Random Observation/Comment #639: As a big city dweller and a parent of a toddler, I’m a highly functional social alcoholic.
Why this List?
I’m sober curious. I wonder how it’d feel to skip a few nights, a few weeks, or a few months. Would I be more productive? Would I still have fun? Would I lose weight? Would I save money? Would I realize that I only like hanging out with my friends because we share a common bond of alcohol consumption?
Whatever your reason for cutting down, this list could be useful for trying different techniques and setting some personal ground rules.
- Genuinely agree that cutting down is a good idea
- Consider your age – You’re not in your 20s with great metabolism and unlimited energy
- Consider your health – Your liver likely needs a break
- Consider your family – There are people that love you and depend on you
- Consider your enjoyment – Are you really remembering and fully present if you need the numbing agent every night?
- Consider calorie intake – Lots of empty calories and sugars may impede with weight loss/maintenance goals
- Consider the morning after – Drinking is borrowed time that you’ll pay for later
- Consider your budget – Alcohol is expensive and it’s very easy to be generous with buying drinks
- Consider your safety – If you have to drive or be responsible the next day, it’s important to be responsible
- Consider your tolerance – If you keep drinking, you’re only going to be chasing a longer tail before a euphoric release
- Consider your willpower and pride – It’s not just a 30 day challenge. It’s proving that you’re not dependent or addicted. You can do it.
- Make a rule: No more than 2 drinks per night
- Make a rule: Only drink when you’re out with friends during a holiday or social event
- Make a rule: Say “no” to the first drink
- Make a rule: Never be the first to ask for a drink
- Make a rule: Never drink alone
- Make a rule: Only take a sip when others take a sip to pace yourself
- Make a rule: Drink a glass of water between every drink
- Make a rule: Only drink Thursday to Saturday
- Replace alcohol consumption routines with other activities like cooking or yoga
- Drink seltzer or tea instead of alcohol if you’re just watching TV – this was a useful one for me because it was easy to curl up with my wife and a bottle of wine after Evie went to bed and watch a few episodes of the latest binge
- Only keep expensive alcohol in the house so you feel guilty drinking the good stuff unless it’s for a special occasion.
- Hang out with people that like to do other things than drinking
- Rearrange your social calendar and skip events if you know you’re going to be drinking excessively with a certain group
- Order club soda with lime to make it look like a gin and tonic to avoid questions
- Try a group effort – Convince groups to not drink together – Dry January is a great group reason
- Make an excuse: “I’ve been overdoing it from the holidays”
- Make an excuse: “I’m on antibiotics” (classic pregnancy excuse)
- Don’t tell anyone you’re doing a 30 day challenge (or trying to cut down). Just do it.
- Tell everyone you’re doing a 30 day challenge and you’re really trying to follow through without peer pressure.
~See Lemons Sober Curious
