199: Normalizing a Space of Sobriety with Drew Davis

Over the years, our society has normalized drinking. At almost every party or event, booze is a huge part of the celebration. No booze = no fun. But what if we could create a space where everyone can just have fun while still being their authentic self – minus the alcohol? On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Drew Davis, Founder of Gem Life + Bar. Drew tells her story of healing trauma, her resiliency, and her drive to move forward and create a space of wellness that gives people the opportunity to enjoy social spaces without alcohol.  Over the last decade, Drew has battled the ugly side effects of autoimmune diseases. At the same time, she struggled with depression which led her to resort to drinking. After experiencing some life-threatening issues with some of her autoimmune diseases, Drew knew it was time for her to reevaluate the toxic things in her life and move towards a healthy and authentic space.  Drew created Gem Bar, an inclusive alcohol-free space that allows people to indulge, experience, and connect with booze-free options, as well as achieve sustainable wellness and self-care.  In this episode, you will hear: What it’s like to struggle with autoimmune diseases How to deal with trauma head-on An elevated living with an alcohol-free life What happens at the Gem Bar How to deal with the negative voices in your head Key Quotes: [09:41] - "There was a lot of healing I have to do in order to become a better human to myself and to everybody around me." [11:08] - "There was so much trauma stored in my body. And I knew that's what was causing me to be sick." [18:25] - “It's just a beautiful place to be when you have nothing to influence you but you're just your raw authentic self.” [19:34] - “Our society teaches us the opposite. There’s always so much shame and guilt about being who we are a lot of times and that causes trauma.” [20:52] - “Sometimes you feel like you're alone in your trauma or nobody understands. It's nice to connect with people who understand a certain level without judgment.  [20:56] - “Giving is always healing, without expectations of receiving.” [22:43] - “It's just beautiful to watch the shift in the mindset of normalizing not drinking.” Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We’d love for you to subscribe if you haven’t yet.  We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. If you really enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go to the episode page at www.theaddictedmind.com to download it. Supporting Resources: NovusMindfulLife.com Website: https://gemlifecollective.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemlifeandbar/​​  Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices