Happy 2020! I hope the holidays were good to you and your loved ones. May this new year and decade be off to a healthy start.
Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with a group of women led by therapist to discuss the book, “Can I Keep Drinking?” by Cyndi Turner. This sober curious book club meeting was truly a gift and it made discussing a daunting topic a whole heap of fun.
The contents of the book leads a person to examine their relationship with alcohol by using tools, checklists and quizzes. You ultimately answer the question: can I keep drinking? The author does a brilliant job of writing about a hard topic without making it feel like you are being lectured. I felt as if I were chatting with a girlfriend over coffee at a local coffee shop. Great information is shared along side some humorous bits.
One of the author’s requests/suggestions is to not drink for FOUR months before you even make the decision to not drink or practice moderation. Yes, FOUR WHOLE months. You read that correctly. 🙂
The purpose for this length of time versus the traditional 30 days is that within a four month period, one will experience more discomfort and begin to understand triggers and patterns. A sober curious being will be able to examine why he/she turns to alcohol in the first place (be it emotional, a habit, a crutch, or physical craving.) The gift is that during this time, a person will be able to gain good perspective, identify problems, and work to develop coping skills. Cheers to all of the work!
To make this four month timeframe seem a a little more “fun”, I decided to label each month as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. Surely, we can all understand and relate to these labels.
Presently, I am in my “Freshman” month. It has been only 14 days into this process that I am choosing to do in effort to see where it leads me. If you have been following along since last June, you know I have ebbed and flowed through different phases of giving up alcohol. Given I have been at the start before, it doesn’t seem so hard right now. The rubber will meet the road in the coming months as I experience different trips and holidays without consuming alcohol. My goal is to complete all four months and my intention is to share what I learned and have experienced along the way. The greatest challenge will be getting through spring break in April. My daughter and I go to France. Hmmmmm. I am going to France to eat cheese, crepes, macaroons, bread and not consume wine? It seems criminal to me, but that is the plan.
So, here we go. Check back at the end of each month to see how it goes and maybe I will even have a tip to share with you. In the meantime, I will be sharing what other books this amazing book club is reading. Good times, even if sober, are ahead. Have a super good day and know that I am sending you love.
