What is your lingering belief around the benefit of alcohol…?
Now that you have some time invested in the alcohol free (AF) lifestyle, do you have any lingering beliefs around the “benefits” of alcohol use?
I have deeply reflected on this question and i challenge you to do the same.
(For the purpose of writing from a voice that doesn’t come off as an attack, I will use a lot of “I” statements in today’s post.)
Literally the only “benefit” that I still have lingering around alcohol is that it is a course of action, a method of means by which you can completely numb out and skip out on life when you can’t handle it without actually leaving the entirety of life (like an escape of reality in mental death without physical death.)
Does that sound beneficial to you?
Are you looking for an escape route to the storms of life?
So in light of examining the question from that perspective of “benefit,” my personal question of belief lingering is reframed to “is there any circumstance, point of grief, that I would consider to be “too much” to handle that I would even consider using this means of escape to endure an overwhelming feeling/circumstance?”
“Is there any circumstance that alcohol would give relief to something already bad or bring resolution to a problem?”
I don’t think so.
I know too much now about the nature of this beast…
I see no serving purpose of the use of alcohol.
I no longer see not drinking alcohol as any sort of deprivation from fun, friends or participation in life…
I see it as an inhibitor to living with purpose in my life.
I view alcohol as a detriment to my body, mind/soul and a wipeout to my spirit – a disqualifier to a fully functioning, happy, intential life.
(I love life too much to not want to be a part of it. I want to actively take part in all of life – the good, the bad and the ugly.)
Status of mindset…have you checked in with your deeper level thinking?
Having that mindset and now understanding of alcohols influence and control, I ask myself the deeper questions, “is there anything that bad that I would risk/trade my quality of life for a “drink?”
“Will a lapse in non-use bring any ‘benefit’ to my life or relief in a situation of grief?”
No…I realize that alcohol only delays our emotions, stunts our emotional and spiritual growth and gives away power to manage life on life’s terms.
I have taken away the power of idolizing the “benefit”of alcohol.
I no longer see its value or worth.
I equate the “bottle” to a narcissistic lover…and with the grasp of understanding alcohols persuasion via gaslighting, love bombing allure, I continue to ask myself, “is there any lingering belief in me that would see bringing alcohol back into my life as benefit any more than I would a toxic relationship?”
What are your thoughts on a scenario that would prescribe alcohol use for benefit?
The only thing that I can come up with is that it would have to be a situation where I would feel so overwhelmed that I would need to mentally prohibit any capacity for feeling…
And understanding that lingering belief… I propose to myself the reminder that there is no benefit to blacking out from life…
Hiding under an umbrella during the storm or dancing in the rain?
Even if I were to momentarily retrieve from life and take refuge behind the avoidant indulgence of a drunk, is that the trigger/event/circumstance and feelings (provoked from the trigger) going to go away just because of the act of mental escapism…
NO.
Are you willing to dance in the rain during the storms of life?
So I ask myself “is the ‘benefit’ of a momentary retreat worth going through…just to again awaken to the circumstance that would be consideration for using alcohol?”
I can’t think of any such circumstance that would deem alcohol use as a “benefit”… but life is tough and I don’t pridefully take stance that there is not opportunity for fall…
Storms do come in to life. We should be aware of the forecast and prepare for the predictions of stormy weather.
Yes, I have to be willing to remain vulnerable and realize that since I thought the thought, there is opportunity for action upon the thought upon right conditions.
I keep it in my awareness so that I remain clear and understanding that a short term, quick fix is only a Band-Aid for life, with the possibility of infection for a life wound…
And I accept the awareness that somewhere deep in my mind I still reserve alcohol as a knockout for participation in life…
Dance in the rain when the storm comes into your life.
So with guard around my heart (mind/soul), with the check in question asked, I realize it is my self obligation to move from just daily understanding that alcohol has no point or purpose in my life to 100% internally accepting that there is nothing in life that I want to feel like I can’t walk out and/or manage without alcohol.
Are you confident in life without the use of alcohol?
The turnaround is I am capable, confident in myself to manage life and that the solvent of alcohol will never solve any ugly feeling or bring hope to any overwhelming circumstance.
⚠️ As always, LivingOUTLoud Life encourages you in your own journey of self exploration and reflection of the use of alcohol in your life. This post is to encourage you to take a deeper self reflection of your belief system. It is a God-given right to exercise FREE WILL. It is a God-given duty to examine our thoughts and test the spirit.