7 Day Detox: Day 13

I'm one day away from my 2-week goal and I've hit a snag. My first set-up/blind date is tonight at a place where you paint and drink wine. I'm excited, but am faced with a conundrum. End the detox 24 hours early or tell him I'm not drinking and why? I feel like explaining the whole detox idea would be a huge deterrent - why would you need to refrain from drinking alcohol for 2 weeks if you're not addicted?

Touche, dear-date-that-I-haven't-met-yet.

The good news is the detox experiment worked. I was able to remove alcohol from my life without avoiding social interaction. I remembered what it was like to hang out with friends because you enjoyed their company and simply wanted to be around them, not because you wanted to get a beer and needed someone to do it with.

I have found that the idea of a Corona with a lime after work, or a glass of wine to go with dinner is often born not because I need the drink (that was never the case), but because it makes me feel like an adult (which is a weird thing to want to feel). It's a mini-celebration to the end of another workday. Growing up, eating a bowl of popcorn was the end of my day dessert - I think it's time I get back to that.

Overall, I'm pleased with the detox and results. I'm excited to try and weed out activities that revolve around drinking and incorporate some good, old fashioned fun back into my life. I'm eager to start drinking slower, enjoy the drink for what it is and not for the potential buzz it could give me. Let's see how long that lasts...