Hey, Brooke
Doing the OD plan since mid February and as you know I have struggled with what my drinking protocol should be. Thank you for you advice this week and have come up with a protocol for at least 6 weeks like you suggested. So here is the good news. Last night during dinner my daughter called and long story short we took my grandson to the ER. A huge egg on his 2 year old little head. Anyway, as I was driving the 5 minutes to her house I thought, “If I were doing my usual drinking at that hour I would not have been able to run to her house and try to help out.” It also might have been, “I have to find time to drink over this because this is a god reason (excuse) to drink. Last night’s plan was No Drinking. Now If I had even a glass of wine which is still in my plan, my parents would have driven me over. But the thought was interesting because there was no drama as to what should I do?, I won’t drive, blah, blah, blah,. It also made me feel accomplished.
But here is the crazier thing. I have committed to a plan of tops 3 nights of drinking 3 glasses at most and one night 4 glasses (I know I can drink less). But even since February when I started this program and was all over the place as to how to create a protocol, I rarely experienced an urge (with food yes! and I’m doing that). I’m trying to be really observant with my non-drinking day urges (basically very few urges) and my drinking days I am drinking way more slowly and trying to be the Watcher in between glasses. I have to say the desire is not so intense even after the first glass. Yet, having said that I am still allowing myself to drink more if I want. I’m trying to be patient with myself and not do my usual like, “Well no urges here and its day 1 so better make a new drink plan with less drinks” I’m just finding it really interesting that I struggled for years with not going a day without drinking which crept up to a bottle a night and all the chatter and energy that went along with it. I think I am beginning to notice in this short time all of the energy and stress around drinking leaving my brain and body. I went months and months without drinking in other plans and it always felt like resistance. I have to say that I think you are really onto something! I was convinced if you thought you had a problem with drinking then for sure you had to have a problem (that’s what I was told). I now think that more people than not probably fit into the category like me, that it is a matter of relearning andt be willing to do the work. Anyway, I just want to thank you for this program without worrying that “THE OTHER SHOE WILL DROP” LOL!
love, R