 Hi there, this is James Swanik and you're listening to the Alcohol Free Lifestyle podcast where you learn how to take back control over alcohol and live a life of health, wealth, love and happiness. We're talking to Sean Hopwood who is a 30-something man from Manchester in the United Kingdom who is living the Alcohol Free Lifestyle and is a good friend of mine actually. We met in 2019 through a mutual friend and Sean has had an interesting journey with alcohol over his life and thankfully or beautifully, whatever way you want to look at it, he's actually living the Alcohol Free Lifestyle in part because of hanging around people like me. So he tells me, Sean Hopwood, how are you mate? Very well, thank you James, very well. Is it true to say that I've influenced you somehow by not drinking or now you don't drink as much? Is that right? Yeah, definitely, definitely helped along that journey. After meeting you, like you said back in 2019, spending a bit of time with you, that was kind of probably a point where I wanted to quit alcohol, leave alcohol behind or certainly have a better relationship with it. Spending that time with you was the catalyst to see that there was potentially a better world and life without it. Yeah, nice one. We'll get into those details in just a second, but just give us a little overview as to who you are, what you do, where you live and then just from maybe like your late 20s onwards, what's been your relationship with alcohol? So yeah, I live in Manchester, I'm an entrepreneur, I've been since I left university about 15 years ago now. And then late late 20s, I'd always worked in the nightclub industry throughout uni and things like that, so you can imagine surrounded by alcohol and that type of thing. And I got an opportunity back sort of 27 to be able to get into a health and wellness business. And I really liked it, really thought what a great idea, but I knew at the time doing that there was probably some changes that had to be made. And it was at a point I was looking towards 30 thinking I don't want to be that guy that's still at nightclubs and promoting events. So it was kind of a perfect time and a perfect time to make some changes of which I thought it'd be easy. I thought, okay, I'll just stop going out and stop drinking and that's it. But the reality of it was great, I've got a new opportunity in a new business. But it was boredom always. You're like, okay, well, what do you do in your spare time now? Because I was so used to weekends being full of full of fun and full of, well, what I thought was fun and alcohol and that time. And I actually remember the first weekend I'd left doing the clubs and I had a girlfriend at the time. And it was 10 o'clock on a Saturday night. And that was normally when I'd go down to start the event I was doing. And I looked at her and I went, what do we do now? She's like, we go to bed. And I remember this feeling. I was like, what? We go Saturday night, we go to bed at 10. This is not why, surely. And I made her. I made her. She lived in this little place. I was living in Leeds at the time. Come to this bar. And I sank a couple of pints and I just made her do it. I was like, I couldn't really work out what the point was of not drinking. And I remember the next day from that was kind of, again, that was a point. She was like, why did we do that? I said, why did you want to do that? What's wrong? And I couldn't really answer it. I didn't have an answer. Why? It's just because I wanted to, because I couldn't go to bed. So she was, the business I was in, getting into at the time, she was a leader in it. And so her questions kind of re... I was like, oh, that's not her. She's not like that person. She doesn't go out and drink like that. So that was kind of a start. And I started thinking, right, I do need to change this whole Saturday night, Friday night. You have to have a drink or you're not having a good time. That was the mentality I was in. So it took a bit of time. And a few years sort of passed of the relationship back and forth with it. Like, okay, I'll go three weeks. Then I'll have a blowout. I'll go three weeks. Then I'll have a blowout. And it kind of stayed like that until we made a decision. Because I'd become quite successful at this point, then, in the business. And I could actually afford to take time to go to LA. I really wanted to experience LA. I might have one of my best friends, mutual friend of ours, lived out there. And I wanted to see what was all about, experience that real healthy lifestyle. So I went out, made a decision, going to go do three months. And we lived in a little place out in Marina del Rey. I went to the, joined the yoga studio, joined the gym, doing that every day, juices. And loved it. I was up at six in the morning, reading. Went and sat out on the sand, just on the hills, just down there in Marina del Rey, reading a book every, and the day, I remember the days just felt so long, so productive and got so much done. But still at that time, I'd not, I was just doing a part. I was like, okay, I'm just going to stop drinking. And then it got to a month after sort of 60 days of it getting towards month three. And then it was just a countdown to when I could have a drink. It was, so the mentality was quite wrong. And looking back on it now, I got to that final, that final day. And again, I was like, right, come on, we're going for a drink now. Celebrating, getting to the end of that. And went to this cute, cute little Mexican restaurant just down there, large glass of sauvignon blanc, and I just necked it. I've never necked a glass, even in my prime drinking days. Necking a large glass of wine was not a thing. Did it, necked it, loved it. The sun was out, felt so crisp. And I thought, yes, I remember the feeling straight away. Like the first sip, you just felt drunk straight away. It was great. Thought it was. Carried on, drank. I think probably we had a little argument again that night, which is the first time we'd had any conflict for the whole time. Wake up the next