There’s a new term emerging, sober shaming. So what is sober shaming? It’s when you decide not to drink and your friends & family give you a hard time about it. Say what? Let’s get this straight… You decide to do something healthy for yourself, get control of your habits, lose a little weight perhaps, save some money, and you’re getting harassed for it? How could this be? Why is alcohol the only drug we...
As a ‘hurry-up’ society, we have programmed ourselves to be BUSY. We believe to be busy means successful or accomplished. We may even think it means to be productive. The truth is busy just means to be distracted. If you’re honest, you have said multiple times, “I’m too busy.” We wrap ourselves with things to do to feel productive. The problem with this thinking is that you aren’t prioritizing your needs and desires; thus creating...
When I first heard the term ‘sober-curious,’ I didn’t know what it meant. It seemed obvious enough, but was it really that literal? The answer is YES. It means to be curious about what it might be like to not drink alcohol. For those ready to take a break from drinking or just curious to know what life could be like without alcohol, this is the perfect place to start. It has a feeling of...
Have you experienced an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other, both giving you conflicting directions? Of course, you have. It’s the very essence of being human. The internal conflict is real. When we experience two conflicting thoughts that are incongruent with one another, this is referred to as cognitive dissonance. The definition, according to Merriam Webster: psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. According to Word Hippo, their...
Alcohol – you either like it, love it or you choose to leave it. Wherever you find yourself, you can benefit from learning how it plays a part in your life. Question the Drink is just that, question why you’re drinking. It is a conversation starter, a seed to be planted, and a little nugget of reality. Why is this important? Because far too often, we find ourselves not paying attention to the “why” and...
Let’s get real with one another, shall we? Very few people that love to drink alcohol want to stop completely. If you are like most people, this means you. What you really want is to learn how to moderate your consumption. Maybe you are at the point of recognizing your overindulgence at times. Have you said quietly to yourself that you should cut back? Alternatively, you promised you would only have a few glasses but...
Have you asked yourself, “Am I an Alcoholic?” Ah yes, the ultimate question. The granddaddy of questions that brings an overabundance of unwanted embarrassment and shame. Let’s be real! Nobody wants to learn they may be a problematic drinker. Not one person strives to earn that title. It’s natural to ask this question when you’re drinking an entire bottle of wine instead of just one glass. Or maybe you’re downing a six-pack of beer after...
I bet you have heard a flight attendant give the spiel about the importance of using an oxygen mask on yourself before assisting a young child. Why is that? Because if you can’t help yourself first, you are of no use to anyone else. That is also true as you question the drink. It is essential to provide yourself with self-care and self-love. It is okay to be a little self-centered during the initial timeframe...
Have you ever pulled out a piece of paper, drew a hard vertical line down the center and wrote PROS and CONS at the top to make a decision? When you are ready to question your relationship with alcohol, try this legendary exercise. Mark at the top, “Reasons to Keep Drinking and Reasons to Quit Drinking.” It is truly eye-opening to see what transpires on paper. My own personal list was startling. It went...
Gray Area Drinking has become a sobering reality that affects millions of people worldwide. For far too long, society has placed problematic drinking in a black or white box. One is either an alcoholic or they are not. That is simply not true. About 50% of people that consume alcohol may be in the gray area. What exactly does it mean to be in the gray area? Gray area drinking is comprised of a wide...
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