This is Annie Grace and you're listening to this naked mind podcast where without judgment,

pain or rules, we explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture.

Hi friends, it's Annie Grace, author of this naked mind and I am answering questions.

Today's question is from Charlotte and Charlotte asked, she says,

Hi Annie, I read your book after a recent injury caused by drinking.

And I stopped for a while but now I am back in the alcohol trap.

The problem is that I have such a tolerance that unless I don't eat and I drink copious amounts,

alcohol doesn't even work for me anymore. So I truly feel trapped and it's a desperate feeling.

When I started drinking about five years ago, it really helped me deal with the social phobia or so I felt.

But I would really appreciate it if you could do a blog post of having the self love to do what you know in your heart of hearts is hurting you so much and to overcome this.

How to let go of self sabotage. I'm drinking to sabotage myself because I just don't feel like I deserve to be happy and healthy.

And even though I tell myself positive affirmations, it just isn't working. Thank you.

So first of all Charlotte, I would say that asking this question, how can I learn to care for myself, to love myself?

That is the most important part. Your recognition, your acknowledgement that something is a miss in your life and that you're treating yourself both physically and mentally not as you would want to be.

That's literally the biggest piece. I mean if every journey begins with a thousand steps, then this is the first and most important and most powerful step.

And I believe that this step of simply asking carries a ton of momentum.

And with that being said, I will tell you that you know my personal journey and lots of folks who I've talked to and readers and people who I've coached and everything else, it's not a linear journey.

We like things clear cut. We like cause and effect. We do this and that happens. But the journey into knowing yourself and discovering yourself and finding yourself worthy.

It's not clean. It's not linear. It's looping and winding and never ending and terrifying. And sometimes you aren't even sure if you're making any progress.

But I mean trust me, I'm here to tell you that you are and that all of it is part of this journey. This this self reflection about not drinking the desire for more in your life.

The knowing in your heart that something isn't as it should be. All of these are very clear indicators that you are making progress and that you are on the path and that you are exactly where you need to be.

So aside from being willing to start the journey, which you've already done here are my two most important pieces of tangible actionable advice for self care and self love.

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