morning, missed yoga, missed my calls. So I had a team of like 200 people back in the UK. I canceled them. Some products, I just didn't feel like doing it. God, and I said, after three months of real productivity, I didn't go to yoga. And it was the worst day that I'd had out in LA, since I'd been there. And I was just like, that was kind of a point then where I thought, what is it all about this? So anyway, two years past, carry on my relationship from there, got better with it. There was a new, what I'd call like a new platform. I was very much aware of then the quality of life you can have alcohol-free in comparison to it, because I had really had, I had that day to compare to the rest of it. And that day, I kind of took with me. But again, you'd have moments where you just forget about it. And I've never made a decision. I've never said, right, well, I'm not a drinker. I'm, there was still probably a part of me that was surrounded by, that was a persona. So in Bill, especially with like family as well, and family events that I was like, no, drinking is still a part of my life. So yeah, time went on and in it again, in and out of it, but definitely a better relationship with it from there. And then we met. And I think that was a point where I really experienced being around guys and success and people that just didn't drink. You know, we went, we went for a meal. And normally, this sort of, so my association with a meal was first things, what you're having to drink. You forget the menu, like what you're having to drink. And I think you and Mark were just straight away, okay, sparkling water, please. I was like, cool, I'll go with this. And then I think we were there for about two and a half, maybe three hours. And food kept coming, Mark. The food kept coming, didn't it, Mark? I was like, one more dish before I was drinking. Now, what was key about that night for me was, I think I've said this to you before, I was kind of an introvert living in an extroverted world. So drink was always a go-to to make myself just believe that I was more confident and believe that I was funnier. And I remember the conversations that we had and you went round the table and you started asking people about their goals, dreams and aspirations. And that for me was normally a terrifying situation. And you wouldn't have known at the time, but I'd have felt, oh God, I really need a drink right now to talk about like this in front of guys. And I just thought, no, okay, because I think Ross went first and then Mark did. And I went last on purpose. And I saw that how they delivered it and I saw how you received it as well, the information and you're really like warming and welcoming to it. And then, so I come in and I talk, I spoke about it and after it, I felt great. I spoke with confidence about it, I'd seen them and then I remember after it, you then sort of came to me with a bit of an opportunity from it as well. I was like, wow. I've had an amazing night. I've been able to speak about dreams and goals in front of guys, which was kind of something that caused me anxiety. I don't know why. Not had a dream, not even one step then thought about alcohol. I've had one of the best nights of my life because I love talking about things like that. I love talking about business. I love talking about aspirations. And it was an engagement on a level with all of us. Probably that I think most people, most people who I certainly had, you think you only talk on them sort of levels when you've had a drink, but when actually you look at it, it's kind of a case of you just talk a load of crap and it's who can get their word in first? Who can talk the most? Whereas this was just really calm and it went round and it flowed so nicely. And then to then be offered, you know, an opportunity to work with you after it, I was like, whoa, whoa. A new association was built in my mind from that. And then we were fortunate then to spend while she was over here in the UK and the week or so was together and we went to football, which again for me, football, drink straight away. And you got us these tickets and it was Man City, Leesburs, Open Bars, the directors tickets. And again, I saw you operating in that environment and we were speaking to people in the bar and things like that and they're drinking. And I thought, okay, I'll just try, I'll just follow James and see what James does. James doesn't have a drink, right? But James is still talking to people. James is making people laugh. And people are laughing like, so I'm like, I'm built, all this whole time spent in this country, I'm building these new, totally new beliefs that you can be. And it was the way you did it, well, it was massive. Because not for once, not for one second did you flinch at anybody who was saying, oh, it's an open bar, you don't have a drink and you're comfortable standing there with water and completely comfortable. He's a Jordy guy, he was over there, he was there, wasn't he? Drinking, he was like, yeah, man, let's get some brown alien life. He just beers, does that. And you weren't even judging, and the thing was it wasn't even a judgmental thing. I think I'd been experienced to people that don't drink very much. Oh, I don't drink very much eager to tell you about it. You didn't. Again, it was very much that's just who you are. And I think that was a massive step as well because it wasn't like you have to then justify why you're not drinking to people. You just didn't, and you just operated in a way. And again, that was a massive point that created a new belief in my mind. And after that, we had a great, again, we had some really funny experiences, didn't we, at that game. So, yeah, again, a new platform from there. And I think after that week, we went out for a few more meals, again, great conversations. And from there, that was kind of a catalyst then for me to really look at it and think, well, I'm in a health and nutrition business, and in a, I've got a beauty business as well. And all of which, they function so much better. My time is so much