Hola Sober Sunday

Hola Sober Sunday

SUNDAY FOR THE ADVENTUROUS SOBER SOUL

17 JULY 2022

10 18 BEAUTY + FASHION CHANGING THE RECORD 44 THOUGHTS FROM DOWN UNDER

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS SOBER SOUL

i YOU ARE VERY WELCOME

SELF-CARE IS SOBER-CARE

editor's note We are on our second heatwave of the summer here in Madrid with temperatures hitting 42°C = 107.6°F at the weekend! In these moments being an early riser is a gift. In these moments waking up hangover-free is a gift. In these moments being sober is a superpower as to wake up hungover, dehydrated with a pounding headache is a rude awakening that is no longer part of my day. So many women email me in the dead of night, usually while in the throws of a bottle of wine lamenting their life and outlining a million reasons they CANNOT put down the wine glass in the summer months and I respond clearly and plainly. Dearest that's bullshit, it's scary but trust me, it's bullshit . Your life will be so much better without a glass in your hand and if you want to find out the living reality of doing it with a group of women who like you, have our thing, please sign up to Pledge 100 where I will daily kick your ass for 100 days of no alcohol empowering you to make good informed choices in your life. This week Hola Sober Sunday looks at beauty products that caught my eye, some pretty florals for summer with Lynn in Perth sharing her thoughts from down under, and Colette guiding us through our card for the week. We lean on the words of a variety of wise women and the women of Pledge 100 revisiting the course also provide words of wisdom. I hope some of those choice words hit home with you this Sunday morning and you find what you are looking for...I wish you a fabulous week ahead as I look skyward joining a global dawn chorus of Hola Sober Sisters to say not today lady, not today.

Susan Christina Creamer EDITOR + PUBLISHER

Lots of love to you all, onwards + upwards. Susan Christina Creamer

before you

HOLA SOBER PLEDGE Today we dare not forget that we are the heirs of that first revolution; let the word go forth that the torch has been passed to a new generation of women. Let all who hear us speak know we will bear any burden to support our Hola Sober sisters on this journey. To all sisters on high, know we are here fighting a new fight as a new set of revolutionaries who will oppose all who stand in our path, to assure the survival and the success of our sobriety, at our very core this much we pledge.

HOLA SOBER PLEDGE

WOMEN ONLY

ONLINE LEARNING FOR FREE Pledge 100 is the new Hola Sober HOLA SOBER SOBER EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

Empowerment Program within a closed group with online kick-ass learning. Modules include science, myths, time management, and personal development. This program is designed to create sustained sobriety and a permanent upgrade to your life. It is suitable as a refresher for those in sobriety or a kick-start for those beginning their adventure. Don't bother signing up unless you are going to show up for yourself as we don't hustle at Hola Sober, we share our knowledge and support systems freely and it's up to YOU to commit and do the work. Our program includes a morning video from Susan our Founder, daily lessons, weekly closed support meetings, a chat group, and our new Tribe Online Community Platform.

Our next Pledge 100 Sober Empowerment Program will kick off on September 1st, 2022.

JOIN NOW

BEAUTY + FASHION

JULY 2022

sunday

HOLA SOBER SUNDAY PICKS

NUDESTIX BRONZERS

Perfect for creating a fresh, natural, no make up make up look, this soft matte balm can be scribbled all over the face to grant effortless radiance on cheeks, eyes and lips. Conveniently dual-ended with the colour stick at one end and a blending brush at the other this buildable multi- tasker is your one-stop-shop for fresh-faced beauty. SHOP NOW ➤

