Every choice in life has pros and cons.

A recent choice I’ve made is quitting alcohol.

The con of quitting alcohol? Drinking with friends is no longer fun. 

As they get drunk, they release their inhibitions and have a good time. I don’t - I just stay in my normal state. 

The music gets turned up loud, conversations become less intelligible, and the party starts. And I just feel awkward as fuck - although I know it’s all in my head.

It sucks because I feel that I can’t "party" anymore.

The pros?

After I stopped drinking, I noticed just how much drinking depleted my energy, even hours or days after the act.

If I had a drink over lunch, I would feel tired for the rest of the afternoon.

Quitting alcohol has given me superhuman energy levels. Often, it feels like too much energy. 

Lately, I’ve been working out twice a day. I’m never tired.

The other main benefit? Less anxiety.

For me, drinking was a bandaid for my anxiety. Two drinks will bring it down from a 6/10 to a 2/10. But the hangover will bring it back to an 8/10.

Lately, my anxiety levels have been a 3/10, when they’re usually a 6/10.

Most people don’t think they have an alcohol problem - but sometimes our problems are just not noticeable because they have become so normal in our lives.

This is why I think it’s important to rip things out of our own lives like alcohol, caffeine, meat, food, nicotine, sex, material possessions, social media, our phones, the news, politics, etc.

It is what gives us a new perspective and makes us better humans. It is the spice of life.