Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Yelling from the mountain top

Someone emailed me to ask how the hell did I just decide to stop and then stop?  It does sound so easy when put like that.  And while it hasn't been easy to learn to live without wine smoothing the way .. it actually has been easy for me to not touch the stuff.  I have poured wine for others, sniffed it, had the smell wafting across the table on numerous occasions, bought it, encouraged others to drink it in front of me, and never once since the first few weeks of cravings have I actually thought to pick it up and swallow.  How come?

I do feel really lucky that I feel like this.  But I do think that all the re-training of my brain that I did early on really really helped.  Reading books like Jason Vale's 'Kick the Drink, Easy!' really helped me see wine not as my friend but as the enemy.

Not the enemy so much as that person that you thought was really good for you and then you slowly realise that they're actually a really negative influence and a liability and that you're better off slowly retreating from that person and avoiding hanging out with them.

Like that really un-cool person that you just wish would stop hanging around trying to be your friend when you just find they get in the way and make dumb comments.

I can happily fill the glass of wine and hand it to a friend because I just don't want that stuff in my body twisting my brain and sending it back into an obsessed place which I am tricked into thinking is fun when it's totally not.  I don't want that shit getting in my way, turning me back into that loser (in my own eyes that's what I was) who believes nothing is fun if you're not drinking. 

I actually hate the alcohol industry now for all the brain washing it does to make you think nothing is fun or social without booze.  It's simply not true.  This country is awash (pun intended!) with news items at the moment about our awful drinking culture and the toll it takes on our emergency, medical, social and other services.  But all the chatter is from politicians, medical professionals, the 'experts' etc etc.. but where are the ordinary people standing up saying 'this has got to stop!"

I feel like standing on the top of the mountain yelling for all to hear 'TAKE THE BOOZE AWAY I PROMISE YOU LIFE IS JUST AS FUN!!!'  I'd probably have to add 'AND YOU'LL GAIN BACK LOADS OF TIME YOU DIDN'T EVEN REALISE YOU WERE WASTING' and then follow up with 'OK SO YOU MIGHT BE MORE EMOTIONAL BUT EVEN THAT FEELS RIGHT IN THE BIG PICTURE'.  By now I'd probably have a sore throat from all that yelling but I'd just have to add 'IT IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE TO LIVE WITHOUT ALCOHOL - REALLY IT IS!!!!'.

All the lucky normal drinkers wouldn't need to really respond.  But how I wish all the hundreds of other dysfunctional boozers like me would give sobriety a go.  How much happier would so many of them (and their families) be? 

Righto, time for a cup of tea after all that yelling. Bye!

Love, Mrs D xxx

13 comments:

  1. You and me two peas in a pod, or am I really just that uncool person making dumb comments ;)?

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  2. Thank you thank you thank you. Keep yelling please. I need to hear. Many need to hear.

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  3. You're a shining example Mrs D! x

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  4. i agree completely, and like you i can serve wine and buy it and not be tempted in the least. it's like a switch has been flipped that says "not going there"... and i'm not.
    and i suppose it IS easy to stop, but the deciding to stop is what takes the longest time... all the negotiating and discussion beforehand. once the decision is finally made, i'm feeling that it's relatively straightforward (at least for me, for now, fingers crossed i/we stay like this!).

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  5. Thanks, I really needed to read this. I ordered Jason Vale's book yesterday and I can't wait to get into it.
    Mate you've kicked this beast right in the wots-it. I want what you've got.

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  6. Well yelled Mrs D. I am not sure I would be where I am today without reading Jason Vales book (which I think I found on your site). He talks about the fact that he is brainwashing you into thinking of alcohol differently an whilst my initial thought was "oh yeah?" it is exactly what he does. I can't think of alcohol in the same way again. It was either him or Craig Beck that described wine as "the toxic byproduct of rotting fruit". Take that you marketeers of wine! That killed the "romance" of wine right there for me.

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  7. Thank you for inspiring me! I'm only on day 2 for the umpteenth time now and I need to read your post every day. I feel as though it is me speaking. It's been a tough long journey for me. I hope to be as strong as you one day!
    Jen

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  8. I too wish a few select others would see how much better life is without the drink. But all I can do is hope they see it in their own time, like I did. Great post!

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  9. Wow...and I mean WOW! Very inspiring and I needed that yelling. You make it seem so easy when I know it's not. Thank you for sharing this very personal part of yourself and please know that you do make an impact.

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  10. Yell it from the rooftops sister!!! :) heehe

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  11. I am so with you on the alcohol industry! Turn on the TV between the hours of 11pm and midnight and the commercials would make you believe that opening a can of budlight would transform you into a 5'10" 110lb, tanned model magically transported to a tropical island where everyone else has the same dimensions and are dancing in a huge party on the beach! I don't remember that happening last time I cracked open a beer!

    XO

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  12. I'll climb that mountaintop with you. Let's bring a megaphone.

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  13. Life IS so much better with out alcohol! It took me years to figure it out but I am totally committed now and your blog is so refreshing. Shout away Mrs D!!! xo

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