PAI BRONZING DROPS

Famed for devising solutions to cherish and fortify delicate skin types, Pai Skincare rose to ‘beauty fame’ with their skin- strengthening rosehip oil – a potent elixir that helps to elasticise, brighten and soothe stressed or compromised complexions – expanding the range to encompass a swathe of replenishing treatments to reassure skin that’s especially vulnerable. Calming, comforting and glow-bestowing, these versatile drops are ideal for awakening sun-hungry skin – lending a warm, summer-holiday lustre while subtly plumping to

dial up the ‘dew’. SHOP NOW ➤

Also known as ‘Your Beauty Translator’, THE INKEY LIST’s aim is simple: break through beauty jargon to deliver a straightforward take on skin care’s most- wanted ingredients (at astoundingly reasonable, ‘give- it-a-go’ prices). If your skin leans on the dry side, chances are you’ve tried hyaluronic acid – but what if we told you that there’s a magical molecule that can hold four times as much moisture? This mind-blowing phenomenon is called (you guessed it…) polyglutamic acid – and chances are you’ll be seeing a lot more of it as the beauty realm catches wind of its ultra- hydrating abilities. This incredible formula is quickly absorbed into skin, granting ultra-soft and supple skin instantly. THE INKEY LIST POLYGLUTAMIC ACID

SHOP NOW ➤

KITSCH EXFOLIATING BODY DRY BRUSH A self-care champion with a positive girl boss attitude at its heart, Kitsch is a woman-owned, global accessories brand that’s brimming with luxe products to effortlessly elevate your beauty rituals. Cue radiant skin all year long with perfectly dense Dry Body Brush. Gently exfoliating away dead, dull-looking skin cells, this thorough beauty tool is both relaxing yet hardworking as it offers a spa-like treatment which leaves skin feeling baby-soft and supple before your shower.

SHOP NOW ➤

MILK MATTE BRONZER

A velvety smooth formula that doubles up as a bronzer and contouring stick, Milk Makeups Matte Bronzer offers as much beach-ready colour as a sun-drenched getaway. The stick has been cleverly designed to make application a walk in the (very sunny) park simply swipe under your cheekbones, jawline and collar bones for immediate definition, or blend over your face and body for an all over glow. SHOP NOW ➤

Dedicated to finding solutions for all skin concerns no matter how big or small, the dermatologist-approved French pharmacy brand La Roche-Posay is here to save sensitive skin from everyday irritations. Fragrance-free and offering ultra protection against harmful rays, say hello to the new and exclusive sun filter ‘Mexoryl 400’ that’s here to protect you from Ultra Long UVA rays for the ultimate protection against UV induced damage LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS UVMUNE 400 INVISIBLE FLUID SPF50+ SUN CREAM 50ML

SHOP NOW ➤

ARTHUR

LOW

Sandals

Braided Ecru All our

footwear is handcrafted in Europe, in our Italian, Portuguese and Spanish ateliers. All of our ateliers are audited by independent experts, in compliance with the standards that we have selected. Made in Spain SHOP NOW ➤

SÉZANE

MONSOON FLORALS (IMAGE WEBSITE)

This blossoming wrap dress will see you through the warmer months with style. Featuring a blooming floral print and a pretty tiered skirt, this dress is finished in a forever-flattering wrap style. Just one of our steps towards a future for sustainable fashion, we introduce S.E.W: our commitment to using more eco-conscious materials in our ranges.

SHOP NOW ➤

The hot black linen dress is rocking shoppers online this summer. It's simple, but chic and smart and can be dressed up or down, you decide. I If you are looking for simplicity maybe this is it! SHOP NOW ➤ BLACK LINEN SUMMER STAR (IMAGE FROM WEBSITE)

CAMPER KOBARAH WHITE SANDALS

SUNDAY PICKS

PLUS SIZE

I DON'T WANT 'DESPERADO' TO BE MY RECORD ANYMOR E

I still don't think I have a daily contemplation practice. As I wrote months ago, being out in nature calms me and makes me appreciate all the life that is out there and how fragile it all is. I do think about all of this often and I am amazed at how time passes in our lives and at the journey of it all. Life is truly amazing. It can be painful and it can be joyous, sometimes all at once. It is fleeting and working to stay present is I guess how I contemplate. I sometimes imagine I'm looking down and back at my life and the people and things that were in it. Yes, I think past tense as if I am no longer here on earth. It helps me appreciate my life more, but it also creates an ache and a desire to be more in my life. More present. I have to learn to let people love me. I love people and am stepping outside of old beliefs to try to express that more. What I really need is to allow people to love me. I think I've never fully felt deserving of receiving love and it can make me very uncomfortable. This is what my contemplation can be I guess, to open these tightly sealed gates of protection and let myself be loved. I no longer want my song to be " Desperado " by the Eagles. That is the old me, the one that hid in fear. I do love you all and am grateful to be here. My friend Y.B. has said my new song is 'Unstoppable" by SIA - I will take that!

