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A Sober Girls Guide Podcast

Natasha Schmid: Chasing Instant Gratification

Who can relate to chasing instant gratification? Rushing, pushing, doing anything and everything to self-soothe and fill voids in your life. When we are moving and reacting from this place, we are constantly succumbing to our knee-jerk reactions and this is exactly how we get stuck in patterns and behaviors that may have served us in the past but hurt our growth and steal our joy today. Natasha is no stranger to chasing instant gratification. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what traveling as a flight attendant looks like and how to change your relationship with alcohol and find some sense of grounding even when you are a mile high in the air.

Duration:
44m
Broadcast on:
16 Aug 2024
Audio Format:
mp3

Who can relate to chasing instant gratification? Rushing, pushing, doing anything and everything to self-soothe and fill voids in your life. When we are moving and reacting from this place, we are constantly succumbing to our knee-jerk reactions and this is exactly how we get stuck in patterns and behaviors that may have served us in the past but hurt our growth and steal our joy today. Natasha is no stranger to chasing instant gratification. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what traveling as a flight attendant looks like and how to change your relationship with alcohol and find some sense of grounding even when you are a mile high in the air.

 

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Welcome to a Sober Girl's Guide podcast, a lifestyle podcast based on sobriety and recovery. I'm your host and sober girl Jessica Jaboe. Inspired by my own sobriety and wellness journey, I want to spread the wealth of knowledge, tune in each week for uncensored conversations about mental health, self-development, wellness and spirituality and how they influence each guest's unique recovery journey. My goal is to educate and inspire and to let you know you are not alone on your recovery journey. Thanks so much for tuning in to a Sober Girl's Guide podcast. Let's go! Hello, hello and welcome to episode 276 of a Sober Girl's Guide podcast. Put your hand up if you can relate to chasing instant gratification. I'm talking rushing, pushing, doing anything and everything to self-soothe and fill those voids in your life. When we are moving and reacting from this place, we are constantly succumbing to our knee-jerk reactions. And this is exactly how we get stuck in patterns and behaviors that may have served us in the past, but they've hurt our growth and they steal our joy today. Natasha is no stranger to chasing instant gratification. She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what traveling as a flight attendant looks like and how to change your relationship with alcohol and find some sense of grounding when you are a mile or too high in the air. This is such a fantastic episode. Let's get into it. Natasha, what is going on? How are you, girl? I'm good. How are you? I'm great. I'm really excited to talk to you. I've been watching your Instagram. I've been watching your social media. But you have just quite an interesting story. I mean, everyone has an interesting story, but I love your background of being a flight attendant and changing your relationship with alcohol. I mean, being a flight attendant on its own is tough enough. But then going above and beyond and changing your relationship with alcohol on top of that, I think is really interesting and really fascinating and I really want to get into that with you. But before we do that, I want to kind of back it up a little bit. I want to know about the BS, Natasha. So you're like before sobriety self, before sober girl self, Natasha, if you could kind of give us a little insight of what that looked like, what you were working with, what you were going through before you became a sober girl. Okay, so the first word I think of is just your typical party girl. I was just chasing instant gratification after instant gratification. I feel like that was just a lot of my life. I actually didn't start drinking until twenty one. Oh, yeah, I'm a late bloomer. Wow. Okay, so you're legal. You did it legal. How exactly? I mean, I know this is such a silly question, but like, why did you wait until you were twenty one, like legal of age? Yeah, I came from a super like I was raised in the Christian household. Okay. So there were just a lot of different, you know, like rules and stuff that I just that was ingrained in me. Sure. And yeah, it was like, it's like once you don't really step into that world, it's a lot easier. I feel like to not step into it until I did whenever I was twenty one. So, yeah, that would be that would be why I just was like, Oh, I need to obey the law and like not drink until twenty one. So, yeah. Okay. And then I twenty one. What happened at twenty one? All hell broke loose. No more. I made up for it in like nine years. All right. Yeah. Yeah. Actually, when I started drinking at twenty one, I was like, Oh my gosh, why do people like this? I don't even like the taste. Yeah. And then like the major trauma happened in my life. Like, I mean, for me, you know, it was like it was, I mean, at that age, it was like boys. Okay. High school sweetheart that I've been dating for a while. He didn't really drink either before