Sep 28
Amanda Kuda was acutely aware of being different from her peers growing up–the movie Matilda made her feel seen, minus the telekinesis–so when she discovered that alcohol made it easier for her to fit in, it became a regular part of her social life. After an ADHD diagnosis in her early 20’s, Amanda started to take note of what was and wasn’t helpful for managing her symptoms and realized the habit change that benefitted her the most was removing alcohol from her lifestyle.
Now, seven years later, Amanda is an author and holistic life coach who helps other ambitious women stop drinking and start manifesting the lives they want and deserve. She tells me, “What transpired after I stopped drinking alcohol was that my potential, my authenticity, my magic came online at a level that I hadn't before been able to access it.”
Join my insightful conversation with Amanda to hear about how alcohol may be holding you back from your authenticity and all the ways life can open up for you when you take a step back from substances and embrace who you really are.
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"What transpired after I stopped drinking alcohol was that my potential, my authenticity, my magic came online at a level that I hadn't before been able to access."
- Amanda Kuda
"Alcohol for me, from the time I was a teen to late twenties, was this tool to help me kind of quiet the chatter in my mind that says you're different from everyone else and also allowed me to come out of my shell and be this kind of magnanimous personality that sometimes in regular everyday life I didn't have the guts to be."
- Amanda Kuda
"I had been trying to fit in with the cool crowd my entire life. And I realized I couldn't keep stuffing myself in a box just because that's the box everyone else was in, and the tool by which I did that was with drinking."
- Amanda Kuda
- Amanda describes how she thrived in college due to structure and accountability but struggled in the corporate world without clear expectations or deadlines.
- Amanda discovers she has ADHD after ruling out other possibilities with her therapist's help.
- Amanda was diagnosed with ADHD at age 23-25 and has noticed changes in her behavior and thought patterns since then.
[10:54 - 30:03] Embracing uniqueness and overcoming ADHD challenges
- Amanda shares her journey of using alcohol to fit in and feel more confident but eventually realizes it's not the path for her.
- Amanda shares her experience of feeling like she didn't fit in with a particular group and using alcohol to manage her ADHD, feeling like it helps her feel less socially awkward.
- Amanda explains how this concept can be particularly challenging for individuals with ADHD, who may have difficulty moderating their consumption due to their brain chemistry.
- Amanda also discusses the importance of awareness and how it can lead to making positive changes in one's life, such as not drinking for 30 days.
- Amanda struggled with the idea of quitting alcohol without a "permission slip" from her therapist, feeling defeated and wanting a clear answer on how to proceed.
- Amanda decided to live her life to the fullest without alcohol, believing she has more power and potential to make a positive impact in the world.
