034. Changing How We Talk About Motherhood, Alcohol, & Sobriety with Laura McKowen

I'm so honored to share the incredible Laura McKowen with you today! This conversation is AWESOME and just the start I was hoping for to a very…interesting & challenging topic. How are we supposed to talk about alcohol as moms? Some of us drink. Some of us don’t. And there’s this weird divide between the two and unhelpful cultural influences that leave us fumbling for how to talk to one another about drinking and sobriety. Which is so weird as moms and friends and sisters to suddenly NOT know how to talk to one another about this “everyday ordinary” topic. It almost feels like it’s talked about for us in memes and wine apparel. I’ve been thinking about how I wanted to bring up of the conversation of alcohol for a while and having Laura on to breech the subject feels right. She’s so kind and understanding and her journey brings with it important insight that we can all benefit from big time whether you drink or not. It’s such a polarized topic when it doesn’t need to be. If it truly was “no big deal,” we wouldn’t be whispering about it. If it truly was “no big deal,” we wouldn’t have to feel like we might lose our friends if we choose not to drink. But these are real concerns for moms. And it feels like there’s not a lot of mom-specific support out there to help us navigate this topic. No guidelines for how to talk about alcohol and motherhood. So we live in this weird culture that’s polarized: either you’re in or you’re out. And if you’re out, you’re no fun. And you know what? That’s just not true. And it’s not helpful. So what is helpful? Amazing women like today’s guest, author and speaker Laura McKowen. Laura is going to share with us her story, her insights, suggestions for how to talk about alcohol and motherhood, and how to be supportive of friends who choose sobriety. Her message is very, very powerful. Laura is the author of We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life. She is a former public relations executive who has become recognized as a fresh voice in the recovery movement. Beloved for her soulful and irreverent writing, she now leads sold-out yoga-based retreats and courses that teach people how to say yes to a bigger life. She hosted the iTunes Top 100 podcast HOME, with over 1.5 million downloads. and has been featured on the TODAY show, in The Guardian, WebMD, New York Post, and more. She shows up as such a light and friend for this conversation and finds a way to make us comfortable with the uncomfortable while holding our hands and walking us forward. I don’t want you to be afraid of this conversation. It’s not a heavy…it’s full of hope, ideas, and inspiration. And gives us new perspective on how we can talk about it with each other, with our sisters, and be supportive of one another. We’re breaking through the “not knowing” and diving into it so we can come out the other side with more understanding, compassion, and resources to move forward with clarity and connection. Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/loribethauldridge Facebook: www.facebook.com/elevatingmotherhood iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevating-motherhood/id1479731562 Blog: www.yayamamas.com Laura McKowen Links: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/show-notes/episode-034/ Please Visit Today's Sponsors: Primally Pure & Branch Basics