“High performers can hold it together—but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

That’s how Julie Holly describes the tension she lived in for years. On the outside, she was a successful entrepreneur, coach, and podcaster. But on the inside, alcohol was becoming her go-to solution for stress, escape, and the ache of not belonging. And like many high-performers, her success masked the weight that alcohol was starting to become round her neck.

But a doctor’s curiosity and an honest comment from one of her children gave her the reality check she had been running from.

In this conversation, Julie opens up about how drinking became tied to belonging, how craft cocktails became a nightly ritual that both connected and slowly destroyed, and how a doctor’s gentle curiosity helped her finally face the truth.

In addition, she explains the quiet midnight wrestling matches she had with God, how mining her story of origin revealed abandonment wounds, and the courage it takes to name alcohol for what it really is.

This isn’t a rock-bottom story. It’s about a high achiever learning that freedom comes not from holding it all together, but from finally letting go.

We explore:

—Why high-functioning people struggle to admit alcohol is a problem
—How Julie’s drive for belonging fueled her drinking
—The danger of comparison and the “at least I’m not that bad” trap
—Why story work and exploring our past is essential for healing
—How God patiently pursues us through small moments and people
—The role of ego and elitism in justifying drinking
—Why midnight wrestling with God reveals deeper unrest
—The moment a doctor’s curiosity, not condemnation, opened her eyes
—How money spent on alcohol can be repurposed into kingdom work
—The freedom of realizing you belong because you belong to the Father

Instagram: @thejulieholly

Julie's newsletter: Read it here

Follow Jon: @jonseidl

Order the new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com

&ldquo;High performers can hold it together&mdash;but that doesn&rsquo;t mean it&rsquo;s healthy.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s how Julie Holly describes the tension she lived in for years. On the outside, she was a successful entrepreneur, coach, and podcaster. But on the inside, alcohol was becoming her go-to solution for stress, escape, and the ache of not belonging. And like many high-performers, her success masked the weight that alcohol was starting to become round her neck.
But a doctor&rsquo;s curiosity and an honest comment from one of her children gave her the reality check she had been running from.
In this conversation, Julie opens up about how drinking became tied to belonging, how craft cocktails became a nightly ritual that both connected and slowly destroyed, and how a doctor&rsquo;s gentle curiosity helped her finally face the truth.
In addition, she explains the quiet midnight wrestling matches she had with God, how mining her story of origin revealed abandonment wounds, and the courage it takes to name alcohol for what it really is.
This isn&rsquo;t a rock-bottom story. It&rsquo;s about a high achiever learning that freedom comes not from holding it all together, but from finally letting go.
We explore:
&mdash;Why high-functioning people struggle to admit alcohol is a problem &mdash;How Julie&rsquo;s drive for belonging fueled her drinking &mdash;The danger of comparison and the &ldquo;at least I&rsquo;m not that bad&rdquo; trap &mdash;Why story work and exploring our past is essential for healing &mdash;How God patiently pursues us through small moments and people &mdash;The role of ego and elitism in justifying drinking &mdash;Why midnight wrestling with God reveals deeper unrest &mdash;The moment a doctor&rsquo;s curiosity, not condemnation, opened her eyes &mdash;How money spent on alcohol can be repurposed into kingdom work &mdash;The freedom of realizing you belong because you belong to the Father
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thejulieholly/">@thejulieholly</a>
Julie's newsletter: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/identity-level-recalibration-6955607444911788033/">Read it here</a>
Follow Jon: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">@jonseidl</a>
Order the new book,&nbsp;Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christianalcoholic.com">www.christianalcoholic.com</a>.
Watch this episode and get daily motivation: <a href="https://www.theveritasdaily.com/">www.theveritasdaily.com</a>

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit christianalcoholic.com for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit <a href="http://christianalcoholic.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://christianalcoholic.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1747239325727000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1G-752Q-1dyjq6GN5gt7xw">christianalcoholic.com</a> for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic" is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts.

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