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00:01:47.213A huge welcome to Maz Compton, radio host, author of Last Drinks, aussie sober champ, recently featured in the City Morning Herald advocating the benefits of drinking less alcohol.
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00:01:54.254Maz, here you are joining us on week three of our six-week alcohol-free challenge.
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00:01:55.725A huge welcome to you.
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00:02:04.689Thank you so much, isabella, and can I just say to everyone who is here well done on what you have achieved so far.
00:02:04.689 -->
00:02:10.989Like signing up for any challenge of any sort in 2025 is a challenge in itself.
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00:02:29.707So to be you know, three weeks in, I'm sure you are all feeling certain things that I'm going to touch on when I share my story, but I just wanted to say to all of you well done, you're doing a great job and keep going, and hopefully you can get a couple of little gems out of this to keep you focused for the next few weeks ahead.
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00:02:36.091Thanks, Maz, All right fire away.
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00:02:50.953So I was having a think about what I wanted to share, because I have limited time with you and your time is really valuable and I could probably talk for 62 years nonstop about my not drinking journey.
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00:02:57.072So I was like, how do I make this really concise and really valuable so it gives the biggest impact?
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00:03:21.324So I'm just really going to give you the guts of my last drinks moment, which was that's why my book is called last drinks, that's why the podcast that I was hosting was called last drinks, cause I truly believe when you take your last drink, it is the start of your sobriety and that is the start of the evolution of a brand new you, and that's exactly what happened in my life.
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00:03:22.807So I can't it's weird.
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00:03:28.953I kind of look at my life a little bit like before the last drink and after the last week.
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00:03:31.019Like it's a little bit of a Jesus story, really isn't?
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00:03:35.788It's like there's before Christ and then after death, but like it kind of feels a little bit like that.
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00:03:48.243So before my last drink, which was on the first, well, the 31st of December 2014 was the very last time I drank alcohol and I've never had a drink of alcohol since that day.
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00:03:54.293But leading up to that day, I was a very different Maz to what I am now probably not in my appearance so much.
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00:04:01.691I think I've aged pretty well, if I'm being honest, in the last 10 years, but definitely of my self-talk and the internal Maz.
00:04:01.691 -->
00:04:13.883So if I could have shown you a picture of internal Maz in 2014, she was not pretty and I feel like the internal Maz in 2025 is like kind of like a beautiful flower.
00:04:13.883 -->
00:04:22.944I've had this really amazing evolution of self and self-worth through having my last drink, which I wasn't expecting.
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00:04:23.866So let me get to the point.
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00:04:28.944In 2014, I was on a national drive radio show.
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00:04:33.760I'd been working up to that job really for most of my adult life in my career.
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00:04:35.625I'd done television and radio.
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00:04:39.543I'd interviewed every celebrity under the sun, probably four times.
00:04:39.543 -->
00:04:43.192I had been in all of the rooms with all of the famous people.
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00:04:49.965I'd been in the limousines, I'd been backstage, I'd been on the red carpets and for 80% of that time I was probably intoxicated.
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00:05:02.571So unless I was hosting a red carpet so if you see any footage of me which sadly, I think is floating around YouTube still but from like the MTV awards in like the early two thousands.
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00:05:10.590I was stone cold, sober, on camera because I'm a professional and I always showed up and did my job in TV and in radio.
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00:05:17.221But as soon as that camera went off or as soon as that microphone went off and I was off duty, it was straight to the bar.
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00:05:20.069And I've said this, I talk about it in my book.
00:05:20.151 -->
00:05:29.721I've never blamed the industry for my alcohol dependence, but it certainly didn't help because I realized I was in control of all of my choices back then.
00:05:29.721 -->
00:05:31.946I just didn't know that they were my choices.
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00:05:42.350So I would finish work and have a drink, or it would be maybe before an event that I didn't have to be on camera for or on radio for.
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00:05:48.586So then I would have a few drinks because I was only chatting to clients or whatever it might be my line of work.
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00:05:55.966Also, you know, one of the perks is I was always invited to lots of parties and that was fun.
00:05:56.567 -->
00:06:04.747But what I've learned about myself is that I'm actually an introvert by nature with a very big extroverted personality.
00:06:04.747 -->
00:06:08.113So I'm a walking conflict of interest.
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00:06:16.423And so I think what I did from a really young age, being exposed to a very toxic industry that was very fast paced.
