4 Years With No Beers
It's been 4 years since I tasted alcohol, and my curiosity has grown.
"What would it be like if I just had 1 beer? Could I hang? Would I be able to stop at just 1? But I'm a different person now. I'm sure it'd be fine. Right?"
Wrong. Well, maybe, but who knows?
What I do know is that great things in my life keep getting better the longer I abstain from drinking, and the embarrassing missteps in my life are far less frequent. And I know that it's not worth the potential of messing up this progress just because I want to have a drink.
Since it's been 4 years, I figured I'd list 4 ways that my life is different now as a non-drinker compared to when I was actively drinking.
I'm more professional
I'm more productive
I'm more recovered
I have more money
I can recall past business trips and parties with previous companies I've worked for, where I've gotten drunk, blacked out, and made a fool of myself. If you've never been there before, let me tell you that it's beyond embarrassing and in no way helpful for your chances of getting promoted. Since I quit drinking, I've been on a couple of business trips, and I didn't get drunk, blackout, or make a fool of myself. I simply went to my room and went to bed while others were going out for drinks. Past me would say that this is way more boring. Maybe that's true—but that's ok. I'm a professional now, and professionals don't get sloppy.
My weekends are far more productive, and so are my vacations. When I was drinking, that was the main attraction for my weekends and vacations. I could spend a whole Saturday not doing much but drinking with friends or hanging at the bar. I could go to a beach somewhere for vacation and spend most of the days sitting around drinking and relaxing. But, looking back now, besides some laughs and arguments, it all seems like wasted time. Nowadays, my weekends are full of long runs, connecting with my family and friends, and working on home and side projects. My vacations are full of running, experiencing new places, and sightseeing. I like these kinds of weekends and vacations better.
Faster recovery has been one of the more interesting benefits of becoming sober. As my running practice has continued to increase in volume and intensity, my ability to recover more quickly has also improved. It's pretty mindblowing to me. I can run more weekly miles, complete bigger back-to-back long runs, and have performed better in my recent races. I remember when I was drinking, I could waste a whole day being hungover. I remember how long it used to take me to get my shit together in the mornings. I can confidently say that if I was still drinking, it'd be damn near impossible to maintain my morning routine and continue progressing toward my running and fitness goals.
Money matters and I have more of it now because I don't drink anymore. Alcohol is expensive, especially if you drink socially and like to go out to bars or splurge on $15+ drinks at special events. I've done the math on how much I've spent on drinking annually in the past, and it's a considerable amount of money. Enough to fund a meaningful experience, invest in the future, or buy something valuable. I'm so glad I'm choosing not to piss away my money anymore.
If you woke up today and you've begun to realize that drinking (or any other destructive behavior) isn't working for you, you can change. I did. One day at a time—one choice at a time.
It won't be easy, but it's worth it.
You got this.
