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Midlife Sparkle with Belinda Stark
Welcome to Midlife Sparkle with Belinda Stark – the podcast that celebrates the messy, magical middle of life.
I'm Belinda Stark – coach, writer, mum, and midlife cheerleader. I know firsthand how this season can feel like a rollercoaster: one minute you're craving change, the next you're clinging to what's familiar. Whether you're navigating menopause, identity shifts, career pivots, or relationships evolving, this podcast is your reminder that you're not alone – and it's not too late to reclaim your sparkle.
Each week, you'll hear honest conversations with inspiring women, expert voices, and real stories from the messy middle. We’ll explore everything from mindset and wellbeing to alcohol, ageing, motherhood, purpose, and the quiet courage it takes to start again.
This is your space for reflection, laughter, lightbulb moments, and gentle nudges forward – no perfectionism, pressure, or pretending required.
Let’s rewrite the rules of midlife, one story at a time.
Midlife Sparkle with Belinda Stark
VIC VANSTONE
In this episode of Sober-ish Sparkle, I sit down with the fabulous Vic Vanstone – co-host of the Sober Awkward podcast and author of A Thousand Wasted Sundays. Vic brings her signature humour, heart, and hard-won wisdom to a raw and real conversation about grey area drinking, motherhood, social pressure, and how sobriety transformed her life.
We explore Vic’s journey from weekend binge drinking to writing, podcasting, and thriving on the Sunshine Coast. She opens up about feeling like she didn’t “qualify” for help because she wasn’t at rock bottom – and why she now champions a new narrative around what it means to question your relationship with alcohol.
In this episode, we unpack:
- What grey area drinking really looks like – and why so many women relate
- How cultural conditioning and family patterns shape our drinking habits
- Vic’s experience navigating early sobriety while parenting young kids
- The lie of “moderation” and why some of us just can’t drink less
- Creating new social scaffolding without booze
- How anxiety, alcohol, and identity collide in midlife
- Why asking for help before rock bottom is not just okay – it’s brave
- The power of humour and storytelling in making sobriety relatable
- Vic’s writing journey and how giving up alcohol unlocked her creativity
- Tips for handling “unexpected alcohol” in everyday situations
We also chat about ditching shame, embracing awkwardness, and how the most unexpected benefits of sobriety often come from just getting curious. Vic’s story is a breath of fresh air – down-to-earth, deeply relatable, and proof that a joyful alcohol-free life is not only possible, it’s bloody brilliant.
Whether you're already sober or just dipping your toe into the curious end of things, this episode will leave you feeling seen, empowered, and less alone.
✨ Want more support on your journey?
Join the waitlist for my 1-month course Winter Warm-Up: Get Your Sober Sparkle – created especially for midlife women ready to explore a more energised, clear-headed way of living.
📝 Read Vic’s book A Thousand Wasted Sundays or tune into the Sober Awkward podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
You don’t have to hit rock bottom to want something different – you just have to start asking better questions.