Laughs without Lager

Beyond Dry January: What Comes Next

• Ali and Meg

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Dry January gave you a reset—now what? We dive into the messy, hopeful middle between a 30-day break and a stable, alcohol-free life you actually enjoy. From the sneaky “just one” voice to the myth of moderation, we break down how to move past willpower and build a foundation that lasts: real connection, daily tools that shift your state, and deeper work that heals the reasons you reached for a drink in the first place.

We talk about the difference between fake connection and the real thing—how alcohol promised belonging, confidence, and ease but delivered hangovers, anxiety, and isolation. Instead of numbing, we share practical moves that work in minutes: breath cycles to interrupt cravings, micro-workouts to move jittery energy, nature breaks to ground your attention, and simple scripts for navigating social pressure without explaining yourself. We also swap resources that sparked our momentum—podcasts, quit lit, coaching, hypnotherapy, and therapy—and how community turns “I should” into “I can.”

Under the surface, we dig into core wounds and beliefs that keep the cycle alive: not-enoughness, fear of rejection, and identities like “party person” that feel safe but keep you stuck. By naming and reshaping those patterns, you build new neural pathways and a self-trust that outlasts motivation dips. Different tools work for different people, but the principle stands: small, consistent steps add up to big change. One clear morning at a time. One honest conversation at a time. One choice that honors who you’re becoming.

If you’re on the fence after 30 days, consider this your sign to keep going. Hit play, grab a few tools that resonate, and start stacking wins. If the conversation helps, follow the show, subscribe, and leave a review so others can find it. What belief about alcohol are you challenging today?


Contact Us:

https://www.meganwebb.com.au/podcast-1

meganwebbcoaching@gmail.com



Ali

insta: https://www.instagram.com/idontdrinkfullstop/


Meg

website: https://www.meganwebb.com.au/

insta: https://www.instagram.com/meganwebbcoaching/

Connect AF: https://www.elizaparkinson.com/groupcoaching

SPEAKER_01:

Hey everyone, hey Ali, how are you? Megzi! I'm very well. How are you? I'm good. Just realized I go my voice goes up. It's like, hey Ali, hey everyone. Oh my um We decided, we were just chatting before, that we've both kind of had, you know, coming out of dry January, we've both had a few people mention to us that they've had a had a great month, they've dropped the alcohol, and you know, whether or not you have that's totally fine. But for the people that have, the question seems to be, what next? Like what how can I keep this up? Um, a lot of people I've found expect life to suddenly get good because the alcohol's dropped, and believe me, there is a bit of that that I felt, but it does involve, and I don't want to say this in a scary way, some work, you know. Let's let's look at why we've drunk, all that kind of stuff. But we, you know, thought that we'd have a bit of a chat about our experiences and that kind of stuff. So what do you think, Allie?

SPEAKER_00:

I think that's fabulous because yeah, it's the end of uh, you know, another month. Well, the first month of the bloody 2026 is gone. And you know, you had your um your challenge, yes, and you know, we're talking about that. So what's the result? Most people, you know, in challenges think, well, I've had 30 days off. What's the consensus? Are we gonna keep going? And I think a lot of people, after 30 days without drinking poison, go, actually, I'm gonna keep going.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and we want people to keep going, but it's not, it can be really challenging. And that's what we want to help with.

SPEAKER_00:

Because the brain can go, no, well, you've done it for a month, you know, you you're not an alcoholic, you can do it, you don't need to stop, you know, like all these the sneaky, the sneaky bitch inside your head will want you to just go, oh well, I've done that, let's just crack a drink, and it's no.

