How tough can it be? It’s just coffee, right? And how can it even change my life?
That’s what I thought too when I started this affair with caffeine. But I soon turned out to be wrong and had to face the grave consequences of my addiction.
“Too much of anything is bad”- Mark Twain
Describing my addiction in a few words- Coffee was my happily ever after. Eight cups of coffee per day was my fuel, without which life wasn’t worth living. Exaggerating? Not at all. The most glowing highlight of my day in the office was my visits to the coffee machine which whirred in my presence. (Oh! How it loved me)
If only I knew the side effects that my body will have after diving into this electrifying madness. Anxiety, depression, nervousness, fidgetiness, headaches, insomnia, and upset digestive system were just a few friends that I made with every subsequent mug of caffeine.
My wakeup call came when I had to visit a doctor after sleepless nights followed by an anxiety attack where I could feel my heart thumping loud inside my mouth and brain. Upon discussing my daily schedule, the doctor pointed at my beloved coffee beans as the possible reason behind my misery.
One word- Hell. It was hell to go through that and I promised myself to never take a second go at it. Next morning I realized this needs to stop.
I quit the hot steaming cup of an elixir which not to exaggerate but had numerous life-changing effects on me.
● My sleeping schedule changed
I was one of the few boasters in this category where getting sleep wasn’t a problem for me even after gulping a hot cup. But the quality of sleep I got was near to negligible as I often woke up in middle, had frequent trips to pee land and even after sleeping for 7 hours I felt tired and on verge of losing it. So although it wasn’t easy to achieve quality of Z’s in the beginning and took me few weeks to start a relationship with my pillows, my sleep did return and what a relieving experience it was for me.
And sleeping better at night had a reciprocatory effect on my days where I could focus better and be more productive as before.
● Less stress and anxiety
The rate of bad days I had during my addiction phase was five out of seven. This reduced to one in seven days (My boss remains the same. Coffee or not coffee). Running on caffeine often made me annoyed, cranky, erratic and agitated. But reducing my consumption made me more relaxed and calm in mind and hence I was able to tackle the challenges in my workspace and life with more ease and swag.
● Healthy eating and a whiter smile
Unless you are a fan of neat black coffee, caffeinated beverages generally add empty calories to our diets that we don’t really need. Apart from ruining your appetite, coffee also made me dehydrated as I used to replace my glass of water with a mug of coffee. So quitting coffee got my healthy appetite back and lead me to shed a few unwanted pounds. (Only little cause quitting fast food is another battle).
Everyone is aware that coffee stains teeth and mine over the years had turned yellowish due to enamel loss. I am not fully there yet but my smile reaches my eyes now with my new found confidence.
● Better bank balance
Coffee isn’t cheap. Eight cups a day can really dent your wallet and if you are a person like me who try different kinds of coffee where you go then you would understand the setback it puts on your savings. This addiction came at a cost and breaking up with it made me rich. (Not rich-rich but I could buy a new pair of shoes each month without the guilt)
● Fewer headaches
Caffeine is a major trigger for headaches and I wasn’t aware of this fact until I left it for good. A mild migraine in the morning was a normal visitor for me which started vanishing in my second month of withdrawal. May I get a hallelujah?
● More energy and positivity
I was shocked to discover that caffeine was creating a barrier between myself and the ability to be present in the moment. Without the need to have caffeine hit to get myself going, I was more ready to do my tasks without getting tired often. Needless to say, when all the things mentioned above starts happening in your life, you are bound to wake up with a smile and a pumped attitude. (My Monday mornings are way better now)
It wasn’t an easy ride and had lots of bumps and setbacks. But I just needed to take the plunge and I did it one cup at a time to improve my life for better. Words of advice from one addict to another-don’t wait and kick this addiction in the butt.
“Do not wait; the time will never be “just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” — Napoleon Hill
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