When the Booze Soaked World is In Your Face…
Sometimes itโs just in my face a whole lot more. You know… the fact that I live in a booze soaked world. Some days itโs just more evident than at other times.
Most days I get to potter about my community, interact with my friends, spend time online, look after my kids, and feel normal and content. Not have it rammed home to me that a huge bunch of my fellow humans do something I donโt.
These days are great.
Then there are other days…
Other days Iโll be slammed with images of boozy parties on Facebook, watch TV programmes full of people drinking, hear stories of people I know celebrating and getting drunk, or have houseguests around who like to tipple at 5pm. These are the days when I get reminded that unfortunately at this point in time there are more people on the planet who drink alcohol than there are people who are sober, and Iโm in a minority.
These days can be hit or miss.
Sometimes I can handle it fine and just shrug off the booziness without letting it get to me. If Iโm in a good phase of life, feeling happy and strong and firing on all cylinders then Iโm like, โSo others are drinking – whatevs.โ
But if my mood happens to be low when the booziness gets in my face then Iโll probably get a bit bummed out. If Iโm hormonal or something bad has gone down or Iโve been a bit bored and scratchy lately then having the boozy stuff appear will sting just that little bit more. And Iโll be like, โAm I boring? Am I missing out? Am I secretly losing at life?โ
Two Variables…
Thereโs two variables here. The variable of whether the booziness of the world is in my face or not. And the variable of how Iโm feeling inside of myself at any given time.
Only one of those variables I have control over. And only one of those variables matters.
What matters is how Iโm feeling inside myself. Itโs doesnโt matter what the rest of the world is doing. The world does what the world does. I need to just do me.So if Iโm noticing boozy parties on Facebook and realize Iโm feeling a bit stung by that I wonโt spend time or energy wishing things were different. Instead Iโll look at myself and question whatโs going on for me. Iโll recognize that Iโm not feeling strong and good, and Iโll do something about that.
Is Everyone Partying But Me?
I wonโt rail against the state of the world or worry that everyone else is partying without me. Iโll recognize that I need to be kind to myself and perhaps up my self care a little. Iโll do some at-home yoga (yes, I have become that person) or Iโll go out and buy myself some ridiculously expensive herbal tea or Iโll force myself into nature, or Iโll simply send myself some love and compassion and sweet messages that say โyouโre ok, youโll lift up again, things ebb and flow, donโt worry about whatโs going on out thereโ.
And sure enough I do lift up again. And the next time I see a boozy party on Facebook I donโt care a jot. Because really, who cares what others are doing with their lives? I know what Iโm doing with mine.
Iโm being brave and amazing and staying sober forever. Thatโs what.
