Day 35 came and went on Sunday and two days later I still have not imbibed on a caffeine drink. Why? I really haven’t gotten the urge. People have asked me whether I am going to start drinking coffee again and I don’t have an answer for them, well not a simple one. Here are some things I’ve learned as I sort through the process.
- A 39 year-old can change his habits. They say it takes 30 days to make a habit. Fasting from caffeine for 35 days pushed it out just a bit further to the point where I had to go through a series of adjustments in my mind.
- My identity was wrapped-up in coffee. I started drinking coffee around the age of 19. That’s twenty years ago, two decades, most likely a quarter of my life. I was a coffee drinker, that was just who I am, or at least I had told myself.
- Getting started is the hardest part. When I say getting started, I mean getting started and making it through the first week. I’ve changed many habits for a few days to a week. It’s relatively easy to hold ones breath for a couple of days. getting 10 days out and beyond is the tuffy.
- The time was right. I sensed there was a window of opportunity that I can’t explain. I would call it God gracing me with the ability to take the step in this season. I knew if I passed-up that window, for whatever reason, it would be harder down the line.
- Setting a time limit was effective. If I said, "I’m quitting caffeine, no more coffee for me" I would have been a goner. Maybe I would have made it through a week. Actually, I know when I would have cratered. I started on a Monday and the following Friday was no fun. That would have been the day.
- Telling others about it was important. Being public about the experiment, very public by blogging about it, telling friends, family and co-workers kept me on track. That kind of accountability was extremely powerful.
- I was motivated towards change. Though I called it my "35-Day No Caffeine Experiment", the emphasis in my mind was towards the end results. The focus was on the word "experiment" rather than "no caffeine". It made it more interesting and reminded me of the reasons I was fasting in the first place.
- The reasons for change were clear to me. I was fasting towards better physical health, stronger mental clarity and spiritual pursuit. I had some minor physical ailments that cleared-up shortly after beginning the fast. I have found my thought processes and energy level to have stabilized through the day with the release from caffeine and white processed sugars. In desperation for strength I turned to God and found it in Him.
- Change breeds change. The first week on the fast I noticed my sugar intake start to increase. I knew that was not a good thing. By the second week it was back to normal and by the third I started a fast from candy. I used to eat way too many candy bars at work, the little ones you can pop in your mouth and donuts too. My interest in sweets has dropped dramatically.
- Change is empowering. A number of areas in my life have begun to be refocused. It’s as if someone turned a light on to darkened corners of my life and made plain what could be re-ordered. I have a new sense of my ability to address issues or circumstances in my life towards a better outcome.
- Habits are powerful. The main reason I have not started drinking coffee is that I’m out of the habit. Positive or negative, habits are one of the most powerful forces in our lives. Changing habits instigate fundamental change in circumstances.
Will this change be permanent? I’m leaning in that direction. I believe change breeds change. If I continue to intake healthy food and stay clear of refined processed sugars I will most likely not experience the highs and lows that strengthen the urge to be buoyed-up by caffeine. I know that fixating on it is of no help to me. The focus remains on the positive effects.
So, what’s next on the horizon? Time. I need to reshape how I spend my time. There are many areas I can address in that arena but I’m going to start with one item and go from there. It will probably be daily exercise. First though, I need to review my list and think through something that matches-up especially to points number 6 and 7. I need the right motivation and the reasons for change to be clear.
Is there some change you are contemplating? Have you made a change in your habits? What were the driving factors?
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