Is This the End of Positive Damage?
Read for updates on Positive Damage Substack and forthcoming changes.
It’s been a minute. In Washington, D.C. that phrase is used to mean an unspecified amount of time but usually a long period of time. And it’s certainly been too long.
I’ve always wanted Positive Damage to feel like a conversation, not a monologue. So this is just me, checking in, letting you know where I’ve been—and where I’m headed.
The short version: I’ve been busy. But in a good way.
Over the past few months, I’ve been developing new cocktail programs across the country––many of them focused on no- and low-alcohol drinks––and working with brands to help them improve their product. I’ve also been wrapping up my six-month journey with the Presidential Leadership Scholars program—an intense and rewarding experience that’s challenged me to think more deeply about leadership, service, and purpose.
Between that, travel, events, talks, spirits judging, and life in general (my son made his baseball league’s all stars team), I haven’t had the space to write here as regularly as I’d like. And while I’ve missed it, I also want to be honest: something had to give.
That said, this isn’t goodbye. The archive remains open, and I’ll be sharing a few things in the coming weeks––including new recipes for June and July only available to subscribers––and this year’s no- and low-alcohol guide for Tales of the Cocktail, like I did last year.
For now, starting in July, paid subscriptions will be paused as we take some time to reflect on what Positive Damage should look like going forward. We're not ending—we're resting. We want to make sure when we return that this space continues to feel useful, relevant, and alive. If there’s something you’d love to see here, we’d love to hear it.
Thank you for your patience—and your trust. We’ll make it worth the wait.
What’s happening and what’s next…
Mindful Drinking Fest will be at Tales of the Cocktail July 22nd for a No- & Low-Alcohol Networking Event with our friends at Traditions and Heineken. Make sure to sign up for our mailing list for details. 🛜
On my new episode of The Mindful Drinking Podcast, “How Wellness Is Transforming Bar Culture with Amie Ward” we discuss physical and mental health, gender-based violence prevention, and creating safer spaces through movement, mindfulness, and education. 🎙️
Check out this recent interview I did with author Kevin Kosar on his Substack, Beverages, Books, and More about mocktails, mindful drinking, and more. ✍🏻
I got a chance to speak with Sid Patel and Ankita Okate on The Wine Whiskey Weed Show where we did a deep dive into the booming No and Low Alcohol movement and discussed Zero-Proof Trends in the US Market. 🎧
Good for you! I often tell my writing students that saying “yes” to writing a book means saying “no” to lots of other things. We just can’t do it all, nor should we try. This break is a great example of mindfulness 🤘🏽
Sending you so so much love on your journey, Derek. I resonate with this and feel this deep in my bones, so thank you so much for sharing.