I am very proud to be a non-drinker. It’s revolutionised my life, for the better. Go me! But I don’t care if you are a drinker. I don’t care if you drink or don’t drink. I hang out with drinkers and non drinkers. I’m married to someone who very much likes a drink or three. But I don’t care if you prefer chablis to chardonnay. As I always say, what’s in your glass is the least interesting thing about you.
And yet, when you ditch the drink, everybody wants to tell you about their drinking. It’s as if you hold a mirror up to their choices, and they have to justify why they make the decisions they do. Listen, if you enjoy a glass of wine, or a gin and tonic, or anything at all with alcohol in…. that’s great! You don’t need my approval to make it ok.
And my beloved boozy friends know it. They cover the booze bill, and I’m included in everything they do. I went out for dinner this week and they ordered delicious wine. I’m seeing Craig David (I KNOWWW!!) this summer and they’ll be on the cider. I’m going on a group holiday and we’ll chuck some Nosecco in with the fizz. The only ‘sober tax’ I pay is doing more than my fair share of the driving, but I’m cool with that (mostly because my mates bring pic n mix).
Every now and then, a friend will reach out to me. They’ll be worried about their drinking, or their sister’s drinking. They’ll be sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. They’ll have googled ‘am I an alcoholic?’ at 2am and woken up feeling bleak. This is the point where I care what’s in your glass, and what choices you make. Because this is the point I can help. If your drinking works for you, you don’t need me. But if you think there’s a better way out there, that’s when I get involved.
Because for some of us, ditching the drink can help us in all areas of our lives. Our work life, our romantic life (and in one memorable case, a client’s sex life!), our parenting, how we process trauma and grief, and how we look after, care for and nourish ourselves. Chances are, if you have signed up for this newsletter, you’ve considered your drinking and wondered if life would be different if you ditched the drink. I’m here for that - DM me for a 30 minute chat. But please, please, please, don’t catch me in the pub, at the bar, in the restaurant, at the festival…. and tell why you’re cool about your drinking. Because if you are fine with it, so am I. And we’ve got better things to talk about.