3 Important Things Alcohol Makes Us Forget

I’ll be ok. I just need a drink. Does this sound familiar?

When we surround ourselves with alcohol and use it liberally in our everyday lives, it’s so easy to lose touch with the reality of life.

Ironically, we often think that we drink because we are connected to our reality and that we have problems and stresses that can only be fixed by savouring that oh-so-forgiving glass of wine, beer or whiskey.

The truth is so different.

I’ve come to realise that in life, perspective is everything.

Being able to see the bigger picture by stepping away from your current situation is an art form to be cultivated and mastered. But it’s the one thing you cannot do when you’re in a codependent relationship with alcohol because alcohol will not let you.

Fact: Alcohol is a downer, and it slows down your senses and body functions.

Don’t go thinking you’re a unicorn and this kinda shit doesn’t happen to you. It does, but your perception is skewed. As a result, we forget 3 important things about life:

Pain Is Part of the Human Condition

We don’t live in a utopia. Not now, not in the past, and we probably never will. Pain is a natural part of life. Going through pain doesn’t make you a failure, a bad person, or somehow imperfect. It just makes you human.

Pain is something we humans have to experience, learn from, and manage how we respond to. It is part of our essential being.

Suffering pain is one of the things that makes us human. Without pain, Buddha would never have written his teachings.

Alcohol numbs that pain and keeps us trapped in a spiral of negativity.

When we drink we hide from our pain and never develop the skills we need to deal with our emotional baggage. We spend so much time squashing emotions with alcohol we never learn how to live a healthy, emotionally sane life.

As Dr. Joe Dispenza says,

“If you want a new outcome, you will have to break the habit of being yourself, and reinvent a new self.”

You can do this. Millions of people have followed this advice and changed their lives.

The next time you’ve got a problem or you’re upset about something, don’t reach for that glass of wine. Stop, breathe, feel the anxiety and then start asking yourself better questions, like how can I…..?

This will help you to break the cycle of being the person who drinks and runs from problems and change into a person who has skills they can use to solve problems.

Negativity Is Infectious

You are what you think.

“Your thoughts are incredibly powerful. Choose yours wisely.”

― Joe Dispenza, You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter

I’ve read a lot about mindset, changing your habits and changing your beliefs, including books from the giants like Dr. Joe Dispenza and neuroscientist Andrew Huberman.

One thing that the ancients agreed on and that modern science has now confirmed to be the case, is that your thoughts influence and create your reality.

Here’s the kicker; alcohol is a poison for your body and a suppressant for your brain. In other words, it’s a downer, which is why in elite party circles a few drinks were often followed by a few lines of cocaine, an upper used to counteract the dark side of alcohol.

Where you place your attention is where you are going to be in life. If your attention is always on problems and alcohol, then that’s exactly where you will stay. Nothing will change.

Negative minds attract negative situations.

We all have problems, we all experience pain, which is why it’s important to develop good life skills. We can start by remaining positive yet realistic.

There is always a solution to your problems. It may not be the one you want but it will be a solution.

The key is to take a step back and shift your perspective and make a plan. Believe it or not, there is a simple well-documented technique you can use to help you shift your perspective and see the bigger picture.

What is the technique?

Go outdoors into nature. Find yourself a wide open space or a forest with big trees. This helps our brain gain perspective.

If you want to learn more about their philosophies use my link to Scribd and get 60 days free access to a treasure trove of books and audios.

The Gift of Pain

With all pain, there is a silver lining.

The problem is we have been conditioned to focus on the pain and all the problems it brings. We end up being a victim of pain instead of recognising that life is all about experiencing and learning.

It’s difficult to see a silver lining when you’ve drunk so much alcohol you can’t even see straight.

If we were sensible, we would all have quit drinking after our first hangover.

I remember being so drunk on my 18th birthday; I had to be sent home from work. Yes, in those days it was normal to have a drink at lunchtime. I was taken down the pub and plied with alcohol. I couldn’t stand up let alone work.

A boyfriend of mine had to come and collect me and take me home. I was put to bed and spent the evening vomiting in a bowl. I was so ill.

This was accepted as normal behaviour. I was told I would just have to get used to it and be more careful next time, and so my drinking career began in earnest.

What should’ve happened is my mom and dad should have been so outraged that they gave me a stern dressing down. But as my mother was rather too fond of the drink and was frequently hung over, she clearly felt it wasn’t her place to say anything like that.

Even though I was in physical pain and I was embarrassed by my actions at work. I didn’t learn from my mistake because society said it was ok to get drunk, make a fool of yourself and embarrass yourself on your birthday. It was a celebration and everyone had to celebrate with alcohol.

I didn’t learn from any of this. I went on to have a long and unhealthy, toxic relationship with alcohol.

Thankfully my drinking days are over and I want to do my best to help others have freedom from booze.

Final Thoughts

When we lose our connection to pain, we also lose our connection to our moral compass and our self-respect.

Pain is there as a reminder to help us to understand that there is something out of balance. If you’re having relationship problems, getting drunk and sleeping with some random person is not going to make the problem better.

It’s our choice what we do with our suffering. We can choose to make it count for something or we can waste the lesson.

Spending a bit of time reviewing your life choices is a good way to start making a positive change. When we can look at our actions from a sober perspective, we can make better, more informed decisions.

“A memory without the emotional charge is called wisdom.”

― Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

The big booze companies don’t want you to learn anything. They need you to keep buying their products so the fat cats at the top get fatter.

Your government isn’t going to save you. Most of them are still saying it’s ok to drink, which is complete and utter nonsense.

Bleach has a warning label on it and a child-proof cap because it burns your stomach if you drink it. Alcohol causes cancer, destroys your organs, hijacks your brain, alters your emotional mood and prevents your body from functioning normally and yet the only thing the label focuses on is the alcoholic strength!

IT’S UP TO YOU TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR DRINKING HABITS.

Give up worrying about the past. Forgive yourself, learn the lessons, make a plan and move forward, just like a frog. Frogs never jump backward; they only go forward. Take that leap of faith, stay sober and build a better life.

Join the sober revolution and reclaim your power!

Live Strong, Love & Stay Sober