Alcohol doesn’t have to “ruin” your life to quietly shrink it. We sit down with Ellie Crow from the Present and Sober podcast to talk about the moment she learned how alcohol works in the brain and body and suddenly couldn’t unsee it. When the “relaxing drink” is followed by stress hormones, anxiety, and that restless late-night agitation, quitting stops feeling like punishment and starts feeling like logic.
From there, the conversation turns into what we’re all really chasing: space. Space to hear yourself, space to create, space to stop tolerating a life that doesn’t fit. We unpack the beliefs we’re sold about booze, why gray area drinking can be the hardest place to get honest, and why the most powerful question is not “How bad is it?” but “Is this good enough for me?” Ellie also shares a hopeful view on dopamine and pleasure, and how a simple 30-day alcohol-free break can reveal exactly where alcohol has been holding you back.
We also go into the courage piece: discomfort as a sign of growth, saying yes to what scares you, and letting purpose show up without forcing it. We reflect on sober retreats as a fast track to real connection without the social masking, then Ellie gives a peek at her upcoming Bali retreat with Kim Ray Smith, including goddess practice, breathwork, sound baths, and how to bring that grounded confidence home to regular life.
If this hits home, listen through, share it with a friend who’s been questioning their drinking, and subscribe so you don’t miss what we’re building next. After you listen, will you try one alcohol-free experiment and tell us what you notice?
Contact Ellie Crowe for information about Bali retreat April 2027:
Ellie@pumpupthepresent.com
Link to book Bali retreat:
https://calendly.com/kim_raysmith/30min?month=2026-09
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
