Why I stopped drinking alcohol

27 impactful reasons

Here’s some reasons why I stopped drinking. These were written over 10 years ago, way before I actually decided to quit drinking. But the truth is, it’s important to keep your reasons — they become your motives. Whether they’re irrelevant now or not isn’t important, I felt the at the time and making this sort of list was important — and it might be important for anyone whose considering quitting alcohol too. How is alcohol actually affecting your life? Can you be honest about its impact?

1. So that when I get a weekend off, I really do get a weekend off where I can relax — not one where I worry about having to go back to work tired on the Monday. Maybe this will always happen, but I want to know I’ve done everything I can to rest.
2. So that I can be at home at 10 o’clock at night on a Sunday and have the want and will to do the things that need to be done before the Monday comes. Maybe even earlier.
3. So that if I feel like going to a pub anywhere I like, I can, and then I can drive home without worrying about being over the limit.
4. So that I can have an event planned early on a Sunday Morning and not have to be pissed-off that I can’t drink the night before.
5. So that I can go and do a 60-mile cycle ride without the need to drink 5 pints to celebrate it after and wake up feeling like shit; rather than satisfied.
6. When I am on a tight budget, I can make sure that there is enough there for the important things.
7. When things hurt, I can feel the pain. I won’t need to mask it, it means that I can deal with the pain rather than blocking it out.
8. I don’t feel tired anymore. I look on the train and see those who are struggling to keep their eyes open and it’s not me.
9. You drink to fill time, when you stop it takes you a while to figure out what you are supposed to do with that time; once you figure it out though it is like being reborn.
10. I can start to do the things that I want to do in life; the things I usually reserve for telling people when I am little pissed. I’ve found true confidence.
11. I don’t need to escape anymore; I understand that no rest or new world will ever be found at the bottom of a bottle; the world I want is here. It is made as it is and as much as I think it should be changed, I will never change it.
12. I have to create my own challenges in life: Things such as getting up, making a coffee and eating breakfast are no longer challenges to me.
13. Sometimes I really don’t know; it is hard, but imagine how hard it would be if I was drinking, I would just want another one.
14. So that I can get out of debt.
15. So I can stop being an idiot.
16. So I can find a girlfriend I like! Not one that just seems to be there.
17. It took a while to get to this one but; I don’t have hangovers anymore.
18. I can wake up smiling.
19. The day is the day — no need to get away.
20. There is less recycling.
21. I save money so that I can buy nice food instead.
22. So that I don’t drink to stop my mind thinking of the things it doesn’t want to think about.
23. So I could give up smoking; they go together, you know they do.
24. I am a nicer person to such an extent that people are surprised by who they see; no I am sober enough to set about trying to regain everyone’s trust again.
25. I don’t have to think when my next release is going to be; I no longer need to release.
26. I am not miserable; nor do I impose such misery on others.
27. So that I can respond to people in kind way.

On my journey to becoming an artist and thoroughly enjoying the ups and downs. Visit my website & sign up to my newsletter to be kept up to date on my upcoming exhibitions and launches.