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00:06:19.591It was very like boys clubby, let's go.
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00:06:41.084I think I just tried to dissipate that anxiety of going out into all of these public spaces and broadcasting on television with alcohol, because it did just sort of dampen it down a little bit, all of those sort of yeah, social anxiety, that social anxiety that I was feeling.
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00:06:56.552But I didn't like I can say all of this now, but I had no idea at the time what I was doing, right, so all I knew was that I felt a bit weird when I had to go out to events and I wanted to say no, fee, I wanted to say no, but I had no way out, had no way of saying no.
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00:06:57.533I had to show up.
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00:06:58.194I had to do it.
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00:06:58.954It was my job.
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00:06:59.723Who else is going to be?
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00:07:00.326Maz Compton?
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00:07:02.326Like, I've got to host the party, you know?
00:07:02.326 -->
00:07:02.949Blah, blah, blah.
00:07:02.949 -->
00:07:05.249It's a privilege to be here, don't take it for granted.
00:07:05.480 -->
00:07:10.228All of those thoughts would run through my head as I was having a couple of drinks before I would go out.
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00:07:17.714This was my routine for career, I guess started in, oh no, 20 years.
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00:07:25.2262004 was when I got my job on MTV and no, sorry, 10 years, 2014 was when I stopped drinking.
00:07:25.226 -->
00:07:26.725So for 10 years solid.
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00:07:35.923This was my cycle, this was my pattern, and it kind of just escalated to the point where I didn't and I don't know if any of you ladies have ever felt this like.
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00:07:38.269I started to not trust myself around alcohol.
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00:07:47.744So I stopped going out, which you would think that that was a healthy choice but then I would just sit at home and drink by myself, which is probably maybe the saddest situation ever.
00:07:47.744 -->
00:07:52.562So I got to a point where I was like I have to go to these parties, I have to go out.
00:07:52.562 -->
00:07:54.668It's the weekend, I can't just sit around.
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00:08:01.728So I'm going to go out and I'm going to drink, obviously, because how do you engage with other people unless you're drinking alcohol?
00:08:01.728 -->
00:08:06.725This was my way of thinking in 2014.
00:08:06.725 -->
00:08:17.132Okay, and I remember 2014 is really critical for my story because there I was carrying on doing all the things, but like nothing in my life was going bad.
00:08:17.132 -->
00:08:26.744So you know, I don't know again, I'm not sure of your personal stories but like, for some people there's like a catalyst or there's a thing and there's like a like all of these bad things happen and they go.
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00:08:28.028Gee, maybe I should stop drinking.
00:08:28.180 -->
00:08:33.021My life was getting better, like my career was on high, I was earning tons of money.
00:08:33.021 -->
00:08:42.380I had a separate wardrobe for shoes in my apartment in Melbourne, like I was living the dream.
00:08:42.380 -->
00:08:47.571My face was on billboards, I get to fly interstate internationally.
00:08:47.571 -->
00:08:50.302Like it was such a great life.
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00:08:52.685It was like a full, like career high.
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00:08:54.288Externally.
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00:09:06.571Internally, I was so sad because I didn't know how to go through a weekend without drinking alcohol, so I became so dependent on this thing to get me through everything.
00:09:06.571 -->
00:09:09.087So even if I had a bad day, I drink alcohol.
00:09:09.087 -->
00:09:11.095If I had a good day, I drink alcohol.
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00:09:13.382If my friend had a birthday, we would drink alcohol.
00:09:13.382 -->
00:09:15.748If it was a weekend, we drink alcohol.
00:09:15.748 -->
00:09:19.803If it was just a regular, random Tuesday with nothing to do, we would drink alcohol.
00:09:20.384 -->
00:09:38.854So sort of this time in 2014, it was early in the year it was a friend of mine, carly, it was her birthday and she invited me out to have drinks at some like fancy Melbourne pub and I thought to myself I don't want to go because I don't want to drink.
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00:09:44.309And then my second thought was like could I just go and not drink?
00:09:44.309 -->
00:09:47.262And then my third thought was like that's impossible.
00:09:47.262 -->
00:09:51.632And then my next thought was, like I think there's a problem here.
00:09:51.632 -->
00:09:59.097Like how come I just started to like really question my own thinking around alcohol?
00:09:59.097 -->
00:10:03.447For the first time in my life I actually thought about what I was thinking.
