You Can’t Undrink a Drink – Stop Drinking Alcohol 66
On The Site This Week
During the week I posted a video about stopping drinking for mental reasons. I think this is one of the areas of your life that will surprise you once you quit. Your mental life will improve dramatically. You will find that you have better brain function because you’re not pickling your mind in alcohol any more. I am a lot more capable of handling my emotions, of stringing thoughts together, of remembering things that happened over two seconds ago. Brain cell revival!
You Can’t Undrink a Drink
What I wanted to talk about this week was getting yourself in a knot over your drinking past. You can’t undrink a drink that you’ve already drunk. You can’t unthink a thought that you’ve already thunk.
I know there’s going to be a smart arse that says they undrink drinks all the time. Yep, we all have gone through vomiting down some grotty back alleyway. What I mean is that there’s no point in beating yourself up about your past behaviour. It’s done and dusted, in the past, there’s no hope of ever changing it.
Past is Past
Don’t worry about your past drinking. You need to stop letting your past actions dictate your present self. If you do, negative emotions are going to spill over from your past, into your present, and they’re going to stain your future.
Viewing The Past From a Different Angle
You can change the way you view your past drinking. You can use your past to your advantage. You don’t have to look at it like it is something to be proud of, or like it’s a good thing, but you are where you are and nothing you do is going to change that.
There’s also no point in viewing your past with shame or disgust. These are harmful thoughts that are only going to hamper your positive present thinking. You want to get to the state where you’re feeling happy and looking forward to your future, not sad about stuff you can’t do anything about.
Excuses Are Harmful
The idea of not using excuses any more is about getting rid of them from your present thinking where they’re doing you harm. Using excuses in the present tense is perpetuating the bullshit. When you continue to use excuses to drink, you’ll continue to drink… or at least continue to want to drink.
Your Bygones
When I’m talking about using excuses, don’t worry about the excuses you’ve used in your past. It makes no difference how you’ve excused the past or what you’ve excused in the past, so long as you stop doing it in the present.
For instance, if you’ve used alcohol in your past because you believed it was a part of your culture, so be it. That’s where I was, that’s where most of us started out. Our cultures embedded a mindset that it was OK to drink, OK to drink to get drunk, and so on. It’s not an excuse for past behaviour when you didn’t know any different.
Let go of the baggage. Don’t worry what you said or did in the past, don’t worry about how much you drank… the why, what, where, how, and what for’s of the past, the blame and recriminations. Let them all lie!
History Repeating
If you bring them into the present, you risk derailing your efforts. Look at all your present thoughts and actions in terms of how they benefit you. Who benefits from you blaming yourself about your past? You don’t!
Only think about your past if it’s going to help you avoid the same actions again, to stop your personal history from repeating itself. Otherwise, let your bygones be bygones!
Now you know what’s going on, it’s time to stop. Don’t let the past become your future. You can’t do anything about the past, but you can use the past to your advantage by changing your perceptions about why you used alcohol.
Your Past Drinking Thinking
Think about your alcohol past in terms of what you now know about how your alcohol use has affected you. How can you view your past drinking so that it has the greatest impact on your ability to quit now? What excuses have you used in the past that you’re still using?
Thanks for visiting the site.
Until next time…
Onwards and Upwards!
Kev
Previous Posts That May Help You
Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 63
Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 64
Stop Drinking Alcohol Week 65
Where To Find Alcohol Mastery
Alcohol Mastery TV on YouTube
Alcohol Mastery Shorts on YouTube
Alcohol Mastery on Facebook
Alcohol Mastery on Twitter
Great video Kevin,
I found it very timely as well for me as I’ve periodically beat myself up about my past episodes regarding my binge drinking but found it did not add any positivity towards my current journey. I read a quote from a quite famous speaker Jim Rohn who’s teaching I’ve followed for years. I read it daily and have prided myself as using it as a mantra for my current life regarding all facets of my journey…drinking included and it reads as follows:
“Use your past as a school, not as a club. Don’t beat yourself up with your past. Instead, look at your past as lessons that you can apply to do better in the present and in the future. Until we have finally accepted the fact that there is nothing we can do to change the past, our feelings of regret and remorse and bitterness will prevent us from designing a better future with the opportunity that is before us today.”
Thanks for all the work you do and until the next post…Onwards and Upwards. Blessings.
Thanks for the kind words. I love Jim Rohn’s work, he was such an unusual character with a lot to offer. Good luck to you!
Hi Kevin,
I’m still checking out your videos. Just haven’t commented in a while. The last few, “can’t undo a drink”, “Alcohol and the mind” & info on kidney damage have been especially good videos. So different than AA. I’m AA’d OUT! You’re inspiring to watch. I need yet to check out the forum.
Keep up the great work. Thank you!
Rochelle L.
Hi Kevin,
Another great video. Thanks!
Comparing your first video to today’s, what a noticeable difference in your appearance. You look so much more healthy and, “alive”.
Thanks for all you do.
Darryl
Feel much more alive, my friend! The power of life over drugs!
Thank you Kevin. Very true & the last thing we need to do is to beat ourselves up more. Been away for awhile, trying to build a new life. I’m grateful I found you & your site as you do inspire me xx
Thanks Joyce
WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for Boer