twenty one. So I think that health and then we start and then when I turned twenty one, we ended up breaking up and then I joined when I was in college, I had joined a sorority and it all I just let lose at that point. I was just do I was in a sorority on Palm. I was just partying all the time. I was like even drinking during like my college courses and stuff like I would bring a cup in and like have Coke and like rum in there and stuff. Yeah. I was just always partying and wanted to be the fun girl, the cool girl. I was pretty shy before and I feel like that was alcohol was like what helped me come out of my shell. Yeah. And then over the course of time, I always say my college years like I took those out into my adult years like I wanted my college years to just go on forever. I had so much fun. Yeah. And I mean, and I, of course, I was like really stupid. I made a lot of dumb mistakes and in college is kind of different. I feel like you just kind of expected, right? Like, yeah. I think when you even hear like college student college girl, you're just like, okay, like dumpster fire. Keep it keep it rolling, you know, exactly. It's almost like you're even cooler because you get through like the really dumb crap and then you like, it's funny and it's like a storage of anyway. It's dumb. But I'm back in the day, you know, yeah. But you can't really back in the day at when you're bringing it with you. Exactly. And so then I was just, I had lived in Chicago and Oklahoma and college and all that and then I ended up moving to Chicago. And that's when I became a flight attendant. And I was just and then I mean, I'm in Chicago. Like anybody's been to Chicago. No, it's like prime drinking. Like there's patios. There's everybody just, you know, when it's really cold, all there is to do is go to each other's houses and drink. And then when it's really hot, everybody's out in the patios drinking every day. So I was doing that for a while. And over all of those years, like when I say I did stupid shit, like I, one of the main things was my anger. Like I was such a happy like, Oh, yeah. But then I would get some alcohol in me. And if somebody triggered me, I would just flip a switch. Like I would become like my ex boyfriend used to call me the hook, the Hulk. My best friends used to be maybe Grinch. Oh my God. It's boyfriend, basketball, but then he would call me the Hulk. That's so funny because like I used to be called Frank the Tank, you know, from old school. Yeah, like we're going streaking like literally anything goes. Yeah. And there was a lot of anger in there. Like, yeah. Yeah, lots of built up. And it would just come out. But then for so many years, I would just get free passes from friends. And then I mean, but there were friends who would walk out of my life or strangers who I would be being to just be like, whoa, this girl's crazy. But I mean, I just, I, I didn't care. Like if somebody was mad at me or like did walk out of my life, I would flip the script and like find a way to make them in the wrong and be full, whatever, and just keep doing that up until I was like, up until July 5th of 2020. And then near the ending of my drinking, I was like, just over all those years, my drinking was just getting like my anger during drinking was just getting worse and worse. So going up right up until whenever I got sober, which was July 5th of 2020, which I think I was like 28, I think. It just had built over time. And then I hit a rock bottom where I just made a really big fool of myself. Not that I did it before, it just all came out once. And like, I was really mean to like a group of people. I went crazy. And then I couple my best friends walked out of my life just because like, they didn't want to deal with it anymore. And I feel like the most important people like walking out of my life was that was probably the last straw and just an accumulation of all the years of it's being a crazy, a crazy drunk girl. Yeah, but like, I understand like anger, first of all, is not, is not a nice emotion. It's something that we're like taught to suppress like whatever you do, we don't we certainly don't even talk about it. No one talks about anger. There's a lot of shame. There's a lot of remorse. There's a lot of really negative feelings around anger. But it's also a very natural feeling. And if we let it bottle up, then the pressure cooker situation happens. Yeah, a lot, a couple drinks in and the lid just pops right off. Mm hmm. Like I used to wait until I had a couple of glasses of wine in me or drinking me to have a hard conversation. Like I would wait, of course, it got to that point where I would just wait for that moment. So they all have the guts then. Totally. Absolutely. Yeah. What do you think like when you look back at it, what was kind of their underlying? Was there like a tone? Was there a catalyst for this anger? Was there like one specific situation or circumstance? Where this anger came from? Mm hmm. I feel like it goes back to whenever I said I was like more introverted. Mm hmm. Was a lot more quiet. I don't feel like I don't remember much of my childhood. Not that it was like a bad childhood. You know, it just, I don't remember much about it, but I do remember the times where I just felt really insecure and like I wanted to be apart. I was an only child, so it's like, you know, I wanted to be a part of, I wanted friends and to be a