One Month Without Alcohol (Done)
December 25, 2020
Update: I’ve finished my month without alcohol. It was tough at times but I really enjoyed taking a break from drinking. I thought about going for another month or even indefinitely but I had this sense that I was just taking the easy way out. Instead, I should:
- Understand why I want to drink
- If I do drink, drink responsibily
- Actually enjoy what I’m drinking, not just the effect it has (this means taking time and care in selecting/making my drinks)
I’ve decided to take one month off from drinking any alcohol. I’ve done this in the past for varying amounts of time and it was great as an exercise in self-control and for the obvious health benefits. To be exact, here are the rules:
- I won’t drink any form of alcohol until January 25th, 2021.
- If I drink any alcohol before the above date, I will donate 500 USD to GiveWell’s Maximum Impact Fund.
Why donate?
If I don’t drink for thirty days there are some obvious benefits for me. But what if I do end up drinking? If I don’t do something like donate then there’s not really a benefit for me in that case. Donating to a worthy cause would make me feel good and have a positive impact on the world. It also keeps me more accountable. Doubly so because I track my expenses. Of course, there’s nothing stopping me from removing this post if I mess up and pretending I never said these things. I guess I’m banking on my integrity as a person.