Andassomeonewhostruggled a lotwithsocialanxietyandcodependencyissuesas a youngman, alcoholwastheonlythingthatallowedmetosocializewithlargegroupsofpeoplecomfortably.
Then, atuniversity, I discoveredwhat I thoughtwas a superpower, I coulddrink.
A lot.
Andstill, somehow, remainhighlyfunctional.
Combinethiswith a socialenvironmentthatrewardsanabilitytodrinkwithstatus, andbymyearly 20s, I hadadoptedanidentityasthepartyguy.
I wasoutalmosteverynight, TuesdaythroughSaturday, drinkinghand, having a blast.
See, when I wasyoung, theconventionalwisdomwasthat a fewdrinkseachweekwasactuallygoodforyou.
Hell, a glassofredwinewassupposedtomakeyouhealthy.
Butnow, wehavebetterdataandbetterstudies.
Andsadtosay, thenewsisbad.
No, God!
It's allbad.
Everylastdropofit.
Alcoholisbad.
I'llneverdrinkanotherbeer.
Beerhere!
I'lltake 10.
Notonlyisitbadforyouthatdayorthatweek, butifyou're a consistentlyheavydrinker, like I wasformany, manyyears, itcantakeupto a yearforyourbodytocompletelyreset.
I wouldgetexcitedaboutthreeorfourdifferentprojectideasinanygivenweek.
I'd feelanxietyandFOMOif I passedupopportunities.
I woulddedicatemyselfto a newideaonlytostartquestioningthatidea a fewdayslater.
I wouldridethisrollercoasterofemotion, onedayfeelinglike I wasdoingexactlywhat I wasmeanttobedoing, andthenthenext, having a completeexistentialcrisisthat I waswastingmytime.
Now, I have a handfulofgoalsthat I know I wanttoaccomplishand I focusonthem.
I saynotoallconflictingopportunitiesandthere's nodrama, nobullshit.
Nomorebullshit.
Numberthree, fewerbutbetterfriends.
Inmy 20s, I drankalcoholatsocialeventstoburymyanxiety.
Inmy 30s, I dranktoburymyboredom.
Theepiphany I hadwhen I stoppeddrinkingisthatif I'm boredwhenhangingoutwithcertainpeople,
I shouldsimplystopbeingfriendswiththosepeople.
Forsomereason, thisthoughtneveroccurredtomeinthe 15 yearsthat I wasdrinking, butnowthat I'm sober, itseemslikethemostobviousfuckingthingintheworld.
Itgoeswithoutsaying, ifyouneedtodrinktoenjoy a personor a thing, youdon't actuallyenjoythatpersonorthing, andyoushouldstopdoingboth.
Sobersocializingisdefinitely a caseofqualityoverquantity, and I likeitthatway.
Numberfour, changedhobbiesandinterests.
Foryears, I thought I wasreallypassionateaboutfoodandfinedining.
Turnsout, I justlikegettingdrunkatrestaurants.
I thought I lovedthetheaterandliveshows.
Turnsout, a lotofthemaren't asentertainingwhenyou'resober.
I thought I likedcertaineventsandnetworkinggroupsandparties.
Turnsout, soberMarkwouldratherbehome.
Overall, fromtheoutside, mylifeprobablyappears a lotmoreboringanddull, butstrangely, I'm waymoresatisfiedandhappy.
Numberfive, bettersex.
Thisis a strongpipe, like a strong, firm, solidpipe.