part of like the fun group, the cool group. Like that was just always something maybe because I was a little bit more sheltered when I was a kid. Mm hmm. And so that kind of played into my introvert in this. Like, and so yeah, it just became, I think for me, it was just not speaking up whenever I needed to. And I think honestly, it just started probably with little things over time. And then once I got older, it just built up to the point where, you know, if I felt that a friend was judging me or being like mean to me or wasn't, I felt like that was them not accepting me. And like, I just couldn't. Instead of me, you know, instead, I would just get more combative and be like, well, okay, whatever, like, you know, it was kind of like my ego came out. So I think it was just an accumulation of rejection and feeling, you know, like I said, my ex-boyfriend, who I was together with my high school sweetheart, that was kind of like where it really got bad after that, where I just, you know, instead of dealing with that sadness and that hurt, I just ended up drinking over it and adding more sadness and hurt because then, you know, my dating also did not go well because I was just not dating for the right reasons. I feel like after that. Yeah, and I feel like any time we just kind of like drink through it, it's, it's just putting a band aid over a bullet hole, bullet hole, like it's just gonna keep, you're gonna bleed on people who do not deserve it and bringing that into dating is not fun, not recommended totally. Yeah, I mean, it makes a lot of sense. I can see like where kind of like the resentment builds and like not knowing what to do, what to where to place these feelings and maybe not even being a lot like I don't know how you were raised but me personally, like we were not allowed to feel angry. Like that was bad. Like we were not allowed to feel angry. Sad was not really welcome. It's like, okay, well, how can we get you back to happy like ASAP, right? Like so these quote unquote negative emotions, there was no space for them, like needed to change them ASAP. And that's really unhealthy. Yeah, yeah, I really early unhealthy because it teaches you like, okay, you know, even if I am angry, that's probably why you waited to have conversations after a couple drinks. Yeah, right? You're like, okay, like, you're not the best emotions, but they're here. And I'm gonna have like, probably gonna forget anyways, after a couple of drinks. So like here we go, let her rip. Yeah. You know, if I don't remember, it didn't happen. Exactly. And then you wake up the next morning and you're like, don't at it. Me. I mean, we talked about it like, okay, I love what I needed to. All right, we should be good. I was the various selfish type of mindset. But also like, I can understand and relate because like, it is a defense mechanism. Yeah, right? The alternative to like actually having a heart to heart conversation. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. It's 2024. We are all stressed out. The worst thing we can do is keep all this stress bottled up. Our bodies and minds turn into a pressure cooker. And that is not good for anyone. In my seven years of sobriety, I learned that I need to let it out. It only hurts me and the people around me. If I don't let my guard down and have a safe space so I can unpack my worries therapy is a safe space. I can get things off my chest and to figure out how to work through whatever is weighing me down. I always feel so much lighter. Instead of blowing up at people or situations that do not deserve it, therapy has helped me build my self awareness, mindfulness and slow down and help me process what I'm actually feeling in the situation. Therapy has helped me learn positive coping skills and how to set boundaries. And I know it empowers me to be the best version of myself. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online designed to be convenient, flexible and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire and get matched with a licensed therapist. And not to worry, you can switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Get it off your chest. You will feel so much lighter with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/ASGG today to get 10% off your first month. That's better h-e-l-p.com/ASGG. Terrifying. And also sometimes hard in sobriety. All the time. But it also leaves you like to be vulnerable, right? Like what if someone leaves because you express how you're feeling or what if someone doesn't like your reaction or what you have to say? There is a possibility of, there's always a possibility of rejection. Let's be honest. But doing that sober, you're going to remember it. Exactly. And it's like a lot of sobriety is learning how not to feel like you always need to be in control of things. What's weird is I felt like I drank to feel like I was in control, but I was completely not. But now it's like being in my journey is ready. I feel like I go more with like that and flows of life. And I'm just like, all right. It is what it is. What I don't need to, clearly I can't drink and numb myself to try to handle a situation. So now I'm just going to let it be and get through this. And if the conversation needs to be had or not fall back into my past, past actions that I used to do whenever I was drinking, not getting super reactive, they've been more responsive in a situation. So