I was overwhelmed by your words of support and encouragement last week when I announced I was doing Ocsober – giving up alcohol to raise money for Healthy Harold. I also received a few comments from people surprised (shocked? stupefied?) I was also giving up coffee at the same time. Let me just say – I didn’t think that through well AT.ALL!
I am happy to say that here we are, day 8, and I have not had a drop of alcohol, nor a drop of coffee. But man, it has been much harder than I thought it would be.
The first few days were ok. I substituted tea for coffee, so never got those caffeine withdrawal headaches etc. But tea just isn’t the same as a good old soy latte! Still, I persisted, and even had a couple of chocolate milks and iced chocolates to tide me over. It’s not necessarily the caffeine I’m trying to avoid, it’s more the soy milk. I can no longer drink regular cows milk as it makes my stomach churn. So a while ago now, I turned to soy to get my coffee fixes. I’ve since read that soy is not that good for you, and while I usually only average about 4-5 soy lattes a week, I thought cutting it out completely would be a good idea.
Fast forward to yesterday, and I went for an 11k run at 6 am. The only thing I could think about once I’d finished was getting a coffee. But I didn’t! I went home and had breakfast and a cup of tea. This morning we went to a surf club for breakfast, and I had orange juice, but I was seriously jonesing for a soy latte. At this point, this has become a challenge to myself, just to prove that I have the strength of mind to stick to something I said I’d do. It’s no longer about soy, caffeine or alcohol. This is now me being a stubborn and competitive PITA.
Friday night I realised just how much of a crutch alcohol is. It is a drug. A legal drug, but a drug no less. It is addictive, it is mind- and mood-altering, it is relief-giving and stress-relieving. And it is seriously abused in this country. Why is it that sitting on the balcony sipping on a glass of cold water is nowhere near as satisfactory as sipping on a wine or a rum and coke? Why is it that when our kids have us at the end of our tether, slamming back a few drinks suddenly makes it easier to handle? I thought about what it must be like for an alcoholic to try and give up the booze and I can’t even imagine how hard that must be, given the hard time I’ve had not having a drink and I don’t abuse it (often).
One thing I’ve already learned from this challenge is that addiction is real. I knew it was, but I think I’ll be less likely to judge the next smoker I see. Or the next junkie I hear about. It’s just so much easier to say no from the get go, and never go down that slippery slope. If particpating in Ocsober helps to reach even one child in school, to teach them to just say no, then going without for a month is well worth it.
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Linking up for IBOT with Essentially Jess
Colours of Sunset 
Congratulations! Doing so well! I haven’t had a drink in years (pregnancies, breast feeding, can’t be bothered) and don’t drink coffee, but my block-a-day chocolate habit means I can’t gloat about not having a caffeine addiction!
That’s fantastic, and thanks for the donation link. Good luck for the rest of the month! x
good on you – i drink 1-2 coffees most days and just enjoy the warmth aspect and taste. alcohol i have slowly given up due to my meds (and post kids low tolerance anyway…) so only drink an average of once a week, saving it mostly for bigger nights out with hubby or girlfriends! NOW sugar is/was much harder for me to give up – i still fight it regularly but it makes me feel horrible when i eat any… legally addictive things are an interesting thing to watch in society – drinks, cigarettes, gambling etc – all sanctioned but destructive for so many people! xxx
Good on you Aroha – you are going so well.
You’re doing an amazing job, giving up both things at once. and on top of that you go for 11km runs?! I am seriously impressed. You’re right, in the end it’s not about the alcohol or the coffee or whatever the addiction happens to be, it comes down to focus and self belief, breaking your goal down into tiny little bits, sometimes even focusing on it an hour at a time. I’m sure you’re going to feel so great by the end of the month. Can’t wait to read future updates!
You are a hero in my eyes! I’m so proud of you – and an 11km run – WHOOP WHOOP! Coffee – now that would be hard to give up (as I suck one back right now). And you know I love a tipple, but I agree, it can be a crutch, and I suppose it’s having that awareness that it is and not falling too far into it’s clutches! 🙂 xx
Good one Aroha, sounds like you are going fantastically well. I did not know soy milk was bad for you…I don’t like the taste and as I am farmer’s daughter I have stuck to full-cream milk (or real milk as I call it)all these years. Goodluck for the rest of the month..
Good on you for being so determined in your challenge lovely. I am sure you will sail through it with ease. You are an inspiration to us all.
Leaving some fairy wishes and butterfly kisses from #teamIBOT
Wow! How brave of you to give up those two things all at once at the same time! Maybe you can think of this as an intensive detox session. Anyway your post really made me pause to think about my own alcohol consumption. I don’t consider myself an addict, but at the end of the day when the kids are in bed, it’s so easy to just sit back and indulge in that glass of wine (or two)…. but now that you mention it, why can’t a glass of cold water with a spritz of lemon be just as satisfying?
sounds like you are doing great! well done! i’d be clawing at the walls without coffee by now!!
Keep at it, Aroha! You’re doing a fantastic job! I remember when I cut out coffee – that meant all caffeine – man, I had the worse headaches!
I also read that soy isn’t good for you so I gave up my soy chai lattes (boo hoo). I’m back on regular milk now but only have a cappuccino in a regular size and then if I need another hit in the afternoon, I go for a Piccolo.
You’re inspiring. I’m going to try and give up my coffee next month!
Well done Aroha and don’t give up!
I’m very interested to know what you have read about soy milk that it’s not that good… I’m lactose intolerant and I’ve been having soy milk with my cereals although lately I also discovered almond milk and I love it.
Also, did you heard about the book of Jill Stark: High Sobriety: My Year Without Booze. I haven’t read it but I went to a talk she gave and she discuss many issues such as the booze culture in Australia, especially among young people and where it comes from.
Good on you! You are doing so well! x
Well done to you – you can do it Aroha!
Woohooo! You are doing an amazing job! When I quit sugar, I too learned that addiction is real. It is seriously scary that you don’t even realise that you have become addicted. Good on your for sticking with it though. They say it takes between three and four weeks to form a new habit, so maybe at the end of October you’ll want to quit coffee/alcohol for good?! 😉
Yep that glass of cold water doesn’t feel the same does it? Somehow putting it in a wine glass makes it feel better though i think. I have no idea why but it’s working for me so far.
So proud of you sticking to your guns. It’s not an easy thing to do and it makes you such an encouragement to others. xx
Well done on meeting the challenge so far! Addiction is a subject very close to my heart and Life Education do such good work with kids, every cent counts 🙂
Well done Aroha, you should be so proud! x