"Mummy wine culture" lies

I could tell you that 47% of women in New Zealand are weekly drinkers.

I could tell you that 1 in 6 women have more than 6 standard drinks a day.

I could tell you that drinking alcohol has been firmly established as a risk factor for developing breast cancer.

I could tell you that being intoxicated makes you more vulnerable, more disconnected and more likely to suffer physical, sexual or emotional harm.

I could tell you to take a good look at the above image and absorb all the points made as true.

I could bang on about stats and facts and fear and truth until I'm blue in the face.

But what I really want to say is this...

It is possible to live a full, fun, social, rewarding, robust, real, engaging, enlightening life without touching alcohol ever.

It is possible to embrace sadness, anger, frustration and other gritty emotions and not let them overwhelm you but rather let them teach you things.

It is possible to allow your natural brain chemistry to take you through the highs and lows and in-betweens of life.

It is not true that we need alcohol to enjoy gatherings, relax, celebrate and commiserate.

We have everything we need naturally inside of us that allows us to experience a full, fantastic life without pouring a liquid drug in every day.

This is the truth. Take it from me who spent 20+ years drinking regularly and believing alcohol was a vital ingredient to life. I now believe the exact opposite.

I used to live in a booze-soaked fog, slave to wine o'clock and numb to my true self. Now I'm living the exact opposite of that.

It is a truly wonderful thing.

Mrs D xx