Day 18

It's day 18. Well 17 1/2 really. It's been relatively easy. January is probably the easiest month to abstain in. I more than had my fill of partying over the festive season and a natural lull afterwards feels about right.

I have only had a few potential triggers for falling off the wagon and they have only had a relatively gentle coaxing effect.....

1) I went round a friend's one evening and she poured herself a glass of wine and I would normally have joined her. It helped that I had made declaration of abstinence as she didn't even consider offering me a glass. I had a decaf coffee from her gurgling machine instead.
2) My husband has sat next to me on the sofa drinking wine during several evenings this month. While sitting on the sofa is not part of my personal protocols of drinking alcohol, it did spark a conversation in my head with myself. Something like, 'wine would be nice, I can smell it, there's no real reason why I couldn't have a glass, one wouldn't hurt. Sniff sniff. NO!'
3) I went for lunch with a friend. It's a lunch that she usually has a glass of wine with. I made my statement of abstinence, she dithered and then also chose not to have anything. My restraint in itself was influential but I also found myself pointing out that she was drinking later that evening and it was probably best to just have a water. I might have to stop doing that. The survival of my teetotalism might turn out to depend upon it having no impact on others' choices. I won't get invited to anything if I always bring a puritanical vibe with me!

But I haven't been out yet. Next weekend we have been invited to two socials. That'll be my first real test.