Stop Drinking and Start Living
Do you feel like you’re outgrowing alcohol—longing for a deeper connection to life, but stuck in the tug-of-war between numbing, overwhelm, and self-doubt?
Welcome to Stop Drinking and Start Living—a podcast dedicated to helping women create a life they love, beyond alcohol.
I’m Mary Wagstaff. After a 20-year relationship with daily drinking, I finally flipped the switch that made alcohol completely irrelevant in my life. Now, as an expert holistic alcohol coach, I guide women to do the same through my proven 5 Shifts process.
Each week, I share tools, stories, and fresh perspectives to help you expand your desires and reclaim the pleasure, purpose, and power of being a woman.
Sobriety isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of your awakening.
Want to drink less without deprivation? 60 Seconds To Calm Is How you do it. Grab the free guid here. https://marywagstaffcoach.com/urgetracking
⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical treatment, therapy, or professional healthcare advice. I am not a doctor. If you are at risk of harming yourself or your health, please call your doctor, 911, or a local emergency line right away. In the U.S., you can also dial or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Background Music Savannah Sultana Graciously Provided by The Exceptional Talent of Scott Nice : https://www.scottnice.com
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 33 minutes
- Episodes
- 326
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Ep. #156 Name It To Tame It
Alcohol is a symptom of unprocessed / interrupted emotions. Always.
Good, bad, happy, sad.
We have to have a new conversation with the sensations created by energy flowing through our body, all day, …
Ep. #155 Lessons I Learned From The Roof
We are bothering ourselves with our own thinking.
Mindfulness isn't a one and done situation. It is a muscle you build over time.
Seeing your thoughts as suggests for interpretation.
Which ones' are u…
Ep. #154 Never Say Forever, Ever Again
One of the most destructive thoughts keeping you stuck in the rut of alcohol is the dreaded FOREVER.
Forever feels scary for most things, especially when you have felt so out of control. However, when…
Ep. #153 Triggers As Teachers: Alcohol and Beyond
You can't swing a dead cat without being triggered by something it seems these days.
The good news is, your emotional reactions, including your desire to drink are 100% in your control.
In a world wher…
Ep. #152 Finding Wholeness By Letting Go Of The Past w/ Career Coach Emily Smith
"Do things you have never done before to have what you have never had." - Emily Smith.
This and so much more wisdom is waiting for you inside today's epode.
Join my guest, Emily Smith as she shares wi…
Ep. #151 What makes alcohol fun?
Have you ever asked yourself, what about alcohol is actually FUN?
Why altering WHO we are and not being fully present is the version of the best time you have ever had?
Why do we have inhibitions in th…
Ep. #150 When Drinking Just Happens
One of the reasons many people feel out of control with alcohol is they think drinking "just happens." Part of this is true.
Alcohol has become as habitual as brushing your teeth, not to mention the …
Ep. #149 Awakening From Alcohol
If you have been feeling like there is more to life than drinking or not drinking, you are correct and you are in the right place.
On today's episode I go into a personal deep dive on what I really m…
Ep. 148 Drinking Less As A Goal vs. An Intention
Goals and Intentions both lead to taking an action in the present moment for a future result.
When you make drinking a tangible goal, based on numbers and rules, you aren’t getting to the root of the…
Ep. 147 Emptying Your Alcohol Judgements and Conclusions
In today's podcast ep. #147, we explore how your Judgements and Conclusions are blocking the path to get alcohol out of your way.
Our judgments and conclusions about life are important to keep us safe…
Ep. #146 Alcohol As A Catalyst For Connection
Alcohol as a catalyst for connection only ever allows you to go as deep as your thoughts that you need alcohol to connect will allow you.
Is alcohol creating more connection or just inhibiting your th…
Ep. #145 Growing Your Drinking Discernment
Growing your drinking discernment the ability to judge well. When it comes to alcohol, this is everything.
The voice of the habit and nostalgic memories, create feel good chemicals themselves. When y…
Ep. #144 The Easy Way Out Of Alcohol
Are on the fence about alcohol?
Waiting for the perfect solution that will make it easier, all the while, the habit is getting stronger?
The secret to changing your mind about alcohol is changing the t…
Ep. #143 Awakening From Alcohol is Awakening To Life w/ The Magical Mentors
Need some inspiration to make the journey away from alcohol feel more joyful, exciting and full of purpose and passion?
Then this episode is for you.
We are often more focused on what we think the down…
Ep. #142 Black and White Drinking
When we are changing our relationship to anything, we face resistance.
When drinking is black and white, it's on and off.
Good or bad.
You can't see your way through all of the unhelpful thoughts your …
Ep. #141 Deciding From Direct Experience
From today's LIVE Q&A on instagram join me for a practice of DIRECT EXPERIENCE:
This overrides your habitual reaction network that seems like alcohol is an uncontrollable impulse.
-What is holistic alc…
Ep. #140 It Was Never About The Alcohol: Client Spotlight with Jill
Jill truly believed she was obsessive compulsive and was just going to have to live with the overwhelming and exhausting thoughts about alcohol and the desire to drink, until she found a new approach…
Ep. #139 Befriending Your Inner Child
Every Wednesday on I am offering a a live Q & A and discussion on Instagram, based around the Five Shifts Process that we use in the Stop Drinking & Start Living Program.
I will be sharing it here on…
Ep. #138 The Perfect Time To Start The Process Of Stopping
We convince ourselves that our objections are facts, when the truth is, there is ALWAYS a way to take the NEXT STEP toward what you want.
It doesn't mean you have to quit drinking today, but you can …
Ep. #137 Ending The Confusion Around Alcohol
It's hard to move forward when you are confused about why you are where you are.
Today I share the three main areas people stay stuck in confusion about alcohol around and how to solve for them.
The so…