It would be incredibly challenging to list all the amazing ways your life gets better almost instantly after giving up alcohol.
Naturally, you might highlight the restoration your internal organs experience, which significantly lowers the chances of heart disease and cancer.
Many individuals don’t notice or experience that in the immediate future, though.
Therefore, they often emphasize benefits such as instant skin hydration, improved physical fitness and stamina, and a more balanced mood.
I believe better sleep would be my top choice since it positively affects every other aspect of life. However, it’s genuinely difficult to pick just one advantage.
Heck, you could just look at the incredibly gifted actress Anne Hathaway, who gave up drinking once she hit her 40s.
Quitting time
Earlier today, I stumbled upon an interview Hathaway gave to Vanity Fair this week, where she talks about her choice to stop drinking alcohol in her early 40s.
Like many others, I gravitate towards the pop culture that defined my youth.
Being 42 years old, I've watched my fair share of Anne Hathaway movies..
Fortunately for me, Hathaway’s filmography boasts an impressive mix of successful blockbusters such as Interstellar, The Dark Knight Rises, and Les Miserables. She also dabbles in more unique and entertaining projects like the recent Apple mini-series about WeWork, WeCrashed (highly, HIGHLY recommend!).
So, I found it both fascinating and uplifting to learn that another peer of mine has chosen to join the many who have decided to quit drinking alcohol in their early 40s (I quit at her current age — 41).
Just like the experiences shared by numerous sobriety authors here and the famous personalities I cover in my magazine, Famously Healthy, choosing to stop usually stems from a couple of factors:.
- The harmful effects of drinking become too serious to keep overlooking.
- The discontent with your mental state before, during, and after you use it.
Why Anne Hathaway quit alcohol
I find it interesting that Hathaway stopped drinking at 41, which, as I noted, is the same age when I chose to give up alcohol for good.
In your youth, you can mistreat your body in various harmful ways, and it usually recovers as if nothing happened.
As you age, your body begins to resist more and more, making it increasingly exhausting and painful to sustain your bad habit, eventually pushing you to reevaluate your decisions.
Here’s how Hathaway explained to Vanity Fair about her body resisting:.
I had a gut feeling it wasn’t right for me.
It seemed so intense to have to ask, ‘But none?’ But none...
When you're allergic or have an anaphylactic reaction to something, there's no room for debate. So, I simply ceased any arguments with it.
It’s a journey each person must undertake on their own. For me, the experience has made everything better.
It’s all-encompassing—physical, mental, and beyond.
Absolutely, it's difficult to overemphasize and rank the magnitude and extent of the benefits.
A word like “everything” truly is necessary to capture all that it encompasses.
It certainly highlights the grip alcohol can have when Hathaway mentions having a genuine allergy to it, but still continues to drink.
‘Wallowing fuel’
Hathaway also devised an intriguing and fitting way to describe its impact on your mental state.
She explained:
Personally, it was like fuel for wallowing. And I’m not one to indulge in wallowing.
What I believe is that everyone will have a drink or two, and once they reach that second drink, you'll feel like you’ve had two drinks as well — minus the hangover.
Many of my lifestyle decisions are made with the goal of fostering mental well-being.
I ceased engaging in activities that I find exhausting or that might lead to downward spirals.
Hathaway attributed her improved mental well-being to giving up alcohol, embracing new motherhood, and being kinder to herself.
This is the first time I've truly understood myself.
I don't base my life on others' opinions. I'm aware of my thoughts and in tune with my emotions.
“I’m way quicker to laugh now.”
That line really resonated with me, and I'd say her choice to give up drinking was likely the most significant factor.
Actually, it was only a few months back that I penned an article on the exact same topic called “1 encouraging first sign alcohol is releasing its grip on your brain”.
Here’s what I wrote:
“I’d been tricked by alcohol into thinking that the constant tiredness and sorrow I experienced daily were just a part of life.
“That it was just my personality now.
“But then, I noticed a shift.
It was among the initial indications that alcohol's grip on my mind was loosening.
“And I was overjoyed.
"And can you guess what that straightforward yet impactful sign was?"
“I laughed.
“Out loud.
“In an instant.
“I truly had forgotten the feeling of laughing easily.”
I had turned into someone who could no longer feel bursts of happiness when I was sober, someone who had almost completely lost the ability to experience real joy without being under the influence of alcohol.
"That’s because alcohol drains all the vibrancy from everyday life.
It turns everything to shades of grey, and the sole method to restore those vibrant colors is to drink.
You lose enthusiasm for activities that once captivated you. Everyday joys no longer hold your attention, and you find yourself quickly disinterested.
“It quite literally and metaphorically saps your energy out.”
How to improve everything in your life
One of the greatest benefits of giving up alcohol was getting to know my true self again.
After a long period of drinking, it becomes easy to completely forget that the person ever existed.
However, I can confirm that individual remains present.
You simply have to quit soaking them in alcohol.
Trust me and Anne Hathaway—life is just better without alcohol.
Friends, I truly appreciate you taking the time to read today! If you enjoyed this article, please give it a clap or two so others can discover it, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! If you found it particularly enjoyable, you can leave a small tip here.
John Collins