-B.H.

ODDLY, THE SILENCE FEELS

GOOD IN SOB R I E T Y

I tree watch -when I’m sober. The evergreen trees here are thick and ginormous. I look to their peaks as they touch the sky, they sway with the wind, I see ravens, eagles, and the great blue heron sky among the branches. I can almost hear them breathe unless woodpeckers drown them out (I love the red-headed ones). It’s hard to understand how I didn’t notice all the colours, sights, and sounds when constantly recovering from alcohol. I used to drown the headaches and anxiety out with loud music in my earphones in the car. Now I don’t wear earphones on my walks with my dog (he reads my mind and responds to my vibe) and I’m finding myself driving in silence more often. And, oddly, the silence actually feels good.

-Heidi A.- Pledge 100 Thomond Sister

Online Class Wisdom

In Sobriety, I am changing in ways I discover daily. The simple fact that I have embraced the idea that I have been addicted to addictive substances has been the most significant shift and frankly, has liberated me enough to be able to do the deep digging that needs to be done to finally become free of my addictions. It is not an easy road but it is a road I intend to stay on. I have come to know and trust my fellow travelers and can't imagine doing this alone. I find that I am rediscovering my spirituality, I have always leaned towards more eastern philosophies and indigenous teaching...remembering so many years ago when I was more grounded. It is comforting to find that ground once again. Feeling pretty darn grateful this morning!

-A.H.-

"I can totally see how kindness towards self is necessary before we can practice kindness towards others. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to make someone smile by offering them a smile. The kindness offered through active listening is especially powerful. I so appreciate the kindness of our sober community in listening to me and offering love and support" -Regina- .

I feel like have fully embraced a couple of things on this journey: 1) I have been addicted to addictive substances and even though I have stopped, I need to be ever mindful that this is "my thing" as we say and it will always be my thing regardless of how much time passes and therefore must stay mindful and not become complacent. 2) Life can be so much better without the chains of an addiction holding me back. When I say so much better that is not to say all is sunshiny, rainbows, and unicorns day in and day out...some days are absolutely shitty but not as shitty as when I was numbing myself out.

-A.H.-

Online Class Wisdom

What steps will you take to improve and choose happiness? Blessings: I do make a gratitude list and am thankful for all that I have in my life. Smile: Whenever I see someone face to face I do always smile and ask how their day is going. They usually are grateful for my asking. Affirmations: That is one area that I really need to work on. I just don't do them. Alarms: I never set an alarm unless it's absolutely necessary. I still have sleep issues and because it's so important I will sleep whenever my body lets it. Complaints: My motto is to never complain but I'm not always successful, to say the least! Discipline: I always do my walking and yoga and have added taichi, and breathing exercises. Eating: I have for most of my life eating healthy. By no means perfect at all! Treat others well: I have tried to do that all my life but when I was drinking the wine took away the filters and I have many regrets about the things that I have said. Time alone: I enjoy the fact that I wake up a few hours earlier than my husband and it's time for me. No conversation, expectations.... and when he takes his afternoon nap!

I think the most contemplative activity I do now is journaling. I have more time so I can really focus on writing about what I am thinking or reading or learning. Also, what is challenging me, what I am fearful of, and what I am obsessing about. And figuring things out as I write. I do not have all the answers but it does bring clarity and peace of mind. Sometimes, I figure out a road map for the next right thing, big or small. I can work out my anxieties by writing them down and accepting I have them. I ask the Universe/God for guidance and signs. Accepting mistakes (now sober, not the drinking days fuck-ups), accepting I have made mistakes, and just writing how I feel about them. What I learn from them. What do I need to continue to work on? What I am sad about. I can not say, in honesty, that I am perfectly at peace with myself today. I am not. But I am capable of just writing and having faith that, one day at a time, I will deal with them. Finally, for me, this pursuit of purpose and meaning is too big to take on right now. They are anxiety-producing obsessions that do not serve me. I am here, today, present, doing the next right thing. That’s it for now. And it is enough.

