While I won’t actually be 40 for a couple more months, I’m technically well into my 40th trip around the sun. Here’s a facebook post from the day before another milestone–my 20th high school reunion, in summer 2014: “If I pull an all-nighter, can I finish my master’s and lose 20 lbs?” I went to that reunion, and despite my clever planning (Extra layer in case of lakefront breezes, check! Designated driver, check!), I forgot to eat dinner. No food was served, and while drunk at an afterparty I fell down the stairs (they: carpeted, I: strapped to 4″ cork wedge platforms). Sigh.
Beside a fallen Sequoia in coastal Northern California, September 2014.
I’d like to say this story represents the only time I did something stupid while I was drinking, but that wouldn’t be true. I became determined, however, to make it exactly the last. After a lifetime in SE Michigan spent believing everyone but my Catholic grandmother (God rest her soul) was a drinker, I started considering a life without alcohol. I learned that more than a quarter of Americans don’t drink at all, for various reasons (see image from Statista, below). So, after one last hurrah (a September 2014 trip to Napa/Sonoma), I quit. Inspired by some other published lists, here’s what’s changed for me one year into life as a nondrinker:
- It was easy to lose weight when I gave up alcohol. I lost 25 lbs, and while I also retuned my diet and got back into the routine of exercise, cutting out craft beer was the true belly buster.
- Sleep is my friend. Except when I overdo it with the caffeine, which happens often. But for the most part, I’m well-rested.
- Waking up is no big deal. This is a half-lie, because I am a natural morning-hater. But, rather than feeling depleted like I used to after a night of drinking, I just feel regular old tired, which is a lot better than Dante’s Inferno/ring-of-hell tired.
- I don’t argue with my husband about who gets to have more than one drink at a party. He gets to have all the drinks; I drive. It does work out in his favor, but I think it works out in mine, too.
- I thought my friends would think it was weird if I didn’t drink. What I’ve learned is that no one really cares whether I drink, and it doesn’t stop anyone else from enjoying themselves.
- Refreshingly, I don’t want to drink, with the exception of a trip to Selden Standard in Detroit (how do they make cocktails look so ridiculously good?)–but I managed to power through. Now when we go out, I’m the DD. It makes sense; I have the minivan for the job.
- The nondrinking lifestyle is thrifty.
- To my surprise, when people find out I’ve stopped drinking, they’re pretty enthusiastic. At work, when word circulated of the change, they started adding “drinking optional” to the happy hour invite (which is a nice way to be inclusive, by the way).
- I have more of myself. I have more time to be me, to write and read and think about stuff. I have more energy to share with friends and family, so I can genuinely say “I’ll help you with that” instead of saying it and hoping they don’t really ask.
- I have more patience, time, and appreciation for my kids. And I’m modeling that adults can be happy, relaxed and fulfilled without drinking. This is the most important change for me, and my favorite reason to stick with my new lifestyle.
Used under the Creative Commons license, here’s data from Statista:
You will find more statistics at Statista
This Plumber's Daughter 