The one change that worked: I sobered up – and started to listen to what my body was telling me | Life and style
MOst of My Adult Life has revolved around music: clubs, bars, festivals, home parties – wherever I could dance to strong music. I loved how energizing and cathartic it was to immerse yourself, get lost a little and move my body expressively without judgment. I would be so absorbed that I would waste track of time; Once, at Burning Man, I was awake for 36 hours to explore the festival, meet new people and party.
When I became DJ, these kinds of events have increased. The end of the evenings would last until morning. Often, they have become marathon weekend sessions, which took place from Friday evening to Sunday noon. It was not all dancing and shenanigans – there would be times to sit and chat with people too. I would be absent at least three times a week. Even if I was tired, I would always find a way to go to the early hours because I was afraid of missing things. Fomo (fear of missing) has led many of my decisions.
My job has never suffered, but my mental health did it. I started to feel anxious and dangerously close to professional exhaustion. Consumed with a disgust for oneself, I wanted to stop but I could not understand how – until I took a 10 -day silent meditation course.
It was then that I realized that the life I lived was not durable. But it took a while to disentangle my usual hedonism and indulgence. I went sober because I wanted to get rid of the fog and the fatigue of the brain with which I was often bogged down.
Learning to navigate in evenings without crutch to advance me triggered an important change in my approach to parts and festivals. Instead of giving in to Fomo, I learned to listen to what my body tells me rather than ignoring the signs. The tired legs generally trigger a well -deserved seated or, in some cases, I will call it one night and I will go home. This type of behavior was unknown between 17 and 37 years old, when I had my last drink. At the time, I continued even when I was exhausted.
It was not easy, however. Being sober is difficult work. Not having passed out can be very difficult. I had to learn to be more confident and expressive without ingesting anything. Dancing while sober is always fun, but it is difficult to face how you feel aware.
Responding to the needs of my body consciously and agitating goodbye to Fomo gave me a real feeling of stability. Whenever I made the decision to have a early night or I have given myself time to rest, I strengthened my self -respect and my self -love. The progressive accumulation of healthy decisions has changed life for me. Dancefloor has been my sanctuary for a long time. Now, I can happily my fill and go home when the time has come, without ever feeling as if I missed. This peace of mind is invaluable.