-A.C.-

I’m sure my friends will ask or wonder how I can parent these young kids without wine — and all I can think now (after learning so much and living through my own social experiences AF), is how could I do it with wine and being hungover?? This is absolutely a lifestyle upgrade for me. The Ted talk had a quote that “sobriety delivers everything that alcohol promises” and I’m finding that to be the case - less anxiety, better sleep, deeper relationships. Going AF has been the best “self-help” that I’ve ever done for myself.

-C.D.-

-H.M.-

I love you more today than when I first met you, and I am grateful each day to be best buddies with you. Dear Sobriety lots of love Susan x

My mantra...

Whenever I had too much to drink, this was my mantra: "I'm fine." Teetering across pink granite in lake country, late at night: "I'm fine." Tossing off my high heels, after a gala awards night: "I'm fine." It was easy to say without slurring, and it was defiant.

It never changed.

Except I wasn't fine. Not even close. And it was beginning to look like I was not alone. As Wilder-Taylor said when I finally interviewed her: "Alcohol is glamorized in our society, and it's everywhere. You'd be surprised how many people are drinking during the day. And then we're shocked when some mother crashes her car with her kids in it?" Ann Dowsett Johnston Drink: The intimate Relationship between WOMEN and Alcohol

CATHERINE GRAY

I am Out of RECOVERY, I am in DISCOVERY of myself.

keep it simple

Peanut butter on toast You will need: Two slices of bread A jar of peanut butter Method: 1.Place the slices of bread in a toaster. 2.Wait a minute or two. Remove the toasted bread from the toaster and place on a plate. 3.With a knife spread the peanut butter generously onto one side of the toast. Spread the peanut butter with the knife always travelling in the same direction over the toast. I don't know why. It just feels better this way. 4.Don't rush it. Set the mood of appreciation by moving the knife at a steady, Tai chi kind of pace. This moment should have the integrity of a religious ritual. 5. Take the plate of toast to your favourite seat. Sit. Compose yourself. Be fully aware of how wondrous it is to be sentient. To be aware you are not only alive as a human being but as a human being about to eat some peanut butter on toast. 6. Close your eyes as you take the first bite. Let your worries float by, untethered from their hooks, as you appreciate this living moment of taste and pleasure. 7. If you really don't like peanut butter, this ritual of gratitude attentiveness has also been proven to work with marmalade. ― Extract from The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

starts here.. LOVE

waking up...

It then became the journey of a woman waking up to the world and all its possibilities and wonder, her own power and voice and unique identity, the bigness that life can be when we centre it on our true desires, compared to the smallness of the one we accept when we centre it on the desires we’re supposed to have. That personal awakening was followed by the part where I discovered that alcohol was not only something I could not abide, but perhaps something we all shouldn’t, and that was paralleled by the part where I discovered that the systems in place to help me stop drinking the chemical we’ve been trained to tolerate—the chemical that was physically and emotionally and mentally murdering me—were archaic, patriarchal, masculine, and hence ineffective for me as a non-man. I discovered that I not only had to claw my way out of hell and construct my own system for recovery, but that also, perhaps, it was my duty to create something more so the women who come after me, women who are dying in broad daylight while we look the other way, might not have to face the same bullshit I had to endure. Holly Whitaker - Quit like a WOMAN

LOVE yourself SOBER

"Still, I look in the mirror sometimes and think, What happened? I have the CV of a model citizen or a gifted child, not a common drunk. Hometown: Cambridge, Massachusetts, the backyard of Harvard University. Education: Brown University, class of '81, magna cum laude. Parents: esteemed psychoanalyst (dad) and artist (mom), both devoted and insightful and keenly intelligent. In other words, a nice person, from a good, upper-middle-class family. I look and I think, What happened? Of course, there is no simple answer. Trying to describe the process of becoming an alcoholic is like trying to describe air. It's too big and mysterious and pervasive to be defined. Alcohol is everywhere in your life, omnipresent, and you're both aware and unaware of it almost all the time; all you know is you'd die without it, and there is no simple reason why this happens, no single moment no physiological event that pushes a heavy drinker across a concrete line into alcoholism. It's a slow, gradual, insidious, elusive becoming." looking in the mirror..

