What happens when you remove both meat and alcohol from your life? Some people would consider living in this type of existence hell. I myself once felt that completely removing alcohol from my life would never happen. I liked my frozen drinks and microbrews. To be clear it wasn’t anywhere near alcohol dependence, just social drinking. Somehow social drinking was a part of me that I didn’t feel the need to give up, drinking once a month or twice tops. In fact, when I turned vegetarian, I remember being excited that I could still drink beer. Somehow even drinking a few times a month can turn into a problem.
When I cut out drinking for dieting purposes, after a month my motivation levels increased. I became more persistent and much less apt to give up. This weekend I watched alcohol ruin an otherwise wonderful relationship, and I cannot help but think that without the drinking it would’ve been fine.
Taking meat out of my life changed my personality. I had no idea that when I stopped eating meat my moods would no longer swing, and that my personality would become as mellow as Hollywood portrays the sterotypical hippee in the movies. Yes that is me now.
What’s interesting is that many people, consider alcohol and expensive meats rewards and luxuries. I once considered them this as well, and treated myself to a filet mignon every once in a while, and as much of whatever I wanted to drink when on vacation. Even the vacation I went on, my boyfriend and I were excited about the $8 Stella pitchers and the delicious oyster bar selection. In fact the whole Key West scene seemed to revolve around partying. We certainly splurged on food and drink during that vacation.
Now that I am a vegetarian who rarely drinks, the things I used to look forward to on vacation, trying the local cuisine and brews, are no longer going to be a part of my life. At first I felt like I was killing an important part of myself by cutting these things out, things that I used to identify as part of my life. Now I realize that I have simply evolved to a healthy and happier person.
On vacations and in daily life, I no longer partake in meats or frozen drinks. Doing this leans towards the way of the Buddhist, removing attachments to material things. Without meat and alcohol things will certainly be simplified and less complicated in more ways than one.Without these foods and drinks to look forward to, I will simply have to derive my joy from the moment, the beauty of where I am, and the company I am with.