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What if the best thing you ever drank didn’t have alcohol in it?

In this episode, Susan and Ruby sit down with the amazing Deb Podlager—aka Mocktail Mom—who went from drinking Chardonnay every weekend, to sipping spicy, spirit-free margaritas and leading a whole new movement.

Deb shares how divorce, breast cancer, parenting through trauma, and pandemic burnout pushed her closer to the bottle... until she hit a moment of truth before turning 50.
But instead of spiraling, she said “What if I just… stopped?”
And what happened next? It sparkled.
We’ll dive into:
💥 Why alcohol slowly creeps in without us noticing
💥 How to rewire your rituals with mocktails that actually taste good
💥 Why sobriety isn’t boring—it’s liberating

What does it take to break up with booze... and fall in love with your life again?
Let’s find out!

00:00 Mocktail Mom's Alcohol-Free Journey
05:15 Life Changes and Emotional Impact
06:49 Coping with Divorce and Illness
11:52 Rediscovering Fun Without Alcohol
15:44 First Nonalcoholic Wine Experience
16:06 Discovering Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Options
20:40 Mocktail Trials and Tribulations
23:37 Low-Sugar Nautical Mocktail Recipe
25:53 Nonalcoholic Mint Julep Recipe
29:33 Beginner Bar Essentials
34:54 Global Mocktail Summit Highlights
38:07 How Deb Feels “Lit” Alcohol-Free

Where to find out more about Mocktail Mom:
MocktailMom.com @mocktail.mom https://www.facebook.com/MocktailMom
Buy the book: The Happiest Hour

Want to Feel Lit? Grab our FREE, fun Bingo Card with 21 Feel Lit activities shared on the podcast. Feeling Lit is about about self-care, and daily practices that support our alcohol-free lifestyle.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and ask us any questions you have about breaking free from wine or living an alcohol-free lifestyle.

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Websites:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com/
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.