It's been over 4 years since I last drank.

I wasn't an alcoholic before.

However, alcohol has been a constant part of my life since a young age.

Growing up in a Latino household until my parents split exposed me to alcohol at family parties with loud music and dancing.

It was part of the culture.

And I never questioned it.

Later on in my teens, when I had my first drink, I justified drinking since it was a social 'norm' and I wanted to fit in.

As I moved into my 20s, drinking fit in naturally into social life, relationships, and celebrations.

Until I started to question what I was drinking.

Alcohol kills brain cells.

It numbs us and dulls who we are.

Part of the reason I drank alcohol was twofold:

• To numb my emotions (since I was immature and didn't know how to face them).
• To fit 'in' with others

Both reasons were signs that I was underdeveloped in my emotional, mental, and spiritual faculties.

According to developmental psychology, only 2% of humans fully mature and become adults.

Erik Erikson, a brilliant psychologist who helped design the 9 Life Cycles of Human Development, mentions that wanting to 'fit in' comes with our own insecurities and unresolved trauma stemming back to our teens - when identity resolution is an important stage.

Our society and world are governed, run, and inhabited by humans who never 'grew up'.

As such, things like alcohol can flourish and prosper.

And it's an opportunity for us to examine our lives more closely.

So here's 4 things I've learned from the past 4+ years from not drinking:

#1 I feel more at ease in my life.

Without the social anxiety and pressure to drink, I can feel relaxed and be myself in social environments. Part of why I drank before was to be 'more relaxed' since I was insecure growing up and had low self-esteem.

Now?

I just show up and express my authentic self.

Learning who you are and sharing this with others is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself and others.

The funny thing now is that I laugh, smile, and enjoy myself more without the alcohol than when I had it.

Things that make you go, hmmm...

#2 My integrity has grown stronger.

Before, when I used to drink, I would say one thing - then do another.

Now, I own what I think, say, and do.

Cognitive functioning has been clearly shown to diminish with alcohol consumption.

Instead of being incongruent and dumbing myself down every time I drink, I've learned to become more congruent and follow through with my word.

#3 My influence has increased.

Whether we admit it or not, people look up to us.

There's always ONE person in your life who's looking up to you.

Whether you realize this or not.

The more I've released and removed harmful substances from my life (including alcohol but also weed, processed foods, etc), the faster my influence has increased.

Many of us have abilities, powers, and talents that are untapped gold mines within us.

But many of us never uncover these treasure chests of diamonds since we never took the time to reveal our gifts to ourselves.

Removing alcohol has allowed me to learn more about who I am.

#4 My mind and body have been healthier

'Do not cloud your mind'.

I've spent 2/3 of my life clouding my mind.

The last 1/3 I've spent clearing it.

The impact on my health, body, and overall psyche has been ten-fold.

Better sleep. More energy. Overall confidence. Stronger body.

The list goes on.

Sometimes, it's not about adding more to our lives or habits.

It's about removing the things that no longer serve us.

That's what I've learned from removing alcohol from my life.

And I'm looking forward to learning more over the next decade.

Feel free to share and forward this email to a friend or family member who might enjoy reading this.

- Gabriel

P.S. Today, I'm running a FREE two-part live class training inside our private FB group on dropping your next 10 lbs in 2024, even with a busy lifestyle.

If you want free access to this two-part training, click GOING here to watch live or get access to REPLAY. Replays are available only to those who register.

Class starts inside FB group at 12pm EST (same time tomorrow).

Replays are available until Dec 30th. :)

Whenever you're ready, here's two ways I can help:

#1 Every week until the end of the year, you'll see our End of Year VFR Special.

If you ​apply for a coaching spot​ and qualify this week, we'll coach you for FREE until the end of this year.

(e.g., if you apply and are accepted this week, that would equal 2 weeks of free coaching with your start date for your 4-month Accelerator Program starting on Jan 1st, 2024.

We'll deduct a week from this special every week until the end of this year.

#2 Today, I'm running a FREE two-part live class training inside our private FB group on dropping your next 10 lbs in 2024, even with a busy lifestyle.

If you want free access to this two-part training, click GOING here to watch live or get access to REPLAY. Replays are available only to those who register.

Class starts inside FB group at 12pm EST (same time tomorrow)

Replays are available until Dec 30th. :)