how do you how do you personally like go about, you know, avoiding being in the reactive, combative, defensive kind of state, as opposed to like more receptive and responsive? Have you kind of noticed or cultivated ways to go about that? Yeah. And I feel like it's definitely multiple ways that I was. I mean, I've been sober for a little over four years now. And so during that time, I focused a lot on doing the work on myself. And I feel like obviously therapy definitely helped with that joining a program. So for me, that program when I first got sober, I joined AA and I worked the 12 steps and that like that honestly, the 12 steps, I always say, I feel like with the 12 steps, like everybody should do them. Not just, you know, just sober people. Yeah, it is life changing. Like I would definitely say, even more than therapy, that probably the 12 steps was really what like just got me to really, because you write down like the resentments you have and like the issues you have with people or yourself or you write down what you don't like about yourself. And you know, you just write, and then you talk to your sponsor about it. And so I feel like that, and then you make amends if you need to and like things like that. So I feel like that process really helped me with my anger. And then just different, doing different healing modalities, like I just got really into journaling. Journaling was really big for me, just writing out all my feelings and the meditating prayer. I would say those are probably like some of the top, top things that helped me in my recovery process. But also just, I feel like not drinking alcohol anymore. That was definitely the first step to help me with my anger. Like, I mean, for a while, it didn't come out when I first got sober, because I feel like I was just trying to be really protective of like not being reactive. But I would say when it did start coming out at times, even in my sobriety, I was like, Oh my gosh, like I kind of scared myself in my sobriety, like, holy moly, she's still there. You can run, but you cannot hide girl. Yeah, like, I don't know one of my mentors telling me years ago, she's like, that anger, because she also like had anger issues, like that it'll always be in you. It's just me to like, transmute that into something else. And I feel like, yeah, yeah, like, I feel like doing all those like the 12 steps and journaling and prayer and meditation, and then also just surrounding myself with not that the other people were, I was trying myself with people where that was similar to me, you know, and we're all a mess. Right. Dude, water seeks its own level. Like, it's not. No, exactly. So having that community too, of people who are loving and supporting you and understanding to what you're going through, that helped tremendously as well. So I feel like, now, honestly, I don't really have many anger outbursts. I definitely still at times have that anger in me, but now I just have the tools to like, I know in that moment, once I start feeling that feeling, yeah, all right, step away from the conversation, the situation, and when I don't, it can, she can still come out sometimes. So, we're not perfect progress, not perfection, right? Totally. It's just like so funny listening to this, like listening to like, you have like these anger outbursts or talk about your anger, while you're like, this cute little like bubbly, like pink little sweater on, like cute little blonde hair, like so sweet. And I'm like, trying to picture, I'm like, what does this look like? Because like, I feel like my anger could just really, I mean, you can see it, like it, you can see how I could get angry, but I can't see how you could. It's my words. I know how to use my words. It's like, I probably still look like a little blonde, or I mean, back then I was dark-haired more so, but, yeah, my words, I could just warn you these sentences that would, I would just, I'd be like, I'm going to say something that you will remember for years and years and you're going to remember me. Oh, so bad. Like just cut so deep. Cut. That was, yeah, yeah. And then I was a little just like, you know, trying to get out of a moving car on a highway or like just being a little punching walls or like the car or something. Like, yeah, I could get to that point as well, but it was my, I could just say some really, really, and I tell you when people are like, oh, drunk, what is it? That thing, you know, drunk words are like, it's who you are. Like, I'm like, it's not who I am. No, it's just unfiltered. It's like the animal version of you that's like, you're just letting all of these pieces, like not your true authentic self, you know, it doesn't step in. It's like the immature little pieces of you that are popping off because you don't have, you don't have the filter there to like control them. Exactly. Exactly. Yep. It's like the devil, you know, the angel and the devil, the devil is kind of like complete control. The angel took off. She's like, peace. She's like, I can't get her back. Oh my god. Wait, what sign are you? Are you a Taurus? Oh, Aquarius. What about you? I feel like you kind of have like some Taurus energy, like maybe like Taurus rising or even like Scorpio. Oh, I could see like that for sure. The scassiness just, yeah, when she comes, yeah. That's so funny. Okay, so you got sober, you went to AA. How did, how was that kind of, how did that work into like your work schedule? Like being a flight attendant, traveling around the world, being, you know, it's a tough job being a flight attendant. It doesn't feel very grounding. Like, how did that affect or how did you use that in your sobriety or like in your sobriety journey, I guess I would say. I love how scents have the power to evoke memories and transport you back in time. Like instead of sitting at your desk, you are whisked back to laying on the beach during your favorite vacation. Ocea's Andaria algae body oil smells like a vacation in a bottle, with all natural uplifting notes of mango, mandarin, grapefruit, lime, and cypress. 