Many people have successfully quit drinking. For some it is a lifelong fight to stay away from the bottle and some can finish their last sip and walk away from it forever.  Regardless, quitting drinking alcohol certainly has it benefits.

1. Better Sleep

Once you get over the initial shock to the system (usually just a couple bad nights), your body will eventually get back into the habit of going to sleep without the aid of alcohol.  Remember when you were a child and you didn’t need a drink to go to sleep.  With a little practice and patience you can get your body and mind back on track and you will begin your alcohol free journey one restful sleep at a time.

2. Weight Loss

With any lifestyle change the results won’t be immediate. But if you stick with it you should notice your clothes fitting a bit nicer and your waistline shrinking a bit.  The feeling of feeling good is contagious.  The better you look, the better you feel and the better you feel, the better your life can be.

I will mention the balancing act that your body goes through when it comes to sugar craving.  I can’t explain why it happens but it is a thing and just be prepared for it. Remember to reward yourself with a little sweet treat. You have earned it!

3. Your Feelings

Alcohol is excellent at numbing you.  It is really good to celebrate with and equally good at drowning your sorrows with. You will notice once you choose the life as a teetotaler you will feel everything.

You will feel happiness, you will feel worry and of course you will feel sadness.  These emotions often get masked by consuming booze but when you are sober you really ‘feel’.  This can often be a problem for some people.  It can be pretty raw at times and it really takes some getting used to.  Again, these emotions are not a negative thing it just takes some practice getting the hang of it.

4. Your Friends

You know the guy at the end of the bar, that sat and talked with you for hours, you might not see him much anymore.  The cute bartender who you flirted with, well she still has her regulars to make her tips from.

The friends that stick with you, called, texted or stopped by to support you those are the keepers.  When those people, the people who don’t care if you sit and keep them company drinking or tip them well. Those are your friends.  Stick with them.  You find out who your friends are, you might lose a few along the way but they weren’t worth keeping anyways.

5. Yourself

The best benefit that quitting drinking alcohol is you get to be yourself.  No more hangovers. No more bad sleeps, no more drinker remorse, no more excuses.  You can mean what you say.  You can say what you mean.  Only truth.  It is the most powerful feeling anyone can experience.  You being you, not drunk you, or party you.  Just you.  People want just you. You should want just you.

My wife and I created Designated Drinks to have fun exploring the non-alcoholic beverage world and also share our story along the way. We want you all to know if you are are part of a AA program or other self help program and you don’t feel comfortable trying one of our drinks.

Don’t… it’s not worth it. Keep doing what works for you.