Day 47: May 17, 2024
What are My Thoughts Today?
The friends and family who have cut back their alcohol consumption voluntarily in recent years were a lot like me, struggling with how much they drank and feeling the negative consequences of drinking too much or too often. I wouldn't say they've been in crisis or that a major life event caused them to make changes; it just wasn't serving them anymore.
That's sort of what I feel, too - alcohol hasn't been totally destructive yet but I can tell it's not heading down a good path. And I've tried to cut back before and not been successful, which to me is a big red flag. But I'm only seeing things from the outside, so I have no idea how much effort the other people in my life who've cut back had to put into making the change. Maybe they are like me and they tried to cut back several times before a change stuck. Or maybe they were not as far down the road towards alcohol addiction.
I wonder if things are changing in society, where people are more willing to reevaluate the relationship with alcohol before they go too far down the road of problem drinking.
Nonetheless, there is a disturbing trend where I live — breweries are increasingly popular, so social drinking is at an all-time high. In that way, I think we are looking at a double-edged sword. People know that drinking has consequences, and the data is less and less in favor of alcohol as a healthy lifestyle choice, but then drinking is even more pervasive in some ways. I wonder how it's going to shape up in the coming decades. Will drinking become more like cigarettes, or will we double down and continue to see alcohol as the elixir of life?
The subconscious beliefs our society reinforces around drinking make it really hard to talk about the risks of drinking without sounding like a vigilante. Even though data would support the idea of viewing alcohol as a drug that very likely leads to harmful consequences. Instead we collectively prefer to see it as only being a minor risk, which truthfully it's not. I think programs like The Path are really important to help reshape culture. I don't think making alcohol illegal makes any sense, but I do think treating it a lot more like cigarettes would be a step in the right direction.
Maybe we wouldn't see alcohol as necessary to every single social gathering as we do now. That's been the hardest part for me, that everyone around me still sees it as the right way to socialize, and I just end up feeling left out. That kind of sucks. But that's why I'm so grateful The Path program is a year! I am hoping eventually feeling left out will transform into something much more positive.
Total Number of Drinks since April 1st: 5
My Why: To live in a way that feels both fulfilling and enjoyable.
What's One Awesome Thing that Happened Yesterday because I Chose Not to Drink? I was able to practice my instrument a ton after dinner!
Daily Affirmations:
1) I enjoy freedom from alcohol.
2) I choose to live mindfully.
3) I respect and honor myself.
4) I am worthy of love and care.
5) I give myself patience to heal.
6) I have compassion for others.
7) I create beauty all around me.