00:10:03.447 -->
00:10:15.879So I was thinking I am not capable of going to my friend's birthday and celebrating her without fueling my body with alcohol, and at 34 years old at the time that felt like that could become quite problematic.
00:10:15.879 -->
00:10:28.846And so that was sort of the first moment I think, that I dipped into sober curiosity where I just started asking myself some questions about my relationship with alcohol.
00:10:28.846 -->
00:10:30.868Like I just started thinking a little bit about it.
00:10:30.980 -->
00:10:48.370Like it would be, you know, a situation where my kind of routine after work because I'd finish work at about 6.30 in the afternoon I would drive home, I would go via the bottle shop, I'd get a bottle of Savvy B bottle of Pinot, just in case, and I'd go home right Like this was my routine.
00:10:48.370 -->
00:10:55.832Then, as I was driving and getting towards the bottle shop, I'm like do I need to go and get a bottle of wine?
00:10:55.832 -->
00:10:57.196Do I need to?
00:10:57.196 -->
00:11:03.349Like I just started you know I didn't make any dramatic statements like I need to quit drinking.
00:11:03.349 -->
00:11:06.644I just started thinking about it and it took me a while.
00:11:06.663 -->
00:11:15.831Like I kept doing my thing, I kept having this really conflicting living space of my life is really successful, but internally I'm a complete mess.
00:11:15.831 -->
00:11:30.722I can't let anyone know that I'm a mess because everyone thinks I've got it all together, and that's a conundrum in itself, because I didn't feel like I had anyone that I could kind of really bear all to and just break down with and be completely honest with, which was pretty.
00:11:30.722 -->
00:11:39.986When I look back, I'm like that again was maybe a coping mechanism of like I don't want anyone to see my vulnerability because I'm not willing to face it yet.
00:11:39.986 -->
00:11:45.004I don't want anyone to see that there could be an issue here because I'm not ready to let it go.
00:11:45.004 -->
00:11:49.453Like it took me a long, long time to land on sobriety as my solution.
00:11:49.453 -->
00:12:00.543So I kind of funneled through 2014, having these sort of like weird hamster wheel moments of like it's another weekend, are we gonna drink this weekend?
00:12:00.543 -->
00:12:01.184Are we not gonna drink?
00:12:01.184 -->
00:12:01.566Are we gonna?
00:12:01.566 -->
00:12:03.731No, she did it again, you know, and like.
00:12:04.380 -->
00:12:13.855And then by mid-year, as I said, like I just stopped trusting myself with alcohol, and all I mean by that was like there are a few incidents where I went out, I blacked out.
00:12:13.855 -->
00:12:15.320I got home and I got scared.
00:12:15.320 -->
00:12:22.907I was like I made it home but I'm not really sure how, and that's not great, that's not a good situation.
00:12:22.907 -->
00:12:28.524So I thought, okay, let's not go out because then I don't need to get home, I'll just stay home.
00:12:28.524 -->
00:12:32.604But what would happen is I would just stay at home and kind of drink myself to sleep anyway.
00:12:33.284 -->
00:12:39.034So that was my pattern, that was my lifestyle, that was my big secret.
00:12:39.034 -->
00:12:41.125No one really knew about it.
00:12:41.125 -->
00:12:52.753I was in a circle of work colleagues who all pretty much had similar drinking behavior to me, maybe not as frequently, but it was considered extremely normal.
00:12:52.753 -->
00:12:56.129So there was no one calling me out, there was nobody.
00:12:56.129 -->
00:12:58.427And I'm not blaming them, by the way.
00:12:58.427 -->
00:13:03.472I'm just saying it felt normal the way that I was conducting my life externally.
00:13:03.472 -->
00:13:10.250But internally again I was like this can't be right, like I should be able to get through a weekend and not drink alcohol.
00:13:11.061 -->
00:13:19.265So what happened in September of that year is a really dear friend of mine, mark Byrne, passed away very suddenly, had a heart attack at age 45.
00:13:19.265 -->
00:13:23.693I'm about to turn 45, so it's a bit of a big year for his memorial this year.
00:13:23.693 -->
00:13:36.272Um, but that just completely side swiped me and Mark was like he was my manager at the time so he kind of like was one of the people who really believed in me as a brand.
00:13:36.272 -->
00:13:38.014I know that sounds a bit weird, but like when you work in media you kind of are a brand.
00:13:38.014 -->
00:13:39.724I know that sounds a bit weird, but like when you work in media you kind of are a brand.
