I quit drinking in the beginning of 2019 and I’m so happy I did.
For a long time before I quit drinking alcohol, I thought I would miss it. I thought a bunch of things that weren’t true and I never thought about all of the reasons that would make me happy I quit. Mostly because I didn’t know what they were.
Now I know.
Alcohol Free: 13 Reasons I’m So Happy I Quit Drinking
1. No more hangovers.
Even a glass or two of wine would interrupt my sleep leaving me feeling depleted and hungover the next day. And the times I drank more than that, I’d spend the entire next day nursing my wounds. I’d be dehydrated and exhausted physically and mentally.
2. I’m saving so much money.
I didn’t often drink the cheap stuff so dinners out were twice as expensive, holidays and vacation drinking was pricy and I just spent a lot on alcohol even when I wasn’t drinking a lot.
3. No more decisions about drinking.
I never have to decide what to drink, when to drink or how much to drink again. I talk more about that here.
4. Better sleep.
Ahhhh sleep. Even a little bit of alcohol interrupted my sleep and I want all the sleep I can get.
5. I get to be myself all the time.
I’m an introvert but drinking made me feel much more social and outgoing. I really wasn’t myself when drinking which made me feel bad later. Without alcohol, I’m more confident in who I am and I trust myself more.
6. No need for fancy glasses or alcohol related objects.
As someone who doesn’t enjoy owning extra things, I love that I don’t need a bar cart, wine fridge or a corkscrew or fancy glasses or anything else that comes along with drinking alcohol.
7. Zero regrets.
I never wake up and think, “what happened?” or “what did I say or do?” I never feel bad for drinking too much, staying up too late or anything else I did when I was drinking.
8. Clarity.
Alcohol makes things fuzzy and not just when you are drinking. I think it affected me more than I thought it did.
9. I deal with feelings sooner.
That fuzziness helped me avoid feeling what I was feeling. It was a pain killer, but only a temporary one. Now I have to deal with things faster but with the extra clarity I’ve gained, I can.
10. Life is simpler.
Decluttering simplified my home and when I quit drinking, I simplified my mental and physical health along with many other parts of my life. I didn’t do it for a simple life though. I did it for a happier, healthier more present life.
11. No excessive pandemic drinking.
Alcohol sales spiked (NYT) during the pandemic. Based on my propensity to drink more during holidays, vacations and snowstorms, I know that if I hadn’t quit when I did, I would have been drinking more than ever during the pandemic to deal with the stress and uncertainty.
12. Fewer health risks.
Not drinking lowers my risk of cancer, cardiovascular issues, memory loss and other neurological issues. Recommendations in the past included drinking healthy levels of alcohol but now, based on current data, the American Cancer Society says there are no safe levels and recommends not drinking alcohol at all.
13. I get to show up for my life.
This may be the one I’m most grateful for. I get to choose presence anytime I want. I am here … for all of it.
I don’t share this because I think everyone should quit drinking but instead to encourage those of you who are tired of hangovers, regrets and alcohol related drama and decisions.
Becoming alcohol free didn’t solve all of my problems but like simplifying my life, it gives me the capacity and clarity to work through those problems with more peace and ease.
For more on my alcohol free journey …
