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This week marks 1 year of no alcohol in my system.
I feel like there’s such a negative connotation when it comes to people who don’t drink. I was guilty that I used to judge others that stop drinking thinking that something was wrong with them. Now I’m here…
Before jumping ahead, I do want to say that I have nothing against drinking. It’s great! It’s a social lubricant and can provide a sense of relaxation. I wanted to communicate that to ensure that I’m not here to bash anything about drinking or anyone that does drink.
The first question I get asked when it comes to drinking is “Why’d you stop?”
The reason why I stopped drinking was because of where I was at in life and where I wanted to go. I started a fitness career (while continuing to grow in the technology industry) in 2018 which not only added to my schedule but stress levels. Initially, I would think to myself “Why don’t I feel better if I’m eating cleaner and working out more?”
To give you a sense of where I was in life, I would go Monday through Friday eating clean, working out, and not drink at all. I would work out in the morning, work my day job during the day, and teach group fitness in the evenings. Saturdays, I would work out and teach classes throughout the day. In the evenings, I’d allow myself to go out to eat whatever I wanted and drink which would most times lead to a binge (both food and alcohol). I would feel terrible on Sunday which typically bled into Monday and wouldn’t be back to 100%. That cycle of “Restrict, Binge, Repeat” continued for roughly 9 months. During that time period, I would ask myself, “Is this it?”
Not in the sense of “This is my life and it sucks” but more so on the growth mindset. I knew that I wanted to get more involved with fitness as a professional and doing obstacle course racing so something had to give. It wasn’t until June 9th that I decided to go cold turkey and stop drinking. Going back to my comment above about negative connotations, I first had feelings of failure that I couldn’t handle liquor or that I was a fuck up in some way. Today, I look at it as a growing process in my life.
I’m an all or nothing type of person. If there’s anyone that knows me, I go all in with whatever I’m involved with. This includes my day job, working out, teaching group fitness, or in this case going out. While I could continue this path, it wasn’t going to help me get to the next level of where I wanted to be. I knew something had to give and alcohol was just that. Now, there are some moments that cross my mind that I’m making an excuse to myself about a weakness but then I counter with “Isn’t this my life and no one else’s?” That’s where I pivot back to the growth mindset and the purpose of this article.
The purpose of this article is to share with those who may be in the same boat that I used to be in. You want more but there are certain aspects of your life holding you back. I was there and alcohol was holding me back. The characteristic of “all or nothing” was taking away from my goals and slowing me down. It’s not about being a fuck up but more so knowing where to pivot your energy. For me, fitness was the area that I wanted to invest more time and energy into. Alcohol was the silo that needed to go and if I’m speaking honestly, it was easy to let go. Once I knew what I was put on earth to do, it was easy to look at the other areas of my life and say “That’s a time of my past.” My hope is that if you’re reading this and may be struggling, it’s ok. It’s ok to struggle in life, it’s what makes us who we grow up to be. I think about Bodi Shak‘s slogan of “Find What Moves You” and can’t thank it enough. If you’re struggling, maybe you just haven’t found your why. Whenever I talk to people one on one about their goals I always say, “Just fucking go for it.”
What do you have to lose?
Do you want to be 80 years old saying “Damn, I wish I went for it.”
I’m one year deep and forever to go. I’ve found my why and look forward to continuing to share my passion with the world. To those who may be struggling, I’ll leave you with this…
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
-Helen Keller
Nothing but love,
Omar
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