New Years Eve always gives people a chance to reset. A moment to reflect on where they are at in life, how the past year went and what may lie ahead in the future. That generally includes finances, parenting, work goals, mental health and physical health. The New Years resolution is a thing and whether you do it or not, we all need a life audit from time to time.

If you’ve been a gym regular you likely noticed it’s been impossible the last 7 days to actually get a space to work out as people always generally include getting in shape on their list. Sadly, those machines generally become free around Jan 14th/15th when people aren’t seeing results after 2 weeks of bad form. Be patient, you WILL see results after week three as long as you’re into a routine and doing it right!

Also included in this can be “Dry January” even though there is a push on to make it “Dry February” which gives you a chance to put down the drink, give the liver a rest and maybe get some sleep not interrupted by the nitrates in that Red Wine! However this seems to be the hardest one of all to conquer. So much of our society and social life revolve around it that even if people want to, they find it hard to admit they have quit so as not to be judged.(funny, people don’t cast the same judgement when quitting smoking, hard drugs or gambling) which is a mental issue in itself.

Everyone is on their own journey. Everyone has a right to that journey and who are we to decide what is right for someone else? I’ve certainly taken my share of licks being 5 years drink free which the most common question being “Why?” I’ll happily address It to anyone as simply it’s my time and I’ve ran out of drink tickets! I used them up pretty frantically in a music business world that gives them out like water. I’m not talking about the drink tickets you get at the bar, I’m talking about the drink tickets you get in life! I used about 1000 of them in 2018 during one of the busiest touring years of my life. For the record that’s only 2 drinks a day plus a bit more on your days off! I definitely didn’t want to drink less than that as I thought that was a reasonable amount and never got wasted. I was always just cruising.

So, it was a time for a change. I had to decide how I wanted to approach the next year and future and what kind of employee I wanted to be. In this crazy concert world, it’s so common to take everyone out and make sure they are having a good time that you get caught in the process and it’s a slippery slope. So, I quit. No AA, no program, just quit. It wasn’t easy. In fact it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done. You are judged, left out, talked about and looked at. However, I’ve come to discover that a majority of people doing the judging, talking a looking are also admiring and potentially questioning their own position on the matter. But, will they come forward? Will they have that chat that perhaps it’s time to wrangle it in. I can tell you at least 50 have. I can tell you only 5-10 have stuck to it. Do I judge? Absolutely not. It’s their journey. If calling me to chat was part of that then great. Everyone has to do what’s right for them and how they feel. I just love being around people that know what they want and go get it. However they need to get there is fine by me. I needed to get it without alcohol. I talk all about it below. You’re not alone. Do what you need to do to move forward in life. Surround yourself with amazing people that cheer for you when you aren’t there. That’s the story that inspires. Giving up drinking has been challenging and also super rewarding. Life is both anyway’s, I just wanted to live it a different way.