“I’m not sure if my drinking is bad enough for me to have to quit completely.’’
This is something I hear a lot and it’s a debate I had with myself for a long time.
I wasn’t a rock bottom drinker, so did I really need to quit – or was I overreacting?
It took me ages to realise that I was focusing on the wrong thing.
This week’s video is all about the question that every drinker should ask…
Key points:
Why we struggle with this
We’re conditioned to think that we should be able to exercise control over alcohol – a drug that makes us lose control. We’re told it’s just a small section of the population who can’t do this and there’s something wrong with them – it’s a personal failing, a weakness.
Consider for a moment how well that belief system serves the alcohol industry. They don’t want you to quit drinking. You don’t want to be labelled an alcoholic. So we tie ourselves up in knots trying to drink ‘normally’. (I talked more about ‘normal’ drinking here.)
A better question to ask
Rather than focusing on whether your drinking is bad enough ask this instead: Is my drinking good enough for me to stay as I am? When you weigh up the benefits against the negatives, is it worth it? Are you willing to keep putting up with the status quo?
Your ‘good enough’ standards
What do you consider ‘good enough’ in other areas of your life? If alcohol was a food stuff, a medicine or a relationship, would you be willing to put up with the downsides? Would the side effects be worth it, or do you expect better?
Remember: we deserve good things. We deserve a good quality of life. We deserve to take care of ourselves. None of us need to be anywhere near rock bottom before we decide to stop hurting ourselves and start making different choices.
If you decide alcohol isn’t good enough…
Your next steps are more straightforward than you think. Take a break from drinking and give yourself time to test drive – and fully experience – a new way of living. Treat it like a project and go all in.
(Next week I’ll be sharing some special videos on exactly how to take a break from booze, so keep an eye out for that.)
If you’d like some help and support to quit drinking – and create an alcohol-free life you love – click here for details of my online course.
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