TRANSFORMATION STORIES: MEET DINNY HIRSCHL
Women can find themselves at a crossroad at any point in their lives. Sometimes their careers or children are the catalyst, and other times it’s loss or major event. Today’s transformation tale is about Dinny Hirschl, whose complex life is finding new journeys and growth in recovery.
Dinny is a realtor as well as a life coach and “sober sister” whose specialty involves helping professional women achieve sobriety while realizing their dreams. We loved hearing her story, and we hope you’ll find it as interesting and inspiring as we did!
Dinny’s Backstory
In 2019, I gave birth to my last child, and my husband deployed to Afghanistan. Our marriage didn’t survive the deployment. Going through a divorce in the US without family or friends, my drinking got steadily worse. Then I had a cancer scare. As both my mental and physical health declined, my ex and I began to make arrangements in case he had to take the children.
Fortunately it wasn’t cancer, and in April of 2021, I had finally had enough. On May 16th, I took my last drink. I was ready to manifest a new life for myself.
Shortly after, I came out, met my new girlfriend, and started a new relationship. I actualized other goals in my life as well: I bought a new house, and realized that instead of being rich and successful, I wanted to be successful and help people.
The Law of Attraction (in New Thought philosophy) is that belief that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, you invite positive or negative experiences into your life. I applied this rule to sober living as well and I created a sobriety course designed for professional women. Alcoholics often keep their condition quiet so as to avoid disrupting their professional lives, so I coach what I term “silent sobriety”.
I designed the class as a completely anonymous course for entrepreneurial minded thinkers. It teaches women how to be sober in the workspace, especially in places where it can sometimes be difficult such as when you are invited to have a drink with co-workers after work, or you’re attending conferences with peers, or dinners with clients. When non-drinkers own their sobriety, they do not need to draw attention to their decision. I believe that recovery doesn’t have to be done out loud, and that we owe it to our clients to maintain a sober, professional attitude.
Balodana: What was the catalyst for your transformation experience?
Guest: Waiting for my biopsy results while the debt collectors called. The feeling that I was about to lose everything – my home, my family, my life. I was even dating someone I didn’t like, just to avoid being alone. Being on what I thought was death’s door, I found that the one thing I still could change was myself. It put everything into perspective. I didn’t have a choice, I was going to lose it all, and there was no other option but to change ME. It was 10 pm on May 16th. I was drinking yet again and this time I said to myself, “I can’t do this any more.”
Balodana: How did your transformation affect the people around you?
Guest: I got healthier and suddenly my relationships were transformed. My ex-husband couldn’t dominate me any longer and had to start respecting me. My relationship with my children improved. I felt I was better able to raise them. I became a more compassionate person. I threw a lot of people out of my life as well as I got rid of bad habits.
Balodana: What was the most difficult or memorable part of your transformation?
Guest: After I stopped drinking, I put on a lot of weight. It was hard when I realized that my reactions to life were the cause of many of my issues. Where I used to drink to excess, I now tried to drown my feelings with food. I was overdoing things all over again. My relationship with my girlfriend was hard. It was the first relationship where I truly felt everything. I had to condition myself to feel even difficult feelings when before I just pushed them away. Rather than responding, I just reacted. When I could plan my reactions, I was better able to control my body and my impulses.
I made a commitment to show up and be present for everything in my life. I believe that change will come if you have a clear idea of who you want to be, if you respond and just listen to your body. For a long time I refused to sit in feelings that were uncomfortable. Rather than letting my body finish dealing with those things, I tried to make them go away prematurely, before I fully understood them.
Probably the most memorable part of my transformation was when I met my girlfriend. She popped up on my Tinder app. She didn’t drink, and she couldn’t believe she was only a month sober. She has never known me as a drinker; she’s only known the sober me.
Balodana: Did your personal style or wardrobe change to reflect your transformation?
Guest: The year I divorced my physical appearance changed. At first I lost a ton of weight, but when I finally got healthy and put on weight – I don’t like who I see right now, and it doesn’t align with how healthy I am as a sober person. I wear a lot of black now because it’s slimming, but I feel like I am working up to earning my new style. I envision a blend of masculine and feminine, a balanced look with powerful suits and dresses, clean lines that are slimmings, and a touch of classic 1950s flair. I know that Balodana can probably help me with that!
Balodana: What piece of clothing do you find most empowering?
Guest: Heels, all day, every day. I love heels. They make me feel sexy and business like. Wearing them with a pencil skirt especially works for me because I have a curvy body.
Balodana: What would you say for others who may be having a hard time adapting to changes and/or opportunities?
Guest: Call me, I will help you. If you don’t already know, figure out who you want to be. All the normal situations that impact your life, none of it matters unless you know what your goal is. What DOES your complete goal look like – what does it look, smell, taste like. Be able to describe it. Many people want to be rich, own a beautiful home, or have an ideal relationship, but few really can envision what that’s like, and until you do you won’t have the clarity necessary to achieve it.
Balodana: Tell us a little bit about your latest project.
Guest: This month, I am launching a new sober course, which includes 30 minutes of live video every day in a group setting with actionable steps for progress. I call it the entrepreneurial mindset for sobriety. Participants are asked to dig deep and make progress every day toward who they want to be. The whole goal is to have a good idea of what your life purpose is, and to uncover how to start living that purpose and begin trusting in yourself.
Find Dinny Online at:
Coaching: Orphic & Above: The Sober Manifestor
Podcast: The Sober Manifestor
Facebook: Orphic & Above: Home to the Response Method
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One of Balodana’s core values is celebrating all of life’s stages, ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies. With this series of interviews with powerful people who have gone through a transformative experience, we hope to inspire you and energize you through your own transformation. If you know someone who has a great transformation story to tell, nominate them! Send to [email protected].