This might come to a bit of a shock to a lot of people but I do like a beer, well really its a bit more than that, I also like wine, cider, Lager, shorts, to be honest there’s not much alcohol that I would turn my nose up to.
Despite practicing martial arts for most of my life, I have always like to party. My drinking has never really worried me, I’ve always used the term work hard, play hard. In my younger days, I’ve worn it like a badge of honour, proud that I’ve always been the person that has got the most wrecked and still turned up to train the next morning. I always like to lead by example! 🙂 I’m not half as bad as I used to be so I have grown up a bit, I’ve never really struggled with hangovers either except now a days the next day I’m just knackered and exhausted. I have also felt that this is what appeals to a lot of people when they know that I am an instructor. They like to know that I am not a saint and I like to party rather than preach to people about the evils of abusing your body with demon drink and only putting good stuff into your body.
And Now For Change
As I said above, my drinking has never really worried me, well that was until a few years ago. There comes a point in a lot of peoples lives where the enjoyment goes out of it, well I’m assuming its not just me! Like most bad habits or addictions, if you are truly in control of them and then they are not affecting your life, then why should you worry about it. We all have bad habits that don’t serve us which is fine, I suppose its down to what you really want in your life. I know lots of people around my age that still live for the weekend so they can get on it and have a great time. I would be lying if I didn’t have memories of some wicked nights out which are often talked about with friends and families for years after. Then there are a lot of memories which I’ve got that I should not still be around today as I’m lucky to be alive. Its those mornings that I have said on numerous occasions “Never again” only to soon forget about it on the following weekend.
Without everyone thinking that I am an all out alcoholic, I have tried to stop quite a few times. I normally find it quite easy, I did dry January earlier this year, and I felt really good about it, only to find myself opening a bottle of bubbly to celebrate on the 1st February.
As I am quite well known for my honesty and showing people my weaknesses, this blog is just that, being as honest as I can. Over the last few years, I have done a lot of research on alcohol and what it does to the body and especially the marketing spent on it to try to get teenagers addicted to it early on. I am not going to go into detail about this here as this is not about preaching to anyone but I do feel that most of us really know about the dangers of drink, except that we don’t want to think about it. Very similar to people not wanting to think about the meat that they eat.
The more I think about my own life and why I find it so hard to say no to drink, the more I want to see what my life is without it. How many people reading this, will alter their plans around just so they are not the person that has to drive somewhere. What is wrong with going out and not drinking? If you think of it logically, its a crazy world that there are so many people on this planet that think they don’t have an issue with drink but are lying to themselves. I am certainly not going to lie, I have noticed a big difference in my drinking in the evenings since my martial arts school has grown. There is always an excuse to drink after a stressful day, and I am aware enough to know that I want to knock it on the head and see how difficult I am going to find it.
Its my Birtday!
In a few weeks on June 12th, I will be turning 51, I have certainly let everyone know my age since I’ve turned 50. I’ve noticed so many differences with my health, fitness, flexibility, and general aches and pains. I feel that I need a new chapter in my life, gone are the days that I’m pushing my fitness to the max, I tend to work on my mind more than my physical body now a days. And I know that, even if I have had a few glasses of wine the night before, I am not at my optimal the next day. I often work 7 days a week which I am working on slowly changing however I know that I can not give 100% to my students and to everyone else that relies on me the day after I’ve had a bit of a drink.. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t drink half as much as I used to but that is what I’m saying, I can’t seem to drink like I used to without feeling like shit the next day. So June 12th, I am going to go without alcohol for one year. This blog is really about making me accountable to everyone so there is no going back on it.
But I am who I am!
I hate that expression and I hear it all the time off people. I have never believed it as we are all a make up from our past ex/periences and I believe we can change so much about ourselves, its not an easy task to do though which is why so many people are not willing to put the work in. I look back over my life and I am a completely different person to who I was 20 years ago. What holds us back is fear, the fear of what other people will think of us or it could be the fear of losing so called friends. When I had my first breakdown at 26 years old, I moved to France and then Southampton, a lot of people said I was running away from my problems but its what I had to do. A lot of my friends at the time were into drugs and I was in a toxic relationship and getting away and making new friends and acquaintances was the best thing that I could do at the time.
The reason for the above paragraph is that change is often scary, its scary when everyone see’s you as this person that they know and now your not that same person. Me being the way I am has become my identity and being honest, yes I am scared of not being the person people expect me to be. I am expecting it to be similar as when I gave up eating meat, still now, it often becomes the topic of conversation when I go out for a meal with people. I don’t shove my views on why I don’t eat meat down peoples throat but its like a lot of people are not happy deep down or in denial so they tend to feel guilty inside or its because they are envious that you can do it and they can’t.
Going Forward
I have categorised this blog separately and I am going to blog regularly on my journey for the year. Even if its just me that will be interested in the challenges ahead. There may be a lot of people out there that thinks this is not a big deal, there may be some that have given up alcohol and found it no problem at all. I believe certain people can, I know that people like myself can get addicted to anything. Its the reason why I’ve never got into gambling or tampered with hard core drugs because for some reason I am an all or nothing person. Not everything is bad though as its this addictive personality that has made me stick with fitness and martial arts my whole life. The problem occurs when it no longer serves you. I would like to spend my later years to the best of my abilities, I have a business that needs my full attention, I’ve got grandkids that I want them to be able to look up to me as an inspiration, I’ve also got married last year which needs working on, which by the way is great and I couldn’t be more happier but there’s bound to be challenging times a head if I’m realistic. So my life has changed a lot recently and now feels right to start a new chapter in my life.
So if your still reading this, thank you, please feel free to comment, especially if something resonates with you. I am truly grateful for everyone’s support and I will keep you posted with how things go. I still have 2 weeks to go so it must be win o clock now.
