How Much of Drinking is Habit vs Craving

Yesterday on the way home from work, I caught myself wondering if I should stop at 7-11, or drive over to Circle K. For beer. Wait, what?? As I drove on home without stopping, it was really clear just how much of my particular drinking is habit, as I never actually crave alcohol. Get off work, stop at the store and buy beer. That is the most common habit, mainly because my job, while fun and interesting, can be incredibly draining at times. Working in a metaphysical shop has a huge allure, but in reality the rallying cry of “What does it mean?!?!” from the majority of customers can, in time, drive one a bit batty. “It is what it is” just isn’t what they want to hear in reply, so digging deep to remember in which book you read why a candle flame leans left instead of right (the obvious, “maybe there’s a draft” is met with disdain), or trying to find the perfect crystal for an ailment when you’ve absolutely NO idea what will help…this takes a lot out of you. It’s not all tarot decks and cool books, let me tell you. 😉

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. I have two wonderful bosses, great customers, I get to play with cool things…but there are many days where the thought of beer is what gets me through til closing. I feel lucky in the fact that I don’t, and never have, physically craved alcohol – there have never been dt’s, thankfully; just habit. All in my head, quite frankly. It’s astonishing what our thoughts can lead us to do, isn’t it? Watching tv doesn’t help, either, let me tell you; alcohol is every where!!

And there are, of course, other habits that lead to drinking too: stressful day? Drink. Sunny day? Drink. Day off? Drink. Hanging with friends? Drink. Meet a new boy/girl friend? Celebrate! Break up with new boy/girl friend? Drink away the woe. The list goes on. Society and the media have gotten many of us in a habit-led rut, that’s for sure.

It’s the same with food; how many of us can’t eat a hamburger without fries? I can’t eat a tuna – or grilled cheese – sandwich without potato chips. It feels incomplete, which is all habit. Habit leads us in ways we don’t even realize; how we react to people and situation, how we dress, responses we give (“Awesome”…who says awesome without thinking to just about every single thing now?)…the list goes on.

And now I leave you with someone that had me absolutely rolling with laughter. It’s uncensored, so probably not safe for work. And let me just say, it’s not just white women in their 20’s. 😉