Let's try this again... 30 day no alcohol challenge

Wow what a weekend. I feel like it was 400 hours and also flew by so fast. I haven't mentioned much about it on here, but I've undergone a bit of a change in the last week: I quit drinking alcohol. Not because I have an alcohol problem or anything, but to cleane my body of the poison I ingest daily, whether at work (I bartend happy hour at a local taproom part time) or whether it's a glass of wine before bed. More days than not, I consume alcohol. It's become intertwined and worked into my habit and routine. After a long night of dancing when my sister was in town, I felt so dragged down by the drinking that comes along with being young and out dancing on a Friday. I decided it was time for a break. I don't want to feel tired from drinking. Or sick. Or overworked. I want to feel full of life and energy. So today makes the start of day 7 of no alcohol in my body. And let me tell you, I feel amazing!

Again, I must stress, the word sobriety feels almost too serious, and I feel the need to reiterate that my drinking was never a problem, more an unnecessary part of my day. While I bartend happy hour every weekday, it's easy to have a drink everyday, and that's a slippery slope. People get freaked out when they find out I'm not drinking for 30 days. Like something catastrophic occured to make me quit. I did not wrap my car around a tree of anything, or get alcohol poisoning so don't worry.

It blows me away to realize the how the things you consume change the way you feel. While it's a no-brainer, it's something one doesn't really get until they change their diet and life. And alcohol is like liquid fat. If I casually drink at work, I can easily consume close to 1,000 calories in four hours. Even with the new sobriety, additionally, Matt and I have changed our eating habits in the last 6 months or so, opting for almost no processed foods or junk. While there is some junk I'll still eat, (I'm still a stubborn woman, and I need my chocolate and occasional indulgence) we barely eat "bad food". 

My skin looks better, my body fat is more evenly distributed, I have more energy, I require less sleep, I bounce out of bed in the morning. It's amazing! I even started a book the other day! I'm reading P.D. James' Children of Men. I can't even remember the last time I made time for a book. It's actually quite exciting. All year I've been "go, go, go" with one project immediately following another. A December fashion show last year, a mini-Valentine's line, an April spring fashion show, a June gallery show, July vacation home to Michigan, September three day art festival, and now another December fashion show. There is rarely any "Sally time".

I plan on sticking to abstinence from alcohol for a total of 30 days, and then minimize what I consume. No more liquor in the house, only wine, minimal beer. Matt and I had a pretty nice liquor cabinet until last Monday, giving every drop in the house to a friend. 

After 30 days, I may have a glass of wine before bed here and there, but I much prefer my new routine, a cup of tea with honey, and a book before bed. I fall asleep more comfortably, I sleep better, and I wake up feeling more rested, I almost jump out of bed. And did I mention how amazing it feels to be completely hydrated! It's crazy to think how many people walk through most of their life being dehydrated. I'm sure more people are dehydrated than actually hydrated like they should be.

At the age of 27, I'm getting too old for the daily grind that involves putting things that aren't natural in my body. I want to live a long long life, and the only way I will know I am doing my best to carry that out, is to abstain from all those things that are unhealthy. Now a former smoker, minimal drinker, a consumer of unprocessed foods, purchaser of only things handmade and second-hand, I am quite proud of the adult I am shaping up to be. Life's too short to not do what you want and to not stand up for what you believe in. I intend to do just that. Matt tells me all the time, "I want you live a long time; quit eatting that sh*t!" 

So there's my Monday confession. Apologies for the heavy topic; I just feel so optimistic about the future I had to share this with you all. I was planning on keeping it private, since the last 30 day fast from alcohol lasted 14 days, I didn't want to publicize my challenge and then fail again. But I don't think the last attempt was a neccessarily a failure. Fourteen days was a great attempt. I was simply weak and succumbed to the easier path. Working in a bar five evenings a week makes saying no very difficult. Everyone wants a drinking buddy, and 90% of my clientele are regulars and friends coming in after work. Happy Hour is the best. And I just noticed: funny how the last 30 days challenge was almost exactly a year ago. I can't believe it's been that long, feels like just a few months.

Outfit details: Silk top, thrifted. Watch: vintage Casio. Belt, thrifted.

Skirt, thrifted, gift. Wedges, Born, resale shop. Total outfit cost: $28.

This weekend, Matt and I gutted Shelby. What fun! And we found out she is actually a 1973 Shasta Compact, not a 1971 like we thought. Dates were revealed on extracted boards and things that said April 1973, when it was made. I'll post picture of the interior, before and after one day of demolition. We're laying out our plans for the interior now, figuring out electrical and a built in stereo system. A friend of mine owns a Millworks company, specializing in antique hardwood flooring, and he's offered to supply me with all the beautiful wood I want. We plan to make the floors, walls, and ceiling all beautiful wood, all boards planed down to 1/4" thick, to keep the camper nice and light. It's going to be so unbelievably gorgeous. I have a picture of what it will look like in my mind, and I can't wait to show it to you all! Maybe this week, if I have the time, I'll sketch something out. 

Hope you all enjoy your Monday!

I'm starting to sketch the winter line! Woo hoo!