SPEAKER_01:

You know what else she says? She says, I can just have one now, I'll be fine. And I found out by experimenting with that that I can't just have one, and I don't want to just have one. So for me, none is the ultimate. Um, but it has taken it's taken, you know, a lot of um learning about myself to get to here, and and we have some small little tiny steps that people can take as well. Uh, it's not all to be overwhelming, we don't want to overwhelm people, but definitely there is some conscious effort on your part. So we're gonna talk a bit about that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, definitely, because you know, on the other side of uh a little bit of discomfort is a world that we both uh are living as true examples of you know authenticity and healthiness and just overall awesomeness. Yep. So, you know, just keep going. Just don't believe that sneaky inner critic that you can just either have one or moderate, or you know, yeah, let's let's myth bust that right out of the park.

SPEAKER_01:

Let's myth bust it. And can I start with which I've probably said before, my favourite quote by Confus. It is, we all have two lives, and the second life begins when we realise we only have one. And that is Oh, I love it. How good is it? Because that is exactly how I feel about this. It's my second chance because it's not a second chance in just it's a second chance in I now get to live the life I've dreamt of. I don't know, Ali, correct me if I'm wrong, but do a lot of the people you meet on this journey, do they just not want to settle? Do we just want more? I I just feel that people that do this, and I think Ashton spoke about this in our last episode, um, they they know there's more to life. That's what we know that. So we want to find out what makes our heart sing.

SPEAKER_00:

And also look, you know, fitting in, that was, you know, we we drank to fit in and we drank to, you know, it was connection. Yeah, the connection, right? And when you take that out, that that's when the pool gets bigger because we're not um surrounding, we're not surrounding ourselves by the same toxic people or that same cycle or the same loop. And um, yeah, so when you do that, it it actually naturally just opens your world up to what you actually wanted, which is why I drank was to fit in or to party more or to connect. Basically, just to connect, not party more, and taking that out, like far out, man. Like, my you know, we're podcasting. I mean, who in there I would never have dreamt dreamt that. Just an example, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, it and and what a an awesome example because we have connected, we have fulfillment, it's passion, it's purpose. So, drinking for me also was a way to connect, it was fulfilling, or so I told myself. I it was a false one of all those. Yeah, and what happens on the other side of this is we find the real, the real fulfillment, the real connection, and it can take building up confidence, it can take working with someone to get to that point. But the the truth is you can get there, and because it's real, it is so it's just authentic and it's fulfilling, and um, that's what I've found by putting in the time and the effort. I've realized alcohol gave me all that fakely.

SPEAKER_00:

Um it worked until it didn't, yeah. And you know, I mean, I was talking to a guy the other day, and he doesn't drink, and he was uh but but also I was talking to my daughter who was at a friend's house, and the mum had um they're quite well off, so they had the spa the sauna, um, but they're all hung over. And I thought, wow, that that was me. Like, you do all the right things during the week, or you you know, you take all the pills to not get hung over, and then the next morning you drink all the potions and have all the pills to not oh and then it's like you kind of what are you doing it for? If you just take that one liquid out, then you can actually naturally live longer and be healthier, totally, you know. So this all this myth busting, like it just you know, you go to the gym and you be fucking hungover, or you go walk the dogs. I mean, I would always go to the beach, or I'd always go for my walk, but I always had a freaking hangover.

SPEAKER_01:

Same. And I always looked for spirituality. I was always trying to connect and always like with my highest self, I was always doing that. But like, I want to bring the name up again, Ashton said, and it was my favorite quote was he wanted to find the non-sense in alcohol. And I think that's a really great first step is to find what we're talking about. All the things we were looking at for in our life, thinking alcohol was giving it to us. It didn't make sense logically once you started looking at that. And I thought that was really cool how he said it, because it's a great first step. Challenge alcohol. Is it giving me connection? Really challenge that. Yeah, and when we looked at it, my connection came from hookups and things like that because alcohol made me not care, but nothing was it didn't, it wasn't long lasting because I was just a drunk mess. I mean, cringe, but it didn't give me proper connection, it didn't give me confidence, it gave me that alcohol-fueled. I stopped shaking because I I quickly got drunk, but beyond that, it made me yucky and loud and messy. That's not confidence. No, so challenge your beliefs around alcohol. I think it's a great first step to start looking at why I drank and is it worth it really? And was it giving me what I thought it was?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, a hundred percent, because we just lie to ourselves that we you know, if you're lonely, you know, a bottle of prosecco.

