The BIGGEST🚫🍷 struggle (+ how to get past it)
I'll rephrase that. It was MY biggest struggle and it was this:
Coming to terms with the fact that I was actually going to quit drinking - getting my brain to comprehend this unfathomable idea.
You might be in the habit of waking up thinking “I'm never drinking again” only to pour that drink at 5 p.m. saying, “I'll quit when the summer's over.” Maybe you've been kicking this can down the road for years.
As they say, at some point you've got to “$hit or get off the pot”. You'll never want to quit drinking because it MAKES NO SENSE to your conditioned brain.
Taking action is the only way to get your brain on board with your intuition.
Here are 3 thoughts on how to wrap your brain around the idea of quitting drinking ⬇️
Flip it, find your people + brick by brick
Flip it
Flip your thoughts upside down. REFRAME your experience.
“I have to quit” becomes “I get to feel better”.
“Not drinking is boring" becomes “I love this new sense of peace I feel”.
“I'm the ONLY one not drinking” becomes “Oh wow, I never noticed SHE doesn't drink”.
Don't underestimate the power of self-talk. Try saying these flipped thoughts to yourself and notice what happens.
Find your people
It's easy to say “Everybody drinks” when you're contemplating quitting. The fact is, everybody DOESN'T drink.
When you first quit drinking you develop a spidey sense…a superpower. The ability to notice EVERYONE ELSES drinking habits.
I remember going to a restaurant for the first time not drinking. I knew what and how many drinks EVERY PERSON around me had. I noticed (and this is the important part) that most people didn't drink as much as I assumed they did. And some didn't drink AT ALL.
Find those people who drink little to no alcohol and find ways to be around them. It will normalize what first feels like an abnormal experience. Ways to do this:
Ask a friend who you know doesn't drink to go for coffee or a walk.
Follow sober people on Instagram (search hashtags like #alcoholfree or #sobercurious)
Join a virtual sober support group. You don't have to be 100% committed to quitting to join these, just have a spark of desire to quit.
Brick by brick
Rome wasn't built in a day. I don't know ANYONE who contemplated giving up alcohol, decided to quit, and then never drank again right away.
Giving up alcohol isn't just about removing liquid from a glass. You've got to take steps to resolve your cognitive dissonance (the discomfort you feel when your behavior doesn't align with your values or beliefs) around drinking.
Take one step. Do one thing to move the needle in the direction you want to go with your drinking. Maybe share your thoughts with a trusted friend (or your doctor). Maybe leave a glass in the bottle tonight.
Take one small step. And when you're ready, take another.
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