In April this year I stopped drinking alcohol.
Over the past five years or so I’ve regularly participated in FebFast, or Dry July, and each time I’ve been left with this nagging feeling. I felt so much better while doing these, why exactly was I drinking at all? And yet each time, a week after they finished, there I was with a glass of wine or a beer and a fuzzy head in the morning. So this year I decided it was time to stop all that.
I expected to miss it, maybe even find it quite difficult. After all that’s what we’re led to believe. We could use a drink. We deserve a drink. We need a drink!
To celebrate
To relax
To have fun
But I didn’t. Mostly in fact I don’t miss it at all. I haven’t really changed my habits. I drink a dryish soda (my preferences are either Hopt Elderberry & Herb or Barkers Lemon, Lime, Cucumber & Mint), or a tea when I would have otherwise had a wine or beer at home. And I go out for meals or drinks just the same as normal.
Two things did feel uncomfortable.
First those occasions where I’ve gone out to meet friends and they’ve picked a place which doesn’t really do non-alcoholic drinks. A growing number of places are great, with proper grown up drinks for non-drinkers, and a good amount of choice. Most places are fine, with a reasonable selection. But sometimes you just get met with blank stares and an offering of a few sickly-sweet kids drinks. One particular fancy steak restaurant had a 50 page menu – I’m not joking, actually 50 pages of very expensive wines, and not a single non-alcoholic drink on their menu (although they found me a juice when I asked).
And second I’ve had a couple of times when I’ve found out afterwards that friends who would normally have asked me out for drinks have decided not to invite me. While I appreciate their concern for me, it’s seriously misplaced – and I suspect may reflect their discomfort with the situation more than mine.
With those exceptions though its been great. I have more energy, a clear head, more motivation. It may be a relatively unusual choice but it’s a good one for me. Living my #bestlife. Alcohol free.