Caroline Knapp from Drinking : A love story

BE TRUE to yourself

blackout

This happens to me sometimes. A curtain falling in the middle of the act, leaving minutes and sometimes hours in the dark. But anyone watching me wouldn’t notice. They’d simply see a woman on her way to somewhere else, with no idea her memory just snapped in half. It’s possible you don’t know what I’m talking about. Maybe you’re a moderate drinker, who baby-sips two glasses of wine and leaves every party at a reasonable hour. Maybe you’re one of those lucky fellows who can slurp your whiskey all after- noon and never disappear into the drink. But if you’re like me, you know the thunderbolt of waking up to discover a blank space where pivotal scenes should be. My evenings come with trapdoors.

I don’t know how much time I lose in this darkness. Or what takes place.

Sarah Hepole - Blackout

the understudy..

“For those of us trapped in addiction, we settle for being the understudy. We’ve lost freedom, faith, and the starring role in our own damn life story. As addiction takes over, we exit stage left and watch another person recite lines intended for us. There is a sense of life happening to us or at us instead of being part of the production. Addiction robs us of ambition and confidence, replacing them with shame and fear. It prevents us from accessing our true potential, so when we compare our performance to another’s, we never quite measure up. On stage, we take up as little space as possible, convinced we truly are runner-up. Perhaps we don’t like the script in our hand, but we say nothing. We do nothing. We change nothing. We don’t even know it is possible to put down the bottle, pick up the pen, and rewrite the script ourselves. We wait backstage in the darkness, shrouded in self-doubt, waiting for our chance to shine— both afraid it will never happen and terrified that it actually might."

― Jennifer Bridgman

“IN SOME NATIVE LANGUAGES, THE TERM FOR PLANTS TRANSLATES TO “THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF US.” ― ROBIN WALL KIMMERER

exhausting...

"When I'd try to persuade myself of the good things I was so lucky to have, my mind devoured itself - the fact that I couldn't seem to feel grateful was confirmation of what a shitty person I was. It was a toxic private life. I hoarded Valium and paid cash in pubs during the daytime so my husband couldn't see the 'cheeky' (as I sold it to myself) lunchtime wines or » » afternoon G&Ts. I was committed to seeming fine and normal. I definitely didn't mope. Instead, I insisted on a punishing schedule - work, gym, running, more work, socialising - made all the more grueling because of the sheer work my addiction was becoming. Being a new mum is f**king intense as it is: the entire terrain of your life is no longer recognisable. The first months were bleak. I was perched permanently on the precipice of completely losing it, knowing that tumbling off simply could not be an option: the baby needed feeding, changing, winding, rocking, soothing, everything. Everything. That's an exhausting existence. Being so very, very frightened all the time is exhausting. Having a shower is exhausting. Having a tiny, dark- eyed stranger clung to you as the hands spin around the clock and the days last forever is exhausting. Trying to pretend not only that you are fine, but happy, truly thrilled, and ecstatic, is exhausting."

Sophie White

“THE LAND KNOWS YOU, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE LOST.” ― ROBIN WALL KIMMERER,

I want to age

I want to age like sea glass. Smoothed by tides, but not broken. I want my hard edges to soften. I want to ride the waves

and go with the flow. I want to catch a wave and let it carry me to where I belong. I want to be picked up and held gently by those who delight in my well earned patina and

appreciate the changes I went through to achieve that beauty. I want to enjoy the journey and always remember that if you give the ocean something breakable it will turn it into something beautiful. I want to age like sea glass. ~Bernadette Noll

BEING SOBER MAY FEEL DIFFERENT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT YOU WILL SOON APPRECIATE WAKING UP HANGOVER-FREE AT THE WEEKEND. WHEN THAT PENNY DROPS, IT'S SOBER GOLD.

