You just never know who you might reach. When I gave up smoking I found myself on Reddit posting comments in the Quit Smoking forum. Then I ended up in the Stop Drinking forum writing short pieces. I didn't think many would read it but weeks after a post I had forgotten about someone messaged me to say it had helped him stay on the wagon and not drink when he was tempted.
You don't know who will see your message, so do it anyway and try to divorce yourself from the immediate impact.
I had a conversation with a guy at a party about why I quit drinking. He had offered me a beer and when I declined he apologized, presumably for tempting me. I told him it was no worry, I wasn’t a reformed drunk, I just don’t like how alcohol effects me. That led to a conversation about what that meant, the gist of which is that I prefer to be present and alcohol gets in the way of that for me. I’ve never lost a job or been caught up in the legal system because of alcohol, but it gets in the way of experiencing life.
I told him that I’d once seen one of my favorite songs performed live and have nonfunctional memory of it, because I was loaded. My wife had surprised me with tickets to the show and the lovely dinner with good friends before, and I effectively missed it. I didn’t black out, I was just run of the mill drunk. I remember that the song was played, and that I enjoyed it, but I cannot recall any of the moments contained therein. I missed the gift.
A while later I ran into this fellow and he told me he’d quit drinking. He found that he needed to use a program, that his drinking was actively making his life worse, and he needed help to stop. He told me it was the conversation we’d had that prompted him to take a look at the role alcohol was playing in his life.
You never know when you’re going to make a positive impact on someone by being genuine.
I would also add to this the role of conformity. We often conform to social expectations. So we don't turn down the drink as we would appear impolite or weird.
But we don't know who among us benefits from seeing us buck the trend. I remember refusing to wear a mask during Covid and recall seeing people in shops take theirs off when they saw me.
Social contagion can be positive as well as negative, and when it comes to vices some draw strength from the actions of others.
Yes. We are inspired to strength by the example of others and we can inspire others with our strength. When we’re secure in what we want for ourselves, when we don’t need to bluster or argue for it, there’s a calm that allows others to look at what they really want.
It’s a strange paradox that commitment, the chosen elimination of options, is freeing. Freedom has a very attractive energy.
We are dropping seeds with everything we write and talk about in videos. You never know when God will lead people to what you said because it will be the perfect thing in the perfect timing. We don't know when or where those seeds grow, that's up to God. It's just up to plant the seeds. Thanks for sharing this story and I hope it plants seeds in more content creators as well to keep up with it regardless of comparisons with what others are doing. Merry Christmas!
You just never know who you might reach. When I gave up smoking I found myself on Reddit posting comments in the Quit Smoking forum. Then I ended up in the Stop Drinking forum writing short pieces. I didn't think many would read it but weeks after a post I had forgotten about someone messaged me to say it had helped him stay on the wagon and not drink when he was tempted.
You don't know who will see your message, so do it anyway and try to divorce yourself from the immediate impact.
Every little helps.
Amazing story!
I had a conversation with a guy at a party about why I quit drinking. He had offered me a beer and when I declined he apologized, presumably for tempting me. I told him it was no worry, I wasn’t a reformed drunk, I just don’t like how alcohol effects me. That led to a conversation about what that meant, the gist of which is that I prefer to be present and alcohol gets in the way of that for me. I’ve never lost a job or been caught up in the legal system because of alcohol, but it gets in the way of experiencing life.
I told him that I’d once seen one of my favorite songs performed live and have nonfunctional memory of it, because I was loaded. My wife had surprised me with tickets to the show and the lovely dinner with good friends before, and I effectively missed it. I didn’t black out, I was just run of the mill drunk. I remember that the song was played, and that I enjoyed it, but I cannot recall any of the moments contained therein. I missed the gift.
A while later I ran into this fellow and he told me he’d quit drinking. He found that he needed to use a program, that his drinking was actively making his life worse, and he needed help to stop. He told me it was the conversation we’d had that prompted him to take a look at the role alcohol was playing in his life.
You never know when you’re going to make a positive impact on someone by being genuine.
Wow, amazing story!! Thank you for sharing.
I would also add to this the role of conformity. We often conform to social expectations. So we don't turn down the drink as we would appear impolite or weird.
But we don't know who among us benefits from seeing us buck the trend. I remember refusing to wear a mask during Covid and recall seeing people in shops take theirs off when they saw me.
Social contagion can be positive as well as negative, and when it comes to vices some draw strength from the actions of others.
Yes. We are inspired to strength by the example of others and we can inspire others with our strength. When we’re secure in what we want for ourselves, when we don’t need to bluster or argue for it, there’s a calm that allows others to look at what they really want.
It’s a strange paradox that commitment, the chosen elimination of options, is freeing. Freedom has a very attractive energy.
There is a saying some in the military use; calm is contagious. That is what good leaders often bring.
We are dropping seeds with everything we write and talk about in videos. You never know when God will lead people to what you said because it will be the perfect thing in the perfect timing. We don't know when or where those seeds grow, that's up to God. It's just up to plant the seeds. Thanks for sharing this story and I hope it plants seeds in more content creators as well to keep up with it regardless of comparisons with what others are doing. Merry Christmas!
Thank you Barbara. Merry Christmas. 🎄
You are a good man, Russell.
You're a good man as well. Your message has helped many people manage the Cluster B's in their lives.
So all you people know, it is not the only time Russel helped someone in dire needs. Thank you.