Jun 21

“Bad habits are spiraling slides that drag you round and round down the narrowing end of a cone that eventually ends up in a dark, tight, confining spot. Good habits are hooked wings that steadily grow in girth and strength. At first, they grasp and climb until those beautiful wings can lift the bearer out of the darkness and above the clouds to heights few ever experience.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Slaying Dragons: Quotes, Poetry, & a few Short Stories for Every Day of the Year

This week’s guest knows a lot about the impact habits can have on our lives, both in a positive and negative way. Over 5 years ago she made the decision to take a hard look at her own bad habits and has gone on to help other women do the same thing, specifically around issues related to alcohol. This week I sat down with the Founder of Sober Sis, Jenn Kautsch. Jenn and I discuss how we can have a regimen of good habits and still be enslaved by negative ones that compromise us in profound ways. See below for Jenn’s bio:

"I'm Jenn (aka SoberSis). I'm a new empty-nester and people ask me all the time what I'm going to do in this next season of my life. Well, you're looking at it. I feel passionate about making it safe for women to have a conversation about alcohol without judgment, labels, or rules. I'm a retired "grey area" drinker. Around the middle of my 40's, I was tired, feeling stuck on auto-pilot, and ready for a change. I didn't want to enter the big 5-0 the way I did 40. I took a closer look at my life. My health...mental, physical, and spiritual. I began to find out ways to have more energy, better sleep, and really stay present in my own life. I began to realize wine wasn't doing me any real favors. In fact, it was undoing a lot of my hard work during the day (I call it the detox just to retox loop). It had also become like an emotional crutch to lean on during times of anxiety or even boredom!

So, I started the 21-day reset for women because I wanted to share what I have learned and experienced first hand. Currently, close to 20,000 women from all over the world have participated. We're more of a sisterhood and a real community of women pursuing being present and soberminded. Each person has the opportunity and space to renegotiate their relationship with alcohol. We are not a sobriety club although many of us do choose to enjoy an alcohol free lifestyle.

I've spent time taking a break from drinking without having to use willpower or feeling deprived. In fact, I'd say it has turned into more of a mindful lifestyle. Learning the science behind what my body/mind was experiencing has empowered me to make different choices. It's like I was living a somewhat divided life, constantly feeling in conflict and stuck in an internal tug-of-war. God really brought me freedom by bringing together the mind-body-spirit connection so I could live a more wholehearted life. That's how I want to live now in my 50's and beyond.

Joshua Frank