better when I'm not having a drink. And instead of me thinking that that's what you do, it was got to a point where, you know what, let's see how we are. It's hard to describe it, because it was more than it was, it was something went off after those two experiences, like a light, like a new neuropath that had connected. And it was like, Oh, Sean, you don't need to drink. You can still have fun with people, you can still experience good things. In fact, it might even be a little bit better, because you might get a little bit more done. Those goals and dreams that you've got, Sean, maybe you're going to reach and hit them more, because what you're actually seeing is your days are longer, your productivity's gone up, you don't feel quite as lethargic, you're then not eating the food the next day, that's full of salt, that's junk, because you want, actually instead you're craving a bit more healthier food, and now you actually feel a little bit more authentic to the businesses that you're operating in. So that, yeah, that was kind of the story, and that's what brings us here today, I guess. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that. I'm curious how you have navigated the alcohol-free lifestyle since then. I know that you've got a couple of businesses now, you have a health and wellness business, you're a network marketing consultant. So how do you feel now that alcohol is consistently out of your life? I know you also drink on occasion, right? So maybe you could just talk us through what your drinking habits are now, and then what you've experienced from living this alcohol-free lifestyle. I think now it's auto-control is the key thing, auto-control over alcohol, and knowing that if I do want to have a drink or two, then I can, and then at that point I can just stop, like, perfect example recently, because I think my relationship with my dad's really important, as it is for many people, obviously, and football, again, with that. And after lockdown, when the premierships opened back up, it was a Friday night, a night of clean spurs, so normally that was going to be a huge drinking session, and I sort of pre-empted it, you know, Dad, I'm going to come round, I'll have a couple of glasses of champagne, and then I kind of leave it at that, so rather than me going round and turning up normally with a couple of bags of beer, we'd stay up till three, four in the morning. I almost, like, pre-framed it with him, and thinking, I was kind of dreading the message back, thinking, because it's been three months, whatever it's been, since I've really seen him, and since we've had some time together. And he was like, he just sort of messaged back. He always sort of says the word, he sort of says the word, marvellous, and that's one of these things, he just puts, marvellous, so I'm looking forward to it, and I was like, oh, there's no negativity, he's not sort of saying anything bad about it got round. We had a couple of glasses of champagne, and normally we'd go till three, four in the morning, open a bottle of vodka, sit there, he loves drinking straight, straight vodka, and we did that anyway. I had a couple of glasses of champagne, and I moved on to just drinking some sparkling water, and we carried on chatting till about 1.30, a reasonable time, about everything that had gone on, and you know what, it was better. We had better conversation than we had, and I remembered it the next day, so I was like, oh, wow, I actually learned quite a bit about my dad that night, rather than wake up, thank God that I can't remember what he was saying. So now it's, I just describe it as like utter control, and I think even to a point where it's very much, it's easy to hide behind, yeah, it's a UK thing, and that's what you do, and even it's, but I'm probably getting more and closer and closer to a point where it can be completely free. I think each time it's happening, because even then, after those two glasses, I didn't feel my great self had been feeling throughout lockdown, so I've been keeping well, not drinking. I didn't, it was still a bit of, I still felt a bit lethargic the next day, and didn't do as, didn't go out, been going running in the park, didn't do that. So probably moving closer and closer towards just leaving it completely behind, but feeling great, not even without it being, I'm gonna do that, it just, because of experiencing things, yeah. Great. And physically, have you noticed any changes in you in terms of your physique or clarity or focus, anything like that? Yeah, definitely. I think a year ago, at Mark's wedding, which was just before you came over here, I've got some pictures of that, and I'll struggle, I remember we were all getting ready, and I'll struggle into putting up my shirt. I'll say, all you guys and Mark's and Mark's other friends are all quite ripped in good shape. I'm on their top button, I'm like, asking someone to do my time, how are we getting done? And I could hardly breathe. And I'm even looking at the picture there now from it, and everyone looks like nice, in quite nice shape, quite athletic. Man, that's just a big face, jaw fat, no jaw lines, just covered in a bit of inflammation around the face, fat, a bit of redness in the cheeks. So definitely from that, you can feel, you do it even in use, I feel just walking around, there's a spring in your step, and you can just feel it, you bounce just a little bit, a little bit more, and your clothes just fit a little bit better. So that mental clarity, huge, like I said, I would just, I'm working for yourself, which I have done. I just write things off the next day, because I could, because it was me, no boss. So now my focus is, even us doing this here now, if I'm going to have a drink, I'm not going to be up, and I'm busy, I've had a coffee with a bit of coconut oil in this morning, and I can't show up. So my mind is just so high level functioning, I can, and it just, because of that, you just feel, I just generally feel happier. Yeah, wonderful. And you are now actually one of my, or one of my