Ep 77: Summer Survival Guide: Rethinking Holidays, Hangovers & Having Fun

Do holidays and the summer break leave you feeling less refreshed and more exhausted? Does ‘holiday mode’ mean you default straight to drinks even when you’d love to come back energised, present, and rested? If you’re tired of summer routines that always revolve around alcohol, make sure you listen in

Join Anna as she kicks off The Big Drink Rethink’s summer series, our six-week companion to navigating July and August on your terms. She unpacks why summer holidays are a breeding ground for booze triggers, from sunshine and airport pints, to the emotional weight we load onto each trip. Anna shares why it’s possible and powerful to make this the summer you flip the script on drinking and create real, lasting memories (with zero hangovers in sight). Whether you’re sober-curious, cutting back, or already alcohol-free, this episode is packed with honest stories, permission to experiment, and all the summer resources you need.

Here are the highlights:

00:00 Introduction

01:16 Summer: a time of energy, but also holiday hangover traps

02:50 Why holidays sometimes leave us more depleted than restored

03:55 The repetitive rituals & regrets that follow us abroad

11:44 Why holidays are opportunities to feel & rewire emotions

14:30 The all-inclusive trap flipping “money’s worth” to real value

15:38 Airport and travel day triggers (hello 10am pints!)

18:30 Visualisation: Laying the groundwork for your best holiday ever

25:12 Decide your anchor: Know your ‘why’ for not drinking

31:43 Reframing all-inclusive value, maximizing experiences

34:06 JOMO: The joy of missing out replaces FOMO

36:06 What you’re gaining: freedom, clarity, and restorative fun

36:56 Anna’s recommended books for light, uplifting summer reading

44:01 Life-affirming, empowering playlist ideas

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If you’re a mum wanting to explore your relationship with alcohol, join ‘Mummy Doesn’t Need Wine’ here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mummydoesntneedwine

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To further explore your relationship with alcohol, check out Anna’s self-guided programme, The Big Drink Rethink Experiment: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/the-big-drink-rethink-experiment

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About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebeliefscoach.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk