Wine is one of my favorite things in the world. I’m not an excessive drinker and I don’t get drunk every day, but I usually do pour a glass when I get home from work and sip on it while I cook dinner. For me, it marks the end of the work day and the start of evening relaxation. So when I found out that there would be no alcohol allowed on a recent business trip I had to take, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
As a lifelong wallflower with loads of social anxiety, the thought of spending a week in close quarters with a group of strangers was already terrifying. The thought of accomplishing that completely sober was barely feasible. But because I like my job and I’m not one to back down from a challenge, I went an entire week without wine — and I actually lived to tell the tale.
- My brain stayed in work mode the entire time. When I’m home, I don’t flip into work mode until I get to the office. It lasts until I get home, pour that wine and boot up my laptop to do some writing, at which point I’m fully relaxed again. Without the comfort of my nice, private apartment and my wine, my brain stayed in work mode non-stop, which made my insomnia worse than usual. I’m sure it was partially due to sharing a room, which I haven’t done in many years, but I did miss my wine terribly. Even seeing the Yellowtail commercial on TV made me sad!
- Dinner was a drag. When I’m at home, dinner is a holiday that occurs every day. Even if I just make a pizza or a salad, I put on music, dance, and sip my wine while I prep my food. Then I make my way to “my spot” on the couch (yes, I’m like Sheldon in that way) and find something to watch while I eat. Being relegated to microwaving Easy Mac in a hotel room and sipping water out of little plastic cups temporarily killed my love of dinner and I ate less than usual the entire week. The one positive thing I can say about losing my desire to eat and not drinking all week is that I definitely consumed fewer calories than usual.
- I awkwardly fumbled through socializing with people and it actually worked. Social anxiety is a bitch, and I’m sure my roommates thought at first that I’m just a total freak. The truth is, I was afraid because they’re both beautiful and normal, which means my screwed up brain was telling me they wouldn’t like me. Usually, my good friend wine helps me calm my nerves when socializing with people I don’t know, but this time I was on my own. Running away wasn’t an option, so I started off with small conversations and ended up making actual connections with awesome people.
- My hustle was completely unaffected. I’m a true professional, so I know by now how to put aside everything else I’m going through when it’s time to focus on the hustle. Even when I’m at home, I don’t usually drink to excess on work nights because I’m better at my job when I’m clear-headed and feeling good.
- Writing was more challenging than usual. Writing is both my passion and a side job that helps to supplement my income. However, writing requires me to be in a much different frame of mind than I need to be in for my full-time job. When I’m navigating the business world, I have to think more logically, and when I write in the evenings, I require creativity that flows like a fountain. Without the assistance of wine, my creative thoughts weren’t as quick or fluid and it took longer to write a piece than it normally does.
- Going out with the group for team night was still fun. We went bowling and had dinner for our team night, and it was legitimately fun. I had an amazing pizza with BBQ sauce and pulled pork on it, and I was internally debating which would be a better pairing with it: Shiraz, Cabernet or Pinot Noir. I don’t think you have to drink to have fun, but I agree with the Internet meme on this one: you don’t need running shoes to go running either, but they sure do make it better. For the record, I’m pretty sure Shiraz would’ve been the best pairing with that pizza.
- Overall, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It was a really busy week, so I didn’t have a lot of down time to miss my wine. The only times I really thought about it were those evenings when I was experiencing writer’s block and insomnia. I knew I would be successful at my work because I’m good at what I do, but I was really surprised that I managed to socialize with people I didn’t know while completely sober, form connections with them, and only have a couple minor panic attacks in the process.
- I appreciate my home so much more now. I’m such an independent woman and a loner, and that’s why it was a challenge for me to be away from my “safe place” and the lifestyle that makes me happy. I enjoyed the trip on many levels, but arriving home was the most joyful experience I’ve had in a while. I was pretty close to kissing my beautiful laminate floors and stainless steel appliances, and that first sip of wine was downright divine (as was the rest of the bottle, because screw it, it’s the weekend). There’s just no place like home.
