365ish Days of Alcohol Free Living in Key West
I knew if I could make it through the weekend of October 5th 2024 I was golden.
You see, I had stopped drinking alcohol on September 1st 2024 and that was the weekend that I was heading to New Hampshire for my brother in laws wedding and would be staying with my best friend for part of the trip. A wedding AND a weekend with my bestie with no alcohol involved, I hadn’t done that in over 20 years.
Spoiler alert - I did it.
I went the entire weekend with no alcohol. And no hangovers. And I felt so good and proud of myself when I got home it gave me that little extra pep in my step to keep it going. And then the rest of the year just kinda happened. It feels silly to write it that way but it’s true. Most days it was really was as easy as saying “I’ll have an Arnold Palmer with unsweet tea”. The hardest part was living in Key West & with the expectation that I thought other people had for me to partake in their vacation happy hours and bar hopping. Turns out, you can still meet people for happy hour, order a club soda, and retire with the sunset for a good night sleep and your friends will be ok with it.
So why did I do it you ask? Well, it was a combination of a bunch of things.
After we got back from vacation last summer I did some thinking and one of the thoughts that kept coming back to me was “what if I showed up for myself the same way I show up for everyone else?” For me that meant learning to say no that things that no longer serve me; alcohol being one of them.
I’m not a good drinker. Not only do I get terrible hangovers but I also tend to have a bit of a sharp tongue after a couple of vodka sodas. I also battle anxiety so despite the social lubricant that a couple of bevys give me, it’s never enough to make me not regret my hangovers in the mornings. Beating myself up over all the things that I didn’t get done or the things I said the night before.
My skin felt terrible. So I wanted a fresh start and to cut out a bunch of things to see what would help. Turns out drinking a gallon of water a day helps. And so does cutting out the greasy processed food that always seemed to follow happy hour(s)
I wanted to do 75 hard challenge. And as dumb as this may sound I’ve wanted to do this challenge for over 5 years but I never thought I could give up alcohol for 75 days. In a city and culture where life and celebration revolve around alcohol, I could never imagine a time when I would be able to say no to someone else and yes to myself - for that long.
I don’t want to be a statistic. I wasn’t an every day drinker. But I was an every occasion drinker. I didn’t drink at home (except for the occasional espresso martini if Eddie was pouring them) but I’d meet you for happy hour in a heart beat. And addiction runs in my family.
It’s expensive. For real, even with the local discounts and hookups from friends here and there you can’t go out and not drop at least $100. And honestly that’s a good night. Most nights it’s probably upwards of $200-$300 and depending on who’s pouring at happy hour and where we would end up for dinner. If we end up at Prime 951 for dinner that’s a $500 night easy. And at this stage in my life, I’d rather grill a filet from Faustos in my backyard and buy stock with the change.
So it wasn’t just one thing. It was a bunch of things. And a lot of whispers from the universe.
Most people would say that it’s impossible to quit drinking in Key West, a city built on happy hours, nightlife, and “to-go” margaritas. But as I learned in grieving my sister, while Key West can give you every opportunity to drown your sorrows; it can also be a very healing place. Just walking to the beach and looking at the water glitter can put your day into perspective. But you have to keep yourself active and engaged. Go on walks, join a gym or healthy community, listen to podcasts, read, meditate, breathe, and listen to your body. Say yes to getting out of your comfort zone and you’ll be amazed at the experiences that will unfold and the people you’ll meet along the way.
I’m happy to say In June I made my first attempt at 75 hard and made it to day 37. I’m currently planning another attempt and you know what’s funny; I find myself using the same tactics to delay starting round 2 because how could I possibly stick to a diet during the holidays or work out 2 times in one day while on vacation? So I proved that it wasn’t the alcohol that stopped me from completing the challenge, it was myself. And I still have some work to do. But I’m getting there. One day at a time.
So if you’ve made it this far and are thinking about making a change and taking a break from alcohol consider this your sign from the universe to do it. Turns out there’s a whole other world out there. And lots of support if and when you need it.