From our lovely contributors at This Mom Shit is HARD! Check out the harrowing tale of one mother's sobriety over 90 days
Let me tell you, 2017 was a year. My hubby battled some health stuff, he quit his job, my dad died, my work life was a total roller coaster…and for a woman who normally can handle stress, this year I didn’t even do that well. I ate too much. I drank too much. I exercised too little, and boy, did I feel it – yuck. So, like the rest of the world, I kicked off 2018 with a pledge to eat better, drink less and exercise more. More veggies – yes please! 10,000 steps – get it done! More water – on it. The biggest challenge though….I planned to quit drinking for 90 days. Yep, alcohol-free, 90 days sans cocktails, sans vino, sans it all. Here’s how it went.
Day 1 – We wrapped up 2017 with a bang – eating and drinking more than we should have. And despite sleeping in, I was beat. But I had a resolution to get to and I was ready. Bring it 2018 – I can do this!!! All was going well and then the invite to hang out with friends on New Years Day, the same friends who we drink with all the time. My first test; deep breath…I can do this!
And you know what? I did. “Dry January?” I was asked repeatedly, all with that sympathetic, questioning look in their eyes. Apparently, Dry January is a thing – who knew? I finally just started answering, “Yeah, something like that.” Trust me, it wasn’t easy watching the wine poured over and over and over and over again. But watch I did, and that’s what matters! One day down…
Day 2 – It was back to work and the daily grind. The day at work was of course, easy…well, at least from the drinking perspective. But once I got home, it was irritation city from there. All of my boys had the day off, but yet nothing was done about dinner. Oh, and they all took a nap – arrrrrggghhhh! Breathe. Then came the text from my BFF, “Anyone want to meet for a glass of wine?”
Yep, sure do, except I’m not drinking. Met her anyway, had soda water with a splash of cranberry – it was no Cosmopolitan, but not too bad. Two days down, 88 to go.
Day 3 – Soccer night – still in my work clothes well after 7:00, we decided to grab a quick dinner with friends at the neighborhood Mexican joint. So there it was, staring me in the face, again, alcohol.
