Shining Without The Wine'ing

I was just writing my bestie an email, and came up with this most excellent title for a blog post!
Yes, I'm talking about drinking again! (rather, about not drinking).
106 days ago, I took the conscious decision that I would not drink anymore.
Yes, it coincided with my second pregnancy, so naturally, it's a time when I wouldn't be drinking anyways.
That helps.
But that's not the reason for my decision, either.

See, I spent many, many, many years drinking. And not just having an occasional glass here and there with friends or family. My drinking might've started out that way, but it quickly evolved into an all-too popular epidemic called binge drinking.

I would drink fast and furiously.

My tolerance for alcohol, towards the end, was so high that I regularly "shared" 3 bottles of wine on any given night with my hubs, and that wasn't shocking to me.

Now it is.

The thought of consuming 750ml x 3 / 2 = 1125ml of wine! For one person. A standard bottle of wine contains 5 servings, so that means I was having like, 7.5 servings of wine on a regular 'ol night.

(I didn't drink like this when pregnant with my first son, FYI, there was just a "relapse" period 2 months after he was born that lasted about 1.5 months and reminded me of why I hated this cycle!!!)

But that's another point. You know, sometimes I would do these major pauses in drinking. Like, do a detox for 15 days, with the hopes that I would come out on the other side and finally know how to drink moderately. But, it doesn't work like that.

I'm sure that some people can successfully "cut down" on their alcohol (these people usually fall into a different category, where alcohol is not necessarily problematic in their lives) but for me, it's really all or nothing.

Now that I am not drinking, I am in the phase of mentally processing all of the time I wasted drinking.

All of the times that I wasn't present when I was in the company of friends and family, because all that I could focus on was the booze surrounding me.

All of the dangerous situations I put myself in for the sake of getting loaded.

All of the harm I did to my body and mind because I would drink excessively and make myself sick.

It just makes me sad.

It's like I need to go back and take care of that girl, now that I've realized how happy I am without alcohol.

How living life sober, aware, present and vulnerable is more meaningful that anything I've ever done.

I think back on the nights I would drink alone in my old apartment, missing my long distance boyfriend, lonely out of my mind.

How I would stumble to the local bar, already drunk, and stumble back, drunker.
How none of this ever made me feel better.
How it only made me feel lonelier, more insecure and less grounded.
How almost all of my anxiety and fear was alcohol-induced.

It's kind of like mourning a dead relative.
I have days where it's hard to live with the memories, because the clearer my mind gets, the more I realize how sad and empty drinking made me.

I know that the life I lead now would not be possible if I was still drinking. I could not possibly enjoy the grounded, calm and deeply satisfying life that I have while getting loaded.

My choices to quit are my own. I don't need to fall into a category, be a statistic or scale myself on an addiction meter. I don't need to go to AA. I don't need to call myself an alcoholic, because I really don't like that term and it doesn't resonate with me. 

It's not about labels, or descriptions or explanations. 
It's not about having everyone understand my journey, or my reasons for not drinking.

It's definitely not going to turn into me judging other people's habits, because those are none of my business, even if they are harmful and toxic.

I take care of my side of the street. That's all that I am responsible for, and it's enough!

Now, when I see my hubby, my baby and my growing baby belly (21 weeks, what?!?!)...I just feel so grateful. I have all I need, all I could ever want, right next to me.

I don't need to escape that.
I don't need to rush that.
I don't need to run away from it.
I created this.
I overcame that.
I evolved.
I stopped choosing fear.
I believed I was worth more.

And that's where we're at!
106 days.
I am proud.
Life is good when you're not battling hangovers on the reg.

Alright, now here's some inspirational quotes in line with this topic! Off to play with my baboo and eat some soup on this rainy but perfect Saturday <3

I decided I was not going to stay at the bar, and on my knees vomiting up Kraft Dinner every Sunday morning!

And the right things are pretty beautiful. Meaningful relationships all around, babies, success, self-worth, health,gratitude...the list goes on and on

Nope. There isn't