We want big resolutions. We want massive change. But what I have found time and time again is that massive change is always built through tiny steps. 10% shifts leave room for you to be human, to run into obstacles, to mess up, and to keep moving forward.

Whether you want to drink less or stop drinking, this podcast will help you change the habit from the inside out. We’re challenging conventional wisdom about why people drink and why it can be hard to resist temptation. No labels, no judgment, just practical tools to take control of your desire and stop worrying about your drinking. Now, here’s your host, Rachel Hart.

Alright, this is the last episode of 2025. And I’ll tell you this, you might be feeling more tired than inspired about the New Year, especially if you’re just trying to keep your head above the water. So maybe part of you is really ready to change and part of you is doubting that things with your drinking will actually be different this year, especially with everything that’s happening in your life.

I’ll tell you this, we’re sold this fantasy that when the New Year comes, it’s a magical time to create change. But just because you have ambition doesn’t mean you don’t also have your doubts. So instead of trying to figure out how you’re finally going to solve your overdrinking this year, I want you to start by just asking yourself a much smaller question. What would a 10% shift in my drinking look like this year?

It might mean being 10% more honest with yourself about why you’re actually pouring the drink instead of just saying, well, it’s my favorite and I love the taste. Maybe it’s 10% more evenings where you don’t immediately open a bottle of wine or crack open a beer or fix yourself a cocktail in order to relax. Maybe it’s just being 10% kinder to yourself after drinking too much. 

Now, I will tell you this, your brain is going to resist this question because when we ask ourselves what would a 10% shift look like, it feels too small to matter. We want big resolutions. We want massive change. But what I have found time and time again is that massive change is always built through tiny steps. 10% shifts leave room for you to be human, to run into obstacles, to mess up, and to keep moving forward.

So to make this really concrete, here are three questions that I want you to sit with. First, what would 10% kinder to my body look like or feel like this year? What would I be doing differently? So maybe that would be less alcohol, maybe it would be fewer hangovers, maybe it would be more real rest, maybe it would be moving your body more. Our body carries the consequences of our habits. So what would kindness to our body look like? Just 10% more. What would it look like? How would it be a little bit different than how this past year has gone?

You can ask yourself, well, where am I most tired of my own excuses about drinking? And you know what your excuses are. I deserve it. I’ll be good tomorrow. Who cares? It’s a special occasion. You don’t have to tackle every excuse. Just pick one and start noticing how you’re kind of tired of it and how often it shows up.

And what’s one situation where you’re willing to experiment with maybe not rushing to have a drink? Maybe it’s one weeknight, maybe it’s one dinner out with friends, maybe it’s after a bad day at work. What’s one situation where you’re willing to experiment with what would this be like if I wasn’t immediately adding alcohol?

All of these questions are just about shifting from judgment to curiosity. Curiosity sounds like, huh, there’s a craving or I just had an urge. I wonder why I’m responding to it like it’s a command, instead of, no, I’m not allowed to drink.

Curiosity gives you data and data is what you need to change the habit. If the pressure of overhauling your drinking in the New Year is really overwhelming, I want you to remember, we’re just going to start with trying to get 10% better. Small, specific ways that you’re willing to experiment with showing up differently around alcohol, around your cravings, around triggers, around excuses, around the habit.

And if you want help with that, if you want 2026 to be a real turning point in your relationship with alcohol without the all-or-nothing pressure of, I’ve got to overhaul everything, come the New Year, I have created something just for you. I’m putting together a special New Year experience to help you change your drinking in a way that is doable and kind. No perfection required.

It starts in January, and if you already know that you want my support, the best thing you can do right now is to sign up so you’ll have all the information when it launches. So just go to RachelHart.com/January. Again, that’s RachelHart.com/January to sign up. You will be first to hear all about what’s in store. You’ll get early access when the doors open. And remember, you don’t have to have everything figured out today or on day one of 2026. You just have to raise your hand and say, I want this year to be different, and I will help you with the how.

Alright, that’s it today. I will see you next week.

Hey guys, you already know that drinking less has plenty of health benefits. But did you know that the work you do to change your relationship with alcohol will help you become more of the person you want to be in every part of your life?

Learning how to manage your brain and your cravings is an investment in your physical, emotional and personal wellbeing. And that’s exactly what’s waiting for you when you join my membership Take a Break.

Whether you want to drink less, drink rarely, or not at all, we’ll help you figure out a relationship with alcohol that works for you. We’ll show you why rules, drink plans, and Dry January so often fail, and give you the tools you need to feel in control and trust yourself.

So, head on over to RachelHart.com and sign up today, because changing the habit is so much easier when you stop trying to go it alone.