If you want to drink less, nothing is more important than cultivating the right mindset. This means changing your drinking perspective and deciding that your relationship with alcohol is going to serve you. You will no longer be at the mercy of triggers, cravings, and negative consequences from drinking. You will have a choice about whether or not you drink, and if you do, how much you consume. Your new drinking perspective is about doing what it takes to change your relationship with alcohol and embracing this challenge.
Reframing the Way You See It
Your new mindset shift does not view changing your relationship with alcohol as missing out or a burden. Rather, you regard this lifestyle as something positive to appreciate and view with gratitude. It comes with choice, freedom, and the chance to be intentional and thoughtful about your thinking and actions. It’s like your personal mission statement related to your relationship with alcohol.
This does not mean it will be easy or comfortable. You may at times experience strong cravings to drink or drink much more than you planned to. You may be in situations where drinking a lot seems like a natural part of the experience. But with your mindset shift, you come to see challenges like cravings as opportunities for growth. You might even learn to welcome these cravings as an opportunity to strengthen your mindset and practice your skills.
Riding the Craving Wave
It’s helpful to keep in mind that cravings are like waves. They build and build and then the peak. But eventually they do subside. You just have to get yourself through the build-up and peak without giving in. And if your mindset is about not letting alcohol control you, this will be much easier to do. Find positive coping strategies and healthy behaviors to engage in while the craving wave is building. The hypnotherapy, movement practices, and journaling prompt on the Unconscious Moderation app are some great examples. Adopt a mantra such as “I can handle this.”
When you do something challenging, like starting a new exercise routine, it can often be difficult or unpleasant in the beginning. But if you have adopted a new mindset and are committed to health and wellness, you are able to persevere despite these challenges. You make choices that align with your new mindset. This is the same mindset that will help you change your relationship with alcohol.
One Thought at a Time
When your drinking is out of control, it’s a thought that directs you to have a drink. That thought might be “I need a drink,” or “this would be better or more fun with some drinks.” Changing your mindset is about changing that thought to “I choose to handle or experience this without a drink. When you go to social events, this mindset is about intentionally focusing on what is enjoyable other than alcohol, such as the company, food, or environment. Or sometimes it’s about choosing to avoid situations that don’t align with your new relationship with alcohol.
So, embrace the freedom that comes with your new mindset shift.
