Sure, I had read articles about how meditation slowed brain aging, calmed anxiety, and helped those who practiced it to be more mindful, grateful, and present, but was it for me? Could it help me with my gray area drinking problem? That’s what I really wanted to know. If it could do that, anything else it provided would be a bonus.
I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to be able to make it through last night’s holiday potluck sober. But I was determined to try. My first tactic was to sit down next to John, the only other person in this group who I know doesn’t drink.
And as I thought about it, I realized that he hadn’t really bugged me much over the past several days. In fact, I simply haven’t been thinking about drinking much at all. Sure, there’s a fleeting thought here or there, but these thoughts lack two critical components
I’ve gained so much more in my pursuit of sobriety than I ever did chasing a buzz. And while I know it will be hard at times, the best is yet to come, and the delectable flavor of victory will be marinated in struggle.
The biggest benefits of my consistent, long term meditation practice include ending my long time marijuana addiction, getting control of my gray area drinking, and stealing back my stolen focus.