Are you worried about missing out if you give up alcohol?
Many of us are before we take a break from alcohol, and there will be many people who, during Sober October, will be white-knuckling it all the way through the month, relishing the day they can drink again on the 1st November. The question is, why?
What exactly are you missing out on? Really focus in on this thought closely. In fact, I recommend going to a bar with friends and watching people as they have a drink. Sit with your non-alcoholic beverage and do a little people watching. How are they acting as they take their first sip. What about thirty minutes later? How are they as they queue at the bar for another round?
Are you missing out on the buzz?
Did you know the "buzz" from alcohol lasts only around twenty minutes? And then you need another drink to get another, lesser, buzz. And with every drink you get less and less of an effect, until eventually you get no effect at all. In fact, if you have been drinking every night for a while, you might not even get the initial buzz with the very first drink. Kind of puts that five quids worth of liquid into perspective, doesn't it? Feels like a bit of a waste of money, especially when you get home minus a hundred pounds after a night out and full of something nasty and greasy to mop up the alcohol.
Are you missing out on the socialising?
Why miss out? Is your company only any good if you are drinking? Surely you cannot say that. It is YOU people want to spend time with, not your friends Carlsberg or Bacardi. I can honestly say, without hesitation, that I am funnier, better company and more present for my loved ones without booze. Give it a try and you'll see. Some of my favourite nights out ever have been after I gave up drinking alcohol.
"Ah, but I am more confident when I have a few drinks inside me..."
Uhh, okay... if you say so. I'm sure this is true if confidence equalled repeating yourself over and over again, slurring your words or tripping over steps and needing to pee all evening. To say nothing of the fact you cannot remember much the following day....
Welcome to JOMO...
JOMO, or the "Joy of missing out", is one of the biggest secrets we have when we go alcohol free. We have a great time in the evening, save copious amounts of money and avoid nasty grease-bucket late night snacks and the heartburn that comes with it.
We remember the evening well, and laugh back at all the funny bits, and marvel at how awesome our friends and loved ones are.
We awaken fresh as daisies, hangover free, and looking great, instead of bloated and bleary-eyed. We get to spend the day doing something we love, instead of wasting all day nursing a headache and self-soothing on our sofas, full of paracetamol and feeling queasy, whilst half-watching boxsets we never remember. We get to go out shopping with friends, or write our blogs, or create something that makes us smile. Or go for long walks in tree-lined paths whilst admiring the blue skies above our heads instead of cringing at the sunlight.
And then later we get to do it all again, instead of telling friends we are still feeling rough from last Friday, and we might skip going out for a few days until we get rid of the toxic poisons in our system. Oh, and we always smell great. And we have more money in our bank accounts too.
Or sometimes we get to curl up with a good book at weekends, and really relish a little time where we do not have to work, but instead we get to relax and do exactly what we want to do, all day. I have been alcohol free for a long time now, and honestly, I still to this day get little shivers of happiness run through me as I relax on a Saturday afternoon with a good book, especially if its raining outside my window.
I hope your Sober October is going well, if you are participating. Instead of thinking you are missing out, just think of all the things you get to do instead.
Have a great week!
Amanda x
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