In today’s episode, Colleen lifts the veil on a common self-sabotage mechanism that often flies under the radar: worry. What begins as a moment of genuine joy and success quickly dissolves into anxiety—and not because something actually went wrong, but because her nervous system quietly panicked at how good it all felt.

Using a relatable personal story and the concept of the “upper limit problem,” Colleen explores how we unconsciously block positive emotions the moment they start to expand. Whether it's a burst of pride, creative momentum, or a deep sense of peace, many of us unknowingly kink the hose of our own emotional flow—defaulting to worry as a way to shut it all down.

This episode offers a practical and empowering reframe: your worry isn't a warning—it’s a signal that something good is trying to get in. If you’re ready to stop letting anxiety pull the plug on your joy, this one’s for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Worrying is rarely helpful—it’s often just your brain’s way of shutting down positive feelings.

• The moment you feel amazing is often the exact moment your brain tries to sabotage it.

• Overthinking is usually under-feeling—go back to what you were feeling before the worry kicked in.

• Blocking good feelings also blocks creative, aligned thoughts. Don’t let your brain shut the door on new ideas.

• Ask yourself: What positive emotion is this worry trying to block? That question can change everything.

If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL.

Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

Find me on:

YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer

TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer

Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer

X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc

Transcript

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If you’ve ever done an alcohol free challenge for 30, 60 or 90 days, maybe even a year, only to fall back into old habits when you started drinking again— this episode is for you. In today’s deep dive, Colleen Freeland explains why behavior-based sobriety models (like Sober Sis, Annie Grace, and Casey Davidson’s approaches) can actually keep you trapped in the very drinking cycle you’re trying to escape.

You’ll learn why the real issue isn’t alcohol — it’s the perfectionistic, all-or-nothing mindset these programs reinforce. Colleen unpacks the neuroscience of habit change and explains why shame, identity labels, and emotional avoidance block your brain’s ability to rewire for good.

She’ll walk you through the Default Mode Network, Reticular Activating System, and the Habenula — three key parts of the brain where habits live — and show you how to reprogram your subconscious mind through identity-based change and emotional safety.

🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why sobriety programs are a psychological “bait and switch”

• The difference between behavior change vs. identity change

• How all-or-nothing thinking fuels binge cycles

• What it really means to build trust with yourself

• Why you need to stop counting sober days

• How to redefine success in a context that has nothing to do with alcohol

Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking.

Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hangoverwhisperer

—Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

In today’s episode, Colleen peels back the curtain on one of the most radical shifts we can make: recognizing that we are not our thoughts—we’re the observer behind them. What starts as a reflection on managing the energy in your body becomes a masterclass in emotional authorship, reminding us that our thoughts, not our circumstances, are what create our lived reality.

Using the metaphor of a self-driving car, Colleen breaks down how most of us are unconsciously letting outdated programming steer our lives. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When you take back the wheel—choosing how you want to feel and filtering your thoughts through that emotional compass—you begin to rewrite the narrative of your life, one aligned action at a time.

This episode is both a wake-up call and a permission slip: to believe what feels good, let go of what causes suffering, and trust that healing your inner world is how you change the outer one. If you've ever wondered whether it’s really possible to feel free, peaceful, and powerful in your own skin—this is your answer.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• You are not your thoughts—you’re the one hearing them. Use that awareness to change your story.

• Your body is your compass; if a thought feels heavy or constricting, it’s not the truth you need.

• You don’t need external validation to feel good—you need internal alignment.

• Emotional energy is your language with the universe. Tune it, and your life will start to reflect it.

• The bravest thing you can do is feel your feelings and then choose the ones you want more of.

If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL.

Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

Find me on:

YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer

TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer

Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer

X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc

Transcript