SPEAKER_01:

Um used to be kind of my little um friend. And what actually was that doing though? Was it just numbing that you were feeling lonely? Because what does a bottle of alcohol give? Because it's so common. I drank for loneliness too, but what did it give you? Isolation, yeah, because it didn't give us anything.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh you know, but in my mind, mix, it would, you know, I'd I'd ring a friend halfway through the bottle because I'd be like, Oh yeah, I I feel like talking to such and such. Um, but it was yeah, and then you know, you get to the end of the thing and there's two bottles down, then it's like shit, I've got to get up and go to work tomorrow, and then you get up, and then that dread of driving to work.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, exactly. And the thing with that was like I I too drank and then would call someone, but do you know how often I forgot the conversation? Like, that was not bloody connection, and I did connect it with people that were drinking because I didn't want anyone to hear me drunk that wasn't, so it limited who I connected with, but it also meant we were kind of enabling each other, and it was just miserable conversations. I find now that the conversations, oh sure, I still get stuck in some cycles of bit of judgment or self-pity, but in overall, conversations are healthy and positive, and we look at ways of you know, um, moving forward. Look, that's how you and I have got a podcast positive conversation and connection. Boom boom! Yeah, it wouldn't have happened drunk, I can tell you that. We would have connected, but in a in the um let's keep drinking and not expand our lives and have a podcast way.

SPEAKER_00:

And I was thinking about that today, uh, you know, what the podcast is about, because we could sit here, I can tell you all the stories that I mean, some of them I wouldn't tell, but you know, well, you know, they're in the the the vault.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, in the vault.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, but you know, like we could have this podcast and just talk about our crazy ways of drinking, but it's like, isn't that boring? Because we've all got that's not the issue the point of having a podcast. The point is like, yeah, we yes, I didn't I had lots and lots of rock bottom, but none of them got me to the point where I am now. It was just that feeling of being sick and tired, or feeling sick and tired, and just that loss of connection to myself but my kid, and just my life was just you know, spiralling and kind of you know, and then so to turn that around and actually give the advice or just like yeah, encouragement to say like just ditch it. And so if you've just done your 30 days and you you know, keep going. Just keep going because really like um life's so much better without it, and and don't believe that limiting belief that the label that you put on yourself that you're not good enough or you're not worthy, or you're the party girl, or don't believe that.

SPEAKER_01:

So the thing is we also like we are here to show people we can you can relate to us with what we've been through, so there will obviously there are stories of our past, but if we can do this, so can you, and we want to help you get here. That's the that's the brilliant thing about lived experience. We are here, so we can tell you and show you a path, or we can tell you what we've done, and you can take what you want from that. Um, and that's what this is about the hope, the um, you know, giving hope and giving people relatability to know you're not alone.

SPEAKER_00:

But be a trailblazer and kick it to the curb like 2026, you have the horse, man. Fucking giddy up. Like life is too short to be sitting at home in your lounge room with a bottle of red, pretending that life's great. It's just not.

SPEAKER_01:

Just stop and question it. Well, my tips are like looking at why you drank and challenging them, but also really small things that might sound a bit blur, but I promise you they you can build on them. Uh, really finding joy in tiny, tiny moments. So a ladybird, a flower, and I know yes, that can sound a bit woo-y to some people because also where when I was drinking, I didn't want to hear that crap. But I promise you, get out in nature is a great way to appreciate the world and life. Um, just small steps, step out of your comfort zone if you can in small ways. These are all things that will build self-trust, um, momentum. So they're just a few little tips from me. What kind of things can do you want to?

