Sober.

I am not a quitter. I don’t give up or give in. It’s not my style. For the first time in my life- I quit. I threw in the towel. I walked away. I did it. A year ago I gave up alcohol.

Ok ok.. my initial plan was 75 days but here we are 365 days later.

This journey did not begin because I hit rock bottom, nor did I have some drunken inebriated  night that made me want to stop drinking.

I have always been a competitor. I have exuded a competitive spirit since I was a kid. I want to do my best and come out on top! I’m so competitive that when I’m traveling and using my GPS I insist on beating the ETA that it says that I will arrive.  Give me a challenge and I’m in!

I also believe in having mentors both personally and professionally; a successful individual you look up to, admire and emulate. For the past five years Andy Frisella has been one of mine. Highly accomplished entrepreneur, CEO and real life GURU, Andy created a 75 Hard Challenge. It was that very challenge that served as a catalyst for some of the healthiest and most positive life changes I have ever made. 

The #75hard challenge includes no cheat meals, two workouts a day, drinking a gallon of water reading 10 pages daily and, you got it, no alcohol.

I never thought I had an issue or a challenged relationship with alcohol. My glass of wine with dinner or while cooking the meal seemed a simple pleasure. What is crazy is that I couldn’t remember a time where I gave up alcohol for an extended period of time.  Sure, I didn’t drink when I was pregnant with my son or when I partook in Whole 30, Paleo or other occasional challenges. But I suddenly became aware that having a glass of wine that I didn’t really like and more importantly, I didn’t like the way it made me feel,  was a habit I allowed myself to maintain. Soon I would form new habits which fueled me. I traded out Rose with Spindrift and learned to unwind after a long stressful day through walking or writing instead of alcohol. 

Did you ever notice- drinking is part of our culture? From business dinners, happy hours, beach barbecues – social drinking is everywhere! I knew that refraining from drinking would test my social stamina. When I made the decision to quit, I knew the first month would be the hardest. During that time I didn’t go out dinner; I declined all happy hours and social events that were centered around adult beverages. I know my personality and didn’t want to put myself in a position to have to say no if someone offered me a cocktail. 

Why is it when you tell people you’re not drinking- their firstreaction is, “why, what happened?!”  When I first posted that I went 30 days “Sober” a good friend said to me, “Don’t say you’re sober it sounds like you have a drinking problem!” Confused I responded, “what should I say”?

PSA- you do not need to have a drinking problem to quit drinking. Sometimes getting sober means stopping BEFORE it comes problem.

Sadly, alcoholism, carries a negative connotation. If someone has a disease of any kind, most of our society sympathizes for that person. However, if that same person is an alcoholic, they are looked down upon as though they are weak. PSA #2 – Alcoholism is a disease. 

As we work towards releasing stigma around alcoholism, we must also learn to celebrate the idea of sobriety, no matter the path that brought us there. 

I turned a corner on day 66 of the 75. I had never felt better. I no longer missed spending $20.00 on glasses of wine. I also didn’t miss the feeling of staying up late and eating midnight snacks. 

I was reminded by a friend, that we never make great decisions or wise choices when consuming alcohol. “I can be fun without it!” Having fun but being foolish does not feel as good as having fun and being healthy!

On the 75th day, I celebrated my completion of the challenge. That could have been a toast to my success but instead it was a powerful realization that this wasn’t the end of 75 days but the beginning of a new, cleaner me!  I had zero desire to go back.

I set a new goal for 150 days and from there I decided I was going for a year. 

PSA #3 set small goals that will lead you towards your big goals! 

As I have incorporated being sober and social, a lot of people ask when am I going to start drinking again. Does it matter? I would encourage us all to look at staying sober as a liberation and not a punishment. It may not be for everyone but for me, I don’t miss it for a number of reasons. I do not know if and when I will ever drink again.

What I do know is that what I once thought would help me unwind and relax actually increased my stress and anxiety.

I do know that my mind, body and soul have never felt better.

I do know that we do today will impact our tomorrow.

I do know that drinking a few glasses of wine, beers or cocktails will not me make feel great the next day.

I do know I have zero desire to drink and feel “hungover” 

I do know what started out as a #75 day competition hasturned out to be one of the best commitments that I have ever made for myself.

I do know that this time, the way to win the race, was to give up!

And finally friends, I do know is that I am sharing my story with the hope that my courage will inspire others to make a positive impact in their life. 

PSA #3 – Whatever your commitment, you are worth it!

Jenn