In November I decided I drank too much alcohol. And by that I mean I felt like I really wanted to have a drink of alcohol more than I thought was healthy. Any time this happens, I stop drinking for a while. I think I mentioned this before. When I was in my twenties I went an entire year without drinking, just to make sure it wasn't an issue.
These days, I know I don't really have a problem, but that doesn't mean I don't go overboard from time to time in my mind. November seemed to be one of those months. It was a month in which I was looking for a reason to "need" a drink, and that, I didn't think, was a healthy attitude.
So I dubbed December, "non-alchoholic month". I've done this recently and honestly, it's a pain from a social perspective. If I never drank (and we have friends that have never drank) then it's an easy proposition; but it is so not worth the hassle to explain why you don't want to try the lovely wine the neighbors are so excited about when you're at their holiday party because you're not drinking for the month. And it's not because I don't have enough courage to explain or gumption to stick to my resolve. It's just so much easier to get a glass of wine or beer and hold on to it and sip it slowly, than it is to go into the whole thing about how you think it would be better for you if you cut back a little for a bit. Trust me, I've tried the explanation route and it's a lot more hassle than just holding a glass of wine.
I think it's mostly because you get two types of responses. The first is, "oh, you're fine, you should have another drink, here, let me go get you one." The second response is of the, "oh no, she must have a serious problem and that is such a shame" kind of thing. For some reason, alcohol seems to polarize people and I don't quite understand why.
So back to the non-alcoholic month and how it was only a sort-of thing. I decided that unless it was a social event (and mind you, December is packed with social events,) I wasn't going to drink anything. And at those social events, I was only going to have a very small amount of alcohol. If I was able to do that, that would accomplish my goals.
And that's what I did. I had a lot less desire to drink alcohol whatsoever for the month and the little bit I did drink was just part of the evening, and not some sort of goal or destination. These types of resets help me keep a good balance in my life.
The Big Boy Update: "Camels have one hippo." "Do you mean 'hump'?" "Yes."
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: "What's that?" "It's rice." "Oh, it's wice! I want wice." (goes off to find bowl to put uncooked rice in.)
Fitness Update: Last day of the year and I ran seven miles with my two best running buddies. It was a fun afternoon.
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