What I Learned from 31 Stone Cold Sober Days

This year’s annual cleanse and 31 Days of Sobriety had less to do with the actual drinking than it did with a little something called willpower.

Prior to the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season I had been giving serious thought to what I will refer to as “The Good Ol’ Days.” Some of those were not so long ago, but I digress.

The Good Ol’ Days for me were in my later years of high school, and while I certainly didn’t peak early like some of the cool kids, I was particularly good at some very specific things that I no longer seem to be as good at.

Life in the fast lane as a frequent flying, wine and rich food loving entrepreneur have made me accustomed to a different type of lifestyle than I once had.

I used to train for my mountain bike racing with a kind of religious fervor, and I did so on my own. The only motivation I needed came from within. I was a machine. I trained seriously, and daily. Winter and summer. I used to do long slow distance rides (given the pleasant acronym LSD, but with little hallucination until the onset of hunger and complete exhaustion) all winter. Sometimes I would be out riding on the Trans Canada Highway for 5 hours, the last few of which would be done in the dark, and being that this was in Vancouver — the rain. I had a kind of iron determination that could not be messed with.

I have certainly carried over some of that attitude into my personal and business life as an adult, but through hard work and many sleepless nights I have justified a certain level of complacency at this point. I would say that these days I am more stubborn than determined, and yes, there is a difference.

So, what does all this have to do with drinking? Well, I want the fire back. As someone who is self-employed I have been able to reap the successes of my hard work, but I am also responsible for any future changes that I want to have happen.

It is no simpler than this: I am the only thing standing in the way of the things that I want in my life.

Drinking is a distraction. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good drink, but at times it can get in the way. I love spending time with friends and socializing over a few good drinks, but unfortunately some of the time required for me to get ahead comes in the evenings and in the funny hours when most people are sleeping. I need to be more functional.

2009 was one giant reward for years and years of hard work and I had a fantastic time — but — I’m not where I want to be yet, and I do not intend to rest on my laurels anytime soon. There is much to be done, much to be experienced, and much hard work ahead.

I have no intention of giving up drinking, but having one completely clean month forced me to examine some things in my life and to find alternative social activities which have inspired me to think of different things.

In the sober month I went to the movies more and spent more quality time with my friends. While they still drank, it never bothered me because I tended to spend more time with people having great conversations rather than chest-bumping and doing shots (not that this is the most common activity in my friend group, but you get the idea).

The month off was a solid rest from the social and it gave me the chance to be a little more soulful and introspective. At the end of it I would say it was a welcome respite from the endless social obligation that comes with “going for drinks.” I have done this nearly every year for the past five or so years, and it’s  a plan I intend on sticking with barring some unforeseen and unfortunate circumstance, but for now it’s back to eat drink and be merry — with a little more self discipline of course!