How does one quit alcohol? How does one walk away from it? What advice do you give someone when they ask these questions or start on this path?
I don’t know. I struggle a lot trying to provide helpful answers for others. All I know is what is working for me.
MIND
I grew up in a world where alcohol was peddled as The Answer for everything. I mean everything: shyness, depression, celebrations, courage, boredom… I gulped it down. So far down that these alcohol pathways in my mind became trenches. The problem with trenches is it’s very hard to see out of them. I was conditioned to blindly follow. It took me 40 years in the trench to figure out alcohol wasn’t the answer. In fact it was a liar because each usage never brought me satisfaction in the end. Yes, there was initial ups but they always always ducked out early and left me alone feeling worse from the consumption. Climbing out of a trench and forming new pathways is no easy task and takes much faith and bravery facing the unknown. All I can say is there is much light and many others living outside of the fog.
BODY
The body can only take so much abuse. Yes, it’s called alcohol abuse for a reason. The hangovers, bloodshot eyes, throwing up, bumping into things, blackouts, shaking, and brain fog is your body telling you Enough Already! Listen to it! How can this be a good thing for you? It’s NOT! Not for those of us who can’t stop after one drink. Listen to your body and don’t forget those horrific effects.
SOUL
I no longer feel guilt or being ashamed that use to come each time after a binge session. Those feelings kept getting worse and more and more intense near the end. I truly feel my soul was shouting for god sakes man stop this nonsense. Give yourself a chance. I knew in my heart I wasn’t intended to live this life leaning on alcohol as a crutch. Today my Inner Voice glows with much love. I feel crisp, sharp, and alive. I feel true to myself. Even my bad days look so much brighter then before.
So that’s my trinity I use daily to stay sober one day at a time. It takes all three to keep me whole and To Remember where I came from and where I want to be.
Peace,
Dwight
(Day 481)
This is perfect Dwight! It makes me so happy to sit every morning with my coffee feeling crisp and sharp at 5:30am! No more dragging myself out of bed, making it through the day feeling cloudy!
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❤️
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Amen! Great post, Dwight. I wouldn’t go back for anything.
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❤️
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Well said Dwight. The inner voice, my inner voice, is much kinder and more caring with me sober. I like her. We are growing stronger together.
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😊
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Wonderful accomplishment when bad days still look brighter than before. Congrats, Dwight!
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Thanks, Becky
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wowowow thank you so much for this Dwight ❤ it really helped me. xxx Anne
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Glad it helped, Anne😊
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Very inspiring, Dwight. Thank you. 🤗
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🤗
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So proud of you Dwight! 🙂
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Thanks, Janie😊
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Keep going strong! We need such motivation and will power these days! Cheers!
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Thank you, Bhagyashree👍
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I love this Dwight. I feel like at the moment our little sober community is needing some reminders and support to keep us all on track and moving forward. This is the perfect post for us all,right now. Thanks 😊 Claire 😘 xx❤️
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It’s definitely a daily reminder for me. Thanks, Claire😊❤️
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A few years ago, I quit drinking for 365 days to see what it was like. For the first few weeks I really noticed what a habit it was. After that, what stood out most was how advertised alcohol has become in our society. When the 366th day came, my buddies made a plan for us all to go out and have a drink, but the funny thing was I wasn’t too excited about it. I think my first beer meant more to them than it did to me. It’s highly overrated!
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Excellent post, Dwight! I wholeheartedly agree. 💕👍🏻
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I love this, mind-body-soul. I also love the visual of climbing out of a trench. It sounds hard and dirty and early sobriety IS hard and dirty, I’m learning!
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Keep going. Hope you are ok x
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