Back to School Cut

Alcohol- I know...trust me I know. Alcohol was my calming elixer, my social boost, my work companion. In my mind it made me more social, relaxed me, helped me fall asleep, helped me work late in hotels on the road, helped my golf game, made concerts, sporting events, and pretty much everything in life better. Then my dad died from it a day after his 60th birthday and I, like my dad, became an alcoholic over the course of 6 months. Once off of it, I realized i hadnt slept good in years. This alone made me feel amazing!!. I realized I burned alot of bridges and relationships. I realized that I was avoiding life instead of enjoying it. I realized I had so many interests and hobbies that I had forgotten I enjoyed because there was no space for them in my life. Without it I was a better father, husband, friend, and dare I say person. Best of all I started to actually love myself a bit. Love was something absent from my life. How can someone love me if I don't even love myself? Whether alcohol is your occasional social companion or a daily crutch, try the process this week. Side Note: If alcohol isn't your thing then cut caffeine for the week. A break from caffeine is always good and will give you alot of practice. Step 1: Change Your Belief- Read or Listen to The Naked Mind, Sober Curious, or The Easy Way by Alan Carr. Tell yourself " Alcohol is bad for my goal, bad for my health, bad for my weight, bad for my hormones. In fact in it's 100 percent pure form its a poison that can be set on fire! Why am I being a sheep and subjecting myself to diluted poison? Could it be that this numbing agent has been used to get me to spend more money and be ok with the abnormal way we live our lives? Could it be that I've had the wool pulled over my eyes? Why are all the celebrities and rock stars quitting? Why is quitting the number one trend of 2025? Why did all the breweries get the marijuana license? Could alcohol be going the way of cigarettes? Do I want to be on the front end of this trend or the back end? Step 2: Change Your Behavior - For the most part alcohol is used to calm us down and relax us. Yet exercise or manual labor will do the same thing. When your craving a drink force yourself to do a 15 minute exercise video, jog, walk, or some manual yard work. Step 3: Change your reward. Set aside whatever amount of money you might spend on alcohol for the week and buy yourself something you normally would feel guilty buying with that money.