I’ve been drinking a little too much. I should probably take some time off. Let’s do a sober month.

1 week: This is hard, but I got through the first weekend, and I’m starting to feel better.

2 weeks: Wow, I’m starting to dream again. That’s cool.

3 weeks: I am working out all the time, I’m on top of work, and I have a lot more energy. I love this.

4 weeks: I did it! One month sober. I knew I could do it. I am going to start being more intentional with drinking. I have a concert tonight, I’ll try to be more intentional there.

6 weeks: I’m back to my old drinking routine.

Effect: I ping pong back and forth from drinking to not drinking. When I don’t drink, I feel great, but then somehow, I just slip back into drinking again. Why does this keep happening?

Strategy: Conscious vs. Unconscious Thoughts

Our brain has two types of thoughts: conscious and unconscious. In a perfect world, these thoughts would be aligned. Unfortunately, with many of us, they are not when it comes to alcohol. Let’s take a closer look.

Why do you drink? For me, it was to relax, let loose, connect with people, stay awake a little longer, and I like the taste of cocktails.

Why do you want to stop drinking? For me, I didn’t want hangovers. I wanted to be more consistent in the gym. I didn’t want any substance to have a pull on me, and I wanted to be healthier.

Why you drink represents your unconscious thoughts, and why you want to stop drinking represents your conscious thoughts. Do you notice how these are at odds with each other? I wanted a drink to let loose and relax, yet I didn’t want a substance to have a hold on me. I wanted to stay up a little longer, but I also wanted to be more consistent in the gym.

When these two types of thoughts are in conflict, your brain is in conflict. And this causes a lot of pain. It’s like two people are yelling at each other inside your head. As a result, your brain wants to restore harmony.

One method your brain uses to restore harmony is behavioral change. We say, “I will stop drinking.” When we do this, we stop drinking for a while, but our unconscious thoughts don’t change. The conflict starts back up again, which makes you stressed. And what do you do when you’re stressed? Have a drink. What a vicious cycle.

Another method your brain tries to use to restore harmony is deluding ourselves. We start denying how bad it is. “I’m going to take a month off to prove I can.” We grit through it and “see, we can stop whenever we want.” So we go back to our old habits until that conflict becomes unbearable again.

The Shift: In order to escape this loop, we need two things:

1. A strong ‘why’ behind our conscious views – Double click into why you do not want to drink. What is in it for you? How does that help your goals?
2. Breaking down our subconscious beliefs – How do we do this? Through learning and action! And fortunately, you are already subscribed to a newsletter that will help you with just that. In the coming weeks, we’ll explore ways to align your conscious and unconscious thoughts by testing and debunking our classic reasons to drink.

Outcome: When your conscious and unconscious thoughts are aligned, everything becomes easier. You stop the cycle. You stop your cravings. You start being intentional.

What’s one unconscious belief you’ve noticed in yourself that might be holding you back? Hit reply and share your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you!

Favorite Photo from the Week:

My mom’s in town, so of course I had to take her huckleberry picking! Now she wants to make a huckleberry buckle… yum!

Till next week, be kind, be curious, and work hard.

Tanner

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