What my first drink in 7 years taught me

Seven years.

That’s how long it has been since I last had a drink of alcohol.

Not because I had to quit but because I chose to. It was a decision that was made with clarity rooted deep in discipline.

As a professional athlete, discipline comes easy since it has been engraved in my existence since childhood. On the other hand, finding balance in the duality of life is where I needed to improve.

Recently, I had my first drink in all those years. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the drink that left an impact, it was the realization that followed after it.

For so long, I had prided myself on self-control, staying away from certain things because I believed they didn’t serve me.

However, I look at things a little differently now.

We get caught up in our own dogmatic way of thinking, which only leads to the creation of our own suffering.

Life isn’t just about rules and discipline. It’s about balance.

For years, I had been so focused on structure and discipline that I forgot about the importance of flexibility.

Growth does not come from rigidity; it comes from being open and allowing yourself to experience.

To make mistakes.

And to learn from them.

This does not mean that I’m about to go on a drinking spree (far from it), nor do I say you need a drink to be flexible or attain some sort of realization (actually, it’s quite the opposite).

I am only speaking about my own experience.

What I am trying to say is that I am learning to be kinder to myself. To be more receptive and open to life’s lessons, even if they challenge my beliefs.

Suffering is part of life. Its spectrum is wide, from intense feelings of dealing with the passing of a close loved one to the bare minimum of dragging to go to work.

As I am getting older, so is everyone else around me.

Our grandparents replaced their parents, our parents are replacing our grandparents, we are replacing our parents, and our kids will be replacing us.

That’s the cycle of life.

However, it is important to find meaning.

Meaning allows us to see things in perspective—even the mundane parts of everyday life.

Growth isn’t just about saying no. Sometimes, it’s about allowing yourself to say yes to new experiences, to shifts in perspective, to self-compassion.

Is there something you’ve been holding yourself back from- not out of necessity but out of fear or habit?

You should ask yourself:

Am I growing, or am I controlling?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you ever had a moment that completely shifted how you see things? Hit reply and let me know—I read every response.

If this resonated with you, you can share it with someone who might need this reminder today. We’re all figuring it out, one step at a time.

It’s the ChitLife.