135: Tapped In & AF with Sarah Connelly135: Tapped In & AF with Sarah Connelly
You're Sober! Now What?
Sarah Connelly shares how grief, family history and mummy-wine culture led to problematic drinking, and how rehab, mindset shifts and alcohol-free alternatives support her current alcohol-free lifestyle. The conversation looks closely at language around recovery and the importance of focusing on purpose and a brighter future.
38:17•20 Sept 2021
Tapped In & Alcohol Free: Sarah Connelly on Language, Loss and Lasting Change
Episode Overview
- Stopping drinking does not require a dramatic rock bottom; if alcohol feels like too much for you, that’s reason enough to seek change.
- Shifting language around alcoholism and recovery can help people feel less judged and more willing to talk honestly about their drinking.
- Alcohol-free alternatives can support social connection and reduce overall drinking for some, but they aren’t appropriate for everyone and need self-awareness.
- Focusing on an exciting, meaningful future is more powerful than simply trying to escape past mistakes or white-knuckle away from alcohol.
- Daily practices like gratitude and deliberately looking for joy help retrain the brain away from fear and towards lasting positive change.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter whether you are drinking one glass of wine a night or ten. If it’s too much for you, then there’s a problem.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This episode of "You're Sober! Now What?" follows Sarah Connelly, a 47-year-old mum of two living in Brisbane, as she talks through the messy, honest shift from mummy-wine culture to an alcohol-free lifestyle and meaningful work in sobriety. You’ll hear how Sarah’s early experiences with a heavy-drinking, unhappy father initially pushed her away from alcohol, only for it to creep back in after motherhood.
She explains how stress, boredom and grief turned wine into a way to "fix" emotions, especially after losing both parents in quick succession. The turning point came on the day her dad died: "I don’t want to die without fulfilling my whole potential." From there, she chose two weeks of rehab and a complete reset, challenging the idea that you have to hit some dramatic rock bottom before you’re "bad enough" to ask for help. Language becomes a big theme.
Sarah and host Tamar talk about terms like alcoholic, sober and recovery, and how certain labels can feel loaded or uninspiring. Sarah prefers focusing on being alcohol free and looking forward, saying those heavy words often "encourage people to look backwards" rather than towards a happier future.
They also chat about alcohol-free alternatives – AF champagne, beer and more – and how, for some people, these can make socialising easier and help friends drink less, while acknowledging they’re not suitable for everyone. Sarah shares how mindset work, self-awareness and daily focus on joy and purpose create lasting change, not just white-knuckling away from a drink.
If you’re curious about living alcohol free, questioning the labels you’ve been handed, or wondering how to build a life that feels like more than "six out of ten", this conversation might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for. What future are you choosing for yourself today?
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