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[quote=Anonymous]I successfully quit drinking for 6 months. Was drinking 1-4 drinks per day out of per habit and started to feel the physical and mental impact. Nothing bad ever happened but I still felt like I didn’t like the idea of this pattern continuing for the next 50 years of my life. My best strategies are:

1. Replace alcohol with a ritual that you look forward to. For me, it’s taking a bath and doing a skin care routine. For a while, I took the dog on a walk and listened to a podcast. I do this from 7:30-8:30, which is normally when I would drink.

2. Treat yourself - I decided that I was saving approximately $10/day average by not drinking. So after 30 days, I bought myself a $300 pair of shoes. Another 60 days and I treated a close friend to a spa visit and lunch. This made me feel the value in my choice.

3. Lean into nurturing your body. I find that cutting out alcohol is a snowball effect for me. I eat better, exercise more, sleep better and drink more water. I take better care of my skin because I am not falling asleep on the couch with my make up on.

4. Journal! I started taking notes of things I noticed - mostly good but also had to face some negative feelings that I was masking with wine. Re-reading my journals makes me recognize how much more whole of a person I am.

Right after 6 months, I went to a friends birthday at a winery and tasted the wines. It was super fun and I enjoyed it but I had zero interest in drinking a full glass. I still had a great time and it was my “aha!” Moment when I realized that I had broken that habit pretty well! Now I have one drink probably every 1-2 months, always in a social setting and always something really delicious and interesting. My days of just mindlessly sipping red wine by myself are over. [/quote]

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