| Probably not any one thing - but a combination of things: 1. In a work situation once, I was embarrassed while out drinking with the 'team' at my behaviour - not because I made an ass of myself, but I 'went along' with a mean characterization of someone in my group that I never would have done when sober. I decided that wasn't me - and I vowed to NEVER drink with people I didn't respect, or make myself 'vulnerable' to that kind of behaviour. 2. Not drinking 'about something' - like a country song 'drinking because my gal left me' but usually if I drank it was because of stress, it was an escape, a response to painful stimuli, and not a 'joyful enhancement of activity' that it can be in moderation. And finding what I was 'drinking about' (hate your job, feel trapped, an excuse to 'get drunk' etc.) and work on THAT instead. 3. Feeling fat and bloated, and hungover is not something I want to put up with as I get older. 4. Adopting a 'gourmand' vs. 'glutton' mindset - consciously choosing a good experience, vs. the 'mass of experience' - i.e. a shot of a new whiskey enjoyed, vs. a case of Labatt's, etc. 5. Worrying about the cumulative effects of drinking over time - how will you 'know' that you're damaged your liver, brain, memory irreparably? Scary. So the end result is - in a social (especially work situation) I'll have a drink, but find I rarely finish it - everyone else is on their third or fourth and I'm still enjoying my first. I have a clear head, can enjoy things, etc. |