SPEAKER_00:

Well, it's it's just yeah, it's the same. Like, I don't um like all those pills and potions I was taking when I was drinking, you know, like the headache, and well, not so much panadol, I mean, Jesus. Um, but like, you know, the liver cleansing freaking pill, and I can't think of the word of the brand, but you know, I was spending six hundred dollars a month, Meg, on on supplements to make me feel better. And yet I was drinking a liter of freaking moonshine, you know, at least once a week, if not. So but you know, I was twitching and shaking and and I'm like, and I would still go to the beach and and do everything, but I always had a fucking hunger. I was always like, I was just angry. So to look at a ladybird and be like, although I wasn't, because I love, you know, I was always soft and you know, I'd be like, oh, look at that ladybird. And then it'd be like, get out of the way. If I was in traffic, I'd fung off like road rage, you know, just one extreme to the other, because I was just so fucking annoyed and resentful of the of me. And me I was yeah, resentful at my actions, I guess, because I did it again. So yeah, small steps is um well, yeah, just having that break and and doing like ring a friend if you if you need like a sober coach, or I leaned a little bit on my daughter at the time, um, and just you know, don't fucking drink.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and and you know, yeah, and and we're not saying it's as easy as that, but you know what? Join this is why we're here to help with the next step. But you know what? Um reach out, have a you can Google some uh you know tools, but also when we drink, imagine this you're drinking, you're pushing your feelings down, they're not being released, so that's why we're angry, we're frustrated, we're you know, all these things inflamed. Yes, but when you let go of the alcohol, we learn how to let the emotions out. Our emotions have been stuck. Energy in motion is emotion. We want to move that energy. So for me, that's some of the small steps were breathing techniques, going for a walk. If I felt particularly stressed or had a craving, get out my weights and just get that energy out, you know, just for 30 seconds. They're there they're effective tools rather than drowning. Yeah, drowning like it does inflame your body, it inflames your mind. Um, it doesn't let you release these things that come out in anger or road rage or whatever the I was impatient, short-tempered.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I I listened to podcasts actually. That really, really, really helped me. Um, and then it's so funny when you do make that decision, then the universe puts in, oh, I heard Danny Carr on the radio. Like, what are the freaking chances of you know, someone on the radio talking about sobriety? I was like, wait, what? Ran inside, quickly Googled her next minute I'm on her challenge, which was a three-month course, which she doesn't do anymore. But that, I mean, even though I had been hypnotized, which there was work around that of I thought that I'd cheated the system that I um yeah, I found it really difficult because I thought that I'd cheated and that I didn't deserve, I don't know, I just had this lack around or this this feeling. But anyway, I've but since then, but again, you've got to do the work on yourself, which means that well I wasn't hypnotised daily, like, oh, you don't drink. I had to, you know, I've I've found Danny Carr, I did the the course, you know, I put my money where my mouth was, and it was accountability, connection, and community, and it just solidified the the reasons on why I was drinking, because even though I had therapy on the abandonment issues and the fitting in, not feeling worthy, not good enough, all of those, all of that for 40 years, mate, I drank like a fish. But you know, so to take it away, uh again, it for the most part it was awesome, but you know, you've actually got to like sit down and have a chat to yourself and go, Okay, well, why was I?

SPEAKER_01:

