Hi, I’m Amanda.

Curious to know more? Read on for the longer, more detailed story:

First off, let me address what I mentioned in the above nutshell about one of the most important and personally impactful things that I do:

**What does “remembering the Wholeness” mean? 
It’s a practice of accepting all the facets of myself and those around me ~ the parts I enjoy and easily celebrate,
AND the sides that I tend to judge, get annoyed by, and are harder to experience. 
We are human.  We are flawed.  And there’s a perfection in that.

The light and shadow in each of us is what makes us unique and, yes, beautiful.

How? I remind myself that I actually appreciate contrast.
Being aware of the kaleidoscope of being human allows for delight, and opportunities to grow.

Light isn’t “good.”  It simply exists.  Dark isn’t “bad.”  It just is.

Enjoying Carkeek Park hiking with my husband, 2024

At some point it just started to feel more like a burden than fun.  I felt more often irritable than happy. 
Perhaps it was getting older, or maybe it was some self-awareness I gained. 
At any rate, the being wide awake in the middle of the night,
followed by the morning headache and sluggish energy, were no longer tolerable. 
My body was beginning to tell me it was time to change.

 I wasn’t sure how to get out of the cycle, and I spent some months arguing with myself about the necessity of giving up alcohol. 
Did I really have to give up something I’d enjoyed for so long?
Each time the whisper surfaced I pushed it back down. 
“I’m fine,” I would tell myself.  “It’s normal to live this way.” 
And yet I knew my fully alive life was waiting for me. 
That I wanted more than “fine.”

Then one day during the pandemic, I was listening to the 10% Happier podcast, and Annie Grace was the guest.  I’m sure she said many things about her own relationship with becoming alcohol-free, and the one thing that stands out to this day is
“I drink as much as I want to whenever I want to, and for six years now I haven’t wanted to.” 

My jaw dropped to the floor. 

I could not get my head around the idea that someone could not WANT to drink. 
I believed I would have to white-knuckle through any decrease in alcohol consumption, as I had through past breaks, let alone giving it up all together. 

And yet, I was drawn towards that life.
The idea of alcohol-free being easy.
I could sense the freedom possible.

So, I signed up for The Alcohol Experiment.

While I took that 30 days off from drinking, I learned about why I drank, and the costs to my body and brain.
I noticed sleep coming back.  Feeling more energy.  Enjoying exercise again.

Then, for several months I dabbled with moderation, stopping again, and moderating again.
Each experience was an opportunity to observe, make a choice, and refine how I wanted to be living. 

Amanda the Non-Drinker

 In the end, not giving alcohol the time of day turned out to be what gave me my life back.
I just didn’t want to drink anymore.  It was shocking.  I didn’t WANT to.
I knew I could more easily live my life fully alive without alcohol on board.

I was so enthralled with the switch that had happened in my brain that I signed up for This Naked Mind Coach training, completing the course in summer 2022. 

I’m excited and honored to be of help to others who feel stuck like I did, to support them finding their version of “alcohol freedom,” whether it’s moderation or they’re done drinking.

Paraglide Maui. Unparalleled view.
2023

I thought islands that look like this only existed
in emojis. San Blas delight.
My snorkeling friend found the shell.
2025

On Haleakala 2023

When I was drinking, I didn’t see it this way. 
I saw my life in black and white, in binary terms. 
I was either good or bad, lovable or not.  
I created a made-up version of me based on what I determined as “likable.” 
I hid behind the wine.  I drank for status and acceptance, to belong to a culture and community. 

Mostly, without being aware of it, I was drinking to numb the pain of believing I wasn’t ok.

Amanda the Drinker

I was a daily drinker, and enjoyed it for decades.  It was just part of my lifestyle, my routine.  Mostly wine while cooking, and then with dinner. I was also open to weekend brunch drinks and happy hours, and tended to structure activities and friend get-togethers around a drink or two. Or more.  From the outside, I looked functional, no problem to note.

The first adult-sized garment I knit, including lace. This is the lone photo on this page that dates to when I was still drinking. Yes, pleased with my accomplishment, yet hello dull skin and eye circles! 2020

Sometimes they let me sing into a mic
2024

Snorkel San Blas Islands, Panama. Unparalleled view.
2025