Sober
Will Seasonal Sobriety work for you?
The following content is only intended for humans that currently consume alcohol. If you do not consume any alcohol whatsoever ... congratulations. Stay on that path.
Country Music artist Billy Currington has a song that goes, "I'm pretty good at drinkin' beer!" That's me! When it comes to drinking beer, I've been doing it consistently since I turned 21. Sometimes, I'd do a 30-Day No Alcohol Challenge, just to "reset" and "prove" to myself that I wasn't an alcoholic.
However, once that 30 days was up, my beer drinking koozie was itching to return to service. While bartending and working in the restaurant industry, it's easy to fall into a pattern of having an after-work drink. Next thing you know, you're drinking 5, 6, or 7 nights per week.
Then you take into consideration the marketing associated with the alcohol industry, and it feels like all the cool peeps are drinking alcohol, as it's generally portrayed as freedom, fellowship, and fun. In some cases, you're seen as "distinguished" or "classy," based on your Scotch or Wine selection. Who wouldn't want to be a distinguished member of society, who's also surrounded by friends, fun, and freedom?!
However, these highly-effective brainwashing advertisements, never seem to include any of the negative consequences associated with drinking alcohol ... and there are many.
You already know this.
Relationships are ruined.
Families are ruined.
Careers are ruined.
Lives are ruined.
Based on the marketing and corresponding social conditioning, it seems like most modern humans have forgotten how to socialize without being under the influence of alcohol. Going to a wedding? Everyone is drinking alcohol. Football game? Alcohol. Cookout? Alcohol. Restaurant? Alcohol. Birthday party? Alcohol. Yet, how many times are these events ruined because of ... alcohol?
I think my transition into a mostly alcohol-free life has to do with age. It's the hangovers, man. I just can't deal with the hangovers like I used to. A few hours of drinking and rocking-out the night before, now often turns into two days of feeling like shit. At the very least, I'm certainly not feeling like I'm in my optimal state.
And hangovers aren't solely physical ... there's often mental, emotional, and financial hangover effects, in the form of regret.
For example, while under the influence of alcohol, my very smart brain can easily transform into a very smart mouth, whereby, I engage in debates and/or say things that my Sober and very Angelic Nature would normally avoid. Ha.
Let's pretend that's why alcohol is called "Spirits," because the destructive alcohol Spirits infiltrate and intoxicate your natural, Holy Spirit, thereby, causing you to say and do things you normally wouldn't.
In December of 2022, I decided to embark on a 100 Day Challenge that I called "Operation, Run Forrest." You can learn more about that in the TOUR section of the website. It included no alcohol for the duration. It was the longest no alcohol streak I'd had ... since I first started drinking, many years ago. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The extension from a 30-Day challenge to a 100-Day challenge created a large enough time-frame to break old patterns and cultivate new habits. This allowed a refreshing new reality slash life-experience to flourish. I felt incredible, and in alignment with my Highest Path: Mental Clarity, Spiritual Insight, Physical Energy (Inner-G).
After the 100 days was up, I went out with my boy to "celebrate" completing the challenge. We drank. I felt like shit for the next two days. I then decided to extend the challenge through the Spring season. I also completed that challenge, thereby, collecting over 6 months worth of Sober days.
As the Summer season was approaching, I was getting peer pressure from my Campground Crew, to drink beer with them after my Spring challenge ended. We've assembled a wonderful group of friends, where we all drink, laugh, cook-out, ride boats, and chill by the firepits while singing terrible karaoke. We thoroughly enjoy each others' company for the duration of the Summer, while camping at the lake on weekends. I'll park my truck at my camper on Saturday morning, and it doesn't move again until Monday or Tuesday. So, if I AM gonna drink, it's the ideal time and place to do so.
Long story short, I decided to give myself the freedom to drink during the Summer season, alongside my Campground Crew. As always, we had a wonderful time together. However, I still hated the hangovers. It was getting to the point that I was looking forward to the Fall season, so I could tell everybody, "I'm back on my Sober Path ... so don't ask me if I wanna drink!"
Operation Highest Fall was implemented, and the mission was completed ... I was Sober all Fall. You can learn more about that on my FB page. On the first day of Winter, I chose to give myself the freedom to sip suds through New Year's, which was a little over a week. I spent the week at the lake, by the fire-pits, with some of my best friends.
