Hey

I thought I would share a short story with you this week on why I gave up alcohol.

"I wanted to give up alcohol, but I always found it challenging to do so because of social pressure.

Growing up in a culture that involved binge drinking most weekends and being around a social group that participated in it was hard.

I enjoyed it in my early 20s, but after the age of 23, I was on a path to ditch it completely.

However, this took me 20 years to learn how to be myself when not drinking on a night out.

I wondered how I could remain sober and still be confident when talking to women, being the life and soul of the party.

Plus, I had to figure out how to navigate my social group when they asked, "Neil, why are you not drinking?"

This journey was rough at times.

I was being pulled from left to right between the person I wanted to become and the person everyone knew me to be.

When I gave in to social pressure and drank, I felt good in the moment but depressed for a week. The day after, I would beat myself up for being hungover and feeling terrible, often forgetting I might have had a fun time the night before.

This cycle continued for the most part of my late 20s and early 30s and only changed because:

I decided to confront the biggest thing holding me back—my self-confidence.

Alcohol had always been a tool for me to become a totally different person—one I liked and one I hated at times.

But, it wasn't until I decided to head out on my own and expose myself to social environments while completely sober that I started to grow.

I soon realised I could talk to strangers, dance, and have lots of fun without alcohol, which gave me even more confidence.

Dancing sober was like a rush of adrenaline, being in the moment, and having a great time.

Over time, I kept exploring this side of myself until I became so comfortable with the man I was when sober that it was who I became.

Three years on, I am more excited about the person I can become while sober rather than missing the person I once was when I used to drink.

So, if you are someone who might like to drink less or stop completely:

Don't expect a smooth ride, but that is also okay.

The lessons you will learn along the way will make you stronger and more resilient, allowing you to proudly say, "I'm a happier person" when the next person asks you, "Why do you not drink?"

Thanks for reading, if you want the full story then click the link here to watch "Why I Quit Alcohol" over on my YouTube Channel.

Finally, don't forget to follow us on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok if you want to keep up to date with all that is going on in the world of Damerell Coaching!

Enjoy, Neil Damerell