Can you share with us your personal journey to sobriety and what inspired you to start this podcast?
Where do I start?! In a nutshell, I became a daily drinker who drank too often, too quickly and too much. I only ever wanted to take an extended break from alcohol... 90 days originally as I knew 30 was never quite enough... but something happened that I didn't expect. I fell in love with living a sober life and 5 years later I've never looked back! Every single aspect of my life has been impacted so positively by that one decision, my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. One of my proudest achievements in sobriety is the Over The Influence podcast I host with Ben Anderson and the launch of our alcohol-free community which is all about inspiration, motivation, support and connection. It's been an incredible journey and one that simply would not have happened if I hadn't decided to ditch the booze back in September 2018.
What's the main message you're trying to bring to your podcast?
That sobriety isn't boring and that you don't have to do this on your own. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It's one of the most exciting decisions you can make despite it feeling so difficult in those early days. Our main podcast is all about the guests and their incredible stories of recovery, sobriety, middle-lane drinking... wherever you are on the scale. We want to normalise sobriety and we want people to know it's fun, full of new challenges, exhilarating and ultimately life changing.
What are some common challenges people might run into when they're new to sobriety, and how does your podcast help listeners tackle these issues?
One of the hardest parts of sobriety in the early days can be the loneliness and the overwhelming feeling of being a sober lone-ranger. Our podcast lets people know they're not on their own. We talk to influencers, authors, rock stars and radio stars as well as sharing the extraordinary stories of ordinary people who've decided to make a change.
Find your people, find what works for you, make new friends, try new activities and before you know it your life slowly begins to change for the better in ways you could never have imagined!
What sort of topics do you like to dive into on your podcast, and why do you think they're important for our journey to staying sober and enjoying life?
No topics are out of bounds on OTI. We discuss addiction, trauma, mental health issues and delve into the reasons why someone may have become addicted to alcohol. Equally, we focus on all the positives that come over time in sobriety. Changes in relationships, new career opportunities, personal growth and endless opportunities. We also laugh a lot...!
How do you choose the people who come on your show, and what kind of stories or knowledge are you looking for in your interviews?
It's important to us that our guests - in the main - are fully alcohol-free. We stay away from discussions surrounding moderation as this can potentially be triggering for our listeners. We talk to people who've pulled themselves out of the rock bottom they've found themselves in and we talk to people who drank occasionally who found that removing booze has been life changing. We talk to people in the public eye as well as invite stories from members of our community. We seek out the positivity but share the tough stuff too as it's all part of the journey!
What kind of impact do you dream your podcast will have on people who are dealing with addiction or working on their sobriety?
That they know they're not alone and that change is possible.
