After proudly announcing my 100 days sober, the response I received was incredibly overwhelming and humbling. Since then, I have felt a need to share more in hopes of helping others feel like they're not alone (because you're not!).
To be completely honest though (because that's all I know how), I am equally excited and terrified to start sharing more of my story with you. I certainly know why I'm excited...But why am I scared?
If you're a book nerd like me, you may have read Malcolm Gladwell's "Tipping Point". One of the case studies in the book is about the cultural phenomenon of smoking. If you're old enough to remember (like 25+), smoking used to be really cool. There were no surgeon general warnings, Joe Camel was admired, and every famous sultry actress looked better with a Virginia Slim hanging out of her mouth. Cigarettes, as an industry and a lifestyle, had hit their cultural "tipping point" and enjoyed that while it lasted. The book then chronicles what we all experienced as that hot fire was put out....literally. As the world became more educated of the long term side effects of tobacco, it became less and less attractive as a lifestyle. Then came the regulations: removing advertising, adding warnings, and those unforgettable TV commercials that are hard to watch. When is the last time you saw something advertising or glorifying smoking?
So why do I refer to this story about smoking? It's actually something I think about a lot....and here's why. Drinking is really cool right now. Like really, really cool. Whether it's Cosmos with Carrie or an extra large glass of wine with Courtney Cox---Mainstream media has normalized and celebrated a lifestyle of heavy drinking. To use TV as a case study...I love Friends. I've seen it more times through than I'd like to admit. I can count on one hand how many times in the 236 episodes you see all of them drinking. In the years the show was produced (1994-2004), daily drinking was not a celebrated lifestyle like it is today. I mean...just look at the commodity market for wine drinkers. [See pic above] Retailers have capitalized on this trend with wine apparel, glasses, etc. There are a lot of people and businesses benefiting from all this boozing, just as there was in the heyday of the tobacco industry.
Having said all that...Why am I scared? Why am I hesitating at all? In one simple answer: Cultural Judgment. Being sober is not as cool as being a Winosaur. Not as fun. Not as adventurous. Not as sexy.
Why am I doing it anyway? Because if I've learned one HUGE lesson through all of this, it's that alcohol does not define me. It never has and it never will. And since I haven't been drinking, I actually FEEL more fun, adventurous, and sexy.
Culture may tell you one thing, but I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you another.
