Day 4/28

Ahh, it’s Monday, where did the Christmas break go? For many of you, like myself, that means a return to work, a return to routine and a potentially hectic Monday. How’s your sober month been so far? Have you been tempted to have a drink?

The first weekend of your first sober month can sometimes be a trying one, but if you’ve made it through, then congratulations are in order! Our weekend rituals can be hard to pass up at first, stuff like grabbing a glass of wine with your Sunday lunch or a beer to watch the footy on a Saturday almost feels natural, but we’ve learnt this behaviour so if we want to, we can also unlearn it.

I have never really been a big drinker, but I did use to binge more often than I should. I used to use alcohol as a way of “loosening up” or “becoming more social”, thinking people would like me more for who I am after a drink than who I was before. It took me a long while to realise this and I’m still not 100% comfortable with it now, I still feel like I’d need to have a drink before a date, or when I’m out with friends, but ultimately drinking alcohol would only temporarily change the version of the person I was portraying myself as. I fundamentally would not change as a person from having that drink, I am still the same person. Therefore I am confident enough to speak to people I don’t know, I am great company for my friends without touching alcohol, I am chatty enough to get through that first date without a bit of “dutch courage” beforehand.

The truth in the matter is, you’re good enough as you are, you don’t need to change for anyone. Your true friends will support you for who you choose to be, not who you think you need to change into to be part of their lives.