The Truth About Alcohol (Why Quitting Feels So Hard)

Without Alcohol, I Can’t Speak My Truth—Right?

You used to feel bold after a few drinks—witty, fearless, invincible.

Now you’re alcohol-free, or trying to be… and suddenly, silence.

You think you’ve lost your edge. That you’re not assertive. That you can’t speak your truth.

 

But what if that’s not true?

What if that’s just a PART of you trying to protect a younger, scared version of yourself?

 

In this Coaches Corner episode of the 1000 Days Sober Podcast, we dismantle the belief that alcohol made us confident. We explore how to shift from PARTS-led narratives to SELF-led conversations—without a drop of booze.

 

You’ll learn how to:

– Spot the inner voices that keep you silent

– Use motivational interviewing to shift from fear to truth

– Build the courage to speak up from a place of clarity—not chaos

 

If you’ve ever felt like you can’t express yourself without a drink in hand, this episode is for you.

 

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #emotionalintelligence #alcoholrecovery #selfleadership #motivationalskills #soberconfidence #assertivenessjourney #innerchildwork #alcoholfree #nervoussystemhealing #coachingcorner #personalgrowth #traumarecovery #alcoholmyths #selfledlife #alcoholtruth #soberliving #healingjourney #boundariesmatter #IFS #leadershipdevelopment #alcoholfreelife #drinklesslivefully

Is Alcohol Really a Reward, Or Just the Tribe’s Permission Slip?

You’ve just coached your heart out. Held space. Changed lives.

And as the silence creeps in… so does the craving.

 

Not for taste.

Not for fun.

But for something deeper: rest, validation, a nod from the tribe that says, “You’ve earned this.”

 

But what if alcohol isn’t a reward?

What if it’s just a culturally-approved permission slip to disconnect—from your body, your brilliance, your SELF?

 

In this episode, Lee Davy explores why so many coaches, healers, and high-performers fall into the reward trap… and how to climb out.

 

You’ll learn:

– Why alcohol feels like a reward (but isn’t)

– How tribal conditioning fuels your cravings

– What your nervous system is really asking for

– How to build rituals that nourish, not numb

– The one question that can break the loop instantly

 

If you’ve ever poured a drink at the end of a long day and whispered “I deserve this”—this one’s for you.

 

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #selfledliving #coachingculture #alcoholtruth #rewardmyth #somatichealing #nervoussystemhealth #tribalconformity #burnoutculture #drinklessthriveharder #emotionalhealth #alcoholrecovery #coachlife #quiettheshame #alcoholisalie #coachingtribe

Pubs Open at 9 AM – Are We Just Numbing Men to Death?

This morning, I walked past the Ivor Davies pub in Cardiff. It was 9:04 am—and already, ten men were drinking pints in silence.

 

Not celebrating.

Not connecting.

Just… escaping.

 

Fifteen years ago, I might’ve judged them.

Today, I feel heartbreak.

 

Because this is what “normal” has become.

Early-morning sedation.

Loneliness on tap.

And a culture that teaches men to drown instead of feel.

 

In this raw episode, I unpack the quiet tragedy of early pub drinking, the post-divorce disintegration of male identity, and the real story behind the law that made it all possible. This one’s for the men who’ve lost their way—and the STRIVERS ready to help them find it.

 

Much love, and STRIVE on!

Lee

 

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #alcoholawareness #mensmentalhealth #divorcedfathers #emotionalhealth #toxicmasculinity #theliquidlie #selfledlife #morningdrinking #cultureofescape #alcoholfreejourney #healingmen #masculinitymatters #purposeoverpints #reclaimyourlife #notjustadrink #pubculture #earlymorningdrinking #cardifflife #emotionalnumbing #grieveculture #alcoholfreeasfuck #STRIVEcommunity

Why My 8-Year-Old Thinks She’ll Drink Wine

When Zia told me—so matter-of-factly—that she’ll probably drink wine when she grows up, it hit me like a truck.

 

She’s eight.

She’s never seen me drink.

Barely sees her mum drink.

She doesn’t live in a booze-soaked house.

 

And yet… she thinks she will.

 

Why?

Because culture doesn’t need to knock.

The Liquid Lie slips through the cracks—TV, school, books, weddings, jokes.

 

This episode isn’t about parenting.

It’s about programming.

It’s about the invisible inheritance we pass down—even when we try not to.

 

If you’re a single mum, a dad trying to do things differently, or someone who’s ever thought “just one glass” was harmless—this one’s for you.

 

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #parentingtruths #alcoholculture #alcoholawareness #mumswhodontdrink #singlemumlife #livingAFAF #breakthecycle #raiseconsciouskids #healingjourney #alcoholfreedom #theLiquidLie #ZiaSaidItAll

What It Really Means to Be a Man Without Alcohol

You quit drinking.

You meditate.

You read all the books on masculinity.

 

And then your partner looks you in the eye and says:

“It feels like I’m married to a little boy.”

 

That’s what happened to me.

And it broke me—so I rebuilt.

 

In this episode, I unpack a quote from John Wineland and explore what masculinity really means when you stop performing and start embodying. We’re talking nervous system regulation, emotional safety, and how to live with clarity, stillness, and integrity—without reaching for the bottle to fake it.

 

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to lead from your core—this one’s for you.

 

—

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #masculinity #mensmentalhealth #emotionalintelligence #nervoussystemregulation #alcoholrecovery #embodiment #selfledlife #johnwineland #menswork #spiritualmasculinity #sobercurious #mensgroup #traumahealing #IFS #healingjourney #menscoach

From Booze to Bedtime Stories – A STRIVER Dad’s Wake-Up Call

In today’s episode, I sit down with STRIVER John Bell—a father, a counsellor, and a man who used to drink to forget who he was.