00:13:39.724 -->
00:13:45.866And he, just from the day that I rocked up and knocked on his door and was like can you manage me?
00:13:45.866 -->
00:13:48.231Like I'm a lot, but like can you manage me?
00:13:48.231 -->
00:13:53.187Like he loved that and he was, you know, the mastermind behind me.
00:13:53.628 -->
00:14:03.181I took a job in Adelaide and the whole plan was like go to Adelaide for two years, do breakfast radio there, earn your stripes, we get you back to Sydney, we get you the big Sydney job.
00:14:03.181 -->
00:14:05.424And I was on that trajectory.
00:14:05.424 -->
00:14:10.173So he had like had this whole masterminded plan about my career.
00:14:10.173 -->
00:14:11.761It had like worked to a T.
00:14:11.761 -->
00:14:27.943I was just I was months away from signing like my next deal with the company and then he just randomly died and it was the most it was I, oh, it was just like grief beyond.
00:14:27.943 -->
00:14:43.566I'd never really had someone that close to me die and so suddenly, and someone who I trusted, who believed in me like it was so complex our friendship, and then he was just gone and I was just like I don't even know.
00:14:43.626 -->
00:15:00.121And so I did a lot of drinking that weekend and after a week or so of spiraling I actually called Beyond Blue because I got to a point where I was like I just don't even know what to do now, like I'm drinking because I'm sad I miss my friend.
00:15:00.121 -->
00:15:00.943Why is he dead?
00:15:00.943 -->
00:15:01.826What is going on?
00:15:01.826 -->
00:15:05.302I don't even like myself like this.
00:15:05.302 -->
00:15:05.844Who am I?
00:15:05.844 -->
00:15:13.580Like there's no one that I can talk to about this, but everyone thinks my life is perfect.
00:15:13.580 -->
00:15:16.325Like what a conflict.
00:15:16.325 -->
00:15:18.008Like it was.
00:15:18.008 -->
00:15:19.590Just it was like this war.
00:15:19.590 -->
00:15:25.208I was living in utter turmoil every day and it was so painful.
00:15:25.890 -->
00:15:31.289So I called beyond blue and I spoke to this wonderful woman, sandra, and I just I don't even know what I said.
00:15:31.289 -->
00:15:33.982Beyond Blue, and I spoke to this wonderful woman, sandra, and I just I don't even know what I said.
00:15:33.982 -->
00:15:43.794To be honest, I was just like kind of hysterical and I just was like I just need to talk to someone because there's a lot going on and my friend has just died and I can't stop drinking and she suggested that I go to a meeting.
00:15:43.794 -->
00:15:51.341So we were on the phone for a really long time and so I got off the phone and I actually Googled am I an alcoholic?
00:15:51.341 -->
00:16:03.240And then I read like a bit of the AA manifesto and then I got super annoyed because I realized I wasn't an alcoholic, because I looked at the definition of it and I was like that's not me.
00:16:03.240 -->
00:16:09.481I'm like that is a definition that actually does not resonate with me, like I don't see it like that.
00:16:09.481 -->
00:16:12.357And that wasn't me being in denial, that was just me going.
00:16:12.357 -->
00:16:14.845That is not the label for what this is.
00:16:14.845 -->
00:16:21.674So then I was even more confused because I was like if I'm an alcoholic, then I can go to AA and I can solve this problem.
00:16:21.674 -->
00:16:23.322But I don't know what I am yet.
00:16:23.322 -->
00:16:25.258So like let's go on a discovery.
00:16:25.980 -->
00:16:40.383So I think I kind of probably landed on like I don't know, like not alcohol use disorder, but like high functioning piss head was what I sort of landed on as my label for my drinking behaviour.
00:16:40.383 -->
00:16:47.061I'm sure many of you maybe have got your own terms for what you'd like to label your own drinking behaviour, and that is fine with me.
00:16:47.061 -->
00:16:49.860It doesn't need to be on Google for it to be a legitimate term.
00:16:49.860 -->
00:16:59.676So once I sort of landed on, okay, well, we're not sober, we're not an alcoholic, we're somewhere, you know, we're somewhere here, but I'm not comfortable with where I am.
00:16:59.676 -->
00:17:01.999I'd like to get a lot more closer to being sober.
00:17:02.659 -->
00:17:04.342I then kind of came up with a game plan.
