Mindful drinking is for people who want to continue enjoying alcohol but also want to take more control of their drinking habits.
It’s not about giving up but about changing the way you think and feel about alcohol. Drinking mindfully should lead to healthier relationships with alcohol with less consumption but more enjoyment.
So how do you do it?
1. Don’t mindlessly drink!
Step one is simply to pause before you drink and ask yourself “Do I really want this?” Don’t just ask yourself before one drink, but before each new one and also try to think “What will this do for me?”
If the answers are negative or unsure, then choose a non-alcoholic option. If the answers are positive, then go ahead!
2. Plan ahead
Locally, we have a culture where drinking is expected across many social occasions and it is all too easy to default to the wine or beer being offered, without even thinking. Try to plan ahead and decide if you’d prefer no alcohol on that occasion or how many drinks you’d like before switching to something else. It also helps to decide what that something else might be, and of course we recommend delicious KTea Kombucha!
3. Savour what you do drink
Mindful drinking is not about cutting out alcohol completely, a big part of is about drinking less but actually enjoying it more.
When you think about what you really want to drink you can choose carefully, pause to appreciate the flavours of your drink and savour the moments around it. Love what you drink and if you don’t love it, don’t drink it!
4. Moderation is key
Many people embrace mindful drinking because they found their alcohol consumption creeping up. They had a bad day so open a bottle of something when they get home. They had a good day so do the same! It’s not that they drink dangerous levels, but it is drifting into a bad habit.
A good way to break out of that and kick off mindful drinking is the ‘Rule of Three’. Decide that as a rule you drink three days per week and never more than three drinks each time. If you have an event coming up you can move days around or choose to extend your days. Remember this is not about hard and fast restrictions, the choice is always yours.
On non-drinking days explore non-alcoholic alternatives, KTea Kombucha is a wonderful choice, tangy and naturally sparkling it’s a grown-up drink, served chilled it’ll rival a Prosecco and the hop flavours are a great alternative to an ice cold beer.
And finally, don’t forget to be conscious of your progress. It could be how much better you feel on a Sunday morning, the weight you’ve lost or even the money you’ve saved. There are so many benefits to mindful drinking!