Podcast
Take a Break from Drinking
Hosted by Rachel Hart · EN
Tired of breaking your promise to go easy on the drinks tonight? You know your nightly habit isn't great for your health or waistline, but it's so hard to say no.
Sound familiar? Then you need Rachel. She knows what it's like to be fed up with your drinking, worried about judgment from others, and turned off by approaches that focus on a higher power instead of brain science.
Learn the exact steps she used to change her relationship with alcohol. Discover how the brain works, the real reason you crave a drink, the key to changing your desire, and how to decide what's right for you.
Create a life that is fun, spontaneous, relaxing, and, most importantly, pleasurable (no buzz necessary).
For her latest free class, visit linktr.ee/rachelhart or check out rachelhart.com for show notes and more.
48episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
480: Tolerating the discomfort of not having another drink
4d ago00:13:26Tap to summarizeIt might feel like the hardest part of drinking less is forcing yourself to stop, but what if the discomfort isn't coming from wanting more at all? This week, we're taking a closer look at what really happens in the moment you decide not to have another drink. You'll discover why wanting and liking aren't the same thing, why pleasure naturally fades whether you keep drinking or not, and how your brain's running commentary can trick you into believing that stopping is what feels so uncomfortable. 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/480
Transcribe →479: How do I get back on track after I slip up and drink too much?
2w ago00:19:19Tap to summarizeMaking progress with your drinking doesn't mean you'll never have another night where you drink more than you intended. But what happens next can either keep you stuck or become the most valuable part of the learning process. In this episode, we're exploring why the idea that you need to "get back on track" after drinking too much may actually be keeping you trapped in the same cycle. 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/479
Transcribe →478: I've made so much progress with my drinking. So why doesn't it feel any easier? [Listener Q&A]
3w ago00:19:38Tap to summarizeHave you ever wondered why, even though you've made so much progress with your drinking, it still feels like alcohol takes up way too much space in your mind? Tune in this week to learn why feeling stuck doesn't mean you've stopped making progress. You'll hear the difference between drinking less and needing alcohol less, why anticipation and worry can keep alcohol at the center of your thinking, and how measuring progress by what occupies your attention can be far more meaningful than simply counting drinks. 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/478
Transcribe →477: Chasing the Sweet Spot with Your Drinking
4w ago00:14:36Tap to summarizeHave you ever found yourself trying to hit the perfect buzz? Enough to feel relaxed or more confident, but not so much that you wake up the next morning wishing you had stopped sooner. It's easy to think the answer is simply finding and maintaining your sweet spot, but what if that's not actually possible? This week, we're exploring why so many people chase the perfect buzz and why it can feel so frustrating when you can't seem to stay there. You'll learn what happens when impatience, anticipation, and the brain's reward system combine, and how misunderstanding the temporary nature of pleasure can keep you stuck in a cycle of drinking more than you intended. Discover how letting go of the need to hold onto a feeling can completely change the way you think about drinking. 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/477
Transcribe →476: Why You Can Always Find a Good Reason to Drink
Jul 700:25:41Tap to summarizeDoes it ever feel like your brain can always come up with a good reason to drink? Maybe you've had a stressful day. Maybe it's a celebration. Maybe you've been "good" all week. Whatever the situation, the excuse always seems to make perfect sense in the moment. This week, we're exploring a concept called the Rolodex of excuses and why your brain is so good at flipping through one justification after another whenever you try to change your drinking. You'll learn why these thoughts aren't signs that drinking is the right choice, but simply well-practiced permission slips your brain has learned to offer because they've been rewarded so many times before. 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/476
Transcribe →475: What if you just love drinking? [Listener Q&A]
Jun 3000:17:33Tap to summarizeDoes it feel impossible to change your drinking because part of you genuinely loves it? Listen in this week to learn why the statement "I just love drinking" isn't actually the full story and how getting more specific about what you love can completely change the way you approach the habit. You'll discover why you don't need to convince yourself that you hate drinking in order to drink less, and why curiosity is more useful than judgment. 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/475
Transcribe →474: Stop Waiting for Your Urges to Go Away
Jun 2300:13:38Tap to summarizeSo many people believe they'll finally be able to drink less once they stop wanting the drink. Once the cravings go away. Once saying no feels easy. But what if waiting for those things to disappear is actually what's keeping you stuck? This week, discover why the desire for alcohol isn't the obstacle you think it is and why lasting change doesn't come from eliminating temptation. You'll hear why cravings, justifications, and excuses are a normal part of having a human brain, how making them a problem gives them more power, and what happens when you stop waiting for the urge to go away and start learning how to respond differently instead. 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/474
Transcribe →473: Ooh, free drinks! [Thought Swap]
Jun 1600:20:59Tap to summarizeWhy does a free drink feel so much harder to turn down than one you have to pay for? Whether it's an open bar, a complimentary cocktail, or a glass of champagne handed to you at an event, "free" can create a surprising sense of urgency. Suddenly, passing it up can feel wasteful, even when drinking doesn't align with what you really want. This week, we're unpacking how survival instincts, scarcity thinking, and drink archetypes like the Upgrade and Reward can make free alcohol feel especially tempting. 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/473
Transcribe →472: Why Boredom Makes You Want a Drink (and What Your Brain is Really Craving)
Jun 900:28:14Tap to summarizeWhat if boredom isn't the problem, but the doorway to something you've been avoiding? When drinking becomes your go-to solution for dull moments, quiet evenings, or a lack of excitement, it can seem like alcohol is what makes life interesting. But what if boredom is trying to show you something important instead? Tune in this week to learn how to reframe boredom as a normal human emotion rather than something to fear or escape. You'll learn why modern life has trained your brain to constantly seek stimulation, how alcohol becomes part of that reward-seeking cycle, and why the more you rely on entertainment, distraction, or drinking to avoid boredom, the harder boredom can feel. You'll also discover what your brain is really craving when boredom strikes, and how learning to tolerate. 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/472
Transcribe →471: I love the taste of my favorite drink [Thought Swap]
Jun 200:25:50Tap to summarizeDoes saying no to a drink feel hard because you genuinely love the taste? When alcohol feels tied to pleasure, sophistication, or making an experience feel more special, cutting back can seem pointless or even joyless. After all, why deny yourself something you truly enjoy? In this Thought Swap episode, we're exploring the belief "I love the taste of my favorite drink" through a different lens. Instead of trying to demonize alcohol or convince yourself that you shouldn't enjoy it, this episode focuses on curiosity. 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/471
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