Wanting Change? It Starts With You!

Have you heard the expression that nothing changes if nothing changes? Have you ever noticed that it's really easy to point out all the things in your life that you are wanting to change but have you stopped to look at where the change needs to come from? The honest truth is that if you are wanting things to change, the change needs to come from you. Pause for a moment and really feel into that statement. What comes up for you? Hesitation? Resistance? Possibly anger? Or fear? I've been there and I have felt all of those feelings.

One of the biggest changes that I made in my life was deciding to no longer drink alcohol. I recognized that drinking alcohol was not serving me and I saw the hold that alcohol had on me for so many years. There was a time in my life that I used alcohol as a way to numb myself. I was drinking way too much and it was a way for me to check out and escape from my life. And while I worked through that period of my life, I still thought I could socially drink. I was scared to remove alcohol from my life because I thought I was going to miss out on life. However, socially drinking on weekends often turned into having too many drinks. I was tired of waking up hungover. I was tired of feeling gross. I was tired of forgetting conversations from the night before. And I was tired of missing out on time with my family.

I knew I needed to make a change in my life and that meant that I needed to fully commit to living a life free of alcohol. At the start, I felt fearful of this decision. What if I couldn't do it? What if I was missing out on having fun? What if people judged me? What if I stopped getting invited out to social engagements? I had to sit with these fears and get really honest with myself.

I thought I needed alcohol to help me connect with people on a deeper level. That it would help me speak my truth. However, I realized that, for me, connection comes from my heart and not alcohol. I also learned that I didn't need alcohol to "loosen up". It wasn't the antidote for me to have fun or to help me be funny! And that drink that I thought would help me check out from life or kick start the weekend? Well, I've learned so many more fun and meaningful ways to relax and to truly be present for life.

The most profound lesson from making this change is that through this process, I got to connect with who I truly am. And you know what? As I celebrate six months of living an alcohol free life, I can honestly say that this version of me is the version that I truly love.

Albert Einstein said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." Change is not always easy but sometimes it's necessary and it has to come from within. It also comes from committing to yourself and not giving up. What is a change that you are wanting to make in your life? What needs to shift in you so that you can make this change? What becomes possible if you say YES to making this change?

Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to hear about the changes you are wanting to make in your life!