A Peek Inside My Online Community for Midlife Women Living Alcohol-Free
EPISODE #349
ELEVATE is an online, live, and interactive mentorship community for women who want to live an alcohol-free lifestyle. It's a place where you get real-time guidance and support from me, and you're surrounded by other women in your generation who are making the same choice.
The name means exactly what it sounds like. To rise. To lift yourself to a higher place. Inside ELEVATE, that means working on your relationship with yourself after alcohol, with me and the community lifting you up along the way.
It's hard to put into words what ELEVATE actually is, because for me it's a feeling. It's not just an online community. It's a place where I show up, where I create, and where I trust the women inside completely.
A member joined and told me it feels very homey. That brought a big smile to my face, because that's exactly what I want it to be.
Who ELEVATE Is For
ELEVATE is specifically for midlife and beyond women who are done with alcohol and want their next chapters to be alcohol-free. Women who want real-time support as they get their footing. Women who want to be around others in their generation making this choice.
Inside, you'll find women in their first year alcohol-free all the way through their fifth. Women in their 40s to 70s.
Why I Believe in ELEVATE
My belief in community goes back to 2018, when I brought together a small group of 18 women inside a Facebook group. It cost $18. It was a week-long thing where I'd go live every day, and my favorite part was reading the comments and watching them connect with each other.
There was a sense of belonging, acceptance without judgment, and bonding over aging and sobriety. A feeling of relief and hope because we were talking about things we don't talk about with anyone else.
I saw that it was easier to share in a virtual setting, starting out as strangers and leaving as friends. People felt okay getting things out and knowing they weren't alone.
From that group came a non-negotiable in my business: community has to be part of what I do. Whatever it takes.
I also know this from my own experience. I didn't want to stop drinking because I didn't want to be the only one not drinking. But I also didn't want to keep drinking. When I ultimately made the decision to live alcohol-free, I was the only one.
If I could have picked up my phone on a day when I felt alone and thought about going back to alcohol and logged into ELEVATE, I genuinely believe I would have exhaled more and felt more confident and optimistic in my choice.
What Happens Inside
Each month, there's a call menu of 8 to 10 topics to choose from. You register for the live Zoom calls you want, join me and the group, and that's it. You can come late and leave early. Camera off is completely fine.
Topics cover everything from mindset, routines and rituals, relationships, compassion, pacing, and prioritizing yourself, to fun meetups and support and sharing circles. Each month brings new topics you can take or leave.
Between calls, there's a posts feed where I share reminders, quotes, and prompts throughout the week. You can post, comment, and connect with other members on your own time. There's also a Listening Lounge with short audios, member spotlights, pages and printables, and a direct message option straight to me.
You can join one call a month and still feel the connection and support and like you're not missing out.
Common Questions
Do I have to be alcohol-free to join?
You'll get the most out of ELEVATE if you're actively working on living alcohol-free, whether it's your first few months or into year five.
If you join alcohol-free and then drink, you're human and you'll have support from me.
We have brave women inside who share that they've "slipped" or feel "wobbly." There's compassion and understanding here. No one is turned away for being human. I'm not tracking days. I celebrate all of it, including the setbacks.
Is it a big community?
ELEVATE is small, and it will always be intentionally small. That's the point. You're not lost in a crowd here.
Is it cliquey?
I've been anti-clique since I was a kid. I get that it can feel intimidating to join a group where people already know each other.
I've asked the women about this, and they've said they were nervous to join and felt like everyone was established, but joined anyway. What I see inside is mature women full of wisdom and experience, and real relationships coming to life.
What about privacy?
Privacy is number one. The community lives on an app called Mighty Networks, not Facebook. You can use your first name and last initial.
How long are the calls?
45 minutes. You can come late and leave early.
What if I can't make the calls live?
Plenty of women inside use the posts feed to stay connected between calls and don't join calls at all. You find what works for you.
What membership options are there?
Monthly and quarterly. One month if you want to try it out. Three months if, like me, you want time to get acclimated and know it's there for a longer stretch.
Can I cancel?
Yes. You can cancel at any time. You'll have access for the remaining time of your plan.
A final note
I don't have an assistant or a team. Everything I do, including the podcast, comes from me. The women inside ELEVATE are as real as they come.
In an online world that's increasingly oversaturated, I want you to know that what you find inside is genuine. The connection, the conversations, the support. It's real.
The only truly valuable thing I can offer in helping a woman live alcohol-free is being there with her, walking alongside her through the ups and downs and curves and twists that come in life after alcohol. That's what ELEVATE is.
Thank you for listening.
To Join Elevate, click here.
Hey, there! I’m Lori, the host of the To 50 and Beyond podcast.
Where aging and living alcohol-free are celebrated.
To 50 and Beyond is about self-discovery, living for today, and designing an alcohol-free life that alcohol can’t compete with.
I’m with you.
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