my chat with Catherine Gray

I had the lovely pleasure of speaking with Catherine Gray last week. She’s penpal #270 and is on day 1,949 today. 

She’s the author of three books ​(no kidding) — two about being sober and one about being single — and I’ll put in the links to her books below. 

We talk about leaving parties early, how to text your friends in advance, and what she might write next (you may be surprised and excited).

​I sent out this podcast today (episode SP283) to podcast subscribers ...

​Here's an extract from our talk, this is the first 3 minutes or so.​​ ​If you'd rather download the entire audio, you can use the link below in the blue box.

Extract from ​Sober Podcast 283. ​Catherine Gray

book links:

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober > https://amzn.to/2MbRFXN

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober Journal > https://amzn.to/2SWjlT1

The Unexpected Joy of Being Single > https://amzn.to/2DbkLnm

... and you can find her on instagram @unexpectedjoyof

hugs, belle xo



​Download ​SP283. ​Catherine Gray​

Sign up for the ​podcast membership
(1-2 new full-length audios each ​week, you can cancel whenever you like ... but you won't. more sober tools = good)


​If alcohol is an elevator that only goes down, you can Exit. Get off the elevator, and stay off. Art thanks to Mr. Belle. This is a closeup from painting #586.

bring your sober self into the real world

Girl Named Sam (day 857): “Belle, I am loving these live videos. More tools. With these videos, you are bringing our sober selves into the real world and showing us ‘how to be.’ The monologue in your brain, that you share with us (as you charmingly walk around talking to yourself) is what goes on in my brain too. Love seeing what you see. Proof positive one can live, even in Paris, and be sober. Keep it up and THANK YOU.”

Sober Sass (day 10): “This is awesome Belle, thanks for the visual too, day ten today 💕”

>> Saturday’s live video is here <<

~

or check out this one, with view from my bedroom window

or this one at the duck pond

or this one at the train station

you do not have to sign up on Facebook to see the live videos. you do not have to like or follow, but if you DO follow, it will send you an announcement when I’m broadcasting live so you can join in.

It’s something that touches many more people than we think

i’ve been penpals with Eva since August of last year. she’s penpal #2858. she signed up for support when she was already about 6 months sober. and today’s she’s on day 396.

when she came up to her one-year soberversary, she decided to post something on her instagram page about it.

which is pretty brave, you’ll agree.

even braver? she’s like a famous girl 🙂 she’s a performer, she has a fan base, she’s a public figure.

She won the Canadian Idol singing competition in 2006. She is currently touring with Brit Floyd (a pink floyd tribute show). I got a chance to meet her when her tour came through Paris in the fall. and because husband is a huge pink floyd fan, he came too. (they spoke french together!)

so after she posted this thing instagram, her subscribers went wild, lots of support, pages and pages of comments.

and then?

The french-canadian television network wanted to interview her about why she chose to share this on social media.

today, with her permission, i want to share the television interview with you. yes, it’s in french, yes you maybe can’t understand it.

but do you see her? she’s in our group. she’s a sober girl. she knows who wolfie she. she finds time to listen to her sober podcasts from the tour bus. she emails me when she’s travelling and having a shit day.

the first question the interviewer asks:

“You have decided to talk abut your ‘battle’, that you have WON, against alcohol. Why?”

and her answer?

It’s something that touches many more people than we think. I’ve found that in the last few years, we talk a lot more about taboo subjects, and prejudices, especially to do with mental health issues … and I think that addiction and drinking falls into this same category, too.”


>> Watch her video here <<

again, i’m sharing this with her permission

Eva Avila instagram: @evaavilaofficial