Extract from Interview with B rené Brown + Oprah on her new book, The Atlast of the Heart.

Here she explains why she believes we’ve become “adrift...spiritually, emotionally, physically, cognitively” and how we can begin to calm the tumult dividing friends, family, and community members in America right now. Oprah Winfrey: You write that love and belonging are irreducible needs for all people, and in the absence of these experiences, there's always suffering. And when we look around at our society today, we see so many people literally in crisis, Brene, and suffering. I think about, ‘what is the root of all of that suffering and anger?’ and think of it differently now after reading Atlas . Because I don't even know; it looks like anger, but there's got to be lots of other things going on there. But I think ultimately, so many people feel that they don't belong. They are disconnected. They aren't connected to others, and to the natural and the spiritual world. Is that how you see it? What is happening to us now?

Brené Brown: We are...untethered.

OW: Yes.

BB: We're adrift, I think; spiritually, emotionally, physically, cognitively.

OW: That's not just because of politics, right?

BB: No. We're adrift because, you know…I said that in the definition of overwhelm, “the world is unfolding faster than my nervous system and my psyche can manage”? The world is unfolding faster than we, as a social species, can manage. And it's unfolding in a way that drives separation, not that drives connection. We've confused hyper- communicating with the connection. I think one of the big problems and I got this wrong too, actually. I didn't get it wrong, but I missed it. As we're unmoored, untethered, adrift, we are desperately trying to find a port somewhere to pull in and find a safe harbor. What we don't understand is, that port is inside of us. It is not external. The only way to find the shore right now is within us.

CLICK here for interview

choose joy

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

― Robin Wall Kimmerer,

morning ritual

"Morning routines are the 'in' thing in health and wellness right now, but it's honestly not without reason. For the vast majority of us, early sobriety is a confusing, frustrating time. Our brains love patterns and habit. (Morning Routines) will keep you busy, focused on making positive changes and help you heal from the damage alcohol has done on your mental and physical well-being."

-Alicia Gilbert Soberish

daily email

SUNDAY

SUNDAY

Dearest Sober Queens,

Boy yesterday morning many of you were GRATEFUL to be reminded of the extraordinary ordinary gift we have been given by not drinking. The pure magic that even on the toughest of days can make it better. We don't drink; because we were addicted to an addictive substance and are no more in that spiral of self-harm via a crystal goblet of a glass. I said the following in my morning email… I am grateful for a Monday that is not fuelled by cold kitchen stares BECAUSE I over-did it all weekend. Yes, I am grateful for the simplicity of a cup of tea and no regrets this morning.. knowing we are often so busy CHASING the extraordinary that we forget to stop and be grateful for the extraordinary that used to feel ordinary. It's not. Ordinary." Many of you were kind enough to send me an email telling me how grateful you felt for being sober and here is a compilation of what you said…

Emails said I am grateful this morning for the ordinary that is extraordinary in my life…

-I cleansed my face last night.. -I remembered to use my daily moisturiser and SPF sunscreen this morning in my skincare routine (which did NOT EXIST when I was drinking) -I woke up in pajamas not clothes this morning. -I remembered to leave the key under the plant pot this morning as my son has forgotten his keys and arrives after I leave for work. -My daughter was grumpy at breakfast and I did not react and made toast and tea and smiled at her and by summer-camp drop off she had come round. -I don't have a headache this morning. -I did not need to take two Tylenol this morning. -I feel sad for no reason this morning and this is oddly good, as I am sad not because of alcohol, maybe it's hormones but it's not alcohol or drunkenness that got me here - I'm just sad and it will pass.

daily email

SUNDAY

-My Cappuccino is the BEST thing in my morning routine made using the milk Frother my son got me for Christmas. It makes ME SMILE DAILY knowing he bought it, picked out the wild red berry colour for me. -I no longer hate Mondays. -It's lovely to sit here with my coffee in the garden listening to birds. On a personal note, someone emailed yesterday and very gently thanked me for having a JANIS IAN song in the email as they had been a casual acquaintance many years ago …..I instantly knew I could tell my older sister who ADORED all things Janis Ian when she was younger, that I now knew a woman who ONCE knew Janis Ian and wait for her to smile or keel over…And she truly smiled out LOUD. And I was GRATEFUL to the divinity of the universe bringing us a simple moment of throwback memories of her using ALL her older sister privileges to play Janis Ian on LOOP giving us no say whatsoever in the music playlist coming from our front room at home……………. It was an ordinary yet extraordinary moment in my day yesterday and I am grateful for it, today continue to seek the wonder that is those random nice moments in a hangover-free day, and NEVER take the clarity of an early morning for granted…

Please join me in the sober dawn chorus as we say not today lady, not today.

