Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

efore, but a slight improvement is still an improvement.</p><p id="3298">Combined with getting rid of social media, my mental health has never been better. Independence can change your life. I no longer rely on alcohol to have fun or relax after a long work week.</p><h2 id="d4ea">Physical Benefits</h2><p id="675a">I could easily argue the physical benefits were the ones seen the least.</p><p id="ee40">Even before going sober, I mainly consumed in moderation. Long gone are the college nights of excessive drinking. But even in moderation, dehydration and headaches are common side effects.</p><p id="682e">Without alcohol, I haven’t had to worry about either in the past four months.</p><p id="568e">It’s also worth noting, without drinking I’ve been able to better follow my intermittent fasting schedule. This has also had physical benefits, and as a result of the two combined, I am in a better spot physically than before.</p><h2 id="68a2">Financial Benefits</h2><p id="5d74">My financial situation has been the greatest beneficiary of my sobriety. Obviously, there is a direct reduction in my spending if I don’t purchase alcohol. This is minuscule though — especially due to the pandemic, I haven’t had to pay expensive bar prices. So the past four months the savings have only been from not buying a few 12 packs.</p><p id="8eee">But there’s more to it than just that.</p><p id="

Options

ee9e">When I cut down my spending on alcohol I wanted to see how far I could take it. My spending on non-essential, material items is about as low as can be. If it’s not needed, I’m not buying.</p><p id="9285">Since January 3rd, 99.99% of all liquid I’ve consumed is water, the cheapest drink available. (There are two exceptions — one afternoon after a long run I had some apple juice and another afternoon I finished someone’s Pepsi.)</p><p id="29b0">Once I decided not to drink alcohol, my mind switched to thinking about what else I can go without. And there is a lot we buy that we can go without.</p><p id="8c03">And I’m not just piling up this money and doing nothing with it — it's working for me. I’ve been pushing as much as possible into <a href="https://readmedium.com/why-you-should-expect-more-than-8-a-year-from-stocks-d317fa6cc92c">investments to better my future</a>.</p><h2 id="5221">Final Thoughts</h2><p id="2954">It’s been a great ride being sober. And it's not over just yet. I had originally planned to end my sobriety on Memorial Day Weekend. But with how well things have been going, I may push that back.</p><p id="b72a">Regardless of when I ever drink again, I would encourage every adult to try a sobriety challenge. 21 days? A month? 3 months? A year? There are clearly many benefits and you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself and life.</p></article></body>

AINYF SHORTS

Four Months Sober

Evaluating how far I’ve come with my goals

I’ve been sober for (almost) all of 2021. The last drink I had was on January 2nd, more than four months ago. Now that a third of the year has passed, it's been enough time to reflect on what's transpired.

I wrote in a previous article why I was no longer drinking alcohol, but in summary, there were three reasons benefits I was after: mental, physical, and financial.

All good plans should be re-evaluated after enough time has passed. And that is exactly what this article will do.

Mental Benefits

Alcohol can get you in a hole, especially when you rely on it often to make you feel better. If all your “fun” is drinking and partying, is time spent without it “not fun?” Obviously not, but have a reliance on alcohol, or anything, is not ideal.

I am at a great place mentally without alcohol in my life. The benefits have been extraordinary and are noticeable. That’s not to say I wasn’t in a great place before, but a slight improvement is still an improvement.

Combined with getting rid of social media, my mental health has never been better. Independence can change your life. I no longer rely on alcohol to have fun or relax after a long work week.

Physical Benefits

I could easily argue the physical benefits were the ones seen the least.

Even before going sober, I mainly consumed in moderation. Long gone are the college nights of excessive drinking. But even in moderation, dehydration and headaches are common side effects.

Without alcohol, I haven’t had to worry about either in the past four months.

It’s also worth noting, without drinking I’ve been able to better follow my intermittent fasting schedule. This has also had physical benefits, and as a result of the two combined, I am in a better spot physically than before.

Financial Benefits

My financial situation has been the greatest beneficiary of my sobriety. Obviously, there is a direct reduction in my spending if I don’t purchase alcohol. This is minuscule though — especially due to the pandemic, I haven’t had to pay expensive bar prices. So the past four months the savings have only been from not buying a few 12 packs.

But there’s more to it than just that.

When I cut down my spending on alcohol I wanted to see how far I could take it. My spending on non-essential, material items is about as low as can be. If it’s not needed, I’m not buying.

Since January 3rd, 99.99% of all liquid I’ve consumed is water, the cheapest drink available. (There are two exceptions — one afternoon after a long run I had some apple juice and another afternoon I finished someone’s Pepsi.)

Once I decided not to drink alcohol, my mind switched to thinking about what else I can go without. And there is a lot we buy that we can go without.

And I’m not just piling up this money and doing nothing with it — it's working for me. I’ve been pushing as much as possible into investments to better my future.

Final Thoughts

It’s been a great ride being sober. And it's not over just yet. I had originally planned to end my sobriety on Memorial Day Weekend. But with how well things have been going, I may push that back.

Regardless of when I ever drink again, I would encourage every adult to try a sobriety challenge. 21 days? A month? 3 months? A year? There are clearly many benefits and you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself and life.