00:17:04.342 -->
00:17:10.617So one of my greatest assets, but also biggest criticisms from my husband, is that I'm a huge planner.
00:17:10.617 -->
00:17:17.356Like a huge planner, like I plan so hard that then spontaneity can become a little bit impossible.
00:17:17.356 -->
00:17:30.375But because I am a planner, once I figured out that I wasn't comfortable with my relationship with alcohol, whatever I decided to label it, I was like right, girlfriend's got a plan, what do we do?
00:17:30.375 -->
00:17:48.873And the first thing that I thought of was my mom going you have a choice in everything you do, like one of those sort of like classic mom statements and I could just hear that ringing through my head Like you do have a choice, even though I felt like I had no choice in my drinking.
00:17:48.873 -->
00:17:50.215It was just something that I did.
00:17:50.215 -->
00:17:51.860It was who I had become.
00:17:51.860 -->
00:17:57.000That voice in my head was like you do have a choice, you can have a choice, everything is a choice.
00:17:57.441 -->
00:18:02.059And then the next thing was if we keep doing the same thing and we expect a different result.
00:18:02.059 -->
00:18:04.005That's the definition of insanity.
00:18:04.005 -->
00:18:08.049And once I said that out loud, I realized that's how I'd been living.
00:18:08.049 -->
00:18:15.076I'd been living an insane life because I had been drinking every day, but expecting to wake up not hungover, like that doesn't happen.
00:18:15.076 -->
00:18:26.023So what I realized I should do is change the behavior, and the only behavior that I knew I needed to change was the drinking behavior, and that felt so scary.
00:18:26.063 -->
00:18:32.817Can I tell you, ladies, the thought in 2014 of me not drinking for a weekend was terrifying.
00:18:32.817 -->
00:18:34.860I actually thought I would die.
00:18:34.860 -->
00:18:39.249I was like I'll probably die of a boredom or B.
00:18:39.249 -->
00:18:40.759I might like get the shakes.
00:18:40.759 -->
00:18:42.805You know how you see in the movies sometimes I get the shakes.
00:18:42.805 -->
00:18:43.916I'm like what if I get the shakes?
00:18:43.916 -->
00:18:48.948Like well, I didn't know what to expect and I'd been drinking for like so long.
00:18:48.948 -->
00:18:50.121I was like I don't even know who.
00:18:50.121 -->
00:18:52.615I am sober for more than 24 hours.
00:18:52.615 -->
00:18:55.523So like what is this person going to look like and be?
00:18:55.523 -->
00:18:57.220And that was scary too.
00:18:58.055 -->
00:19:03.448I was scared that I'd lose my job, which is like I don't think you can get fired for getting sober.
00:19:03.448 -->
00:19:14.479Just FYI, if you're worried that your boss is going to let you go because you got sober, that's like a really false thought.
00:19:14.479 -->
00:19:15.162That was one of the things.
00:19:15.162 -->
00:19:19.877I was like I'm going to lose my job, they're going to like they're going to find me out, like they're going to realize I had a problem and you know all of this.
00:19:19.877 -->
00:19:34.798Just when I think back now, I'm like none of those things happened, none of them were true, but that was so real and I think maybe some of you ladies have felt like this, like those things can be so confronting and overwhelming that you just stay stuck, you just go.
00:19:34.798 -->
00:19:35.299You know what?
00:19:35.299 -->
00:19:37.768It's too hard.
00:19:37.768 -->
00:19:43.147I'll just stay here because what is on the other side is so scary and unknown and I don't know if I'm ready for that.
00:19:43.147 -->
00:19:45.935But you're all here today because you've taken that step.
00:19:45.935 -->
00:19:53.864So we've all like crossed that threshold and once you do, it's like you can't explain it to anyone.
00:19:53.864 -->
00:19:55.806They just have to do it for themselves.
00:19:56.027 -->
00:20:01.792So, knowing that I was a planner and I had all these thoughts going on in my head, I was like here's the plan.
00:20:01.792 -->
00:20:05.759We're going to not drink for 30 days and see how it goes.
00:20:05.759 -->
00:20:06.881And that was the plan.
00:20:06.881 -->
00:20:07.903It was really simple.
00:20:07.903 -->
00:20:10.405I didn't really tell anyone about it.
00:20:10.405 -->
00:20:14.377I told my boyfriend at the time we're now married, so that worked out well and I told my mom.