Susan Christina Creamer

This email was sent on Tuesday 12th July

Down Under Thoughts with Lynn

Rumi quote for the week

"You have escaped the cage. Your wings are stretched out. Now fly. "

A bird sitting in a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not in the branch but in her wings.

Take these broken wings and learn to fly SAID

What good are wings without the courage to fly =Atticus

Come to the edge," he said. "We can't, we're afraid!" they responded. "Come to the edge," he said. "We can't, We will fall!" they responded. "Come to the edge," he said. And so they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.”

― Guillaume Apollinaire

The most comprehensive and beautifully illustrated field guide to Australia’s unique birdlife. Australia’s avifauna is large, diverse and spectacular, reflecting the continent’s impressive range of habitats and evolutionary history. With specially commissioned paintings of over 900 species, The Australian Bird Guide is the most comprehensive field guide to Australian birds ever seen. The guide features around 4700 colour illustrations, with particular emphasis on providing the fine detail required to identify difficult groups and distinctive plumages. Comprehensive species accounts have been written by a dedicated team of ornithologists to ensure identification details, distribution and status are current and accurate. The Australian Bird Guide sets a new standard in field guides, providing an indispensable reference for all birders and naturalists looking to explore Australia’s magnificent and unique birdlife. Click here

Learn more about Australian birds HERE

Australian bird embroidery patterns HERE

SUNDAY KITCHEN HOLA SOBER

Sunday Zero Proof

GOJI BERRY & RASPBERRY COOLER

INGREDIENTS

40g goji berries 150g frozen raspberries 1 thumb-sized piece ginger , peeled and finely grated 2 tsp honey , or to taste crushed ice , to serve small handful each of fresh raspberries and mint, to serve

This is a wonderful Sunday treat.

Method STEP 1

Tip the goji berries, raspberries and ginger into a large jug. Pour over 850ml boiling water and leave to cool. Transfer to the fridge to infuse for at least 2 hrs, or overnight. STEP 2 Strain through a sieve into a clean jug, then sweeten with the honey. Fill four glasses with the ice, pour over the drink and garnish with the fresh berries and mint, if you like. This is the recipe I use from BBC GOOD FOOD, PLEASE see the original recipe and image here. Click

JULY 2022

RASPBERRY CORDIAL

FAMILY FAVOURITE

Ingredients

500g raspberry 500g caster sugar 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

M ethod # 1

A simple family favourite that is healthy and delicious!

Put the raspberries in a pan with the sugar and vinegar. Mash over a low heat for 10 mins until smooth and syrupy. Rub through a sieve into a clean pan. #2 Tip the seeds from the sieve into a bowl and stir in 300ml water, then sieve again to remove the last of the pulp from seeds. Pour the liquid into the pan with the sieved pulp, stir well and boil for 1 min. Pour into small sterilised bottles and seal. The cordial will keep unopened for a few months. Once opened, store in the fridge.

JULY 2022

COFFEE IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE

colette louise

tarot

WEBSITE

Colette Louise

card of the week

THE PAGE OF SWORDS

This Page is full of “piss and vinegar” as they say. Although this may sound like a crude saying, it is actually usually meant in a positive way. Although just a page (not even yet a knight or a queen or king) this young person has a sharp mind and is asking questions – and (throat clearing noise) ready to give you the answers if you aren’t forthright in your response. Not jaded enough by power to be careful or back down, this page tells it like it is, and has the audacity to question the status quo!! Gretta Thunberg, comes to mind and we’ve all seen this young woman make grown men in suits squirm when she was just 14! (Watch her speak to the Climate Action Summit in 2019). This week there is a bit of that restlessness in the air. We don’t want to be placated with empty explanations or promises. This doesn’t have to be negative, the Page of Swords often forces us to make way for real growth, in relationships with family, work, the band – whoever or whatever team we are repeating a tired out loop with. Swords is a suit of the mind, take the emotion out of the equation, if something is broke – fix it. “It’s not personal Sonny, it’s strictly business.”

