Fond Memories
I’m sure there will be some readers who immediately check the photo for the alcoholic percentage of that drink! Well, it is 4.0% ABV, but, that photo was from the summer of 2022!
I do like a wide-variety of drinks and this was certainly one of my favourites, especially when the sun was beating down… rarely in the UK so we have to make the most of it!
The Social Events
I will be honest – I haven’t been to any social events, meetings or gatherings the last month, so I haven’t really felt the need to have an alcoholic drink – I have visited a couple of friends, but it’s not really the same as going ‘out out’ as the youth of today would call it … or my mum come to think of it!
It’s all about discipline and training your mind – I’m abstaining from alcohol, but you can repeat this process with anything else that you had in mind – junk food, porn, bad habits, whatever it might be that you want to stop for ‘x’ amount of days, week, months or even indefinitely.
Why Do We Drink Socially?
This could be down to the pressure from friends or family or simply keeping up appearances.
Some people genuinely feel pressured into drinking, I think more so the younger generation. There again, saying that, the younger generation of today are leaning fairly strongly towards zero alcohol drinks as opposed to the ‘normal’ stuff.
“Oh go on, have one more shot Sam” – If I had £1 for every time I’ve heard that in my lifetime, I would probably be about £200 richer! You were expecting me to say I’d be a millionaire, so I thought I’d catch you off guard and make myself just a couple of hundred quid richer!
Some people drink when they socialise with friends or co-workers to simply ‘fit in’ – Their fear of being judged, or simply being thought of as different to everyone else, is often far greater than the prospect of not drinking alcohol. So, naturally, they cave and succumb to the social pressures of today’s world.
What Are The Benefits?
Discipline can have mighty effects on the brain – This can range from improving your long-term health, to focusing the mind and giving it more clarity, to enhancing and improving your emotional stability.
Alcohol is toxic – In moderation it’s okay for us to consume, but when we start to drink too much of it, especially the strong spirits like Vodka, Gin & Whiskey, it starts to have a serious affect on our bodies. Organs can start to shut down and it doesn’t get much better from there.
A long story short here, refraining from alcohol can reduce our blood pressure, shed excess fat on our liver, and balance body weight – All things that one would consider positive!
Other factors include sleeping deeper, better hydration and a stronger immune system – If these benefits won’t stop you from abstaining for a short period of time, I don’t know what will!
There will be another post about discipline so keep your eyes peeled for that one.
Recap
If you’re reading this for the first time, I am not a recovering alcoholic, nor have I ever had a problem with alcohol, I just like to challenge myself mentally and sometimes physically.
From experience, after having stopped previously for 612 days, which I am so proud of, abstaining from something you love, for a lengthy period of time, is incredibly powerful and extremely liberating.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say it means you can do anything, we’re not talking about being Batman here, but it does give you the brain power and ability to feel like you can do more than usual – It’s a hard feeling to explain.
When you’re 3 or 4 months in, and really set in you ways, saying a simple “no thanks” to a mate, when they offer you a shot of alcohol, is something special. It’s an instantaneous response because after so long abstaining, your mind automatically goes into ‘protection’ mode and looks to save itself from anything looking to break your sobriety.
Go on, try it, see how far you get.