I think I subscribe to this through TFTM stuff, but it landed in my inbox yesterday as I was laying in bed at half 6 after two pints of "moderate drinking". I'd already just about realised heavy drinking was stealing days from me and it's made me realise "moderate" drinking does too with fuck all real benefit. Will be my first day of sobriety today.
Nailed on there Sam - I stopped drinking 15 years ago after my father-in-law had been to India and spoken to a pundit about my life chart. I don’t have a religious bone in my body but I wanted to impress my newly appointed in-laws that I had been kept a secret from for years (because of cultural reasons which I totally respect.)
And so I was told that I had to stop drinking for a year (I also had to put a gold nail in a temple wall and put a kilo of rice into the local river which, as you can imagine, looking like a bag of white powder, drew some attention!).
During the year my wife got pregnant with our first son and I never went back to drinking after that.
So this is a story I go through every time someone asks me why I don’t drink anymore. And as bizarre as it is and true as it is, it’s only recently that I’ve realised it’s probably not the defining reason.
The fact is, when I used to drink, I was always the one to get too drunk, too silly, wake up in places I didn’t know how I’d got there, have absolutely no recollection of many hours of many nights, get arrested for taking shelter in my car with the engine on to keep warm when I couldn’t get in the house etc.
The thought drinking to excess now makes me shudder. And I could probably go out and drink a couple of pints then come home time after time, but It wouldn’t take long before I had one of those nights where I just fancied one more and then one more and then…
I am so fortunate to have a wonderful family and that is the biggest motivation for me not to drink because I have enough excitement, drama and worries without dampening them with booze.
Brilliant, as always. And I’ve discovered my new favourite podcast! I'm in love with Earth Tournament and Bear Tent! Sublime! Haven’t laughed that much for a while! What an imagination!
I’ve been thinking about packing in drinking for a while now. Lockdown just seemed to be one long drinking session for me.
Then something weird happened.
I’ve not had a drink since the 23rd February when I got a UTI and pee’d blood (I’d been drinking quite heavily during lockdown, and before come to think of it). Had a course of antibiotics and the plan was to lay off the sauce until I felt better. Tablet course lasted a week and I figured a week of drinking water and tea to flush myself through and give the bladder a chance to settle down would do the trick. Never had a problem not drinking if medicine was involved as I normally wasn’t well but would go straight back on it once better.
The week tuned into weeks and then into a month and then the month turned into months.
The thing is this.
I’ve not even felt like having a beer or glass of wine.
I’ve been drinking Heineken 0% and feel really comfortable drinking it.
Hated it when I was a drinker.
In the past couple of weeks:
I’ve tried a glass of wine and hated it.
I’ve tried a proper beer and hated it.
I used to be worried if there was only one beer in the fridge and would get another pack on my way home from work. That’s when I knew I was drinking too much.
I can’t explain why, but I’ve fallen out of love with alcohol.
Listening to you on TFTM and the Reset podcast has taught me that it’s OK to feel like this so thanks for sharing your life lessons with us all.
I’m looking at this as an opportunity to be healthier whilst realising that I just got lucky.
I really feel for those who are having a tough time staying sober which makes me feel like a cheat.
You guys are amazing. If it was me I don’t think I’d be strong enough. No. I know I wouldn’t be strong enough otherwise I’d have stopped years ago.
I’m humbled by all of you.
It’s just like someone has flicked a switch inside my head.
Guess I just got lucky by pissing blood!
Who’d have thought it?
Keep up the good work Sam.
TTFN!
P.S.
I’ve read this back to myself loads of times and can’t help but do it Lampard’s voice.....
I think I subscribe to this through TFTM stuff, but it landed in my inbox yesterday as I was laying in bed at half 6 after two pints of "moderate drinking". I'd already just about realised heavy drinking was stealing days from me and it's made me realise "moderate" drinking does too with fuck all real benefit. Will be my first day of sobriety today.
About gossiping; my dearest and wisest mate uses the phrase “You are not the centre of anyone else’s universe; so stop thinking that you are”
Nailed on there Sam - I stopped drinking 15 years ago after my father-in-law had been to India and spoken to a pundit about my life chart. I don’t have a religious bone in my body but I wanted to impress my newly appointed in-laws that I had been kept a secret from for years (because of cultural reasons which I totally respect.)
And so I was told that I had to stop drinking for a year (I also had to put a gold nail in a temple wall and put a kilo of rice into the local river which, as you can imagine, looking like a bag of white powder, drew some attention!).
During the year my wife got pregnant with our first son and I never went back to drinking after that.
So this is a story I go through every time someone asks me why I don’t drink anymore. And as bizarre as it is and true as it is, it’s only recently that I’ve realised it’s probably not the defining reason.
The fact is, when I used to drink, I was always the one to get too drunk, too silly, wake up in places I didn’t know how I’d got there, have absolutely no recollection of many hours of many nights, get arrested for taking shelter in my car with the engine on to keep warm when I couldn’t get in the house etc.
The thought drinking to excess now makes me shudder. And I could probably go out and drink a couple of pints then come home time after time, but It wouldn’t take long before I had one of those nights where I just fancied one more and then one more and then…
I am so fortunate to have a wonderful family and that is the biggest motivation for me not to drink because I have enough excitement, drama and worries without dampening them with booze.
Thanks as always Sam and keep em' coming!
Brilliant, as always. And I’ve discovered my new favourite podcast! I'm in love with Earth Tournament and Bear Tent! Sublime! Haven’t laughed that much for a while! What an imagination!
Brilliant piece again Sam, maybe the best yet and thank you mate x
Hi Sam.
I’ve been thinking about packing in drinking for a while now. Lockdown just seemed to be one long drinking session for me.
Then something weird happened.
I’ve not had a drink since the 23rd February when I got a UTI and pee’d blood (I’d been drinking quite heavily during lockdown, and before come to think of it). Had a course of antibiotics and the plan was to lay off the sauce until I felt better. Tablet course lasted a week and I figured a week of drinking water and tea to flush myself through and give the bladder a chance to settle down would do the trick. Never had a problem not drinking if medicine was involved as I normally wasn’t well but would go straight back on it once better.
The week tuned into weeks and then into a month and then the month turned into months.
The thing is this.
I’ve not even felt like having a beer or glass of wine.
I’ve been drinking Heineken 0% and feel really comfortable drinking it.
Hated it when I was a drinker.
In the past couple of weeks:
I’ve tried a glass of wine and hated it.
I’ve tried a proper beer and hated it.
I used to be worried if there was only one beer in the fridge and would get another pack on my way home from work. That’s when I knew I was drinking too much.
I can’t explain why, but I’ve fallen out of love with alcohol.
Listening to you on TFTM and the Reset podcast has taught me that it’s OK to feel like this so thanks for sharing your life lessons with us all.
I’m looking at this as an opportunity to be healthier whilst realising that I just got lucky.
I really feel for those who are having a tough time staying sober which makes me feel like a cheat.
You guys are amazing. If it was me I don’t think I’d be strong enough. No. I know I wouldn’t be strong enough otherwise I’d have stopped years ago.
I’m humbled by all of you.
It’s just like someone has flicked a switch inside my head.
Guess I just got lucky by pissing blood!
Who’d have thought it?
Keep up the good work Sam.
TTFN!
P.S.
I’ve read this back to myself loads of times and can’t help but do it Lampard’s voice.....
I'm back to day 1...
Long complicated affair with alcohol which is basically self-medication.
Thank you for the inspiration and giving me the courage and permission to have another go x
Thanks Sam, I needed to read this today. Cheers.