Are you still on the fence about taking a break from drinking?
Maybe you’ve heard all the usual reasons: great sleep, no hangovers, saving money, looking better… but perhaps that’s not quite hitting the mark for you.
Sometimes we need to hear something a bit different to make it all click into place.
Today I’m sharing five unusual reasons to quit drinking alcohol that might just give you that fresh perspective you’re looking for…
Key points
Reason 1. You stop falling for a marketing scam
Over the past few decades, there’s been a very effective “pink-ification” of the alcohol industry to get women drinking more. Pink gins, fruity cocktails, low-calorie wines, “wine o’clock” culture, glittery prosecco with the girls – none of this used to exist.
This blatant marketing to women is often presented as empowerment or equality, but it’s not. We’re just being sold to. When you quit drinking, you’re no longer falling for one of the biggest marketing cons of our time.
Reason 2. You get your identity back
When you’re drinking, you stop doing a lot of the things that make you… you. Maybe you’ve stopped reading because you can’t focus properly when drunk. Perhaps you don’t paint anymore because it seems like more effort than drinking. Maybe you’ve lost your passion for theatre because shows interrupt your drinking schedule.
What part of your identity has quietly slipped away because alcohol has taken its place? Sobriety gives you the chance to rediscover who you really are. There’s a happier, more confident version of you that will return when you take alcohol away.
Reason 3. You get your self-trust back
Drinking made me a terrible liar – to myself. I’d say “I’m just going to have one” or “It’ll only be a small one,” but even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t true. When you can’t trust the words coming out of your own mouth, it makes it harder to believe in yourself in other areas of life.
When you keep letting yourself down with this one thing, night after night, it makes it harder to push yourself and excel elsewhere. You don’t go for that promotion or try that new thing, because you’re feeling unsure and doubting yourself.
Reason 4. You stop distracting yourself from uncomfortable emotions
Ok, so this might not sound appealing, but you actually need those uncomfortable emotions – the boredom, the loneliness, the stress. They’re telling you something important about your life.
Drinking through these emotions keeps you stuck in them, repeating the same patterns over and over rather than changing anything. When you’re sober, you can actually hear what your emotions are trying to tell you – and act on them.
Reason 5. You get to flip roles in your life
Let me tell you about my student Katie. She used to spend her summers drinking at her local pub, watching people kayak down the river as she got drunk and staggered home. Now that she’s sober? She’s the one kayaking past the pub on Friday nights!
I love that story because it reminds me of my own role flip. I used to be the hungover woman in the cafe on Sunday mornings, wondering how other women had already been to the gym. Now I get to be one of those productive people who work out early and get on with their day.
Which of these unusual reasons to quit drinking alcohol resonates with you the most?
I’d love to hear in the comments which one gives you something new to think about. And remember, you can quit drinking for any reason you like. It might be one big thing, or a range of smaller reasons… it might be something noble and serious or something much smaller and sillier than that. There are so many reasons to quit drinking alcohol!
Ready to create an alcohol-free life you love? Click here to learn more about my Getting Unstuck course.
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