August 31st 2025
Recently I found myself drinking alcohol every afternoon, and not just a little bit. It felt great, melting into the night. Except I know I can't live like that, and I also know that I can live without it. So today is Day Zero.
I call it Day Zero for three reasons:
Mathematical convention. The day starts at 12am, (or 0:00.). Not at 1am. Financial accounting starts at Year 0, or Month 0.
You haven't earned Day 1 yet.
Day Zero is special. It's different than Days 1,2,3...
In Day Zero you're not in your normal routine. It's a day to prepare. For Day Zero you should pick a day when you can sleep in in the morning, where you won't need to meet a deadline or deliver an important presentation. On Day Zero your focus should be on one thing and one thing only, your health. This means avoiding triggers and stress.
Here are my tips for Day Zero:
Sleep in, and avoid drinking coffee or "energy drinks" like redbull or monster, etc. You can drink green tea or something like that but not too much of it. Too much caffeine triggers cravings for alcohol when you start to come down.
Remember to drink lots of water, natural juice, etc.
Get a morning workout in where you break a sweat. It doesn't have to be super strenuous or long, but you do have to break a sweat. My favorite is to walk up to the top of a hill.
Relax.
Pray, meditate, and write in a journal. Write down what you are grateful for, and what your goals are.
In the afternoon, drink a Gatorade and eat a snack. This will get rid of your craving for alcohol.
If you feel confused take a B vitamin. It will help you relax and clear your head.
Day 1 is the day you need to start dialing in a routine. In many ways it's a much easier day than Day 0. In other ways it's harder. It's easier because the cravings are not as strong. It's harder because this is real life now.