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But now that I think about it, I feel like so many jobs add to alcoholism. How do you think Ken? It's so normalize now. You could go to a yoga class and they're like serving alcohol in it. And I'm like, hold on. Make this make sense, please. It's like about mindfulness. Like, so honestly, whenever people bring up jobs is very confusing. I'm like, it's not an excuse. But I feel like I use being a flight attendant as an excuse for sure. Like, at that time, like, I just, yeah, I just, I, I went crazy during that time. So whenever I got sober, I, the good thing about AA since I started AA is that there's different meetings you could go to, like, all over the world pretty much. So that helped a lot. For me, I would go to meetings back home in Oklahoma, because that's whenever I decided to get sober. I was visiting family and friends at that time. So I was in Oklahoma and I ended up staying there for a while after. And then I, yeah. So I, whenever I, I would go to, like, online meetings and go to in person, different in person meetings and then people would give me their phone numbers and then I would call them. So as a flight attendant, whenever I hit my rock bottom, I knew, like, okay, I'm not going back to drinking. So I was just desperate. So I was always calling different people. So whenever I was traveling for work and obviously we all know crews go out to drink all the time. Oh, yeah. It's just a thing. Yeah. It could be a Tuesday night and we're going to find a reason. Like, you're going to drink. Like, it's just a very common thing. And at that point, right, when I got sober, when I first first got sober, I only knew one other person was sober. And you think by the grace of God, she was a flight attendant as well. I don't know why. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So she was really nice to have someone who, like, understands your career, kind of understands a little bit like where you're coming from. That must be really comforting. She was, oh, yeah, more than ever. And she's actually one who told me, you know, she didn't even tell me to go to AME. She's like, if you want, you can try it out. And so I'm really glad she told me that way because I hate when people tell me what to do. So, of course, I went, I was like, well, if I want, sure, I want, but if you told me to, probably, I'm just kidding. Leave it open ended, you know, that's the side comes out. But so she was really able to help me throughout that process and give me advice on how to handle those type of situations. So in the beginning, there were times that I just, I wouldn't go to lunch or dinner or whatever with the crew. But whenever I did, I started making myself go out to dinners and stuff, which I don't. Everybody's different. Everybody has a different journey. I know that some people are able to, you know, or some people can't just go out and do the normal things they used to. I, for some reason, in my head, I was so focused on still being fun sober. But I was like, I'm going to still go to the bars, still go to the clubs. I'm going to still, because I knew at that point, I was done. And if you're sober, you know that last time, like you're like, this is it, like this. And for me, I just knew that that was it. And I just knew drinking and messed up my life so much and caused so much pain that I wouldn't go back. So that's why I felt safe enough to go into those environments, which included going to, you know, dinner with my crew. One thing that really helped me in that, during that process, whenever I was at work flying and stuff, when I would go and hang out with them, I would be like very firm in my know. I'm like, I don't drink anymore. And when you say I don't drink anymore, that's just very like, it's all encompassed is like, anymore, well dang, like, you must have, okay. I mean, because obviously it's really weird that I'm a flight attendant that doesn't drink. So usually that would shut down pilots or other people, you know, around me. And I also use that just in my day to day, like life as well, just being confident in your nose. The advice that I give a lot, because once somebody sees that little hint of I can't drink or no, I don't want to get energy. It's the energy, right? Like, you, it's, it's like you're in pain and someone wants to relieve that pain for you. When you describe it like that, like, I can't or I shouldn't. Of course, someone wants to be like, Oh, you're fine. Like, it's okay. Like, just have one. You're right. Yeah. You, you don't know my life at all. But you're right. You don't know what I did. So we'll just forget that. Totally. But if you're, if you're bringing that energy, not only like with your words, like those are