What I Wish I Knew at 25: Life Lessons on My 58th BirthdayWhat I Wish I Knew at 25: Life Lessons on My 58th Birthday
Busy Living Sober with Host Elizabeth Chance
Elizabeth “Bizzy” Chance reflects on her 58th birthday, contrasting a fearful previous year with a calmer present, shaped by sobriety, gratitude and letting go of control. She shares what she wishes she’d known at 25 about worry, emotions and enjoying the ride of life.
20:14•6 Oct 2026
Writing Life in Pencil: Bizzy’s 58th Birthday Lessons on Sobriety and Letting Go
Episode Overview
- Worrying about future outcomes is often a waste of time, as many things work out differently yet still okay.
- Feelings are temporary and not factual; learning not to react to every emotion can bring more calm.
- Writing plans in pencil rather than pen symbolises staying flexible and less controlling about how life should look.
- A simple daily ritual, such as watching the sunrise, can anchor gratitude and presence in recovery.
- Comparison steals joy; focusing on inner contentment and personal growth matters more than material success.
“Feelings aren't facts. Feelings come and they go. Everything works out.”
What drives someone to seek a calmer, freer life after years of worry and control? This birthday episode catches Elizabeth “Bizzy” Chance reflecting on turning 58, 20 years sober and wondering how much time she’s spent “worrying about things that worked out anyway.” You’ll hear her contrast last year’s 57th birthday, spent crying and terrified because life didn’t match the picture in her head, with this year’s deep sense of peace. The big shift?
She stopped “trying to direct the movie” and started writing her plans in pencil, not pen, accepting that outcomes don’t have to match her script to be okay. For anyone in recovery or simply feeling overwhelmed by life, this episode leans hard into the idea that “feelings aren’t facts. Feelings come and they go.
Everything works out.” Bizzy talks about pain as the touchstone to freedom, how her toughest year pushed her into action, and why drama might be fun on TV but doesn’t need to run your life. There are plenty of grounded, everyday rituals here too.
Underlying it all is a message to her younger self and to anyone stuck in fear: loosen your grip, stop obsessing over outcomes and “enjoy the ride.” With humour, honesty and a lot of heart, Bizzy talks about ageing, relationships, faith, emotional ups and downs, and the simple practice of saying, “Thank you for my life.” If you’ve ever felt trapped by worry or perfectionism, this birthday reflection might be the gentle nudge you need to take life a bit less seriously and smile more at the journey.
She shares her dawn routine of walking to the beach, putting her feet in the ocean and watching a sunrise that looks different every day, a reminder that “each moment makes up our lives.” She revisits early sobriety advice like writing a gratitude list, moving from “I’m not grateful for anything” to realising that gratitude is the best attitude.
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