What does sobriety actually look like after the milestones, the celebrations and the before-and-after stories?

This week I'm joined by my friend Mike Field, who stopped drinking three months before I did. We met in those messy early days of 2022, when we were both navigating life without alcohol and leaning heavily on the online sober community for support.

Now, more than four years later, we catch up to talk about what life really looks like when sobriety is no longer the centre of your attention.

We chat about:

- Why the first year isn't the end of the journey
- How our relationship with alcohol has changed over time
- The fears we had in early sobriety that never came true
- Learning to leave situations that no longer serve you
- Why community can make all the difference in recovery
- Navigating heartbreak, grief, anxiety and life's biggest challenges without alcohol
- The identity shift that happens when drinking is no longer part of who you are
- Why life without alcohol isn't boring – it's just different

This isn't an episode about counting sober days or celebrating milestones. It's a conversation about what comes next, and how sobriety quietly becomes the foundation for a life you never imagined was possible.

Whether you're on Day 1 or Year 10, I hope this conversation reminds you that recovery isn't about giving something up forever. It's about building a life you no longer want to escape from.

Get in touch:

Mike

Instagram @mike_is_sober

Abi

30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset

Available here - www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/

Instagram @levelup.withabi

Email hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz

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