very absolute words, right? Like, I'm not drinking. Again, like I'm not, I'm, I don't drink. And period, you know, not only are those strong words, but that is also a very strong grounding energy. It doesn't leave any room for, for kind of like misconception or kind of like leeway for anything else. Yeah. And then also, and then off of that is making sure that you have fun. Like, yeah, I mean, it, that's another thing that makes it, I think why people pressure people sometimes because they're like, well, you just don't, you're not like being, you don't look like you're having fun or something. So first off, either have fun and like, make the most of it or just don't go. Because clearly, if you can't have fun when you're sober, then why are you even? Yeah. And now, like as a flight attendant, now, like, I mean, I've been injured the past six months, but whenever I was flying as a sober girl, I rarely went to dinner with my pilots, honestly. It got to the point where I was like, realize fairly soon, I'm like, I don't want to hang out like, I mean, I like working with you guys, but so usually what I'll do is I will only go eat with pilots if I really hit it off with them. If we really get along while we're working together and I know, even then I'll usually only do like, depending on how many days we have together, I'll do like one dinner with them or something. And like, you know, they, because I know I'm going to have a good time. Now, I just love just going on adventures by myself and just doing my own thing. Now, like, I don't even feel that fresh because there's actually a lot of pressure for flight attendant to go and eat and drink. I don't know, I don't know if many people know that, but it's actually, they will sometimes put pressure on you to go eat with them and stuff, even if you say no, they're like, come on, come on, you know, and so why is that? Because they don't want to be alone or like, why are the pressures there? I think so. I think that's, and that's not me, you know, talking shit on them, like, because that's how I was, like, when I was drinking and stuff, like I was like, come on, I'll go drink and eat and have fun or whatever. But I think it's just something that's so ingrained in that, um, in aviation, like, it's just like, will you go fly and you go drink and eat with your, or go do something, you know, with your, with your crew? That's just like, it's a social aspect. Yeah. And like, do you guys like closer and cooler or whatever? Like, whatever it is. And I, you know, whenever they do, I wouldn't say all of them put that pressure on you, but I would say sometimes it's like, come on, like, you know, you know, and it's just kind of like, yeah. And in most times, though, yeah, majority of the times that they respected after, like, you're like, no, no, really, I want to. After like the time, they totally respect that. Yeah. You're like, I'm good. No, no. Yeah. You don't have to say it 10 times. It still means no. I know. I'm like, you'll be fine. You'll have a great time. Yeah. You're a big boy. You're good. Yeah. So Natasha, what are some of your kind of like, go tos now that you've been for your sober? Like, what are some tools in your sober girl toolbox that you can't live without? Um, all the drinks, like, obviously, not alcoholic. Just, I mean, every, yeah, I feel every sober girl, we get that, you know, it's like, I always tell my clients, who's from a coach, like, I always tell them, I'm like, the power of a drink. Like, there is so much power behind a drink. And it's a lot of times when people are like, how do you go out and like, just, you know, socialize with people and stuff without a drink? And I'm like, literally, you don't like, just get a sparkling water or a lime or some with a lime and hold that and just drink as soon as you finish it, get another drink. Like, there's just, it's weird. It's like a psychological thing. I feel like, like, just the power of a drink is so pretty powerful. Like, that's all I have to say. So, I mean, I actually, I have like a bar car of like, all alcohol-free stuff, like, hands, mocktails. So, just always having, making it fun, make it fun. Like, and obviously, because I'm that girl that wanted to get sober, be like, I don't want to not be fun. Like, and so, um, even though now I feel like I'm so much more chill, but anyway, um, so always having a drink, always trying out different drinks, doing that, um, what's your favorite drink right now? Actually, it's this hyo that I'm drinking right now. Ooh, what flavor is it? What do you got going on? It's a sparkling blackberry lemon flavor. And it is, it's got like adaptions, neurotropics, mechanicals, it's organic. I'm like a crazy about non-talks organic stuff. Um, so yeah, it is so good. So, just trying out, you know, different alcohol-free companies. I love doing that. Um, and then the other advice, which is probably before the drink, actually, it's like right up there with it, is like joining some sort of program. And this is literally any program. I'm not even sitting here saying you need to go do a do the 12 steps. There's so many. At this point, I feel like what's so cool is that alcohol-free, like, is actually becoming, living is actually becoming a little bit more normalized than when I first got sober now. So, I feel like there's so many different types of programs that you can join. But just more so is save program