I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions; they often are broken after January or simply not followed through because life gets in the way. But this year I’ve resolved to make a major change in my life, one that I’ve wanted to make for at least the last five years, probably longer: I’m not going to drink any alcohol for the month of January.
To most people that probably seems easy, but I’ve never not drank alcohol for an entire month. How hard can it be, right? Well for someone that lives alone and battles depression, it’s daunting. Alcohol has gotten me out to meet people in social settings or has given me the courage to do things I wouldn’t otherwise do. Alcohol has also gotten me in some real trouble over the last 10-20 years. No kidding, that long. I was drunk at a wedding while my wife was pregnant with our first child, sending her home by herself so I could continue partying. I was drinking at the hospital to “celebrate” the birth of our second child. I drank with the neighbors constantly to escape the problems we had at home due to alcohol. I abused prescription drugs because a red bull and vodka with a Vicodin brought on such a tremendous high that I felt like I could do anything. It just kept going and going.
I have a lot of stories from the last 20+ years that start and end with alcohol; many were fun, many were embarrassing, and many were not remembered when I woke up the next day. I’ll have the opportunity to tell some of these stories in this weekly blog discussing my journey to alcohol sobriety and how this acreage has done wonders for my mental health and given me the confidence to take these sobriety steps.
As I start this journey, I’ve asked myself, what are the challenges that I’ll face along the way, and how will I overcome these challenges? I’m looking at this as not something I’m going to do only during the month of January (that’s just the start), but a new lifestyle change…like eating healthy or going to the gym regularly (both of which I do).
Stay tuned!
