By Becky McBoom

A huge part of the whole “Look But Don’t Stare” struggle for me has been taking off my rose colored glasses. I tend to look back at my drinking days and only remember the good times. Laughing around the table while doing a wine tasting with friends. That warm and fuzzy feeling I got when the first drink starts kicking in. How much more confident I felt on the dance floor after a round of shots. The crisp, satisfying taste of a cold beer after mowing the lawn.

When I look through the nostalgia lens, I conveniently don’t focus on the negative aspects of my drinking days. The hangovers and blacking out. Battling anxiety and low self esteem the next day. Racking up huge bar tabs. Being a general menace and creating problems in my relationships.

Here is your activity for today: Take a few minutes to reflect on the aspects of your drinking that are not picture perfect. What have you not missed while you’ve been taking this break from drinking? What parts of your life have improved during this time? What would your life look like if you incorporated more alcohol free days moving forward?