 

We talk about what it’s like to be a healthcare professional struggling with alcohol, the guilt of being physically present but emotionally absent as a parent, and the deep identity shift required to live a SELF-led life, alcohol-free-as-fuck.

 

John shares his journey from being a mechanic stuck in the wrong life to becoming a therapist who helps others navigate their own. We unpack approval-seeking, male friendships, parental shame, and the culture that tells us numbing out is normal.

 

This is a conversation about regret, redemption, and the quiet power of presence.

And it’s for anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s too late to change.

 

Spoiler: it’s not.

 

If you’d like to connect with John or work with him, visit daisyhillwellbeing.co.uk.

 

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#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #emotionalpresence #alcoholrecovery #fatherhood #mensmentalhealth #IFS #reparenting #selfledlife #alcoholfree #dadlife #malevulnerability #mentalhealthawareness #parentingjourney #healingjourney #counsellorlife #approvaladdiction #daisyhillwellbeing #JohnBell #frommechanictotherapist #alcoholculture #traumahealing

Football, BrewDog & the Boy Who Just Wanted to Belong

BrewDog just inked a deal with West Ham United.

To most, it’s just marketing.

To me? It’s a megaphone for the Liquid Lie.

 

In this episode, I take you back to my boyhood in Manchester—pies, Bovril, and the first time I swore at a match. But beneath those memories was something deeper: a craving to belong.

 

The pint wasn’t about taste.

It was about validation.

It said: “You’re one of us.”

 

Football is supposed to unite us—but for many boys, it teaches that manhood is earned through alcohol. That to be part of the tribe, you must drink like one of the lads.

 

We’re not just talking beer and goals—we’re talking identity.

And it’s time we rewrote the script.

 

🎧 Listen in to explore:

– The emotional grooming hidden in football culture

– Why brands like BrewDog keep tying booze to masculinity

– How to reclaim your worth without pouring a pint

 

STRIVERS, it’s time to break the chain.

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #alcoholculture #footballculture #BrewDog #masculinity #toxicmasculinity #validation #belonging #alcoholtruth #mentalhealth #alcoholawareness #selfledliving #WestHam #sponsorshiplies #drinkaware #greyareadrinking #boystodrinkingpath #emotionalhealing #rewritethecode #liveAFAF

You Worked So Hard—Why Can’t You Just Be Happy?

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE

 

You hit the goal.

You land the deal.

You finally feel proud.

 

And then… you pull back.

You brace for impact.

You numb the joy.

 

This episode dives into the hidden reason so many high-achievers can’t feel happy even when everything looks right. It’s not sabotage. It’s self-protection—rooted in something Brené Brown calls foreboding joy.

 

🎧 In this episode:

✅ The reason joy triggers fear—not celebration

✅ How PARTS use success as a warning sign

✅ Why the STRIVE Method focuses on nervous system repair, not just gratitude

✅ Tools to stop numbing and start feeling again

 

You’re not broken. You’re just bracing. But there’s another way.

 

👊 Join the waiting list for the STRIVE Method: www.thestrivemethod.com

📩 Or email Lee directly: thestrivemethod@gmail.com

💥 Don’t forget to rate & review the show—it helps others find this message.

 

Until tomorrow—

Much love, and STRIVE on!

Lee

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast, #LeeDavy, #STRIVE, #alcoholfree, #highachievers, #forebodingjoy, #traumarecovery, #nervoussystemhealing, #selfledlife, #AFAF, #selfsabotage, #emotionalresilience, #brenebrown, #IFStherapy, #healingjourney

Divorced, Powerless, and Drowning? Learn the Line That Saved Me

I moved back into my childhood bedroom at 35. Same carpet. Same curtains. Same crushing sense of failure. My marriage was over. My son no longer lived with me. And I felt invisible. Powerless. Drowning in silence.

 

This episode is for every divorced parent—especially dads—who feels like they’ve lost more than a partner. If you’ve ever stared at a ring on your finger and asked, “What now?”… you’re not alone.

 

Inside, I share the powerful concept of The Line—and how learning to live above it changed everything for me. This isn’t mindset fluff. It’s how we stop parenting from PARTS, co-parenting from pain, and living in survival mode.

 

Tune in to discover how to return to SELF, find your TRIBE, and finally stop drinking just to feel okay.

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #AFAF #TheLiquidLie #DivorcedFathers #SelfLedLife #IFS #MensMentalHealth #TribeNotTreatment #EmotionalSobriety #HealingAfterDivorce #ConsciousParenting #VictimConsciousness #AboveTheLine

What Should I Ask Myself When I Crave Alcohol?

You probably don’t crave alcohol as much as you think.

 

You’re not in pain. You’re not desperate. You’re just… human. A human living in a world where drinking is the default—where Fridays mean wine, and success gets toasted.

 

In this episode, I’m speaking directly to the coaches, therapists, and healthcare workers—the ones who know how to regulate a nervous system, but still pour a drink when the house goes quiet.

 

This isn’t about relapse. It’s about realisation.

 

Because when you stop and ask, “How intense is this craving, really?”—you might discover there was never a craving at all.

 

You were just following a script.

 

STRIVERS don’t follow scripts. We ask better questions.

 

 

 

#1000DaysSoberPodcast #LeeDavy #STRIVE #STRIVEMethod #AFAF #alcoholawareness #emotionalregulation #nervoussystemhealing #alcoholfreecoach #coachingtools #sugarcravings #drinklesslivebetter #stopdrinking #cravingsupport #healthcareworkerburnout #therapytools #integrity #alcoholfreelife #mentalhealthawareness #selfleadership