Loss of Intrigue

Alcohol - the big benefit of maturing in age. Some places you can drink when you are 16, 18, or 21 like where I live. I used to drink alcohol quite a bit when I was younger but over time, the interest in that has slowly waned. I guess a product of getting older!

Lately one of the things that I've noticed is that when I drink alcohol, I actually sleep like SHIT. I'm certainly a cheap date - it takes one beer and I'm feeling pretty buzzed and two fingers of spirits and I'm also in pretty good shape. That means that it doesn't take a lot to send me over my limit, which can be a good thing!

What I've noticed though is that when I drink and sleep very poorly, it has a cascading effect on me the next day. My mood is lower, I'm tired and I'm generally not as pleasant as I would be if I didn't drink alcohol. I've had some situations where these negative effects have caused some angst to my wife or son and for me, that's just absolutely not worth it.

I've for the most part given up drinking alcohol! I think this has been a positive change in a lot of ways. I certainly have had a drink or two maybe once a month or less but the allure of it has considerably decreased with these negative side effects. The benefits of not drinking and getting some good sleep have been a much better result than those of drinking and ending up just being unpleasant to be around hahaha.

This is one of those things that I wasn't really expecting to have undergone. Yeah alcohol is fun at times but the side effects of it just really aren't worth it. I know that it may seem lame but when you've got a young family, those around you are more important than yourself most of the time and that means you have to give them your best. If you're not feeling well or in a bad mood because you didn't sleep but the cause of those issues are a few drinks of alcohol, then you've got some choices to make!

I thankfully didn't have any serious situations occur like getting arrested for driving drunk, which is a huge blessing, but just the more local situations like getting annoyed with my son when he wants me to do something but I don't feel good because I have a headache from drinking whiskey. Those are pretty lame excuses to have to give to a kid when he's interested in doing something with his dad.

I've certainly seen improvements in other areas as well when I don't drink - I've lost some weight! Beer is delicious and a fun thing to drink but at the same time it bloats you like shit hahaha and it adds a lot of carbs to your intake! I do enjoy a good beer and maybe I could drink one during the day but have a bunch of water with it and be okay for the night time but hanging out watching TV and drinking a beer or some whiskey lost it's luster for me for sure. I also feel less sluggish when I'm not drinking alcohol so that's an added benefit for sure.

Making small changes like this, for the right reasons, is pretty important in the life of an adult. When we are able to make adjustments because of the people around us that we care about, that's what it really means to grow up! I know one of the things that I've seen quite a bit that strikes a somber cord for me is a meme I've seen a few times lately. "You don't realize it when you're growing up, you're also watching your parents grow up themselves." Man does that tug at your heart strings! Being a father myself now, I think back on watching my dad himself grow up and how some of that stuff has shaped me but also makes me a little sad thinking back on it and the struggles. Alcohol was one of those struggles I remember my dad overcoming!

I am wondering if anyone else has given up alcohol and what your reasoning for it is? I know we've all got our different reasons but it would be interesting to hear what others are! Let me know in the comments