Episode 158: Reinventing Yourself After Alcohol with Amy Mashburn
Tue Feb 03 2026
What happens when you quit drinking and realize the hardest part isn’t the alcohol, it’s letting go of who you used to be?
In this episode of The No More Wasted Days Podcast, I’m joined by Amy Mashburn, nearly 18 years alcohol-free and co-founder of Upper Left Strength. Amy got sober at just 23 years old, long before sobriety was trendy, and her story offers a powerful perspective on identity, mindset, and what it actually takes to build a life you don’t want to escape from.
This conversation goes far beyond health and fitness. We talk about the identity shift that comes with quitting drinking, why mindset has to change before your habits do, and how discomfort is often the doorway to real transformation.
If you’re tired of negotiating with alcohol, half-trying, or feeling stuck between who you were and who you want to become, this episode will land.
In this episode, we talk about:
⚡️ What it was like to get sober at 23 and rebuild life from the ground up
⚡️ Why drinking is often a symptom, not the root problem
⚡️ The identity grief that comes with quitting alcohol (and why it’s normal)
⚡️ Ego death, perfectionism, and self-sabotage in early sobriety
⚡️ Why women are so hard on themselves and how that fuels relapse and burnout
⚡️ The role of discomfort in lasting change
⚡️ How sobriety reshapes standards in relationships, work, and self-respect
⚡️ Why health and fitness can support sobriety without becoming another extreme
⚡️ What “no more wasted days” really means when time is your most valuable resource
A powerful reminder from this episode:
You don’t quit drinking just to stop drinking. You quit so you can reclaim your time, your energy, and your future. Alcohol takes far more than it gives, and once you see that clearly, it’s hard to unsee.
About Amy Mashburn:
Amy Mashburn is nearly 18 years alcohol-free and the co-founder of Upper Left Strength, a health and fitness company focused on sustainable nutrition, strength training, and mindset work. She works alongside her husband to help people step out of all-or-nothing thinking and build lives rooted in alignment, strength, and self-trust.
You can find Amy on Instagram @upperleftamy and learn more about her work at Upper Left Strength at www.upperleftstrength.com
Work with Amy:
Upper Left Strength offers customized nutrition, strength training, and mindset support through their app-based coaching and Blueprint membership. This is not a quick fix or diet culture solution, it’s real work for people ready to stop starting over.
Find out more at www.upperleftstrength.com
Ready to go deeper in your alcohol-free journey?
Enrollment is open for the PUSH to 100 Alcohol-Free Challenge, starting February 10 and running through May 22. These 100 days are designed to help you walk into summer confident, grounded, and clear.
You can sign up at nomorewasteddays.co.
If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review or comment on Spotify or YouTube, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.
Your time matters. Let’s stop wasting it.
***************************************
Follow the podcast on Social Media:
IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod
Follow Sara on Social Media:
IG: @no_more_wasted_days
TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial
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What happens when you quit drinking and realize the hardest part isn’t the alcohol, it’s letting go of who you used to be? In this episode of The No More Wasted Days Podcast, I’m joined by Amy Mashburn, nearly 18 years alcohol-free and co-founder of Upper Left Strength. Amy got sober at just 23 years old, long before sobriety was trendy, and her story offers a powerful perspective on identity, mindset, and what it actually takes to build a life you don’t want to escape from. This conversation goes far beyond health and fitness. We talk about the identity shift that comes with quitting drinking, why mindset has to change before your habits do, and how discomfort is often the doorway to real transformation. If you’re tired of negotiating with alcohol, half-trying, or feeling stuck between who you were and who you want to become, this episode will land. In this episode, we talk about: ⚡️ What it was like to get sober at 23 and rebuild life from the ground up ⚡️ Why drinking is often a symptom, not the root problem ⚡️ The identity grief that comes with quitting alcohol (and why it’s normal) ⚡️ Ego death, perfectionism, and self-sabotage in early sobriety ⚡️ Why women are so hard on themselves and how that fuels relapse and burnout ⚡️ The role of discomfort in lasting change ⚡️ How sobriety reshapes standards in relationships, work, and self-respect ⚡️ Why health and fitness can support sobriety without becoming another extreme ⚡️ What “no more wasted days” really means when time is your most valuable resource A powerful reminder from this episode: You don’t quit drinking just to stop drinking. You quit so you can reclaim your time, your energy, and your future. Alcohol takes far more than it gives, and once you see that clearly, it’s hard to unsee. About Amy Mashburn: Amy Mashburn is nearly 18 years alcohol-free and the co-founder of Upper Left Strength, a health and fitness company focused on sustainable nutrition, strength training, and mindset work. She works alongside her husband to help people step out of all-or-nothing thinking and build lives rooted in alignment, strength, and self-trust. You can find Amy on Instagram @upperleftamy and learn more about her work at Upper Left Strength at www.upperleftstrength.com Work with Amy: Upper Left Strength offers customized nutrition, strength training, and mindset support through their app-based coaching and Blueprint membership. This is not a quick fix or diet culture solution, it’s real work for people ready to stop starting over. Find out more at www.upperleftstrength.com Ready to go deeper in your alcohol-free journey? Enrollment is open for the PUSH to 100 Alcohol-Free Challenge, starting February 10 and running through May 22. These 100 days are designed to help you walk into summer confident, grounded, and clear. You can sign up at nomorewasteddays.co. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review or comment on Spotify or YouTube, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. Your time matters. Let’s stop wasting it. *************************************** Follow the podcast on Social Media: IG: @nomorewasteddays.pod Follow Sara on Social Media: IG: @no_more_wasted_days TikTok: @no_more_wasted_days Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoMoreWastedDaysOfficial