cozy journey

Is it wine o'clock yet?....

                  
 It wasn’t that long ago when sipping on a cool, celebratory glass of wine (for a day well done and a tasty dinner in the making) was my much anticipated, late afternoon ritual. After all, I saw it as a well deserved treat that symbolized something synonymous with being cozy, and yes, more often than not, that seemingly luxurious libation did have that comfy effect on me! So naturally, my little habit of choice offered both the relaxation I craved and a loyal escape from life’s little madnesses.

 However, I’m not sure when one glass graduated to several by the end of most evenings or at what exact moment trying to relax felt impossible without it, though I do know it was no longer a leisure of choice, but more like an innate mode of survival.

 Ok, at this point you may be nodding your head in complete & compassionate understanding or (dare I say) be whispering something  more like “alcoholic” in your disapproving mind. I get it. Honestly I wasn’t sure how I felt about it anymore either. I mean, an end of the day tipple did feel like the perfect way to round out repetitive days of chores and mad kid rushed, homework filled, dinner making afternoons, but did I really need to depend on sipping vino everyday to feel snug at night?

 It took a minute(more like 6 years or so), but my heart and slowly expanding waistline yearned for an improvement. That was when I decided to give wine- free weeknights a shot. (scary, I know!) While the first three nights separated from vino in hand felt more like a shaky breakup, I did manage to pull myself together and press on. 

 Fast forward three and a half months. I’m now eight pounds lighter, my stomach is flatter, my face looks and feels more hydrated in the morning, and most noteworthily, I’ve rediscovered what it’s like to not feel deprived without my favorite five o’clock baby in hand. 

 Of course, I’m not saying indulging in a glass of red or white is bad for you or that it’s out of my life for good( I love wine!). I just know I had created an unhealthy habit for myself, which is why it was time to let go and learn to savor a new kind of bold, yet refined independence! 💛 -jess xoxo