00:20:14.377 -->
00:20:20.217And my mom, when I told her, she was like you don't have a drinking problem, I was like, yeah, I do.
00:20:20.217 -->
00:20:22.679She's like, well, you've hidden that really.
00:20:22.679 -->
00:20:23.779Well, I'm like, yeah, I have.
00:20:23.779 -->
00:20:38.737So I just told two people that I trusted and then I kind of thought I'll just do January 2015 and see how it goes and in sort of this.
00:20:38.737 -->
00:20:42.089It's interesting that I'm on week three with you guys, because it was day 22,.
00:20:42.150 -->
00:20:49.542I think that I had like the full matrix pill moment where I woke up one morning and I was like, did I take the blue pill?
00:20:49.542 -->
00:21:10.750Because, like, I could hear the birds chirping a bit louder and the sky looked a little bit bluer and the grass was a little bit greener and everything felt a little bit calmer and my thoughts felt more crisp and everything felt like I was a bit floaty and that sounds like I was tripping on acid or something.
00:21:10.750 -->
00:21:21.746I've never done what I've heard, but what it was it actually was my brain becoming clear for the first time in probably 15 years.
00:21:21.746 -->
00:21:38.471So that was like the moment that my brain cells and my neurochemistry actually had circuited itself properly for the first time in a long time, and that felt so insane.
00:21:38.471 -->
00:21:40.957I felt like a completely different person.
00:21:40.957 -->
00:21:45.935And so from that moment on, so I journaled and I'll encourage you guys to all journal.
00:21:45.935 -->
00:21:54.242I journaled every day for that 30 days and then when I got to the 30 days, I felt really good.
00:21:54.242 -->
00:21:57.298So I was like I'll just keep going, like maybe we'll get to my birthday.
00:21:57.357 -->
00:22:01.426So we got to March 2nd and I still hadn't had a drink.
00:22:01.426 -->
00:22:07.025And then I was like well, july is around the corner, let's get to July, and then it'll be dry July.
00:22:07.025 -->
00:22:07.926And so we did that.
00:22:07.926 -->
00:22:14.319And then I got to the end of July and I was like I reckon it would be great if I could go 12 months, like what a milestone, that would be amazing.
00:22:14.319 -->
00:22:19.196And I got to 12 months and then I was like I really like this.
00:22:19.196 -->
00:22:21.339I'm just going to stop counting.
00:22:21.339 -->
00:22:25.425I think I am just, I think I'm just sober now, like it.
00:22:25.425 -->
00:22:26.646It wasn't this.
00:22:26.646 -->
00:22:41.376Like you know, I didn't need to get a sky writer to let everybody know Like it just kind of I just sort of, after about 12 months of kind of giving myself pats on the back for like making certain milestones, I was like I think this is just how I live now.
00:22:42.317 -->
00:23:00.471And so mid that year after, yeah, around that July moment, I actually went back and reread the journal that I'd written over that, yeah, isabella's like oh, and it was so amazing.
00:23:00.471 -->
00:23:10.801So I, it was like I was reading someone else's journal and I just remember thinking I'm like, oh my God, she's so broken, like she's so sad.
00:23:10.801 -->
00:23:26.385And I had, for the first time in my adult life, self-compassion and I was like, oh my God, like she deserves love, she deserves comfort, she deserves care, she deserves looking after and you have to look after her because you are her.
00:23:26.385 -->
00:23:54.882Like I was able to like reflect on this woman who I have evolved from but who is so still intrinsically me, and have actual care and compassion for her and self-love for her, and that's kind of I think that was a big moment that carried me sort of through that back end like up to that six to 12 months bit, because what I did find is like six months was a great milestone, and then the novelty wore off a bit.
00:23:55.075 -->
00:23:58.587I was like this is a bit boring, you know what I mean.
00:23:58.587 -->
00:24:13.020It's like okay, well, I've done all the stand-up paddleboarding that I can and I've cleaned out all of my Tupperware and I've like minimized and I've done all of these like wonderful things with all of this time that I've had.
00:24:13.020 -->
00:24:15.247But now I'm like no, like what do I do now?
00:24:15.247 -->
00:24:30.298So that, I think, is when it switched to this beautiful self-discovery journey for me and it became less about not drinking alcohol and more about discovering who is this Maz chick without booze and, like you, you know how can I love her and and help her on her way and that.