Then we executed "Operation Groundhog Day: The Winter of Warriors", which was another Sober Mission. During Spring of 2024, there were no specific restrictions, so I was free to drink if I chose. Come Summer, I completed "Operation Yoo-Hoo: A Sober Summertime," which was my first Sober Summer since I was probably 15. On November 1st, 2024, we began "Operation 8 Mile". On April Fool's Day of 2025, we activated "Operation Pity The Fool."
You can read about all of these Sober Missions on my FB page by clicking HERE.
Similar to the philosophy projected in my second book, in the chapter titled "Drugs Are Bad," I now choose to introduce the world to a new term I've created, called Seasonal Sobriety.
Alcohol, being an addictive, destructive, and poisonous drug, should only be consumed (if at all) once per Season ... for a very brief time-frame. This takes away the overwhelming notion of NEVER being able to drink again, which would cause some Drinkers to never even attempt to stop, to instead, creating a reasonable goal, of enjoying all the benefits of a Sober Lifestyle for the duration of an entire Season (3 months) and THEN giving yourself the freedom to drink once your 90 days of consistent sobriety is complete. Your sobriety break should always be planned consciously, in advance. You might schedule your break for your Birthday Weekend, Vacation, Thanksgiving, New Year's, Memorial Day Weekend, July 4th, Labor Day Weekend, etc.
You just have to be careful, with respect to the length of your sobriety "break". Everyone is different, so this method wouldn't be advisable for severe alcohol addicts, who could easily experience a full-blown relapse. This idea is for those who choose to experience all of the incredible benefits of a Sober Lifestyle, with the rare (Seasonal) exception of a sobriety break.
When you're able to go an entire Season without alcohol, you'll begin to cultivate new habits, that will likely, very naturally, eliminate your desire to drink alcohol. With time, your new, Sober Lifestyle, will empower you to see alcohol as the destructive drug that it is. And your sobriety breaks will only serve to remind you why you choose to leave alcohol in your past.
I recommend doing AT LEAST one full Season (90 days) alcohol-free each year. As you remember how wonderful life can be without consistently dulling your senses with alcohol, you will likely choose to experience more alcohol-free Seasons, until one day, you finally outgrow alcohol altogether.
With my Seasonal Sobriety approach, I'm able to still drink a beer alongside (empathize with) my beer-drinking buddies on occasion, while ALSO serving as an example that might inspire them to attempt their own 90-day alcohol-free Season. If I can get them over that 90-day hurdle, they too, might see The Light. My boy Jesus said, "It's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." For this reason, he chose to kick it with the "sinners," and came to "seek and save the lost".
I've grown to love my Sober Lifestyle, as I know it's best for me ... and I'm in alignment with my Highest Path: Physically, Spiritually, and Mentally. Nearly every stupid decision I've made in life has been an extension of being under the influence of alcohol. Nearly every breakthrough I've had in life has been an extension of me being in alignment with my Highest Path ... which is only possible when you're Sober. It's empowering to be the only Sober person in the room, while observing the behaviors of the intoxicated.
I recommend reading the book, "Alcohol Explained" by William Porter. It provides a lot of illuminating insight. The most important aspect for me, personally, was with respect to sleep-quality. We panic if our phones drop down to a 50% charge, yet we often fail to fully-recharge our bodies every night. QUALITY sleep is greatly impacted when you fall asleep under the influence of alcohol. This, obviously, impacts your performance in your waking life. It's like you're constantly running on a 25% charge. The body and brain is repaired and rejuvenated at night, during the process of quality sleep. This impacts your overall physical health and mental well-being, which often influences your emotional well-being.
He also covers some of the psychological, social, emotional, and physiological causes and effects of alcohol, which really causes the reader to look within.
I encourage you to read the book, if you've noticed some negative consequences of alcohol in your life. PS. I just finished reading "Alcohol Explained 2," and it further empowers you, with the seeds it plants into your mind. It truly shifts your perspective with respect to numerous things regarding alcohol. Do yourself ... and your loved ones ... a favor ... and read these books!
If you're not a reader (you should be), I encourage you to consider watching YouTube videos with interviews of William Porter, or check out my boy Sober Leon.
1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
While recently encouraging one of my best pals to join me on The Sober Path, I was inspired to say the following: "It's never too late ... until it's too late."
Will your New Life begin today?