECOVERS dance. Additionally, Payton is a certified yoga teacher and a certified Life & Professional Recovery Coach. I know you will truly appreciate this episode. As always, thank you for listening.  To listen to this episode's full show notes, click here: https://www.lorimassicot.com/218   To connect with Payton, go here:         Website: https://paytonkennedy.com/         Linkt.ree: https://linktr.ee/PaytonKennedy         Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expand.beyond.recovery/        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Payton-Kennedy-108581850910710   Join the Expand Beyond Recovery membership: https://bit.ly/3AxAjy2   Listen to more episodes here:  Going Alcohol-Free Later in Life You Don't Have to Skip to the Good Part in Sobriety 10 Ways to Get in the Habit of Living Alcohol-Free   Connect with Lori here:    Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Email Lori    Visit Lori's website    

Episode 217  Midlife has come a long way!  In 2022, women in midlife and beyond are stepping into themselves and honoring their choices to live the life they desire.  Gone are the stories of yesteryear that say, “you can’t do that; you’re too old!”  Midlife women are starting businesses, leaving relationships that don’t serve them.  Getting older is an opportunity to shake things up and add a little disruption to your life, as my guest, Star Monroe, will help you do. What You'll Hear Star talks about the status quo in midlife and how we can disrupt it. She also shares how she overcame an addiction to cocaine, severe body hate, and abusive relationships. Star talks about why abstinence from alcohol is not for her and how she has taught herself, and I quote, "not to be an alcoholic," by observing her drinking and learning from her triggers. Additionally, Star shares what inspired her to go back to school and train as a psychotherapist and advises ladies who want to align with their authentic selves. About Star Star Monroe is a leader in the midlife and menopause field with a wealth of experience working closely with women for over 32 years.  Star has dedicated much of her life to studying human behavior and is a certified psychotherapist, eating psychology coach, relationship coach, sex, love & dating coach, somatic bodyworker, dominatrix, and retired showgirl. Star has also navigated her own dark night of the soul, overcoming cocaine addiction, severe body hate, abusive relationships, and bankruptcy. Read full show notes here.   Connect with Star  www.msstarmonroe.com/resources (loads of free midlife resources) www.msstarmonroe.com - website www.instagram.com/msstarmonroe - Instagram   Connect with Lori Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.   Email Lori      

Episode 216  Whether you are a casual drinker, moderate drinking, or heavy drinker, getting and staying sober is one of the most challenging things you can do in life.  Sobriety isn’t taught in school, so when you make the life-changing decision to stop drinking, you may ask, now what?!  If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry - you are not alone, and this episode will help you figure out your first steps.  In episode 216, I am joined by Lane Kennedy and Tamar Medford, the hosts of the You’re Sober! Now What?! who are here to help you navigate early sobriety, forever thinking, and doing the work in long-term sobriety and recovery.  This episode is straight fire - enjoy! and thank you for listening.  Lori  To read this episode's full show notes, click here.    To learn more about Lane and Tamar, please visit:  You're Sober! Now What?! website You're Sober! Now What? on Apple Podcasts You’re Sober! Now What?! Instagram   The Alcohol-Free Habit Enrollment Are you ready to make living alcohol-free second nature? My group coaching program, The Alcohol-Free Habit, opens for early enrollment from 8/24 - 9/1.  Spaces are limited. Join my early enrollment list to get first dibs! Click here to join.   Do you want to stay in touch?  Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.  

Episode 215  Creating and living an alcohol-free lifestyle is beyond possible later in life, but I sure didn't think it was when I quit drinking in 2013.  I didn't have other women who were working on sobriety which made it difficult in social situations, and my mindset was stuck in "this is forever! how will I ever stay sober forever!?" In this episode, I will share 3 ways to help you find all of the possibilities in living alcohol-free later in life.  I talk about finding community, sticking to your standards (not the drinking culture), and how to practice simple mindset shifts to help you keep going.  To read this episode's full show notes, click here: https://www.lorimassicot.com/215   THE ALCOHOL-FREE HABIT ENROLLMENT: Are you ready to make living alcohol-free second nature? My group coaching program, The Alcohol-Free Habit, opens for early enrollment from 8/24 - 8/28.   Spaces are limited. Join my early enrollment list to get first dibs! Click here to join.   DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH? Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.        

Episode 214  It’s never too late until it’s too late, Eileen Greene.  I had the pleasure of sitting with Eileen Greene to talk about life, aging, regrets, and practicing acceptance and forgiveness in ourselves and others. After reading about Eileen and watching her Ted Talk, I knew that her achievements later in life would be an incredible reminder for us all to go after what we want, no matter our age or circumstance. Email Eileen to learn more about her Life Coaching services. To read this episode's full show notes, click here. EARLY ENROLLMENT ACCESS! Are you ready to make living alcohol-free second nature? My group coaching program, The Alcohol-Free Habit, opens for early enrollment from 8/24 - 8/28. Spaces are limited. Join my early enrollment list to get first dibs! Click here to join.   DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH? Join Lori's email community to receive inspiration and tips on how to find joy + confidence living alcohol-free later in life. Click here to join the mailing list.      

Episode 214  I’ve talked about why I quit drinking several times throughout episodes over the years, but I’ve never recorded one episode where my WHY lives.  I’m dedicating this episode to folks - women and men in the middle of life and beyond who are pondering sobriety. For some of you, it may be something you are hyper-focused on, like I was for a couple of years, and for others, it may be a curiosity.  If you are experiencing decision fatigue on whether or not to quit drinking or take a break from alcohol, this episode may help you gain a different perspective on going alcohol-free later in life and ease some of your worries about "I won't be able to drink...forever." We are in this together. I'm super pumped you're here!  To read this episode's full show notes, click here.  To join The Alcohol-Free Habit Fall session "get excited list," click here.