Alcohol free in 2022??
So 2022 hasn’t exactly started with the badass bang I was hoping it to…..more of a spluttering fizzle. A two week dose of Covid knocked me out of any kind of game, brain fog at it’s worse, no energy and even less motivation to do anything other than sleep or indulge in Netflix
The one thing Covid did make easier was giving up alcohol….
Going alcohol free was something I had considered doing for some time and trust me hasn’t been an easy decision to make.
Alcohol has predominantly defined my life since I was 16 when I started working in a bar, this progressed into my Uni days, continued throughout my marriage (with three 9-18 month breaks during pregnancy and breast feeding) subsequent divorce and single life. I associate it with fun times and a sense of belonging (usually to the group I happen to be drinking with at the time and the fun night/memories it creates)
I should clarify though that once Uni finished and I entered the professional workforce I was never a heavy midweek drinker ie a glass/bottle per night was never an issue, working long hours 8am-6pm made any kind of potential grogginess unappealing. However, when it came to the weekend that was another story and alcohol played a big part in me letting my hair down and having a good time.
As the years progressed (especially when I entered this dreaded midlife era) I found the good times I was having from going out was very limited to the event of drinking….The days that followed became more and more consumed with increasing lack of energy, apathy and no motivation to do anything.
In the 2-3 days after a big night out I found myself falling into a small pit of depression on all the things that had gone wrong in my life and all the bad choices I had made-trust me not a great place to be poking around.
Facebook clearly got wind of my considerations around giving up alcohol and started to thrust ads for ‘The Alcohol Experiment’ in my direction, a free 30 program you can sign up for at any time. The idea is you aim to stop drinking for 30 days during which time you note how being alcohol free makes you feel. do I feel more energised? Less depressed? Does my skin look better? Am I more present in the things that I do? Etc etc
The big thing I liked about this experiment is it’s not called a “Challenge” if you do give in to a drink you are not deemed to have failed anything. It is encouraged to analyse the “data” around why you drank and how it made you feel afterward. I committed to doing 21 days in between my work Christmas party and Christmas Eve and then signed up for their 30 day Live Event in January. The live event was amazing, daily videos, expert live Q&A sessions lifetime access to the information and then access into an Alumni Facebook Group for continued support, a small $$ fee for the value that is given in this time.
As I mentioned the start of January was consumed with Covid, wiping out both myself and any desire I had to be sipping on margaritas. It also made it difficult to if I was feeling any better for not drinking as quite frankly I felt like crap, I felt like I was living my worst hangover with a 70kg plate slammed down on my chest
As I gradually came out the other side I did notice a general improvement in my focus and energy levels. Don’t get me wrong I’m not quite bouncing off of the walls and running marathons but it’s enough to notice I’m waking up ahead of my alarm, I have more focus at work. Best of all I have become more motivated to retune into my goals and to pick up where I seemed to down tools a few years ago
I have discovered a few decent tasting Alcohol Free wines and the Lyres company have some great tasting AF alternative spirits including an agave to make non alcoholic margarita.
I am currently 53 days alcohol free and feeling proud of this….I hope to continue with this journey however I feel that I have to be honest here and inform you that the thought of never drinking again, knowing that I won’t taste another fabulous margarita whilst I am on this journey makes me feel a little sad and I’m not ready to announce that I am alcohol free for life ( I also feel that this will be setting myself up for feelings of guilt and failure should I choose to drink alcohol again)
For now I am happy to continue down this path and see where it takes me……
