When I decided to take a break from drinking, I really had no idea what to expect. I had been toying with the idea of putting a cork in it for a few years before I took the leap into full-time tea-totaler. In 2019 I gave up beer. No beer all year, I would remind my beer-drinking friends when I skipped the newest craft beer being rolled out at our local brewery. The “no beer” pledge didn’t stop me from hanging out with our friends and as I wasn’t much of a beer drinker to begin with, it was not much of a stretch to give up the hops entirely.
Then, the day after Mothers Day in 2020, I decided to finally take the plunge and remove all alcohol from my life. With the no beer year as training camp for the big no drinking life, I really didn’t find giving it up that difficult. It was, and is, definitely a mindset thing for me. Like most things I do in my life, once I’ve made the decision to do it, I’m all in. One hundred percent. That’s not to say that I like making big decisions — ’cause I really, really don’t — but maybe it’s because I (over) think the decision for so long that by the time I drop anchor, there’s just no doubt it’s what I need to do.
As an adult, I’ve always been the kind of person who embraces change. I really believe in the life is short messages and if there is something I want to do, I spend a whole lot of time turning the idea inside and out (see over-thinking note above.) What I tell myself when I have a big decision (and sometimes even with a small decision) is that it would be awesome if someone could just tell me the right thing to do.
Do I need a new laptop?
Should I get take on this new client?
Do we need a new puppy in our lives?
What about selling everything we own and moving into my RV? A good idea? Or no?
And wouldn’t it be great if someone else could just tell me the RIGHT answer to all those questions that buzz around in my head as I try to get to sleep at night?
Obviously the answer to that question is NO. It really wouldn’t be great at all to have other people deciding your fate. Because that’s the whole thing about creating your one authentic life, isn’t it? Making decisions. Do this. Or do that. With each decision we make, we’re building our unique storyline.
This decision leads to that thing that happened.
That decision leads to something else that happened.
If someone else was calling the shots, how would we know if we were in the right place?
In the end, all we really want is for people to support our decisions. To be happy for us. To be a supporting character in our story who is cheering us on from the sideline, ready to be called on to join in the fun.
So far, my decision to give drinking alcohol a break has been amazing. It’s just another part of my story.
But now about that RV thing… (Decisions, decisions.)