As Brené Brown has taught us, "Vulnerability kills shame," so I would like to be vulnerable and honest with all of you, my dear readers. Over the next year, I will share so much more with you, but for now, I just wanted to say I'm back and looking forward to bringing you research and information that can help all of you on your journey to make healthy choices.

The holidays hit me really hard this year and brought up a lot of unprocessed grief that I had never allowed myself to work through when I was drinking. I took a much-needed break from work and a digital detox to focus on my grief work.

In my recent experience, I found something I had never heard of... It's called Gateway Women, and it's for women who are childless not by choice, like me. (It's actually now called The Childless Collective)

I never even had the vocabulary to talk about what I have felt for so many years because I never knew or interacted with anyone like me, so of course, I drank to hide my pain and grief.

Now, being almost two and a half years alcohol-free, I was able to finally begin the grief work I needed to do with other like-minded women, much like finding a community for those of us living an alcohol-free lifestyle.

I know all I am learning and experiencing will become a part of my coaching as I now know there are women all over the world who suffer this specific grief in silence and choose lots of unhealthy behaviors, including alcohol, to numb themselves.

If you're reading this and you are experiencing the grief and pain of being childless, not by choice, I hear and see you. And if you think you might be drinking too much in an effort to numb and hide from this pain, please reach out to me; I can relate and help.

Best,

Maureen