Red Winged Blackbird, by KC Gillies
hello.
I’m a wordy woman with a lot of reasons to quit drinking. I live on the Jersey Shore with my twin boys, a husband, and two dogs. I work as a freelance designer and when I play, I create too. Woodworking, home improvements, piano, and constructing race cars out of cardboard boxes are all ways that I get that itch out.
Turning 40 sparked a lot of self-reflection. I made a conscious decision to take better control over my own happiness and to love myself more. This blog chronicles the months since I made that decision, and although there have been many ups-and-downs, I can honestly say that the small incremental and accumulated choices I’ve made to do this have improved my life tremendously.
One of the goals I set for myself was to cut back on alcohol. I was drinking ~4-6 drinks a night, sometimes more. I was never a fall-down drunk. I never missed work because of it, and I never was so controlled by it that I drank immediately after waking up in the morning. I didn’t get a DUI – although I will admit I drove under the influence many times. I never hit my kids or harmed anyone. But alcohol controlled me, not the other way around.
When I cut back, it was a constant struggle to moderate. I decided that if I couldn’t stick with my goal of continuing to cut back, I would quit.
So here I am. Quitting. And writing about it publicly.
Welcome to my journey.
Disclaimer: The images used on this site have been found using internet searches. I have tried to attribute the artists appropriately, but in some cases there was no identifying information. If you see an image that you’re able to identify (or that is your art!), please let me know and I would be more than happy to give credit.