The Benefits of Going Alcohol Free for 30 Days

I used to consider myself a regular drinker. Currently I am 61 years old and typically would have at least a drink or two each night and more on the weekends.

I always loved the feeling of having a few drinks and it’s something that my wife and I would share on a regular basis.

Then again, there are times I think that drinking alcohol would get the best of me.

Negatives of drinking alcohol

1. Quickly agitated even when it comes to minor issues at home and at work.
2. Groggy head in the morning.
3. Looking forward, even early in the day, to that 1st drink at night.
4. Dark circles and wrinkles under my eyes, particularly obvious in the mornings.
5. A puffiness in my face and belly due to the extra calories.
6. Dependence on a substance to feel good in life.

So those are a few of the negatives of alcohol as it pertains to me. I am not an alcoholic although I did have a parent who probably would have been considered one. So I certainly recognize that the dependence on drinking alcohol to feel good probably runs in my family.

My children have never really seen me drunk in such a way that I don’t know what I am doing and don’t have some control over my actions. I never want my kids to be disappointed in me but I don’t think that’s why I don’t get rip-roaring drunk. I just have always had control when I reach a certain point and don’t go past it.

I’m lucky in that I can recognize that point when there really is no benefit to continue drinking. I’ll either just stop drinking at that point or drink water. I do pride myself in having some control but I don’t like the fact that sometimes I feel like I need to drink to feel good.

So I joined the 30 Day No Alcohol Challenge. James Swanwick is the founder and he truly has helped a lot of people who have a dependency on alcohol or just want to go alcohol free for a month or longer. I joined the Facebook Group and decided to take the challenge.

So, what was really my goal in going alcohol free for 30 days? I guess I wanted to prove to myself that I could do without a dependency on alcohol for 30 days.

But, to be honest, I knew that I could so it was more of experiencing the benefits of an alcohol-free existence. I’m not sure if 30 days is long enough to experience the full benefits, but that was what I was willing to do.

I completed the challenge successfully.
So what were the benefits of going alcohol free?

Emotional Benefits

1. I felt liberated! I learned that I am not dependent on alcohol to feel good about myself.
2. Actually preferred myself sans alcohol and felt better and better each day I was off alcohol.
3. More appreciative of the life that I have instead of trying to find problems with that life.
4. My level of agitation was noticeably lower when it came to my job and home life.
5. My relationship with my wife was better even though she continued to drink over that 30 day period.
6. I became more productive at work and with my around-the-house activities.

Physical Benefits

7. My sleep was much deeper with less interruptions.
8. Dark circles under my eyes became increasingly lighter and are much less noticeable.
9. My energy levels were significantly up.
10. Felt more refreshed after a night’s sleep which added to my energy level.
11. Stomach was significantly flatter than before the challenge.

Since taking the challenge which was completed roughly 10 days ago, I have been able to control my drinking habits. I guess the most important thing for me is that I know I feel a whole lot better when alcohol is not playing a large role in my life, as it was before the challenge. I found a great non-alcoholic alternative called Hop from Lagunitas as you can see below. I think it helps to have great alternatives to alcohol. It helped me get through the challenge.

I’d like to thank James Swanwick and his 30 Day No Alcohol Challenge Facebook Group for supporting me for those 30 days of no alcohol. I know that he is changing lives with this challenge and with his Project 90 initiative which is an extension of the 30 Day challenge where members will stay alcohol-free for 90 days and beyond.

No matter what your current relationship with alcohol is, you cannot go wrong if you decide to take the challenge yourself. I did and it changed my life for the better! If you need some more motivation, this article will show you what your liver could look like after years of heavy drinking.

I’d welcome any comments you may have in the section below or you are welcome to get in touch with me at my Contact Me page.