Setting Boundaries With Yourself
Mindset Monday
Takeaway: Some behaviors, under the right context, can bring joy into your life. If left unchecked, these same joyous behaviors can turn toxic. Setting boundaries for yourself is crucial to know where to draw the line.
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I love a good cocktail.
I enjoy collecting whiskey.
Visiting bars and trying new drinks is something my girlfriend and I really enjoy when we travel.
We love the social aspect of sitting around with great people, enjoying adult beverages, and having great conversations.
But alcohol can quickly turn from fun to damaging.
Personally, I’ve got some family history of alcohol abuse. This makes me even more vigilant about its role in my life.
But even for folks who may not have those types of abuse concerns, it can easily lead to weight gain through a number of factors. (Read more about the effects of alcohol on weight loss here.)
When it comes to enjoying alcohol, I set three rules for myself:
Never consume alcohol two days in a row. This stops me from building a habit of alcohol use in my daily life. (There is one exception to this, and its if I am traveling out of town for vacation. While traveling, my daily routine is so upended that more frequent drinking does not risk becoming a new normal. (Still, this behavior is rare.)
Never consume alcohol alone. Alcohol is social for me, so what’s the fun in doing it alone? By nature, social drinking doesn’t happen as frequently. See rule #1 above.
Never consume alcohol to deal with negative emotions. I’ll drink to be social and to celebrate. I’ll never drink to relieve stress or cope with my emotions.
This is just one area of my life that I’ve set concrete boundaries to keep me within the lines of acceptable behavior.
On the outside looking in, it can seem overly regimented and strict. In reality, it’s liberating. My rules create structure and release me from the mental battle of competing against social pressures.
When I reach a self-imposed boundary, it doesn’t get crossed. Plain and simple.
Not only is it ok to set these self-imposed limits, it’s probably a good idea.
Cheers,
~ Coach Alex
P.S. Because I like you, I’ll share with you my hangover prevention plan. It works like a charm to have me feeling like a champion the day after burning the midnight oil. You’ll be sure to impress your friends with your superhuman ability to bounce back—even after the age of thirty. Click here to get the deets.
I too have created boundaries “rules” in my life to be my best. Especially with ill behavior. Like you, they become easy to keep, the structure provides me comfort and confidence. At almost sixty, I have several Vivian life rules.
I too have alcohol abuse in my family though thankfully I don’t have any issues with it. At this point, I’m getting ready to become a kidney donor so I am now completely abstaining while my husband who is also in the same situation will have a beer or a glass of wine now and again which is allowed. It’s only been a few months but it’s been an interesting experience in social settings where I would have been drinking. Completely unexpectedly enjoying it and I have thought that perhaps I may lose a few pounds in the process (always good). I have to take a look at your hangover prevention plan.
Thank you Alex, great post, and be well.