Welcome to the home of CLUB SODA’S COURSES TO CHANGE YOUR DRINKING

The power of self-belief

Drinking is such a big part of our culture. Evidence shows that much of our self-identity is shaped by our drinking habits. Whether we describe ourselves as someone who is a natural party person because we always drink till the end, or the person who can only shine at a party after a few drinks, we often have things we say about ourselves that revolve around alcohol.

You may have found that as you have gone though the process of changing your relationship with alcohol, you also see yourself in a different light. Some of the old identity no longer fits. When Club Soda co-founder Laura looked back she noticed so many of the jokes she made were about alcohol, and how much pride she felt at being the one always at a party.

What she noticed was that in reality the jokes showed the amount of space drinking and the planning of drinking occupied in her brain. But her jokes were repetitive and tired, because she was repetitive and tired. She was worried about her drinking, and used humour to make light of her embarrassment.

Party pride was a way to spin a positive out of a negative. I was providing a ‘social’ service by being at every party, and being the last to leave, so I needed to drink – I needed it to provide the fun, right?! But it was all self deception. An identity I created to fit a habit that was spinning out of control.

I needed to recalibrate. And it took time. But like a broken bone it did slowly change and the discomfort I felt at describing who I was and the last few lingering bad alcohol related jokes faded away. It happened by accident and organically. But you can also design it.

You are transitioning from one version of yourself to another. You just need to decide what the new version of you looks and feels like.