Why I Choose Tea & Walks Over Beer

I have night-time routines and habits like everyone. I am sure others have similar routines, whether it is watching a show, reading a book, or tending to some personal matters. I have always enjoyed sitting on my front steps with my dog Swarley (and now Olive), enjoying the night sky, and taking longer walks to unwind from the day trying to get my life in order. This routine always came with a beer in my hand because that is what I was taught or saw growing up. Alcohol helps you unwind, some truth to this as alcohol is a depressant but for me this was not serving me well. The beer had me focusing on all of my problems and the negativity in my life. I would say the same things over and over again. "I am so stressed, what do I do?" "Why isn't the world helping me out? I'm a good person, so good things should happen to me" "This isn't fair" "What am I doing with my life?" "Why isn't anything working out for me?" "I don't want my life to be this way anymore!" I never focused on how to create solutions to my problems. I just created more problems. I strongly believe that alcohol played a significant role. I am sure some of these questions have popped up in your mind at some point while consuming some kind of alcoholic beverage. These thoughts and questions are overwhelming. It can lead to stress that can significantly impact the overall function of the body and even more specifically your sleep. These are completely normal thoughts when we alter our mind with a depressant like alcohol. Alcohol is a low vibrational food that sends a frequency to our cells to tell our body to operate at a lower level functions, thus having us focusing on low level negative thoughts and outcomes. It wasn't until recently (November 2020) that I said to my friend Danielle, "Alcohol no longer serves me and I want to start living a life where alcohol does not play a significant role in my life". Now that is something I never thought I would say out loud.... EVER! So what happened next...? I let alcohol consume me for the next 2-3 months. Why? because that is what my body does, I say something that I want to change and my body purges it by indulging in it. Then, I surrendered to it and I took control of how alcohol plays a role in my life.

(I clearly do not recommend to let something consume you, this is how my body functions and it is important to understand your body and how you deal with issues) The way I go about my routines now, have completely changed. My stoop sitting and night time walks now include things like herbal teas, golden milks, and natural supplements to truly let my body unwind. I have mental clarity and my thought processes are completely different. My body feels completely different. My quality of sleep has improved significantly. I still have those questions and thoughts pop up in my head, but instead of dwelling on them and making myself feel worse, I create solutions. I am not overwhelmed. My inner voice that had been suppressed by alcohol is now speaking louder and guiding. I proactively take steps to change my life. Since this decision, that I have consciously made, I now look towards my night time routine to give me answers that I may not find during my busy day Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself! Light and Love from The Hive, Jim