Check out from your world at 4.00 p.m. every day wherever you are in the world, to check in with yourself. Make a tea or a coffee and have a moment of gratitude for the gift of sobriety knowing your Hola Sober Sisters are doing it with you. We hold our own gift of sobriety and all women on this journey, in our hearts daily at 4.00 p.m. Join us in this simple ritual and take a brief pause in your day.

PLAY LIST

Available on our website HERE CLICK here to listen on soundcloud.

Our sober support meetings are closed keeping the groups small and allow relationships to be fostered in a sacred space of trust. The host picks a song at the end to dance out and the zoom-room becomes a feast of women dancing in joy and freedom feeling empowered and positive going into their day or week. I started it believing ending a meeting on a dance is a fun, liberating thing to do as women together and our SPOTIFY Playlist includes songs we dance to. Some of our songs inspire us, we have songs that motivate and bring joy. The Hola Sober Sisters kindly submitted their favourite songs and we have a wonderfully eclectic mix of tastes and songs for you to enjoy! Please click and enjoy!

CLICK here to listen to our play list

It’s okay to take a break.

SOBER ME IS LIKE THE FLAMINGO I AM FLOCKING FABULOUS

THE POWER OF SIX HOLA SOBER FREE RESOURCES The Daily Digest (Daily Email )

Sign up for your daily email inspiring or kicking your ass it is as changeable as Irish weather, sign up here

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Hola Sober Magazine A Monthly explosion of colour and joy, education and sober motivation, inspiration and ideas to help you on your sober journey.

Hola Sober Sunday A weekly splash of colour and joy, beauty, fashion, education for your sober adventure. Sign up here!

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Sober Support Meetings Hola Sober offer SEVEN CLOSED sober support meetings a week for small groups ensuring there is a safe and sacred space for women to share the hard things or indeed the joyful moments on their journey.

Pledge 100 Sober Empowerment Program designed for sustained sobriety within a vibrant community of women.

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Hola Sober Meditations Enjoy the HUSH series in the Hola Sober Meditation library created by the talented and fabulous Alexandra Hartley-leonard.

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"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed."

Ray Goforth

no such thing AS TOO MANY SUCCULENTS

HANDMADE SILVER JEWELLERY

I make handcrafted, unique, silver and gemstone jewellery designed for each individual customer in my small bespoke silver studio based in South East England. I want you to love wearing your finished jewellery as much as I love making it. Talk to me about how I can help you create jewellery that is perfect for you. Please visit my website and reach out so we can work on your next self-care silver treat together!

GLOBAL SHIPPING Japanese word with a deep significance. From years of travel, work and art ESEKA Designs was born. Welcome to Eseka Designs, your online source of amazing gifts, clothing and accessories for your home! Each piece of artwork was named after a

SHOP + VISIT THE STORE WEBSITE

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PLEASE READ

If you wish to submit for our HOLA SOBER MONTHLY MAGAZINE; please email: [email protected]

To all ladies who give permission to publish your words - thank you and to Lynn for giving me words from down under. Thank you, Lisa Wilde, for your support and hard work. p.s. I am not a professional designer, writer, or creator, I am a woman who drank wine and now talks about not drinking as I create this magazine as a hobby project. p.p.s If there are spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, cut me some slack as this is a FREE MAGAZINE made with love. p.p.p.s This magazine would not be possible without the endless financial and loving support of my husband, and three sons. Shout out, as always, to Deb + Judith, Gee + Colette ❤️ www.holasober.com

| HOLA SOBER | Madrid | Spain | EPIC Sober Support Magazine | | Owner & Editor | Susan Christina Creamer | FREE |