How it all began for me.
Four of the “big five” stressors of life were in play for me and I thought I could handle everything. Throughout my life, I had always drank but never depended on it. In my early 60s I found myself using alcohol to cope with the stress and numb some of the pain. Without even knowing it, my dependency on it was quickly increasing. Wait, this only happens to people that aren’t strong enough right? This only happens to people that are selfish and only care about themselves and not their families right? This doesn’t happen to professionals earning a good living right? People that drink a lot have been heavy drinkers all their lives, right? This couldn’t be me. This is not who I am.
A close friend who is a therapist said she had heard about a 30 day Alcohol Experiment that was online and some of her clients had great success with it. I decided to look into it. My AF (Alcohol Free) journey began November 20, 2022, when I started with 30 days alcohol free. After a week I decided I wanted a full commitment to remove alcohol from my life and signed up for a year long course with Annie Grace, the guru of freedom from alcohol. What I did find was that alcohol had become way too infused in my life and that I was much happier and healthier without it.
I will be honest, in the beginning it was hard. There were times when I tried to moderate and it didn’t work. In hindsight it wasn’t that hard to give up alcohol but it was hard to find healthy replacements for coping through some major life changes that I was experiencing. While participating in the online course to learn how to “happily” live AF, I hired a Personal Coach to help me. We worked on prioritizing things I could change and affect and how to navigate the rest.
I spent six months working through past conditioning, getting clear on who I am and what I want in life. With this I found value in myself again. How is my life now? Honestly, this is the happiest I have been in years. I am so much more clear-headed and my sleeping is amazing. I feel great in the mornings and never have a hangover. My physical health is better, my skin is clearer and people tell me I look so peaceful. The craziest thing is that I never think about alcohol. I am completely liberated from it. The science based knowledge along with personal work shifted how I thought about alcohol. I can’t really mark the date when it happened but somewhere in that year, I stopped thinking about it.
In my 60s I have reinvented myself after a long and successful career into a woman with a new passion and sense of purpose. I want to help people that are struggling just like I was. There is an amazing life on the other side of divorce, loss and whatever else life can bring. I still have difficult days and feel some strong emotions. With curiosity and exploration, I have learned how to move through these and that brings a lot more peace and resolution.
I feel peaceful, strong and incredibly happy. I feel free, like a younger version of myself. I am incredibly grateful and my heart is full again. I have rekindled the person I always knew was deep inside me.
My passion is to help others find joy and freedom in their lives. It is never too late to be happy.
With much respect and kindness,
Michelle Nesbitt
TNM Certified Coach. TIR Facilitator. Reiki Practitioner.
Comentários