 So how do you tell people that you're not drinking who are encouraging you to just have one go on just have one you've decided not to drink alcohol you go into a party and then people are noticing that you're drinking water or soda water and they're saying to you go on just have one or what's going on are you not drinking at the moment i'm james swanick from the alcohol freedom formula there's some free resources down below click on those to get started on your alcohol freedom journey it's the classic social peer pressure scenario isn't it where you've made this healthy decision to be alcohol free and now everyone's questioning you about it it's normal society is so indoctrinated with this idea that alcohol is normal and fun and pleasurable which is a nonsense and they're on you the whole time in fact alcohol is like this the only drug out there where if you aren't drinking they think that you have a problem you have a problem must have a problem with alcohol it's like heroin everyone's like oh the problem's heroin cocaine all the problems cocaine but it's like drinking if you're not drinking it's like oh you're the problem it's like oh he's got a drinking problem it's kind of crazy the way that society has set this up so how do you respond what are some things that you can do well in my experience it doesn't so much matter what you say in response to someone encouraging you to have a drink as it is is the way that you respond to them okay so if you say oh no i'm not drinking at the moment no i can't no people are going to go oh you're not drinking at the moment oh gee must have a problem or go on you'll be okay you haven't drunk in like two weeks just have one come on but it's my birthday it's my celebration it's the anniversary come on let's go some variation of that right now if you're like going oh no i can't i shouldn't drink i have to quit i'm like then you are telling yourself that you're depriving yourself of something fun and pleasurable by not drinking and you're also telling your social group your friends your peers whoever's at the party that you're also depriving yourself of fun and excitement and joy and so now they think that you're a buzzkill right but if you decline the drink and you do it in a way that shows that you are powerful and confident and happy and joyful while drinking your soda water ice and a piece of lime or your water or whatever it is it's non-alcoholic then they can't pressure you into anything they have a good time you have a good time and we go along our merry way so for example if they say to you oh why aren't you drinking at the moment instead of you saying oh jeez like you need to take a break you just say oh yeah i'm just uh alcohol free at the moment actually i'm just doing running a little experiment seeing how i feel so far it's been good i'm just drinking water tonight go on just have one it's my birthday it's like no no i'm good but watch me dance from the tables tonight i'm gonna swing from the rafters i'm gonna like drink you under the table i tell you what you drink your beer and i'll drink my soda water and we'll see who's still standing ha ha ha ha ha so you see how the way that you're doing it is light and fun and playful you're doing it with a smile on your face you're not doing it like oh no i can't drink at the moment it's like oh no i'm not drinking at the moment you might say oh no i'm not drinking at the moment but you go right ahead yeah yeah yeah get me a water ice and a piece of lime i'm good when they say go on just have one or so just have one no i want 10 soda waters and a piece of lime and you make a little joke about it you're like i want to have one i'm too strong in mind i'm too strong in mind see how you're a little you're a little bit cheeky about it you're a bit playful about it now they see you feeling confident about the fact that you are not drinking and they let it go and if they don't let it go it's not this heavy dark kind of thing you're not being the buzzkill you're not being the killjoy you're just being you fun and happy and confidently drinking your water ice and a piece of lime and you know what if the truth is is that you did drink too much and you did make some stupid mistakes then make fun of yourself you say oh i pushed it too hard oh i've made this dumb mistake i did this stupid thing i'm actually just on the waters and i'm actually realizing i quite like it it's actually good i'm feeling hydrated i'm good and i got energy i'm gonna dance you under the table my friend tonight while you're passing out on the corner i'm going to be rocking and rolling and so you just make fun of it make fun of yourself make light of the situation and don't hide the fact that you're not drinking in fact you want people to know that you're not drinking as long as you are letting them know in a way where you are confidence and powerful and fun and you're not coming from an energy of i'm depriving myself of something or that i'm the only one who can't have fun at the party so when someone is like saying to you go and just have one say make it a hundred waters or yeah i'll have one i'll have a soda water ice and a piece of lime thanks yeah no i'm not tricking at the moment actually i'm taking a break yeah i've been going like three months now i actually feel feel pretty good key distinction here though don't make someone else feel bad for drinking so don't get on your high horse or preachy and start like judging people because they're drinking and you're not all right just own yourself own your own situation be light be fun be easy be confident smile no one will be able to make you feel bad thanks for listening to the alcohol free lifestyle podcast i want to load you up with some free stuff right now so if you want to go to jameswanick.com slash guide i will send you my quit alcohol guide which has helped six figure entrepreneurs and top professionals produce or quit drinking you can also text the word quit guide to the number 44222 if you're in the us of course it doesn't really work anywhere outside of the us but if you're in the us on your mobile phone and you'd like that guide text the word quit guide to the number 44222 or you can go to jameswanick.com slash guide if you'd like to schedule a free 15 minute call with one of my top coaches just an exploratory call to see if or how we can help you then you can go to jameswanick.com slash schedule or you can text the word project 90 to the number 44222 if you're listening in the us on a mobile phone that's jameswanick.com slash schedule or you can text the word project 90 that's one word project 90 to the number 44222 feel free to send me a direct message over on my instagram account which is at jameswanick you can also watch video episodes of this podcast and a series of other educational videos on my youtube channel which is jameswanick one or you can direct message me on facebook at jameswanick official and finally a request would you 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