00:24:30.680 -->
00:24:50.345And here we are, you know, 2025, 10 years, no drinks, and I I just wish everybody would do not how I did it, but I just want everyone to feel the moment where they realize that they are worthy of love and they don't need alcohol, like that moment is so empowering.
00:24:50.345 -->
00:25:00.897And I think, when you can really truly get to that point, like it doesn't even become about alcohol anymore.
00:25:00.897 -->
00:25:27.102It becomes about discovery of self and love and empowerment of self and if and then you just become a better human in general, like not that none of you are not great humans, but you elevate to this level that you can't get to if you're fighting off the demons, and so I'm really excited for you guys because that is all ahead of you, like you're doing this challenge, but like I really hope for all of you that it's not just six weeks.
00:25:27.102 -->
00:25:28.915I hope that six weeks is like a really hope for all of you that it's not just six weeks.
00:25:28.915 -->
00:25:41.007I hope that six weeks is like a really beautiful foundation for the start of a lifelong journey without alcohol, because there's no point going back once you realize the benefits and once you realize who you are without.
00:25:41.007 -->
00:25:43.558It is the better version of all of you.
00:25:43.739 -->
00:25:46.826And I haven't even met any of you, but I just know that as a fact.
00:25:46.826 -->
00:25:55.519So, look, that is like I said I could tell my story for forever.
00:25:55.519 -->
00:26:00.096I have written a book called Last Drinks where you can read a little bit more about my story, but that's kind of the abridged version for you.
00:26:00.096 -->
00:26:19.666I hope that some of that resonated and made sense and I'm so happy to answer any questions, so I want to keep that there so that we've got time to, just if you've got any burning questions about any part of my story or otherwise, I would love to yeah, to kind of direct my answers to each of you if you've got a question.
00:26:20.214 -->
00:26:23.240Thank you so much, Maz.
00:26:23.240 -->
00:26:33.165So much in that in terms of the evolution, and I loved that moment when you described waking up and hearing the birds chirping.
00:26:33.165 -->
00:26:41.986It reminded me of a quote from somebody I interviewed you just have one thing, one thing to do today, and that's not to drink.
00:26:42.355 -->
00:26:43.944And that kind of simplifies all the.
00:26:43.944 -->
00:26:54.667There can be a lot of stuff that we all have to learn, but if you just keep it simple, maz, a heartfelt thank you for coming and talking to this group.
00:26:54.667 -->
00:27:01.546There's a lot that haven't been able to show up tonight, but we'll be listening and we'll really appreciate all you have to say.
00:27:01.546 -->
00:27:10.785You have a great ability to make the alcohol-free decision feel like a no-brainer, and to make you do it.
00:27:11.234 -->
00:27:17.126Because I remember feeling it was impossible, like I was like I cannot do this.
00:27:17.126 -->
00:27:19.417That was me 2014.
00:27:19.417 -->
00:27:26.990I cannot even fathom a life, not even a life, a weekend, weekend without it, and I'm 10 years without it.
00:27:26.990 -->
00:27:27.811So it is.
00:27:27.811 -->
00:27:30.016It is definitely achievable.
00:27:30.016 -->
00:27:33.663It's not easy, but it's worth.
00:27:33.742 -->
00:27:48.778It is what I say, like there are challenges, and I will say too, just quickly, like just because you decide to give up alcohol, it doesn't mean that the universe is going to respect that, and like the universe is still going to throw you curveballs and in the last four years.
00:27:48.778 -->
00:27:55.436So last year was a good year, but the four years prior to that were the four worst years of my life.
00:27:55.436 -->
00:28:05.102And but not once, like when my dad died or my best friend died or I had a miscarriage, did I once think about alcohol as a coping mechanism.
00:28:05.102 -->
00:28:13.885I was like that is not going to help me get through this pain and this curve ball, like we've just got to stay the course.
00:28:13.885 -->
00:28:23.259So just an encouragement like it's not all roses, ladies, nothing is, but you have a better shot at handling it if you don't drink alcohol for sure.
00:28:24.060 -->
00:28:25.423Oh, thank you.
00:28:25.423 -->
00:28:27.707Yeah, as I said, no brainer.
00:28:27.707 -->
00:28:40.912But also you make us feel you know like it's, it's the proud and obvious decision, Um, and you make it feel really inviting, you know, to step into that world, Um, thank you so much.
00:28:40.932 -->
00:28:41.432That's okay.