organization's coaches, people who actually book calls, who are entertaining the idea of enrolling in one of my programs, book calls, and you are one of my coaches who speaks to some of those folks who are interested in that. I would imagine that many people who you speak with ask you about your drinking lifestyle and what it is, and have you been sharing it and what have they been saying in response to you sharing your alcohol journey? Yes. Yeah, I definitely share it, maybe not as in full detail there because I've been taking up all their time and it's obviously about listening to what they've got to say. But it's nice to be able to connect with them because I feel like I've been through a lot of what the people are going through and certainly my relationship with it and back to it and without it. I can really connect with the people that I'm talking to and it's not just a case of, again, any judgment from me, whereas if I'd kind of maybe just been an alcohol-free person all my life, I'd not really be understanding where they were at and just like, just quit, what's wrong with you? Whereas I can really connect, there's a good few people I've had conversations with and it gets quite emotional at times with the people because you're hearing it and you're like, well, I can see the changes I've made and the life I'm experiencing now and I know that this is right for you. I know that spending time with James and I know that going through this process with James is going, if I could just give you a crystal ball now and show you 90 days, 30 days, whatever suit you get on, I can show you a crystal ball of what it's going to look like after because you hear people and they've got this sort of downtone and they feel bad and they want to quit and there's all sorts of things going on in their life and you're just like, and that's sort of 15-minute, half-an-hour call we have and I genuinely just wish I could click some fingers and show them what it'd be like 90 days down the line and when they're free of it and from there. I think the 90 days is, it's after the 90 days, I think, the key. Get through that and then what's beyond that is your experience then of life without it, of where you're going to, every day is going to be a step up because, and that's nice to be able to do because I've done that and I've felt it. So yeah, I love talking to the people and helping them get on to your courses because I know how beneficial they're going to be. So if you're listening on the podcast or you're watching on the YouTube channel, Sean is available as it stands currently. Just to chat with you, you can go to jameswanick.com forward slash schedule and you can book a free 15-minute call there and just talk to Sean or one of my other coaches and just share whatever's going on with you, with your drinking and Sean and my other coaches will help you to develop an alcohol-free plan. The link for that is jameswanick.com slash schedule. Sean, thanks so much for your story and for your guidance and expertise. I so acknowledge you for your commitment to your health, your ongoing commitment. Have other people just before we go, have other people noticed a shift in you or what have other people said about you recently since you've been on this path as opposed to what they may have said to you or thought of you previously? Well, a couple of things and one, this from this weekend, because as you know, I went to the lakes where we went for that wedding last year and I needed a lady who runs the place so I saw her. The first thing she said, the first thing she was, I could see it in her face, her eyes went a little bit wider, she went, wow, you've lost weight, you look great. And so that was like, oh, okay. Because you don't necessarily notice it in yourself, spending every day with yourself. So when it's been a year since you've seen someone and they do, I mean, that even shins singles down my spine now. So it's that thing, maybe that's a little bit of vanity, but hey, it feels great for people to say that. And I think just the way I carry myself and operate in social environments now, people, I just told myself, just the conversation has just stand up stronger, not that red, not that anxiety, not looking to the bar, listening to people a lot more. So I'm not thinking about, I need to get to the bar to get another drink so I can talk to more, it's just more engagement and better quality time with people. Well, thanks for spending some quality time with me now. Sean, I appreciate that. And if you are listening or watching and you'd like to speak with Sean or one of my other coaches, go to JamesSwanick.com forward slash schedule. And if you do get Sean, make sure you tell him that you heard him here on the podcast, the alcohol-free lifestyle podcast, or maybe you saw this on YouTube or maybe you saw it somewhere else. Make sure you let him know. I'm sure he'll be thrilled. Sean, thanks so much for your time, mate. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for listening. I have some free stuff for you. If you go to JamesSwanick.com forward slash guide, I will send you my formula for reducing or quitting alcohol. If you'd like to watch the video versions of these episodes, then you can watch them at my YouTube channel, which is at JamesSwanick. If you'd like to send me a direct message on Instagram, you can do so at JamesSwanick. If you would like to try a three-day challenge, a free three-day challenge, you can go to JamesSwanick.com forward slash three-day challenge. If you would like to try the 30-day No Alcohol Challenge, you can go to 30-day No Alcohol Challenge. If you would like to schedule a 15-minute exploratory call with one of my coaches to see how we may be able to help you in your alcohol-free journey, you can go to JamesSwanick.com forward slash schedule. And my request is, if indeed you enjoyed this episode or you have enjoyed the podcast, would you please go ahead and rate the show in iTunes, and would you please write a review? 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