theposterboy

I used to drink all the time—at home when I was bored, out with co-workers after work, heavily on the weekends, and in general way too much! I’ve been wanting to change for quite a few months now, but my previous attempts have not worked out, mostly because there’s always a good excuse to just wait a bit more before quitting drinking (or cutting back). There will always be another birthday party or holiday or celebration coming up so you’ll think “well I have to drink there so I’ll wait until after that to do anything”... and then after that there’s another celebration coming up and so on. Once I got out of that mindset, it made things sooo much easier…

I haven’t had anything to drink for almost a month. I had been drinking a lot before that, both socially and also when bored, etc. but it wasn’t too hard to quit. I just decided one day that I wouldn’t drink at all for at least a month. The idea being to see what life is like without alcohol and also to find other things to fill my time (when I’m bored) when I’d usually just drink.

I think not drinking benefits every aspect of life. For one, I probably have a few hundred dollars extra each month that I would have spent on drinks. Then there’s the health benefits of not drinking. I have certain medical conditions and really shouldn’t be drinking at all. I’m hoping those conditions will improve. I also should lose weight because of this (another one of my 43 things). Both from the calories I’m not consuming from alcohol and also much less “drunk eating” i.e. McDonald’s and other crappy food.

I don’t think it’s been long enough to see a huge change in things, but I’m hoping that in another month or so I will notice the changes more.

I am not planning to quit forever, but I think quitting for a month (and possibly extending that to 3 months) is a good thing to do (at least for me) to see how life is without alcohol, and also to exercise self-discipline by not drinking.

Just in case I’m making it sound like it’s super easy—it’s not… There are always people that expect you to drink so I have had to learn to refuse those (saying that it’s for medical reasons works great). I also still go out on the weekends to clubs etc. but with the right mindset I am still able to dance and have a great time without alcohol (and as an added bonus, I remember the whole night!). I just have fun watching drunk people. :)

My ultimate goal, after giving this up for a few months, is to go back to drinking again, but at a much more moderate level. Some wine with dinner sometimes, and a few (but not too many!) drinks some weekends or at parties, etc. With the way it’s gone so far, and with the support of some friends, I am very confident that I can accomplish this, and in a few months will be writing my “How I Did It” entry. :)

Unfortunately this needs to be added as a recurring goal, every month or so. Even after a week or so after a new install my system is already breaking.

Saving $$$ for a mac, but that’s another goal. :)

I’ve been in a constant battle with depression/sadness for a long time now. It’s affected my jobs, my relationships with family, friends, and partners, my schoolwork (ended up dropping out of university, temporarily), and pretty much every area of my life. I’ve had very low periods in my life, a few kinda good periods, but generally it’s just coasting through life.

I am on anti-depressants which I think are helping. I had some major issues related to my self and identity and accepting certain things about myself (i.e. being gay), as well as talking to other people about it. I have worked through a lot of these things and I definitely feel better these days than I did, say, a year ago.

Right now I have a steady job that pays the bills, and I enjoy my work and the people I work with. I still somehow manage to be broke all the time, but that’s just poor management, and another one of my “43 Things” goals.

I still feel lost in life, see the goal “decide what the hell I would like to do with the rest of my life”... I want to go back to school, but I don’t know what for, and I am also afraid that I will fail at it again. I know that I have the brain to do it, but depression likes to get in the way all too often.

I think I have been on the way to “beating my depression”—well, I don’t think it will ever be gone completely, but I am learning how to deal with it and not affect me as much as it did before.

A few things I have done or are in the process of doing that definitely help:
– Being open about my feelings, mostly with my significant other, but also…
– Seeking help, from my family doctor, as well as (in the past) a psychologist and psychiatrist.
– Actually having a job and keeping it for a while. This gets rid of a lot of money related stresses that can lead to depressing feelings. I haven’t had to ask my parents for money for a long time…
– Exercising. I’ve been going to the gym, still pretty sporadically but aiming for at least 3 times/week.

I still have a lot to work on, but this is a start!