?? PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING

I forget how many years it's been since I quit smoking - I actually smoked in secret for the last of those years, for fear of my children seeing me like a fag-ash-lil out in the back garden and me unconsciously affecting them in some bad, psychological way.

It took me 13 attempts, over almost 30 years, to become a non-smoker, which I finally accomplished with Allan Carr's Easyway and no, that's not the comedian, for those of you wondering ??

And now, I could no sooner put a cigarette in my mouth than put one in my ear and after all these years - I can safely say, I AM a non-smoker.

AND, for the smokers out there, you'll be pleased to know I am NOT one of those typical, pious ex-smokers who grimaces and groans every time a puff of smoke goes near my face.

The Easyway method teaches that there is no reason to feel deprived or tempted to ever smoke again, because there is in fact, nothing to give up that the nicotine didn't itself create, so why would I be resistant or defensive to smokers around me?

So, onto another modern-day vice (especially for women over 50 apparently) let's talk drinking....

I've been on a similar journey with alcohol over the last 6 years.

I've always done Dry January and Sober October, for as long as I can remember, and although I have always felt abfab upon completion of these monthly challenges, it has always been an automatic reaction to celebrate (with a glass of bubbly or 5) once the month was out ??

However, since hitting 60 in March 2022, a number of fairly strange and interesting thoughts have passed my mind about my mortality and the very real feelings I have about my invincibility...

That in fact, I am not so (invincible) and that like us all, I will, at some inevitable point, leave this earthly world for (hopefully) an even better (more peaceful) life Upstairs somewhere, reunited with my gorgeous family and friends who have gone before me.

It's quite a 'sobering' thought.

And I also started becoming intrigued about my relationship with alcohol over the years and the increased regularity that I would partake in a drink, by way of not only celebrating, but of de-stressing or unwinding after a long drive home from a client, or of rewarding myself for a job well done or of just enjoying the dizzy feeling that first glass of vino gave me.

I became curious about why MY relationship with alcohol was so very different than David's relationship with alcohol or indeed, many of my friends and family's relationship with alcohol, who could just take it or leave it and concluded it must have been because I have an addictive personality, I'm an all or nothing gal &/or I'M the weird one, with some kind of default in my psyche!

I came across Annie Grace of This Naked Mind, LLC 6 years ago and, if YOU are at that stage in your life where you're starting to question or become curious about how you might prolong YOUR invincibility on this mortal earth, then I highly recommend you read her book This Naked Mind or The Alcohol Experiment.

Or indeed, attend one of her live virtual events (many of them are FREE btw) to understand exactly why it's not YOUR fault that you may have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol (it's an incredibly addictive substance and dependent on the 'jobs' you give it, will depend on how addictive it becomes in YOUR life) and most importantly, learn the neuroscience behind the negative impact that alcohol can have on the body and brain and how SOCIETY has so much to answer for.

I have to say, I'm feeling pretty good about myself taking this journey of discovery about the various ways I can protect my invincibility for a while longer(!) I'm not just talking about giving up or moderating my smoking or drinking or other dangerously toxic vices (alcohol is waaaay more damaging to the brain than heroine is btw) that kinda make sense to call into question, as one matures and (hopefully) ages, with compassion and grace, as Annie says.

No, I'm talking about all sorts of things that I'm now focusing on in my 'maturity' that will help and support my physical and emotional health and wellbeing in what I hope will be, the many years to come.

And what a great start society is making (well Ireland is, to be precise) to ensuring that we become more AWARE of some of the very real negative consequences of drinking and the devastating effects on both the body and mind if we don't get control of this VERY addictive substance and get back in the driving seat.

i.e. I CHOOSE when to have a drink now, NOT when alcohol tells me to - and what better start to creating that AWARENESS than for Ireland to be the world's first country to put a public health warning on every bottle of alcohol sold from its supermarket shelves and off licenses.

Feeling proud of my Irish heritage right now - go go go the Emerald Isle ??

https://lnkd.in/e3-qF3aB