For those of us, I’m gonna kick the drink wannabes, our first week off of the sauce is the toughest – so they say.
As I reflect on that perception, I’m wondering if it is true or not?
I tried a few hot tips this week, and so far so good.
I chose to jump in on the challenge and drink water instead of beer. Since the end of the month of January felt too far off on a blurry-like horizon, I set mini-milestones instead.
It was important to focus on the now. And, the water seemed like a clear choice for me, good for me as well.
Tip # 1 – Find a replacement beverage of choice.
Water is clearly a good choice.
Oh, and, of course, kicking the drink also included wine, or any other form of alcohol (except Kombucha, which has tiny traces of it, cut me some slack…it is negligible and you can’t drink a lot of it otherwise you have other problems, involving spending way too much time in the bathroom…again, beside the point).
AND true to my nature, an over-achieving self, I also gave up Tostitos bite-size – delectable, crunchy, little rounds of heaven, for my salt craving mouth– chips.
The partially eaten bag is still sitting in the pantry, with a mega-sized lock and key clip on it.
I think it feels lonely in there. I don’t stop to ask. I just glance at my old dear friends, when I grab and return the oatmeal container at warp speed in the morning.
As I reflect, yeah…the chips are harder to resist than the alcohol. Friends like to cling together.
Now the faint image of the chips jailed in the pantry will just have to do for me now.
I think one always encouraged the other, which is in positive terms called Habit Stacking.
Tip # 2 Frame A Habit Stack – If I want to drink less [Current Habit], I will eat this first [Habit I need].
Problem is, I didn’t really need the salty chips. I didn’t set myself up for success in my stacking method. And I’m pretty sure a can of Pringle Chips wouldn’t have worked any better, no matter how neatly they stack.
I think consuming chips was positive because the purpose of the chips was to soak up the beer, but that’s just me. And beside the point.
Back to the first week of Dry January. How did it go? Let me reflect.
I started out all alone in the journey with a glass of water by my side. I do love water, so the taste is good and refreshing. But, since I didn’t consult Mr. first, and he isn’t fond of New Years’ resolutions, I didn’t force the idea on him.
I continued on, going solo for the effort.
Whatever…we’re all still enjoying the arrival of the 3-D printer. It has been a fun distraction, that’s for sure!
Tip # 3 – Dopamine drives the motivation to act.
As the week unfolded, and the nights continued to produce way better sleep sessions, things have brightened up a bit.
I feel less foggy, that’s for sure. And that helps with the dopamine fix. I anticipate waking up clear in the morning because I didn’t have a drink before bed.
I’m able to reflect a bit more on things with a clearer head. I climbed into the top of this week feeling refreshed and ready to keep going. That’s a good thing, I think. Mondays are normally a dreaded day.
I drink water with meals, therefore, not to anticipate the beer. After dinner, instead of the chips for dessert, I either have a Kombucha every other day or a cup of evening tea.
I had a bottle of Humm Hopped Grapefruit – which, by the way, is interestingly dangerous – it tastes like seasonal hoppy beers that I’ve been known in the past to enjoy. Not so sure, that’s a good thing or not?
We even started our own batch of Kombucha…a future post brewing along with it, we’re checking into how to make flavored versions, hops included…SIGH…
Tip # 4 – “It’s the anticipation of a reward – not the fulfillment of it that gets us to take action. The greater the anticipation, the greater the dopamine spike.” – James Clear
I met a friend for a cup of tea yesterday, and he asked me how it was going? His wife is also doing the Dry January commitment. I told him, surprisingly well. He then asked if I was tired at the previously normal craving times? I looked away and thought about that?
Huh…I have been really tired at the end of the day, and I have been going to bed early…to read a book and to avoid temptations of chips, followed by a beer…
Dang…maybe he was on to something? I’ll need to reflect on that some more.
No matter how I look at it, a deprivation approach doesn’t necessarily work to change a habit. I’m trying not to focus on what I used to do, but on what I want to do NOW.
Tip # 5 – Positive changes require you to reframe the distorting of the vision into what you want to look like on the other side of the challenge.
I’m still working out the bugs of my habit modification evaluation…I have 4 days until my first self-imposed milestone of 10 days into the month. 4.More.Days!
But, dammit – so far so good – I made it through 7 fricken’ days (without much swearing…I really need to stop that, I fear I’m offending too many visitors…but when the word fits, use it, I say!).
Cheers!
Post inspiration – Nancy Merrill’s Photography Challenge – Horizon; Sunday Stills (thanks to Carol who hosted this week, click here to see) – Reflect and Linda G. Hill’s #JusJoJan – Self (thanks to Ritu, check out her post where she had some fun chatting with her readers over Chai).
PS – Which reflection picture do you like? One of my goals this year is to foster my ‘word’ of the year – Curious – taking reflection photos is a fun way to play with that word. How about you – how has the first week of your resolution gone for you? Have you stuck with them?
Good job on the progress. I’m still with you (illness induced behavior), but I’m looking forward to jumping off the wagon on Saturday. Plain seltzer is my non-water go to drink. As a treat, I’ve been pouring it into a glass. How’s that for extravagance?
I like the in-line pictures of the water glasses. I often do that during meetings or while at conferences, when I’m bored.
Keep it up, you’re over the first hurtle.
