MUSINGS

Here Are 7 Inspiring Quotes to Motivate You to Quit Drinking and Stay That Way

No matter how clever we are, there's always something we can add to our sober toolbox.

For a long time before I quit drinking, I knew I must.

Knowing and doing are worlds apart.

Imagine almost ten years of "knowing" I should give up the drink.

Two years before I finally quit, I made a serious attempt by reading tons of quit-lit books.

For more inspiration, see my article 10 Outstanding Books to Help You Stay Fully Engaged in Your Sobriety, published on AINYF.

These books were the catalyst to my finding sobriety — eventually.

I failed to attain sobriety the first two times but was not deterred. The third time was a charm — as the saying goes.

We must find ways to motivate, inspire, and support us on our paths — whether it's sobriety, entering a new career, or publishing our first article.

The following quotes are here for those wanting to quit drinking or are already on their way.

This Naked Mind by Annie Grace is the most powerful and influential of all the books I read. Forget about feeling guilty about your inability to stop at one drink. As she says:

There is a powerful misconception that people who can’t control their drinking are weak-willed. In my experience it’s often the strongest, smartest, and most successful people who drink more than they should. Drinking, or wanting to drink, does not make you weak. You may find it hard to believe, but an inability to control how much you drink is not a sign of weakness. So let’s stop any self-loathing right now.

It was fortunate that quote is in the introduction because right from the start, I could drop the notion that I was weak and cowardly.

Kick the Drink…Easily by Jason Vale is one of the top three books that inspired me to quit.

Vale has this to say about how he feels now that he's given up the drink:

Of all the joys of being truly free, one of the greatest is having a clear head at al times…I wake up and feel awake and alive. What a thought. I have found my true confidence and true courage…I never ever have a hangover. Let me just emphasize that: I never, ever have a hangover!

I agree — never having a hangover is a joy! Mainly because I had many doozies of hangovers over the last several months of imbibing.

The third book that influenced me greatly is Stop Drinking Now by Allen Carr. He explains how you will feel when drinking is no longer a part of your life:

Fear will have been replaced by elation, despair by optimism, self-doubt by confidence, apathy by dynamism. Your physical health will of course, improve radically, too. You will enjoy a newfound energy, as well as the ability to truly relax.

How's that for a life to look forward to?

I concur with Carr — all he states I am experiencing in my five-plus years of being alcohol-free.

Now for a few quotes from people you’ll recognize that inspired me to become sober and stay that way.

Sir Anthony Hopkins — actor, director, and producer, one of Britain's most prolific and talented actors, is also a recovering alcoholic. He had this to say:

I would never have had the confidence to do what I did in my life without sobriety.

It would have been a shame to miss out on this man's incredible work.

We all have gifts to share and skills to develop, and alcohol can stunt that and take away drive and motivation.

I'd had the urge to write but not the oomph. I would not be writing this article today if I were still imbibing.

Robert Downey Jr. is an American actor and producer who has had considerable success only to fall into well-publicized alcohol addiction. After finding sobriety, he said:

When I quit drinking, I didn’t know what was going to happen. But I knew I needed to change my life.

That's the thing — we don't know what's on the other side of addiction, yet I haven't ever heard a sober person say that life was better when they were drinking.

Eric Clapton, an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, has been sober since 1987. He founded an alcohol and drug rehab center in the Caribbean and now raises millions of dollars helping others.

When I stopped drinking, it was like a veil lifted, and I could see things more clearly.

Not only is he seeing clearly — but at 78 years old, he still walks his talk by helping alcohol abusers quit the drink.

The late Carrie Fisher is an American actress and writer best known for her role as Leia in the Star Wars franchise. She struggled with alcohol and drug addiction her entire adult life.

After many attempts in rehab facilities, she managed to have several periods of sobriety. But, sadly, she died at UCLA Medical Center after being admitted four days earlier. The coroner later determined she had consumed cocaine, alcohol, heroin, and ecstasy.

She was honest about her addictions and shared openly and courageously. She said:

The only way out of alcoholism is through sobriety. It’s a simple concept, but it’s not easy.

Recovery is a journey worth taking if you want to reclaim your life.

No one can do it for you. You can get help — we all need that, but in the end, it's up to you to know that you need a strong desire and powerful reasons to sober up.

The rewards are worth whatever it takes to get there.

If you need help with alcohol abuse, call SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration) at 1–800–662-HELP (4357).