There are 100 reasons to drink, and only one reason to stop.  

You have to define that reason.  It’s yours to figure out, and yours to own.  

Until I was determined to flip my drink now switch to “Off”, and to keep it that way, I could get arm wrestled and convinced by other 50 year olds that I “don’t have a problem”, or that I could “start fresh on Sunday”.

I quit drinking for a year, 6 years ago, and then convinced myself that I could moderate, which was NOT true…  

When I first stopped drinking, sabotaging depression told me that I was over-reacting and that if 70% of American adults can drink, well, I should be able to drink moderately, too.  Needing to be sober or choosing to be alcohol-free only counted for 30% of our adult population…  certainly, I didn’t want to be part of the minority? 

Yesterday, I flipped that statistic on its head, to make it the top 30. 

Per the cnn money calculator, the top 30% of households make more than $86,000 a year.  Do I want to be above or below this threshold?  

Other fun statistics:

30% of Americans consume enough fruit everyday.

27% of Americans eat enough vegetable everyday (are they the same people as the fruit eaters, lol?)

20% of obese Americans who lose considerable weight are able to keep the weight off, long term.

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

~  Mark Twain 

Whether these statistics are right or wrong, the fact is that I don’t have to feel that if I’m in a deprived minority or living at the bottom rung of some ill-defined ladder.  This week, I’ve realized I’m not at the bottom but striving to be at the top of the same ladder.  

So I’m comfortable sharing this ladder with famous successful people like: 

 Warren Buffet, Zac Efron, Stephen King, Brett Favre, Tim McGraw, Kelly Ripa, Bradley Cooper, Craig Ferguson, Christina Ricci,  Jennifer Lopez…  60 Celebrities Who Don’t Drink Alcohol

So I quit.  

When you decide to stop drinking grab ahold and don’t let go. Day 3 seems to be the worst of the worst…. if you can get through day 3, and step through day 4, well, day 5 will be a little easier.  

I heard this on a podcast and it made for good Homework. 

Draw a Tic Tac Toe board. Put one reason why you want to Quit in each box.  Relax, take a break, drink some water.  … Now draw another Tic Tac Toe board. 

Put YOU in the center square. Now surround yourself with 8 ways to Protect You. What groups do you belong to that you can rely on for support? This page can be one square… but what else? Who else? Any podcasts? Any other online groups? Your church? Your BFF? Your significant other? Your parents? Your kids?  It’s okay if they aren’t all filled out yet….

Now, that is the team that will support you… some may be knowingly, like your BFF, and others unknowingly, like younger kids.You can do this. There will be triggers, so be ready. In the late afternoon, early evening, your body will crave sugar (it’s what alcohol did)… so have some small treats ready, i.e. ice cream, chocolate chips. 

Drink plenty of water. Look at your Tic Tac Toe boards and remember why you quit.

You are worth it.

Is it tough?  Yes, my friend, it can be.  

related reading : How do you Stop Drinking? Our Community Shares What Worked for Us

But that’s when you have to Protect Your Quit.

My “Quit” is a person that looks like me when I was young, energetic, and full of life.  She has a great sense of humor and uses it to punch through the hard times.  She’s willing to give you the shirt off her back, or to make you a face mask, because she believes in others.  She’s the one I must Protect.  

I have a life threatening condition that once had me, and it is a physical condition that if I drink alcohol, I will harm my body.  Just like I can’t blink and change my eyes from green to blue, I can’t change the reaction my body has to alcohol.  I can’t wish it away. 

Trust in YOU.  If you want the Freedom… the simplicity that sobriety can offer, it is truly worth fighting for.   

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