My sober summer...100 days later.

I had no idea when I committed to a sober summer, I'd be sitting here writing about it, feeling rather emotional.  I guess anytime you do something for your self as an act of love and care, it should feel like something.

When I started on this challenge, I needed a break.  I was waking up from the pandemic and realizing that routines and habits had set in that I didn't love.  Maybe they were there before, but without question, building a new business from home in a newly, closed world, sort of changed me.

Wine became a fast and easy way to decompress; to adjust to the changes of growing children, detox my corporate career and manage political, social and pandemic fear.  And even though I've never been a high-volume drinker, I was becoming a high-frequency one.  

The list of reasons for and benefits of taking a sober period are long and individual to the person experiencing it, but I will share a couple things I learned.

• I recovered hours of my day that were totally lost the moment the wine was poured.
• I reduced the mental noise and energy spent on should, shouldn't, can, can't, will, won't..no regrets.
• I got to see the routines and habits from a new perspective; to be in the routine, but in a new way.
• I was more available for connection and meaning.
• I got to see if it really mattered to where I was, who I was with, what I was doing and how much fun was available.  My truth...It doesn't matter.  
• Alcohol does not make me happier, more relaxed, more fun, more anything...now I know.

It's been a beautiful process of coming back home to myself, to my body, to my way of being in life...with intention.

Everything seems like a mountain climb until you take the first step and realize what you're truly capable of.

To the extent you've ever considered taking a sober month or week or day, it's a beautiful opportunity to notice, pause and make a new choice about how to move forward. You are worth pausing for.

And for me, the pause continues...the whole experience still feels new and fresh and I want to keep learning and growing into this new way of being.  To be in and of my life...that is the plan for now.

Thanks for reading...

P.S. To the extent you are curious, there's a book I recommend; This Naked Mind, Annie Grace.