For many of you the 1st of June will be the day you quit alcohol. Hopefully you have decided to quit forever because that is SO much easier than trying to moderate your drinking, especially if you do have a drinking problem to the extent it has become an addiction. ‘I Don’t Drink’ contains diary pages to help and encourage you once you have quit, but those of you who haven’t read it or don’t have access to a copy, I thought it might be useful to have a look at the page ‘the night before’ which I have edited in parenthesis for you. Good Luck!
 
This is the eve of the big day. Hopefully you already feel excited because just knowing you are doing something so positive and life changing should naturally make you feel special. You may also feel a little apprehensive, I have to say I didn’t because I knew in my mind I was finally doing something about getting rid of gout forever and so I couldn’t wait to start ticking off the days on my chart. That’s why it is important to have one big negative thing to initially focus on, something specific that has to change.

Don’t put tomorrow off. This really is the start, tomorrow you are going to be one of those people nearly everyone secretly admires and dreams of being, a completely happy non-drinker, and especially happy because you chose that path. It really will be one of the most important changes you can ever make in your life and something you can forever be totally proud of.

The all-important check list

• Don’t tell anyone. (I suggest waiting at least a few days before telling anyone of your decision to quit)
  
• Make sure your calendar chart is ready for tomorrow. (I recommend using a star chart to reward yourself for your progress, to remind you of how well you are doing and to act as a block to you changing your mind. Having to ditch something so visual if you fail is not something you will want to do.)
• Make sure your spreadsheet is set up and ready to go. (A more sophisticated version of the star chart)
• Make sure you have decided on your one big negative area of focus and created a talisman if you think it will help. (The use of a talisman is discussed in the book)
• Make sure you have your list of positive reasons to hand or at least ready to start compiling and adding to. (what is it you are hoping to achieve by quitting alcohol)
• Have you planned something to do tomorrow to take your mind off drink? What’s up your sleeve just in case?
• Have you planned an activity? Are you going walking, running, swimming, cycling, using your Wii or its equivalent?
• Have you cancelled any meetings / get-togethers where drink would be available?

And now…

• Throw away (preferably smash) that favourite wine glass, pint mug or tankard. If it’s an heirloom lock it away somewhere you can’t get ready access to it.
  
• Instead of swallowing it, throw your last ever drink down the sink and watch it disappear. Imagine it being poison which has been slowly but surely destroying your liver, kidneys, brain and other organs, and ruining your life. Hate the rotten stuff as you swill it away.
• Go to bed early and sober, you don’t want a hangover on your first day.

 
Well done! And good luck!

Somebody asked me this question at a talk I was giving today, they were keen to give up alcohol but finding it hard to face a future where alcohol would never feature. I of course answered no but it made me think.

I used to smoke. From the age of fourteen until I was thirty-five I smoked at least twenty cigarettes a day and I remember thinking then I would never be able to face a life without cigarettes. I gave up twenty-four years ago and I have never ever missed having a cigarette and would never want one. For most of this period my wife smoked, people around me smoked and when I went drinking most of my pals smoked. None of that ever tempted me to smoke again – not even on the odd occasion when I would be at a posh hotel on business and drunk on brandy, and my colleagues would hand round the cigars. Never.

So would I drink alcohol again? The same story as with smoking applies. I go to pubs and wine bars, most of my friends drink – some heavily, and even my wife has the occasional glass of champagne. Am I ever tempted - no. Once you make the mental commitment never to drink again it really is that easy – believe me.

The picture? Having read my recent post about 1970’s television programmes a chap after the talk was chatting to me about 70’s celebrities and he mentioned the foul-mouthed bigoted comedian Bernard Manning who was big at the time – he is on the left of the picture. Many years ago someone once told me I looked like him and I hated that fact. The picture on the right is me in 2008 at the height of my drinking period, I dug it out today. It is taken at a breakfast seminar where I was giving a comedy show. No wonder I don’t want to drink again!