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This Saturday the 29th June 2019 will mark my 26th week of being alcohol free. It was my choice. 2019 is my year to stop drinking alcohol.
Yahoo I’m halfway through achieving my goal and I have to say it has been a whole lot easier than I ever thought it would be.
With the only time that I wish I could have a drink is when I’m sitting at an airport. I guess it’s the ‘Holiday Mentality’, you know, time to celebrate. And normally that would mean with alcohol!
Today I’d like to share with you my reasons for deciding 2019 would be an alcohol-free year, my journey so far and some ways for you to follow down the same pathway, if you so choose.
My Three Main Reasons
- Raise My Vibration: Many of you reading this, may know that my beautiful son Dan, suddenly and very unexpectedly passed away in July 2011. Nearly eight years ago! I have this great connection with Dan, he is always showing me signs he is travelling with me. Though it came very apparent to me, that if I wanted to connect with him on a higher level, I needed to raise my vibration and keep it high. Alcohol lowers your vibration and it also takes three days to leave your system. Whilst I was no longer drinking every day, as I did when I was a CFO of a publicly listed company, I was drinking a minimum of three times per week, which meant my body was never alcohol free.
- Be Heathier: For many years I have been slowly releasing excess weight and I wanted to get to my ideal weight by the end of 2019. I knew that when I drank alcohol, my food choices were less ideal and that was making my goal 2 steps forward, 4 steps backward.
- Create Better Relationships: The second pillar of Live Love By Design is ‘All About Your Relationships’. I felt that when I consumed alcohol I was never as ‘present’ as I would like to be. I would forget things that were said and I wanted to be living my life true to the everyday concepts that I was teaching others.
What Prompted Me to Start The Journey
In late July 2018, my husband and I returned from our four-week overseas trip. We had been to the UK, Poland and Prague, spending time with many different friends and as you can imagine we consumed huge amounts of alcohol.
Upon our return, we cut our intake down, though I was getting many signs that it was time to go alcohol-free. Of course, I initially fought it. I liked drinking (so I thought) after all.
Then in mid-November, I was chatting with Kirsty, a lady who was helping me with my marketing and she started talking about how she had been alcohol-free for four weeks and how easy it had been. She ended the statement with “I’m not sure why I am telling you this.” Of course, my response was, “I know, I am meant to hear this and have the conversation.”
And we did. Kirsty shared with me that she had read Allen Carr’s book “The Easy Way for Women to Stop Drinking” and that after reading the book it truly was easy.
I immediately knew this was a gift from Dan. So, I purchased the kindle version and started reading it.
The first thing Allen said was “that as long as you are reading this book you can keep drinking.”
So, I read slowly!!
I kept moving my alcohol-free start date. After all Christmas was coming and we had a lot of planned celebrations. Then my friend was coming in January to visit, then something was planned for February, March etc etc.
Yes, I quickly realised that there is always something planned and I started to wane on my resolve to go alcohol-free.
Though Dan had other ways of convincing me that 2019 is the best year for me to be alcohol-free.
The Event That Convinced Me, I’d Just Had My Last Drink!
On the 30th December 2018, my husband and I caught up with two other couple friends at the Skiff Club in Manly. We were there about four hours and whilst we had a few drinks, I was OK to walk back to Manly…. Well so I thought.
The harbour foreshore pathway is quite uneven and had a few pebbles on it and as I was wearing heels (always wearing heels), suddenly I went straight down and landed on my right knee. My husband was shocked and shouted, “I did not think you were that drunk” to which I replied, “I’m not, I just lost my balance on the uneven surface.”
Maybe I was a little drunk!!
As I put my hand over my knee, my whole palm became covered in blood. We hobbled to a cab and went home. My husband assisted in bathing it and in hindsight I really should have had stitches.
The next day, as I was unable to drive to see my Caring Energetic Healer, I called her. Once I finished telling her the story, she said “well we have been talking about this for a while, maybe it’s time for you to start your “alcohol free” time?
As she uttered the words, I knew instantly that she was right, my fall had been a sign and more than likely Dan pushed me (he so has the power to do just that), so I would stop flip flopping and stick to the plan.
I quickly finished Allen Carr’s book and the rest they say is history!
Sunday the 30th December 2018 was my last drop of alcohol.
Easy Ways For You To Follow Suit (If You So Choose)
I get it. You actually think that you would rather die, than give up alcohol. Your whole social life revolves around it. I know. I have lived a similar life. Though I am here to tell you that nothing changes socially when you decide to live alcohol-free.
Though mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationship, career and financially wise, everything changes.
Yep you no longer wasting your days, your money and you always feel great. No longer having to apologise for things you may have said or for not remembering a conversation.
Here are some easy things to do if you so choose to follow suit:
- Read the book: Allen Carr’s “Easy Way For Women to Stop Drinking” ~ it’s brilliantly written. He highlights that you are receiving no benefits from drinking alcohol. I know you can list a million right now. Read the book and you’ll see that there are none.
- Set the start date: This is the easy part. All you must do is commence then and do not move it for anything. There will always be a something that is happening in the future that will delay you starting.
