i don't drink alcohol
a personal choice šø
iāve been wanting to write this post for a long time, but decided to wait until i was safely 21 years old, and it was universally acceptable for me to do so.
i donāt drink alcohol. i never have, and i donāt plan to either. my parents also have never tried a drop!
drinking is against the religion that i identify with (sikhism), but iām not a particularly devout follower - sikhism subscribes to a way of life that i can appreciate very deeply, though.
the main reason is that i genuinely see no merit in drinking alcohol. this take extends to pretty much any negative substance, and iāve even tried to cut out caffeine but matcha and coffee are just too delicious.
a core value tied to my health is control. i want to be in control of my body and what happens to it without the influence of external substances as much as possible. i should be able to address any deficiencies with healthy habits and more careful attention. i never want some other substance to be the immediate solution to my sadness, fatigue, boredom, or insecurity. of course, if itās dire and iām writhing in pain, iāll pop a painkiller.
alcohol is incredibly bad for our bodies - i just donāt see the āsocial connectionā benefit even remotely close to outweighing the negative impact on my health and risking me getting hooked onto it, knowing full well that i have an addictive personality.
circling back to the social connection piece, i really donāt think iāve ever missed out on much. placebo is quite a powerful thing, and if everyone else around you has some liquid courage in them and theyāre letting loose, that social pressure of being perceived by others breaks down for the sober person in the room as well. iāve never had a problem just falling into the flow of the environment and having a great time myself. i thoroughly enjoy a night out with good music.
so if there are only cons and i donāt ever feel a sense of missing out, there truly is no merit to drinking alcohol for me.
todayās drops šļø
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health is wealth!