Is it Time for a Tactical Break from Alcohol? With Andy Ramage
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How does alcohol fit into your life? Have you ever given it any thought?
My guest on this week’s podcast is Andy Ramage, a performance coach and author. He’s also one of the founders of One Year No Beer, a habit-changing programme that invites people to try 28, 90, or 365 days alcohol free – and see what it does for them. Andy was like many of us, he was not an alcoholic but he was what he calls ‘a middle lane drinker’. He would drink a little bit to unwind, at work events, when he saw his friends and probably a little bit more on the weekends. Andy started off on a 30-day trial without alcohol and now hasn’t drunk any alcohol for six years and says he can’t envisage doing so again. But his agenda is not to make you stop drinking for good. It’s to demonstrate that taking a break from the booze can bring a surprising host of benefits, even if you don’t think of yourself as a problematic drinker.
Andy and I delve into just what some of those benefits might be. We discuss how alcohol is so ingrained in our social lives and often our work culture that we don’t even consider what life would be like without it. It’s linked to every part of our lives from relaxation and fun to social bonding or even just relieving boredom. We talk about societal expectations and peer pressure, and both of us share our own individual stories and our own journeys with alcohol. Finally, Andy shares some brilliant, practical tips to help anyone who may be considering a tactical break from alcohol.
This is a really inspiring conversation. Whether you’re already thinking of cutting down, it’s not something you’ve considered, or even if you’re already abstaining, I hope you’ll find some life-enhancing lessons in this podcast.
Watch the video version of this interview in full below.
Watch the video interview on YouTube
Andy’s Top 10 book recommendations:
- Finding Ultra – Rich Roll
- The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness – Professor Steve Peters
- On The Shortness Of Life – Seneca
- Awaken The Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Life – Tony Robbins
- Walden – Henry David Thoreau
- The Obstacle is the Way: The ancient art of turning adversity into opportunity – Ryan Holiday
- Philosophy for Life: And other dangerous situations – Jules Evans
- The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM – Hal Elrod
- The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life – David Brooks
- The Kindness Method: Changing Habits for Good – Shahroo Izadi
Further Learning:
- University of Stirling – Study sheds light on peer pressure and alcohol consumption
- James O.Prochaska – PHD The Stages of Change
- University of Communications – Obesity is Socially Contagious