is to have that community. That community, like, will keep, I feel it will keep you on your sober journey, not going to somebody, because people who drink still or who don't even have a problem, they still don't get it though. Yeah, you need people. Why would they get it? Yeah, exactly. So, why go talk to somebody, you know, who doesn't, and not that. Nothing against them, it's just they're not at that place. Like, they just, or, you know, or at that, we're just in different places in life type of thing. And, especially if they don't have a problem with it, they'll be like, what is this so hard for you? Yeah, totally. Yeah, like, you don't know what you don't know. Yeah, and that's why it's so, yeah, it's really helpful. It's really useful to have that accountability, that support, it's a game changer, for sure. I agree. Yeah, 100%. I would say those are probably like my top two. Okay. Work in a program of some sort, working on yourself, and then always just making it fun with all the alcohol free alternatives. Yeah, and having like a special drink, like, not just a sparkling water, but like something different, something new, you know, we love to, we crave something new, a little treat here and there. You love our tweets. Totally. It goes a long way though. It really does. What's your favorite drink? Right now, I think I'm still on like, I love kombucha, like, I will always be like, I love GTs, like, OG kombucha, like, the more like, vinegary and nasty, the better. Yes, but I also like, I've also been kind of skimping on hydration, like, I'm not great at drinking water. I mean, yeah, I've had a couple of sips of my Stanley, but girl. So what I've been doing is like, I've been trying to really shove coconut water down my throat. Oh, I hate it. It's disgusting. I don't get it. No, but even the flavored one. No. So what I do, I because like the GTs kombucha is so like, vinegary and strong and like, almost abrasive to a point, right? Like, some of the flavors are almost a bit abrasive. I will put in like three quarters of coconut water and then I'll like, top it off with kombucha. You can't taste it. It is so good. It is so, so good. It is like something I look forward to. And I try and do it like closer to the end of the week, you know, have a little treat, kind of earn my little treats and rewards here. Because if I had it every night, like, it wouldn't be special, right? It would just be like, another thing, like, gotta get the coconut water out. But yeah, something like towards the end of the week, maybe start on Thursday, Friday. Oh, Thursday. It is so friggin good. I can't even tell you. It is. It's delicious. Really? Okay, I'm going to try that. Lots of ice when I drink coconut water. Like, I just like that medicine back in the day that they used to give you right before your surgery, before, you know, you remember that that, like, clear drink before surgeries. That was like years and years ago. What is that? That's what coconut water. Yeah. No, it's not pleasant at all. At all. I'll try that. Because the vinegar, something like the vinegar kind of, like, cuts it. It's different. Oh, yeah. We love the taste. I do love the taste of vinegar. Yeah, right? Very stuff. Yeah. That's good. Good for your gut. Get things going, control that blood sugar. Yeah. Exactly. Not all the sugar either. Mm-hmm. Yeah, totally. So Natasha, where can we find you on the World Wide Web? Alrighty. Give us your date. I think my Instagram and my TikTok and my Facebook. Oh, you don't need my Facebook. I don't like that a little bit. I don't think people would really use that as much. Yeah, you never know. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's true. I guess all of them. It's all Natasha Schmid for my TikTok and Instagram. It's Natasha Schmid with an underscore at the end because Natasha Schmid was not available. Okay. And then also for my coaching, I have a coaching Instagram called sober purpose coaching. And that's linked to my personal Instagram and then I also have a podcast with a friend and it's called humanly us podcast. We're a lot newer. We're still figuring things out. Love that. Yeah. That's awesome. Okay, that's great to hear. Well, Natasha, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your experience and your knowledge with us. It's been like super, super fun. I really appreciate it. I know. Thank you so much for having me, Jessica. You're so honored. I could not agree more with Natasha in finding your community. Find like-minded people. This is not a journey you want to do solo. It is so much easier, funner, just more rewarding with like-minded people by your side. One last note before you go. Again, it's important to remember that everyone's experience changing their relationship with alcohol is different. But if you've been listening to the podcast, you will know that one thing remains consistent, the need for support. Head to a sobergirls guide.com. We have tips and tricks for any stage of your booze free journey. I highly suggest speaking of community to check out the sober girl social club. It is a great place for support and accountability. And for only $17 a month, you will have this support from our certified coaches and like-minded women to help you overcome the challenges and say audio to alcohol once and for all. Head to asobergirlsguide.com now. Thank you so much for listening and have a great day. [BLANK_AUDIO]