I spent months, years even, telling myself that right now was not a good timing as I had a big party, a holiday or a stressful work commitment fast approaching.
Often I'd get to around Day 5 and then the wine witch would say It's x's birthday next week. This is SO not the right time to stop drinking. Why not start again (moderately, of course), then you can stop properly after the party?
But the truth is there's always a good excuse to hand, a reason to quit quitting.
We're so used to relying on booze to deal with every emotion - celebration, commiseration, anxiety, stress, relaxation, grief - that any week of the year is bound to contain a perfect occasion for a piss up.
Before you know it, another year has gone by in a haze of hangovers and half remembered events.
But NO MORE, because if there ever was an ideal time to quit, it's September. Here's why:
1. It's a New School Year
Yes, I know we're not at school any longer (unless you're a teacher), but all those years of getting new school uniforms ready and pencils sharpened for September are buried deep in our psyches.
September, like January, is a time of fresh starts and clean sheets of paper, but without all the cold, darkness and post Christmas misery.
2. You've Spent the Summer Bingeing
Go on, confess. Summer holidays are the perfect excuse for drinking at lunch time, mainlining cocktails by the pool and staying up until sunrise drinking dodgy local spirits.
By September the world and his wife have a terrible hangover, puffy faces and muffin tops, and the idea of booze has, just slightly, lost its lustre.
3. You Have a Perfect Excuse
It's really hard telling people you've quit drinking. When I got breast cancer I told everyone. I told strangers in shops, my hairdresser, even a traffic warden (who let me off the ticket).
When I stopped drinking I told no-one the truth, I just made endless excuses (I'm driving, I'm on antibiotics, I'm raising money for charity).
And making excuses is okay. In fact, it's a good idea, because the last thing you want to do when you're already feeling wobbly is to fend off an inquisition.
And September is the perfect excuse because (see above) you just tell everyone that you overdid the booze on your summer holidays and are detoxing. Chances are, they'll be doing the same.
4. It's Over Three Months Until Christmas
The hardest part of quitting booze is the first hundred days. Once you're through those it gets much, much easier. That's when you start to see all the benefits and to realise that you never want to go back.
If you quit now, you'll have done those hundred days before the Christmas Party Season kicks off.
5. You Won't be Alone
Quitting in the summer can be very lonely. The sober blogging world goes quiet. It feels as if everyone is down the beach downing tequila.
But now there'll be lots of enthusiastic sober bunnies looking for friends. Several countries hold Sober September events, and here in the UK we're gearing up for Macmillan's Go Sober October.
It's a great time to find a tribe - online or in real life.
(If you want to encourage even more passengers to jump on the sober wagon then please share this post).
(If you want to encourage even more passengers to jump on the sober wagon then please share this post).
SO NO MORE EXCUSES!
Presuming that you're now totally convinced, check out my page (click here) on Advice for Newbies, or to read my story from the beginning, click here.
If, however, you still need more persuasion, click here for Reasons to Quit Drinking.
Happy September to you all!
SM x
