I haven't had any alcohol for the past 156 days. For almost half of 2018 I've not touched a drop.
Being a sober vegan can be strange when you're out there in the real world. Especially around now in the UK when people are starting to have boozy barbecues on hot sunny days. Being prepared is a huge part of dealing with this. Taking your own vegan snacks and non-alcoholic beverages with you is a good start, but as well as that you do need a certain degree of resilience, because people can and do make comments. You're no fun any more, you're getting boring, go on, you can have one! Talk about killing the buzz.
The best defence I've found against these comments is to just brush them off and make sure you have a really fun time anyway. Lead by example and people will see that you don't need to drink to be the life and soul of the party. When people see you glowing with health while snaffling all the healthy food at the party, they may find themselves inspired to take a leaf out of your book and start making their own changes.
Drinking is so engrained in our society and our culture that it takes effort to go against the grain by showing that we don't need alcohol to have a good time, to celebrate good times or lessen the blow of hard times. By staying sober you are setting an example to inspire others, we set an example to children and young people that sobriety is awesome (remember when everyone thought smoking was cool?!).
I mentioned being Unapologetic in a recent post, and it applies here too. If you are super withdrawn and embarrassed that you're not drinking or consuming animal products, of course people might think you are weird. If you are prepared with food and drinks that align with your lifestyle then there's no need to worry, smile and enjoy chatting with everyone and people will barely notice that you're not drinking or eating meat.
Sometimes I do think about going back to drinking alcohol. But then I remind myself that I don't need it. And the fact that I still think about it even now shows just how insidious it is in modern culture. Adverts are everywhere. Drinking is socially acceptable everywhere, any time. Greetings cards are plastered with alcohol related jokes and even health magazines talk about mums needing a drink on social media. Have we all gone mad?
Giving up the booze will not only open your eyes to the fact that it is everywhere, it will save you money, improve your health, make you look younger and possibly lead to weight loss. It's kind of a no-brainer.
If you've taken the plunge or are thinking of ditching alcohol, let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.
Let's chat soon,
SSV x
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