00:28:41.432 -->
00:28:44.761Was there one quick question that I just saw on the chat?
00:28:44.761 -->
00:28:45.884Did you have any friends?
00:28:46.125 -->
00:28:48.876Yeah, I've got two minutes, so let me answer it for you.
00:28:48.876 -->
00:28:53.483I lost some friends 100%.
00:28:53.483 -->
00:28:54.465I'm not going to lie.
00:28:54.465 -->
00:29:04.056There were people that I was circling around in life that were drinking, and there was no thing that we had in common other than the alcohol.
00:29:04.056 -->
00:29:26.585I don't associate with most of those people anymore, but on the upside, I have a whole new life with all new friends, and it is so much better because I've made all of these connections and not all of my friends are sober, but I've made all of my connections as a sober person and so I'm just really intentional about I call it the friendship garden.
00:29:27.117 -->
00:29:34.482So, like in 2014, my friendship garden was really full, but it was full of a lot of weeds, so I had to do a bit of weeding, kick a few people out, and I didn't.
00:29:34.482 -->
00:29:42.461I didn't get mean about it, I just stopped drinking and then, all of a sudden, we had no reason to hang out Like they most of them naturally fizzled out.
00:29:42.461 -->
00:29:49.759A couple of people said to me like two of my really great girlfriends were like hey, are you cool if I have a champagne, if we go out?
00:29:49.759 -->
00:29:51.363And I was like absolutely no stress.
00:29:51.363 -->
00:29:56.336I was like in fact, why don't we just go and have brunch in the morning and then you're probably not even going to order a champagne.
00:29:56.336 -->
00:30:03.397Like I just sort of reorganized my social life to be morning stuff and early walks and all of that kind of jazz.
00:30:03.417 -->
00:30:05.284And yeah, their friendships did fizzle out, but and not all of that kind of jazz.
00:30:05.284 -->
00:30:16.328And yeah, their friendships did fizzle out, but and not all of them either, but some of them did, but then new ones bubbled up in in a sober space.
00:30:16.328 -->
00:30:24.377So all of the friends that I've met over the last 10 years I've never been drunk with and they are, I think, way better friends.
00:30:24.377 -->
00:30:26.122So I just want to.
00:30:26.122 -->
00:30:29.297I just saw that one pop up and I know that's always a big question for people.
00:30:29.297 -->
00:30:34.557So if that's something that you're scared about or struggling with, I totally understand.
00:30:34.557 -->
00:30:47.846But it's like it will self-correct, like your course correct with friendships, and the right people will come alongside you and the ones that are probably bringing you down a bit will probably find other people to hang out with, and that's okay.
00:30:47.846 -->
00:30:49.199You don't have to be friends with everyone.
00:30:51.444 -->
00:30:51.905Thank you.
00:30:51.905 -->
00:30:53.982Thank you, maz, that's okay.
00:30:53.982 -->
00:31:00.667Thank you for all of our challenge members that are here tonight.
00:31:00.667 -->
00:31:05.705Go off and we'll farewell and have our dinner.
00:31:05.705 -->
00:31:09.506Everyone's saying great talk and we'll get some lovely feedback.
00:31:09.506 -->
00:31:11.801I'm sure we'll be talking about this in our Facebook group.
00:31:11.801 -->
00:31:13.798I hope so, Maz.
00:31:13.798 -->
00:31:15.342I hope you're not cooking tonight.
00:31:15.342 -->
00:31:16.105I hope there's.
00:31:17.536 -->
00:31:19.722I'm going to go and read a couple of stories with my little one.
00:31:19.722 -->
00:31:20.726Oh, I love it.
00:31:20.726 -->
00:31:22.618We're going through the Mr Men books at the moment.
00:31:22.618 -->
00:31:24.986Super cute, very cute.
00:31:24.986 -->
00:31:27.061What a throwback.
00:31:27.061 -->
00:31:30.173Um hey, best of luck everybody with everything.
00:31:30.173 -->
00:31:31.438Just remember it's just one.
00:31:31.438 -->
00:31:33.884The one thing a day that you don't have to do is drink alcohol.
00:31:34.384 -->
00:31:52.453That's it, keep it one thing, and it's only in three hours, it's oh, it's only a two or three hour gap of the evening too, so it kind of makes it seem easier oh, yeah, that's it, yeah, yeah um, good night everybody thank you, bye, thank you.
