5 Hacks I Used to Quit Alcohol for 90 Days
After sharing all the benefits I experienced while giving up alcohol for 90 days, I got tons of feedback from readers wanting to know exactly how I gave up the cold one’s cold turkey. As I mentioned in my previous post, I sort of stumbled into giving up alcohol. My social life (probably like yours) disappeared during the pandemic. I wasn't exactly motivated to "party it up" while hanging out at my family's home in Virginia. But as more and more people get vaccinated, promising the slow return to the social lives we knew, offering the advice “move out of New York” probably won’t fly for you. Luckily, there’s more to share since my success over 90 days depended more on making a choice and adopting strategies to reinforce it. That’s what I’m talking about here!
1 | I Set a Timeframe of 90 Days
Yes, I gave up alcohol for 90 days by giving up alcohol for 90 days. Too obvious? Let me explain.
Once I had a couple of weeks of "dry living" under my belt, I got to thinking. I liked the way I felt. I was curious if I would continue to like the way I felt. I knew, however, that saying I was giving up alcohol for the rest of my life would immediately cause me to think only about drinking. Even just saying that I would be dry for the rest of the year was too big of a commitment.
We all remember March 2020. There was so much up in the air, and I (like many others) just didn’t feel comfortable with committing to a major life change. I was living through one! So I settled on 90 days because it was a sizeable chunk of time that didn’t feel like an eternity. Ultimately, I think this was why I was successful. I knew that I would allow myself to resume drinking by the summer with no worries if that's what I wanted. The takeaway? Don't make grand, sweeping changes that might pressure you to the point of feeling overwhelmed.
2 | I Didn’t Tell People
The fact that I had taken a personal no-alcohol-for-90-days oath wasn't exactly a secret, but it wasn’t something I advertised either. If I had, I might have been answering a million questions about how many days it had been, what I was doing to keep busy, and how I felt. Constantly talking about not drinking would have made me constantly think about, you guessed it, drinking. Ultimately, I knew how the inside of my own head works enough to know that I didn't need to make this a big public thing that I shared all over social media. I didn't even mention it to friends I spoke with almost every day. This was me against me only.
3 | I Faked It During Zoom Happy Hour
Yes, I was invited to Zoom happy hours with work friends. Yes, I held up my cup and sipped along. No, the cup didn't have any alcohol in it. I share this point because I could have easily justified pouring a glass during these online celebrations because I was so tired after working such a long week. The peer pressure of everyone else unwinding and bonding over a drink definitely made it tempting to just say that I "deserved" one too. However, just staying true to my word gave me a boost to keep going.
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4 | I Took Some Pictures
I'm fully aware of how vain I might seem by giving this hack, but I’ve got to be honest about how I made it through those 90 days. If you read my blog about 10 things that happened when I quit alcohol for 90 days, you know that going 90 days without alcohol made me look better. A lot better!
I noticed immediately that my skin was suddenly clear, bright, and hydrated. All the bags that I thought were just permanent, adult features were gone. I also had my longest "clear streak" without a breakout since I was in high school. I realized that this is what I was supposed to look like. Alcohol is a toxin that wreaks all kinds of havoc on the skin. By giving up alcohol, I was giving my skin the proper care it needed.
Alcohol also negatively impacts physical fitness. This fact might explain why I also got in better physical shape after quitting. I had much more definition than I had seen in a while, even though I'm a pretty extreme workout loyalist.
Why am I telling you all of this? As I said, I took some pictures. I took pictures of how great I looked to remind myself how it looks and feels to be in peak condition. When I felt the urge to give in, I pulled the photos up on my phone to remind myself of what I'd be giving up. Seeing myself looking radiant and healthy also served as a visual reminder of how much healthier I was on the inside too.
5 | I Recommitted Every Morning
While I tried not having every waking thought focused on the fact that I had committed to a 90-day no-alcohol plan, I still wanted to put out that intention every day. If you've participated in my Team Sunrisers Club, you already know how important those first few minutes of your morning are for setting up a day of success and momentum. Using that major push that I get every day from my powerhouse morning routine, I took just a few seconds to mentally recommit to my 90-day alcohol-free plan.
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