Life After Service, Life Without Alcohol | Peggy’s Naked Life | E794

This Naked Mind Podcast

Annie Grace

Mental Health, Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 April 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How do you rebuild your identity when alcohol has been woven into every aspect of your personal and professional life? Growing up in a rural fishing community where “drinking was a pastime, to put it mildly,” Peggy couldn’t even remember her first drink. Her 28-year military career reinforced these patterns in predominantly male trades where working hard and playing hard revolved around alcohol. Finding the courage to stop drinking as a female veteran wasn’t straightforward, especially when seeking help could jeopardize her security clearance and career. In this heartfelt conversation with Annie Grace, Peggy shares her journey to freedom from alcohol after retirement, how she navigated the transition, and why she’s now training to become a coach to help others find the answers that are already inside themselves. In this episode, Annie and Peggy will discuss: The normalization of alcohol in rural communities and the military. The challenges of questioning ingrained drinking habits. The moment Peggy realized her drinking was no longer serving her. The fear of seeking help for alcohol issues within the military context. The support and understanding found within the This Naked Mind community. The concept of “duck mode” as a powerful tool for maintaining sobriety. Changing social dynamics and navigating friendships without alcohol. The realization of internal strength and wisdom. Peggy’s motivation to become a certified coach and guide others, particularly female veterans, on their journey to stop drinking as a female veteran. The transformative power of self-acceptance and kindness. And other topics… Episode links: Email Peggy - [email protected] Connect with Peggy - neaptidecoaching.com Related Episodes: EP 745: How To Quit Drinking in Your 50s – https://thisnakedmind.com/breaking-through-alcohols-false-relief-joys-naked-life-e745/ EP 561: Naked Life Story – Ben – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-561-naked-life-story-ben/ EP 292: Duck Mode Explained – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-292-reader-question-how-do-i-stay-alcohol-free-at-a-bachelor-bachelorette-party-weekend/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to This Naked Mind with Annie Grace.
0:14.7	Hi, this is Annie Grace and welcome to This Naked Mind podcast, and I'm here with Peggy. Hi, Peggy. How are you?
0:20.7	Hi, Annie. I'm fabulous. Thank you very much. How are you? Hi, Annie. I'm fabulous. Thank you
0:22.5	very much. How are you? I'm good. I'm really good. It's so good to be here with you. So, why don't
0:28.0	you sort of take us back to the beginning in your relationship with alcohol? Where did it all start for you?
0:33.2	Well, I am the youngest of six in a rural Nova Scotia fishing town.
0:39.4	So drinking was pastime, to put it mildly.
0:43.8	Everybody drank.
0:45.0	It was everywhere.
0:46.5	It wasn't really questioned.
0:48.3	It just was.
0:50.2	I honestly cannot recall my first drink.
0:52.7	I went through the path and we did all the exercises of thinking about that first time and what it was and what it meant and I try so hard to remember and I cannot remember. I can only assume that it was young teen, probably 11, 12, because I was smoking when I was 12. So I assume I was drinking at the same time.
1:13.4	I did that from then on until May 23. I joined the military when I was 18 and I served 28 years.
1:22.2	And predominantly male trades, I was a sensor operator on aircraft for my last 13 years and my first 15 years I was a truck driver.
1:30.8	So needless to say, we worked hard and we played hard and that was all centered around alcohol,
1:36.8	everything.
1:38.0	My father was an alcoholic.
1:40.1	My brothers are alcoholics.
1:41.9	So needless to say, it was predominant in my life.
1:45.0	I retired from the military in 2014 and I was at home.
1:49.0	I've never stopped working.
	...

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