I walked through this door over four years ago. OK, not this exact door but you know what I mean. The one where alcohol no longer serves me.

No Alcohol Beyond This Point.

Hands down, the very best decision of my life.

How is that possible?

Simply because I can be…scratch that– I AM better in every area of my life without alcohol.

This is a choice that I make every day and will continue to for the rest of my life. Being on the other side of alcohol, I have personally gained so much. More than I could have ever fathomed. I also know that this isn’t for everyone. I do not judge anyone who drinks, not one bit. Believe me, I spent years enjoying beer and wine. However I came to a point where I had to stop. It is unhealthy for me. I have a story that I’ll share (likely in a book one day) but you can also always ask me. I am happy to share.

In these four plus years, I have learned a lot, a whole college education equivalent, for sure. I am stronger mentally, physically and spiritually too. So, here we go-

1. I am stronger mentally. There are no more ups and downs. No more fog, just clarity. Clarity all of the time. It is amazing. I don’t have a minute of my time to waste on being tipsy, or fuzzy or hungover. I never really realized how much time alcohol can steal. I was anxious at times and lacked confidence in certain areas and, I could have even been described as a people pleaser. Alcohol may give a temporary boost in confidence, but then I always felt a significant drop the next day. (It is a depressant.) Without alcohol, I have gained a true confidence in myself, in my abilities and can function at a high level. This is hard to describe but I can now reflect back and see with certainty that at times, my light was dimmed. It’s sad to me honestly. I want to shine bright all of the time and be able to always give my very best, no matter what I do. I care about my friends and family and they deserve me at my best, at all times.
2. I am stronger physically. I quickly adapted to a consistent workout routine and now feel off when I don’t get to move my body daily. At first, I prioritized going to barre every day on my lunchbreak and would often reward myself with a smoothie. I noticed changes pretty quickly with barre and was encouraged to keep it up. And that’s it. I just showed up. Eventually, my whole body composition changed. I have strength that I have never seen before or even knew about. We moved and I didn’t lose momentum. This is part of me now. I began teaching fitness classes a year ago. Combined, I have taught almost 100 barre and HIIT classes now, and that is no coincidence. Ditching alcohol = more energy and increased fitness. My average resting heart rate has even dropped as I am in my 40s. I feel a little sore most of the time, in the best sort of way, from working out. My goal is to be able to keep up with these boys (and their kids) until I’m 100. I don’t feel selfish taking time to myself every day. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Also, I think it is important to say that I took very small steps at first to get here. I would have never imagined that I could teach fitness classes. Now, I can’t think of many things that are just not possible.
3. I have grown spiritually. I don’t worry or fret or feel anxious. I know God is in control all of the time. I have confidence knowing that God has a plan for me and my family. As a family, we pray together and go to church every week. The boys go Wednesday nights to youth group and enjoy it. Having spiritual guidance and faith that there is something bigger than me and that I am not in control allows me to feel free from worry and burdens. I remain optimistic and try my best to look for the good in people and things and circumstances. I can move forward when bad things happen. God has a plan and he will take care of us. If you are open to it and watch, you can see Him at work in your life. I used to believe in coincidence and now I know it was meant to be. I am not perfect and fail all of the time but continue to move forward with confidence in my faith.

Quitting drinking may seem extreme or unnecessary or impossible. I thought so too. It’s at every beach vacation and every concert and even kids birthday parties and available at all hours in the airport. I see it all but choose to look the other way. Having done the work to get on the other side of it, I am happy to share how I have personally benefited, in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Josh has held my hand the entire way. He continues to be my biggest fan, best supporter and source of encouragement and life partner. We make a great team. ❤️

Thank you for reading.

Xoxo

Kim