Thoughts On Alcohol & Partying 2020
As we approach the upcoming new year, we are also on the brink of a new decade. Will anything change for you in the 2020's?
I’m sure you’ve got something on your mind as every one of us on planet earth has some area in life we can improve on.
At a time with growing access to vices I feel it is appropriate to address the topic of partying, drinking, smoking, and the accompanying activities of this lifestyle.
While regular consumption of alcohol is widely accepted on a societal level, I’ve found my experience with drinking shift over the years.
Having first started drinking liquor at the age of fifteen, it quickly became the focal point of extra-curricular activities throughout high school and my 20's.
While it is embarrassing to share, there was a time in my life where I consumed a considerable amount of liquor on my way to class in high school.
Young and dumb was definitely an understatement for me at that time.
I share that to confront the reality that many of us wrestle with vices on a personal level yet never overcome them.
We fail to overcome such obstacles because… it’s Thursday evening and happy hour at the local hangout, I can’t be the only one not drinking while everyone is having such a great time around me. I’m stressed out,so I’ll just have one drink.
Next thing we can remember is waking up feeling like we got hit over the head with a sledgehammer last night willing to trade everything just to feel sober, hydrated, headache free, and with a strong appetite again.
Thoughts like this and many others plunge a person into a perpetual cycle on repeat. It becomes like a bad rerun on TV being played over and over again.. Wait I watch Netflix, who watches regular cable anymore?
Exactly.
Things in the world around us change and continue to evolve. What’s even better than the things around us changing is when we make an internal change and evolve as a person.
We often engage in such activities on an almost auto pilot mode because of the people we surround ourselves with.
Being afraid to step away from the crowd, and step away from the familiar can cause a person to have heightened feelings of stress due to the uncertainty that comes along with such a decision.
It may sound harsh but if we really take a step back and ask ourselves; do I want to become more like the people I spend time drinking and partying with?
If the response to this came back with a yes, then proceed no further, the rest of this is not for you.
If you answered NO, preceded by an expletive of some sort then it might be time for a change.
Will it be easy? Definitely not. Probably one of the hardest things a person can do. Stepping away from the pack is never easy.
However, the rewards that await a person on the other side cannot be compared.
Waking up energized without the need to recover from last night’s hangover. No need to question whether certain purchases are valid or not on your credit card statement, plus more money in your bank account. Even without exercise a noticeable physical improvement from the mere lack of alcohol are just the tip of the iceberg.
It all starts with you. Then the people you choose to surround yourself with.
This was one of the biggest excuses I held on to for years. I hang out with such and such and we always do this or that.
This doesn’t make those friends or family bad people, it just means that you need to find something else to connect on. If you can’t find anything else to connect on other than partying, then I guess that reveals the foundation of that relationship.
There’s always a time and a place for having fun and relaxing. However, if this connects with you then it is probably for a reason. Never ignore the voice inside your head, this is your internal compass.
Still, finding and connecting with the right people. Those people who are on the same mental frequency and wavelength as you will be your ultimate key to success.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn
I am continuing to work on this area of my life daily and look forward to connecting with you.
Here’s to 2020.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
