Do you ever wake up and love the way you live your life? For those of us in recovery, “a Hangover-Free Lifestyle” was beyond our wildest dreams. The lifestyle we wake up to everyday results from a choice we make and follow through with no matter what. As a result, we benefit in all areas of our life.
For those of us in recovery a “Hangover-Free Lifestyle” sounded abnormal and absurd. Not that we enjoyed the consequences of our partying, boozing and drugging, but who in the right mind would abstain from alcohol and drugs. We looked for ways we could prevent the hangover. Whether it was hydrating before a night out, making sure we ate enough or had a litre of water next to our bed, it was always a gamble whether we would wake up and have a productive day or if we would stay in bed self-loathing, rejecting all our responsibilities and commitments.
Living in sobriety and being clean, means we no longer must find cures to prevent hangovers, we can live this way, every day! Sobriety and being clean soothes our soul instead of the substances. It no longer means drained bank accounts, physical pain, bad decisions, lack of sleep, looking and feeling like your ten years older than you are. A hangover free lifestyle is full of health, joy, confidence, courage and FUN!
Here a few things a hangover free lifestyle gives us:
- Physical Gains: We enjoy the gifts of a clear conscience and vibrant mind. We are not waking up to physical withdrawals from the booze and drugs. We don’t feel tired, sluggish, beat up and drained of energy. Our hangover free lifestyle gives our body the love and rests it needs. We sleep uninterrupted for hours. We don’t have toxins in our body and bad decisions that keep us up all night. Our skin looks amazing and flawless because we are not putting toxins through us.
- Financial Freedom: Our pay cheques no longer fund our blackouts and physical withdrawals. There hasn’t been a time prior to our hangover free lifestyle that our bank accounts looked better. We are not afraid to look at our bank accounts and have nothing to show for the $300 we spent. Our time and hard work we do are core values in our life. The list of things we can enjoy for ourselves has expanded because we have the money to put towards them. Our landlord loves us, we pay our rent on time, we take care of our bills, we have food on the table and a home to sleep.
- Social – Fun: We define and take fun to a whole new level. Fun isn’t centred on who is drinking, what activities involve drinking and how much drinking and drugging we will be doing. We are becoming open minded and expanding our world view by doing things we didn’t think were possible. We can remember each moment of our night instead of piecing it together like a puzzle. Our paranoid behavior is no longer worrying about a cop behind us because we had 1 too many drinks. We have genuine belly laughs and emotions without a care in the world. Our social activities have expanded.
- Freedom from Shame & Guilt: Our feelings of shame and guilt no longer haunt us. We no longer wake up with zero recollection and minor amnesia from the night before. Our reactions and actions to situations and people are not impulsive and hurtful. We don’t create chaos or uncomfortable situation for people any longer. Our phone does not scare us in the morning because we know who we communicated with, and what we said. We gain self-esteem, confidence and a sense of clarity through our hangover free lifestyle.
- The abundance of Time: Our life is no longer centred on drinking and drugging. We enjoy the gift of reclaimed time and energy. We do not spend countless hours planning, organizing and manipulating our day-to-day activities and weekend plans to centre on drinking. It also means we do not have to have unplanned recovery time for those nights we over do it and can’t get up the next day. We have time and energy to spend doing things that will benefit our well being. Our life is full of commitments and responsibilities we show up to and remain accountable to. We can find self-soothing through self-care, meditation, books and connection with our friends and family.
- Gained Respect & Integrity: Our friends and families show us respect and gratitude. They thank us for showing up and not causing havoc. Our presence is important to our loved ones, instead of feeling like the outsider, we draw others to us. We can offer support and advice to our friends because we are no longer a hot mess. When we commit and plan with our friends and family we follow through with action. We do not need to “dodge” out early or be dishonest about why we couldn’t show up or why we had to leave early. Our hangover free lifestyle allows us to be transparent across the board. We’re not worried about who’s in a room together because our stories line up. We love how wholesome we are becoming.
A Hangover-Free Lifestyle is becoming the trend these days. If you are in recovery or someone who abstain from drugs and alcohol, a Hangover-Free Lifestyle gives you a life beyond your wildest dreams and allows you to make the impossible, possible.
If anyone you know or if you are struggling with your drinking and using, you can get help. Please contact the substance use line or find information here http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/