I’ve written before about Miami trips—the business trip when I was still drinking, and the one after I quit. Two very different realities.  This week, I was back in Miami for the ABA White Collar Conference, which, if you’re unfamiliar, is an annual gathering where defense lawyers spend their days discussing serious legal issues and their evenings packed into progressively louder cocktail receptions until all meaningful conversation is replaced by vigorous nodding.

Now, I had a plan: I’d stay in a waterfront Airbnb with a friend instead of the usual overpriced conference hotel where it’s impossible to get breathing room. Smart, right? But I was still a little on edge. After all, pretty much everyone had seen my posts about drinking, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would people get weird? Would I get the “Oh, better hide your drinks from Jaimie!” joke at least six times?

Turns out, nope. None of that happened. What did happen?  

1. Everyone was actually cool about it. Instead of awkward jokes, people told me they’d seen my posts and loved what I was doing. No weirdness, just real conversations. Who knew quitting drinking would make networking better?
2. I stopped feeling like I had to endure endless hours at cocktail parties. Once you remove the alcohol, you realize more than ever that these events are less “glamorous social experience” and more “standing in a crowded bar yelling small talk.”  I stayed while conversation was still possible, but once navigating the crowd turned into a full-contact sport, I made my exit—opting instead for daytime socializing in the hotel lobby, where relaxed, real conversations naturally happened with people passing through.
3. My setup was way better. That Airbnb? Absolute game-changer. Cheaper than the conference hotel, with actual sunlight, a waterfront view, and—bonus—rooming with a friend who also appreciates early morning swims and late-night business/life debriefs. Instead of collapsing in a buzzy blur, I ended each night actually relaxed.

The best part? The conversations I did have at the conference were better than in years past. So many people started with, “I saw your post!” which meant skipping the usual small talk and getting straight to real, interesting discussions.

So, here’s the takeaway: when your brain starts spinning worst-case scenarios, hit pause and ask yourself—what if it all works out? Because sometimes, it really does.