What was I and you look for resources? So, what you did, you did a bit of hypnotism, you did a course, you did um therapy. I did all the same. Like these are all steps to um long-term fulfillment, long-term not drinking. Reach out, you popcast, quit lip books. I mean, there are so many things I did. My worlds aligned, and I did Annie Grace's course and then became a coach with her. That that couldn't have happened at a different time. Um, but reach out and find anything that resonates with you. I did um hypnotherapy years ago for something else. Um, I think it was my fear of flying, but I had to put in a lot of work after that. Exactly. Everything's a step in it holistic things, spiritual things, meditations. You know, someone can do a meditation and and things can change. Someone can read Annie Grace's book and they can put the bottle down. But the thing is, there is gonna still be things after which look like connection, um, learning, podcasts. Because yeah, because life, you know, still throws curveballs. For me, the ultimate was working on my core wounds because no matter what I did, unless I worked on my beliefs, they were gonna be triggered, and I my brain was gonna deal with them in the same way. So it's about learning different ways, changing your neural pathways. So lots of ways to do it and start with what resonates for you. And if you're listening to this podcast, podcast might be your thing. Find all the quit lit, you know. Um I was like Ali, I did that. I everywhere I walked, I was listening to an audible on getting on someone's story, you know. That really got my momentum up because I connected with things.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes. We're kind of I don't know, I I didn't realise I was quite a sensitive person. And you know, uh I thought I was like quite an outgoing person.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, look, I I found out that I am very similar, and the reason for my outgoing and loudness did relate back to that's where I found my value by you know, I got my attention there. But I've now come to a happy medium where I I'm happy with that part of me, but I've recognized I have another part as well that's more introvert. And so these and these are all things we discover, but the other thing is not everything will work for one person, no, but one thing will work for someone that does it, and so you take what you want. You and me, Ali, different things have worked for us. Same with every person I meet on this journey. Some things the same have worked for us, but different things, and it's what we hear along the way, it's what we from hearing something like you did and I did. You went and did a course from Danny Carr, I went and did Annie Grace, then I met someone that I heard something else through. So this is how your path forward is built by just doing these things.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and it's um like because you drank differently to me, like, and even even though we're both you know sober, we even though we like I started drinking at you know 14, um you started drinking at the legal age, yes, but for a different reason, and you know, yet here we are. We underlying all of those reasons why we drank was a very similar theme.

SPEAKER_01:

Totally, isn't it? And and really deep down we just wanted to be lovable and worthy. And and that's so common with the almost all of us. So definitely there's a common thing keeping us all or bringing us together, but the ways that we work through that might differ a bit, and our stories will differ. But yeah, we've we've got so much in common now, and we have so much that we're enjoying and looking forward to, and that's that's what we're doing this for. So, do you think we gave some ideas there, Arlie, on how people take steps forward? And of course, you know, um, you can reach out to us, you can ask us questions if you want us to expand on some of the things, or if something's not working for you, send it in and we will talk about that on our next podcast.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, 100%. This year is um no, you know, we're gonna get some guests on, you know, more guests and things like that. So um expand our reach. And, you know, again, we can learn. Um, I'm new to the to this whole uh endeavor. And yet, you know, it's it's all you know, you c if you're trying, you're not failing. And that's I guess you know, just one day at a time to just think, okay, I'm not gonna drink today. And then when you wake up the next day and you know that you didn't, mate, that's that's awesome. Oh yeah. And just keep that. And as I said, if you've done a course for dry January and you and you're on the fence, I mean I was the same when I gave I had my one year sobiversary. And my my present to myself was I was on Danny Carr's podcast, and but just before I went on her show, I went to broom for my brother and my birthday as I'm a twin. And honestly, for a second, I thought, well, I've given it away for a year. I can just get oblivious, I can get smashed for my brother and I's birthday and just get back on the wagon. And then it was like, you've got to question that. Well, what why? What do you what would so yeah, for me, I would my sobriety would be at risk for other people because I would be pleasing other people or doing it for somebody else, not myself. But anyway, I gave a a split saying, and then it was just like, no, but that's where we you know the brain, it's you know, you gotta be you gotta be because it wants to go back to the familiar, it wants to pull you back to the past, um, where you feel air quote safe, and it's like, nah, fuck off. I'm kicking goals and I don't need alcohol to um I'm kicking goals purely because I don't drink anymore.

SPEAKER_01:

So exactly, yeah, you know, bugger off.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so just um, yeah, if you're on the fence, just keep going.

SPEAKER_01:

Keep going and reach out to us if you need, but um, the internet is there full time, podcasts are there full time. You got you got resources, so use them. You use them, and we will see you guys in two weeks again. If you have a question, send it in. Um and also on on the podcast thing, follow. Subscribe and subscribe. We appreciate it so much. We appreciate all of you. Absolutely. All right, Allie. We'll see you next time. See you, Meg T. Have a good one.