Aw, thank you, Dan – I appreciate you taking one for the team! Very festive to use a glass, I approve of your extravagance. It wouldn’t be a SoCS without a beverage! Boredom does strange things to people…been there many a time in a meeting! Thanks, again, I appreciate your encouragement.
Good job, Shelley! I have a lot of flavored seltzer water around–because I think (as a beer lover myself) sometimes it is more thirst than anything else driving me to crack open a beer. And, I like the fizz! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Rebecca. Ah, the fizz of a beer…I do miss that, so the Kombucha has helped and it is good, but not like a refreshing cold beer. I’m sticking to this…for now…I CAN DO IT with all the help and encouragement and accountability I’ve set so far.
I need to quit too. Nice job! ❤️
Thanks, John! I appreciate the encouragement!
I admire you, Shelley! Great job.
Thank you, Winnie!
You’re welcome, Shelley! Though I can’t stop thinking about that Tostitos lol. I love that.
Me either……………………I miss my chips! xx
Lol!
Good for you, Shelley. As someone who witnesses the effects of over indulging and it’s rather severe medical consequences I can tell you that not drinking on a daily basis is a huge accomplishment. Curious is a great word of the year. I may have to write that one down for future use!
Thank you, Janet, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and support! Feel free to use the word, it’s a fun one :-)!
Well done combo of three prompts and seven day personnel challenge, I really like Mr Kitty looking out the window then back inside. Very Janus 2 faces of January.
Thanks for seeing the multiple reflection in my post and doing the same.
Good luck with going dry.
Thank you, Carol – sometimes I can pull it off combining prompts ;-)! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and encouragement and for the opportunity to join in on the Sunday Stills with you!
Great work. I always drink tons of soda water, as I find it more refreshing.
Thank you, Lesley. I’ve yet to drink soda water. Maybe I’ll have to try that sometime!
Sometimes this makes me glad I’m not a drinker! I don’t miss it at all, because I never drank regularly… But the odd wine, or gin now and again, means I don’t have to think of Dry January… chocolate, however.. I should stop that for a while, but I can’t!
Yes, there are benefits of avoiding alcohol! I’ve been chocolate free for decades – acquired an allergy to it during pregnancy (I was quite fond of it back then!) I appreciate you stopping by to share your thoughts! PS – I do like a warm cup of Chai, yum, especially shared over entertaining conversations!
I’m meant to have a chocolate sensitivity… Makes me itch… Still can’t stop!
LOL – crazy what cravings do to us! Somedays I feel that as humans we just crave stuff that we’re not supposed to have?! 🙂
Well indeed I definitely do 😂
Oh my…no chips! (long live the chips). Impressive start to your new habit (for January anyway). The improved sleep sounds worth it just for that! Water with lemon is a change from just water. Nice reflection photos with the cats. Such nice poses. 🙂
Thank you! Oh…, don’t remind me…those chips, I miss them the most. Thank you for your feedback, I’m glad you like the photos. I love it when I can catch Tizzie just posing in the window.
Great job this far. I need to do this with soda. I drink way too many. No wonder the doc gives me that look when I get on the scale. SORRY, I tell him. I have been parked on the sofa since August. We will see what the Healthy Living Class at church does for me. Keep going strong. I know you can do it.
Thank you, Anita! Yes, soda isn’t any better for us than alcohol, I don’t drink soda at all. And now for 8 days, no alcohol. Just water. And I feel better, and I lost 4 pounds…so if you join the Dry January (no soda movement) you’ll be proving that darn doctor wrong – You can do it too!
I loved this line the best: “Now the faint image of the chips jailed in the pantry will just have to do for me now.”
Shelley – I am telling you this and you can take edit it out of my comment before approving it – I got an error message two days in a row – couldn’t connect for a few minutes or so, and went to comment on your actual site and could not as it said something to the effect that “jetpack.wordpress.com had closed the connection”.
Aw, thank you, I enjoy hearing the lines of my posts you appreciate! I’m keeping your feedback too on the error message – since you were able to write the comment eventually, I’m assuming the problem resolved? Or are you still seeing messages about Jetpack? Grr…that’s disappointing. Let me know and I can contact Jetpack (Happiness Engineers…!). Thank you for sharing you were having difficulties! Sorry that it happened, though, that’s not what I hope for anyone who stops by to read or comment.
I did enjoy that line …. the day before I thought it was just an oddball thing as I’ve encountered other things in WordPress being wonky over the last week or so, as have others and mentioned it in their posts or comments. But two days in a row not a good thing. I was able to comment … but not on your Quaint Revival site, but on the Reader/WordPress portion. I usually comment right on the site in the “comment box”.
Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. So if I may ask, was this comment on my site or in the reader today?
You’re welcome – I’ll read your post and try it now Shelley. I should have clarified better last night.
OK, I had no problems at all commenting at the end of the post … might have been a fluke. I forgot this part of the movie … what sticks with me was Katharine Hepburn’s character calling Henry Fonda’s character an “old poop”. 🙂
LOL – I remember that scene too! Glad the comments are working again, always feel free to share if you’re having problems. Thank you for doing so!
You’re welcome – I like to tell people if it happens more than once … especially after all your Jetpack issues.
Good luck with the rest of your goal. I hope the month is going well. I love the last reflection picture. Great post! Thanks for joining the challenge!
Thank you, Nancy!!