- Keep your decision to yourself: Ok you can tell a few people though not many. We are social people and we always want everyone to be social with us. Unfortunately, social means drinking alcohol. Start off by telling people you are having a day and/or week free from alcohol. When they try to persuade you otherwise, ask them to please respect your wishes. Just keep doing this all year. They will soon realise that you’re no different when you’re alcohol free. Actually, you’ll be a whole lot more fun!
- Choose a new favourite drink: I’m still working on this one. Unfortunately, most substitutes are full of sugar. You must do your research and read the labels. I have noticed that I can sit on one drink most nights. You sip slower. Soda, lemon and lime is good with a dash of cranberry juice…. Only a dash otherwise it’s too sweet.
- Notice all the benefits: This is the most important step. When you have a long list of benefits that will keep you going, especially when you sometimes think “God, I’d love a drink now”, like at an airport. Weigh your “alcohol-free benefits” up against your drinking alcohol benefits (none after you’ve completed step 1).
Thank you for reading this post.
I have loved writing and sharing about my six-month alcohol-free journey.
If you decide to start your own alcohol-free journey make sure you read the book quickly. The sooner you start receiving the benefits from being alcohol-free the sooner you’ll start living and loving your life.
Promise!
Until Next time……………
With Love & Gratitude
Till Next Time……….
Yesterday I was living in my “All About Your Relationships” pillar. I spent most of the day with my six-week old grandson, Rafael and some of the day with his parents.
Rafael and I had a great day together. His mum was out for about six hours, getting her hair done and generally enjoying some M.E. time.
We went for a long walk along the Brisbane river, where he slept soundly most of the time in the fresh air.
I decided to stop for lunch at a local fresh produce café. Three ladies in their early 40’s sat down at the next table next and I must admit, I became intrigued with their conversation.
One of them had recently turned 40 and the others were saying, “even though you look great, it’s really sad to be losing your youth. How the best years were from 27 to your late 30’s.” They had all decided that really, life was just about over and that they really did not have much to look forward to!!
I had a chuckle to myself and thought, ladies the BEST IS YET TO COME.
I remembered back to all my major “0” birthdays. How much I did not like the idea of turning 30, 40 or 50. Though how different it was when I turned 60.
Yes, that is right I was looking forward to 60.
Ladies, your 50’s are when you come into your true essence. It’s your time to truly shine. To live and love life.
The greatest realisation I had was when I was around 55. I suddenly realised that “I am the only person I will spend my entire life with, so why was I putting myself last and giving up on my dreams.”
I was surprised that it took me so long to realise this. And yesterday when I overheard the ladies talking, I realised again, that the sooner we all get to discover our True Essence, the sooner we get to Live and Love our life, every single day, with no regrets.
Where we look forward to what life will bring us tomorrow. Knowing always that the best is yet to come.
No matter what age we are!
The True Essence of Life
To assist you find your true essence (sooner rather than later), here are my constant actions that are consistently front of mind, so I can live my life, true to the person I was born to be.
- Love: Love and appreciate yourself. Spread the love factor all around you. Make every interaction come from a space of Love, where you: Listen without interrupting; speak without accusing; give without sparing; share without pretending.
- Gratitude: When you look for the lesson in every perceived negative situation, your troubles become blessings. You begin to appreciate everyone, thing and event in your life. Viewing them as they are, not even labelling them negative or positive.
- Create Experiences: The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of our soul. We fulfill this yearning by consciously creating and sharing memorial experiences as we journey, creating our true self.
- Evolve-Learn-Grow. The whole point of our journey is to continually evolve and the best way to do this, is through investing in our life-long education (mentally, physically & spiritually). The most powerful gift you can give to yourself is the knowledge that, through education; Who You Were, Who You Are and Who You Will Become, can be three different people.
- Be Positive. Talking about our problems is one of our greatest addictions. It’s time to break the habit and start talking only about your joys. The easiest way to do this is to see the positive in every situation, love and be grateful for everything you have. Realise that many people desire your life.
- Be Yourself. I love the saying “Be yourself as everyone else is taken.” It’s time to own who you truly are, all your flawed, quirky, imperfect self, along with your beautiful, amazing, awesome and magical self. Once you begin to show up this way, so will everyone else. I am looking forward to being part of that world. How about you?
- Live in the Moment. Begin to treasure the journey and not the destination. We truly only have the present, it’s our special gift, hence why it’s called the present. See the beauty that is all around you now, stop worrying about the future, as it’s beyond your control and will take care of itself – it truly is out of your circle of influence!
- Invest in Quality Time. This is as important as investing in you. Good relationships don’t just happen. They take time, patience and will contain the people who truly want to be together. Remember time flies, there are no refunds for misused time though as you are the pilot, steer your time, along a course that best serves you in your True Essence. ~ Now you know why it was so important for me to spend yesterday with my grandson!
When we live in our true essence, we know that life is a journey. One that has constant change. And the more we embrace the many stages the more that we truly know that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
Till Next Time……….