This is an inspiring and groundbreaking must-read. I am forever inspired and changed.” —Kate S., Los Angeles, California What is alcohol really giving you in your life besides ranging hangovers, feeling like shit in the morning and not having any energy to work out?" a.m. I wake up at the same time every night. I briefly wonder if that is supposed to mean something. Probably not, probably just a coincidence. I know what’s coming, and I brace myself. The usual thoughts begin to surface. I try to piece the previous evening togeth- er, attempting to count my drinks. I count five glasses of wine, and then the memories grow fuzzy. I know I had a few more, but I’ve now lost count. I wonder how anyone can drink so much. I know I can’t go on like this. I start to worry about my health, beginning the well- trodden road of fear and recrimination: What were you thinking? Don’t you care about anything? Anyone? How will it feel if you end up with cancer? It will serve you right. What about the kids? Can’t you stop for the kids? Or Brian? They love you. There’s no good rea- son why, but they do. Why are you so weak? So stupid? If I can just make myself see the horror of how far I’ve fallen, maybe I can regain control. Next come the vows, my promises to myself to do things differently tomorrow. To fix this. Promises I never keep. I am absolutely confident that this book will change your view of alcohol forever. I am equally confident that those looking for help or to change their relationship with alcohol, will find not only a kindred spirit in Annie Grace’s candid account of her own experience, journey and transformation, but will also find what they are looking for here. Accessible, brutally honest and ruthlessly researched, Annie Grace has written what I believe will prove to be an important, seminal and game changing book. I have no doubt it will help a lot of people.” I read this at the advice of Georgia Hardstark. She is the Regina George of Murder Podcasts. So, I read it. #itwasawesome

She also equates choosing to drink less or not at all to her inability to eat eggs due to an allergy. Which...is not the same thing. You drink to end the distress. The drink itself does not provide enjoyment, but you sincerely enjoy ending the nuisance of wanting a drink. The relief is so strong you feel happy, even giddy. You drink to get the feeling of peace that someone who is not dependent on alcohol always feels.”This Naked Mind Institute is an incredible certification process. If you want to pay it forward, help others, and create a career you love, this is for you. Sign up to learn more and get on the waiting list for our next class of This Naked Mind Institute. Vale goes on to say, “When you stop putting a poison like alcohol in your body, it literally breathes a sigh of relief.”171” I don’t disagree with many of the points in this novel: alcohol is bad for you, advertisements/Hollywood glamorize it, etc. I think a lot of people can benefit from either quitting alcohol or being mindful about when they choose to drink (mood, quantity etc). If this book helped you get sober or helped you live a life with alcohol in a healthy way, I am genuinely happy for you.

There are some strong associations between alcohol and different types of cancer; ultimately alcohol is a poison. Anyway, there's still some really good shit in here and I admire Grace for getting sober and producing such a comprehensive and useful guide to sobriety. I will probably re-read at some point. Alcohol numbs your fear instead of giving you courage, because it numbs your feelings in general. Author brings the example when she prepared for an important presentation with alcohol, she stayed up late before the night and did not rehearse. Fear was useful in that made her prepare the presentation and rehearsing many times better I wasin a train tunnel deep under London Heathrow International Airport. I was having one of those big moments in life, moments where you know everything must change. I had stayed up drinking the night before (a typical work trip) and topped myself off with a few screwdrivers at breakfast. Long before this day I had decided to moderate my drinking, yet sitting there I realized rather than drinking less I was drinking more. And I didn’t understand why.Honestly, I’m a little surprised this book made it to market. The publisher is Avery of Penguin Random House. I think they knew it would sell because the title is promising and appears to be open-minded and almost Buddhist. However, what lies behind the cover is inconsistent and sometimes simply wrong. Addiction begins with the hope that something ‘out there’ can instantly fill up the emptiness inside.” —Jean Kilbourne”