39 Powerful Insights I’ve Gained from Abstaining from Alcohol for 2 Years
Dylan Charles, Editor
Waking Times
Since 2011, no other topic at Waking Times has garnered as many collective page views as our articles on the physical, social, and spiritual perils of alcohol, which I find quite telling.
Perhaps people are sick of hangovers, or of losing control of themselves and doing dumb things they regret? Or maybe people have just wisened up to the fact that alcohol consumption is broadly toxic to the body, mind and spirit, creating unnecessary challenges in life?
Or, perhaps because of all of these reasons, alcohol is simply losing its cool.
In 2017 I penned an article entitled 20 Common Things People Realize When They Quit Drinking Alcohol, which has been viewed almost 420,000 times. At the time, I myself was wanting an alcohol free life, but was sill stuck in the old addiction and cultural programming, which had me under the influence of the notion that life without alcohol just couldn’t possibly be any fun.
And isn’t that what alcohol is supposed to be all about… fun?
That’s a lie, and odd isn’t it that something so ubiquitous in our world, something so universally depended on, and so accepted as necessary to daily life, is also so widely recognized to be the most self-destructive, and socially dangerous substance in our world.
As I write this today I am nearing 2 years of sobriety from alcohol, and life just keeps getting better. I wrote this post to give inspiration and encouragement for any spiritual seekers out there who are challenged to let go of social and emotional dependency on alcohol. It’s a subject which comes up quite often in my coaching practice, and I always advise my clients to get this poison out of the way so that they can get a clear picture of what is holding them back and driving them to self-sabotage.
Here are some of things I’ve learned in these past years by letting go of my addiction to alcohol. If any of this resonates with you, and if you’re seeking clarity and independence from alcohol or anything else slowing you down, book a FREE 15-minute call with me and I’ll put all of my attention on any problems or challenges you are presently facing.
- There is a reason we drink, but we don’t know what that reason is until we stop drinking.
- Alcohol consumption in any quantity is spiritual decay. There’s really no middle ground here.
- It takes time to recover from the spiritual, mental, and emotional effects of drinking. It will be at least a full year before your clarity fully returns.
- It’s nearly impossible to overcome serious challenges with alcohol in your life. It’s just too confusing and chaotic to see the truth.
- People who do drink will often tell you how great it is that you don’t drink. Why, what are they really saying? They’re saying that they wish they had sufficient self-control to give it up, but they don’t.
- Drinking definitely causes anxiety, and it takes a long period of sobriety for your nervous system to recalibrate and the anxiety to leave.
- Not drinking in social situations requires a very deep commitment to yourself, but your soul is waiting for you to step up.
- It requires tremendous courage to face the emotional reality of life without the crutch of booze.
- You see clearly the effects that your drinking has had on the people you love.
- You notice how unattractive people are when they are drunk.
- You can clearly sense a shift in those close to you when they drink. You can sense subtle changes in their personality and mood.
- You get to a point where sobriety means everything to you, and it becomes a prized and treasured possession worth defending.
- You cannot control other people’s decision to drink. All you can do is set an example.
- The right people will notice the changes in you, and they will comment. When they do it will give you fuel to keep going.
- Children really notice what happens to people when they drink, and they really appreciate it when their parents abstain.
- You’ll be more present for the moments and experiences in life that really matter.
- Not drinking is broadly viewed as a noble and righteous way to live, but so few do it? Why? Because most are too weak, and since alcohol kills strength, it’s a self-defeating cycle.
- Drinking is akin to letting your inner child take control of your life and run it into the ground.
- You save a ton of money.
- You’ll look better, feel better, sleep better, think better, and appreciate life a lot more.
- The drama in your life drops significantly, and things that used to bother you are non-factors.
- You get off the dopamine roller coaster and after time begin to return to a baseline of easiness and confidence. Things don’t affect you as strongly, and you bounce back much more quickly after an emotional challenge.
- It is a challenge to find new friends and new relationships when you don’t drink, because so many people depend on alcohol for social connection. But they are out there.
- You are less agitated, less, rushed, less critical, and less afraid of the world.
- Life becomes extraordinarily less dramatic.
- The main emotions that drive alcoholism are guilt, shame, abandonment, rejection, frustration, anger, and resentment.
- It truly is one day at a time. There is no need for promises to yourself, because they don’t work. Just focus on today.
- Waking up the morning without alcohol induced anxiety is a true blessing and absolutely priceless.
- Cravings for alcohol originate from problems that you are unable or unwilling to resolve. In other words, you’ll crave booze more when you’re faced with something that requires the best in you. When you learn to overcome challenges without booze the cravings and desire for booze disappear.
- It’s likely that you’ll want to replace alcohol with something else like cannabis or sweets. This is the same emotional condition driving you to self-medicate, which is what you’re really seeking to understand.
- Your emotional intelligence increases dramatically.
- Your less likely to catastrophize, and less likely to indulge in self-pity.
- Your much less affected by other people’s moods, helping to end co-dependency.
- You’ll need much less validation and approval from others.
- You often wake up and after a minute realize that your sober with no hangover and it just feels like a genuine blessing. Each and every time.
- Before you became addicted to alcohol you became addicted to set of negative emotional patterns. You won’t be able to understand this without considerable time sober, but when you do, every area of your life will drastically improve, and you’ll finally experience the fullness of your personal power.
- Overcoming the original emotional addiction that drove you to drinking will require more courage than anything else you’ve experienced.
- Your higher self is in control more often than your lower self.
- The pleasure just isn’t worth the pain.
In order to solidify my sobriety and reprogram my mind to love an alcohol free life, I’ve often found it inspiring to listen to the stories of celebrities and interesting people who’ve conquered this demon in their lives. I’ve attached a great inspirational video on this below.
My hope is that if you’re struggling with alcohol, or if you’ve realized that drinking does not serve your highest self, then this post gives you the motivation you need to conquer your fear and put your own life and happiness above everything else. If I can be a part of your journey, book a free 15-minute call with me HERE to discover how my personal coaching may be valuable to you.
Peace and Power,
About the Author
Dylan Charles is a self-mastery and self-sabotage coach, the editor of Waking Times, and host of the Battered Souls podcast. His personal journey is deeply inspired by shamanic plant medicines and the arts of Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Yoga. After seven years of living in Costa Rica, he now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he enjoys serving, training, and spending time with family. He has written hundreds of articles, reaching and inspiring millions of people around the world. Follow Dylan on telegram here, and sign up for his weekly newsletter here. On Facebook.