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.
I’m not only not losing this money anymore, but my vice money is actually paying me!
It seems like common sense that when we drink less alcohol we are consuming fewer calories and making better choices. But why is something that is so easy to conceptualize so difficult in practice?
Last night I had a strange and somewhat disturbing experience. While applying rubbing alcohol to a pimple on the back of my neck, for a fleeting instant, I actually considered tasting it. Immediately, my rational mind rode to the rescue and prevented me from going through with it. I mean, shit, I’m not Kitty Dukakis for crying out loud!
Over the long years, I have associated drinking alcohol with relaxation and the pleasure of drunken dopamine. Now I increasingly see my alcohol and marijuana cravings as gateways to sleep deprivation, hangovers, gastro intestinal issues, weight gain, bloating, brain fog, and general unpleasantness.