There is so much more to end the habit of over drinking than just saying "NO" to a drink.
If you're only thinking about cutting back and not doing any "work" around it, then most likely you're still on the hamster wheel of making promises to cut back but still drinking more than you want to.
What is the "work" I'm talking about?
It's scheduling time to check in with yourself. Literally!
It's about putting pen to paper and going deeper inside of your mind to take a look at what is driving the need to have a drink to cope with life.
Let me ask you a question: How will you know what to fix in your mind if you aren't listening to it and asking yourself quality questions?
Your brain love to find answers. That's what it does all day long.
I spent years just thinking about what I wanted and not actually doing something actionable about it.
Here is what I did as well as countless other people to stop over drinking.
1. Non-negotiable "me time" every morning where I meditate and do a Thought Download to declutter my mind. Your mind is like a house and it gets very cluttered. If you don't spend time cleaning it out of useless thoughts there will never be room for new thoughts that need to occupy that beautiful mind of yours so you can live your best life.
2. Writing down my urges - a.k.a. thoughts - that make me want to have a drink. There is so much information that you can unlock if you just listen to what you think about drinking. If you have a thought like "One won't hurt" or "I deserve a drink after a day like today" and then you have a drink (giving your brain a reward - concentrated dopamine)... you are teaching your brain to constantly think those same exact thought because your brain wants that reward SOOO badly. As humans that want to create, grow and thrive so we are constantly looking for the next thing and not staying in the moment. We don't pause as much as we should. In order to make changes you need to pause and take inventory so you can decide what thoughts are working in your favor and what thoughts are keeping you stuck.
3. I changed my home address from 123 Judgement Street to 123 Curiosity Avenue. I was my worst enemy with all of the things I'd say to myself. "What is WRONG with you", "You're so weak", "You'll never change". It was a bad street to live on! If you're living with a negative dialogue in your mind, that is exhausting and your brain is going to want relief ASAP! So where do you turn? To a drink. It is so important to stop judging and start using the information in your brain with curiosity. Be a crime scene investigator to find out all the reasons why you over drink.
4. Plan ahead - Some people believe having a schedule and a planned life is boring. I used to think that, too. But having a plan creates so much freedom. It is mandatory to make a plan about your drinking. It engages the decision making part of your brain that is all about the future (the future you who does't over drink). Doing this moves you away from the primal/animal brain that is all about instant gratification.
5. Proper nutrition - I'm not a nutritionist but I have invested a lot of time in researching the effects of alcohol. Alcohol creates inflammation. Inflammation is associated with numerous diseases and poor brain function. When you take a break or cut back on alcohol you will notice an increase in sugar cravings because alcohol is satisfying your sugar cravings. My go to nutrition is: no sugar, no flour, intermittent fasting, very little to no processed food, and low inflammation foods. One of the biggest and most often overlooked culprits is in your end of day or weekend routine is alcohol. That beer, rum and coke or glass of wine is not only contributing to your sugar intake - it's also disrupting your body's blood sugar and ability to process sugar. Alcohol actually keeps your liver from releasing glucose which is what regulates your internal blood sugars. Drink enough and you could actually end up suffering from hypoglycemia.
6. Exercise - Move your body. I do some form of exercise 5-6 days a week. Preferably 30-60 minutes at a time. Your brain gets a healthy dose of dopamine when you exercise. Dopamine that gives you authentic pleasure not false pleasure (a.k.a. alcohol, over TV watching, over shopping, over eating, etc.). We all know the benefits of exercise... it is crucial to your mental well- being. Exercise provides structure, creates friendships, boosts your mood, the benefits of exercise out weighs the cost of not exercising.
You're on your way helping yourself by taking the time to read this email. There is so much information out there for you to explore.
Don't spend too much time over researching and reading about what people do to cut back or take a break - start by taking action one step at a time. Take action even though your brain is going to try to talk you out of it... massive action when you don't feel like it.
✅ P.S. Need a simple to follow step-by-step process to drink less? Check out my signature programs HERE.
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