Sunsets Are The New Happy Hour

Sunsets Are The New Happy Hour

#18: Lessons From Almost a Decade Sober: What Fun Looks Like Without Alcohol

Sep 17, 2026 · 45 min · 10 segments

What if you could see a craving coming before it hits? Most tools for gray area drinking focus on the aftermath, the shame, the apology tour, the promise to do better. But what if you could interrupt…

What if you could see a craving coming before it hits? Most tools for gray area drinking focus on the aftermath, the shame, the apology tour, the promise to do better. But what if you could interrupt the pattern by tracking simple daily signals like sleep, stress, and energy that predict when you are most vulnerable to reaching for a drink? Jessica Jeboult is the founder of A Sober Girl's Guide, a nine-year veteran of the sober curious space, and creator of the Best Day app. In this episode, she and Kristen talk about why cravings are trackable, not random, how daily check-ins regulate your nervous system, and why building a fun sober life matters as much as the inner work. Jessica also shares how she navigated devastating grief at eight and a half years sober without picking up a drink. This episode is for anyone navigating gray area drinking, anxiety, burnout, or any habit quietly dimming their light, and who is ready to stop relying on willpower and start healing through nervous system regulation. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:19) The New Year's Eve Turning Point (05:34) Protecting Your Nervous System Through Grief (11:51) The 1978 Vintage Mocktail Trailer (16:46) How the Best Day App Interrupts Cravings (21:16) Why Cravings Are Predictable (27:32) Why She Says Sip Up Instead of Relapse (38:06) Chasing Sunsets and Finding Your Thing (42:09) What a Best Day Actually Looks Like Jess tracks sleep, stress, and mood to predict cravings before they hit. What is your biggest craving trigger? Drop a comment below. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance [Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources](Use%20Disorder:%20https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources) CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com LISTEN TO SUNSETS ARE THE NEW HAPPY HOUR Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HL6A1o2USWQuJ2lRPoplk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunsets-are-the-new-happy-hour/id1896762635 AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral\_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg\_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

What if you could see a craving coming before it hits? Most tools for gray area drinking focus on the aftermath, the shame, the apology tour, the promise to do better. But what if you could interrupt…

Grief, Sobriety, and Self-Care5:34 – 11:44

Kristin HorstmanHost

5:34

So Jess, nowadays you hold a lot of space.

Kristin HorstmanHost

5:39

Oh, you hold space for a lot of people.

Kristin HorstmanHost

5:41

How do you protect your own nervous system?

Jessica JeboultGuest

5:46

now that is a good question that is a tough question I think I mean to be honest this has been just the worst year of my life just yeah um Sorry.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:05

Um, losing my mom.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:08

I lost my dad, like my grandma, literally my three like pillars in my life gone within a year.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:18

Um, And that really messes you up, especially when it's so just unexpected.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:26

It's like the rug has just been pulled out from under you and you're like, what? Even at eight and a half years of sobriety, I was like, okay, like I'm good, you know? But when something like that happens to you, it is, I will never ever be the same.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:44

And really, I'm kind of coming out on the other side of it.

Jessica JeboultGuest

6:48

And right now I can say like, I'm a strong mother and not my choice, not my choice, but like, I've kind of learned, you know, what I'm capable of.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:04

Like, I'm sorry, if you can stand up and talk at your mother's funeral, who died on Christmas Day unexpectedly, I think you can really do a lot.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:14

You can really, really take on a lot.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:20

And, but it also has made me really Think about where my energy goes and where these like the energy has been leaking, especially over the years, you know, I am a person who is like, I will give you the shirt off my back.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:36

You know, even if that leaves me in my bra.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:41

You know, but yeah.

Jessica JeboultGuest

7:45

I've kind of learned through this time, this kind of season of me being in need, right? Like me needing help, which is the hardest thing to ask for.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:01

I really have to, and I really, it's just like a new kind of version of taking care of myself.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:08

And honestly, that looks very different day to day, week by week.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:13

Um, one thing that I have done, or actually two things that I've done, um, and I'm sure we'll talk more about this later, but, um, my, my app called best day has really, really helped me to pause.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:30

And instead of being reactive and popping off, you know, I can go from zero to a hundred.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:35

Right.

Jessica JeboultGuest

8:36

real quick but the app causes and we talked about this before the pause having that just mental pump the brakes really really helps also i want to really look in and redefine what fun looks for me now no um it's very different um i never thought i would really be back in vancouver my hometown I'm back here now making the best of it.

Jessica JeboultGuest

9:07

And I really wanted to have a fun summer.

Jessica JeboultGuest

9:11

And that is also why we've done the best day mocktail and dirty soda mobile bar.

Jessica JeboultGuest

9:19

So just trying to have fun and really figure out like, okay, what does that look like now? Yeah.