I decided that it was time. I gave up coffee once and for all.
Not only did I give up my magical bean juice, I gave it up cold turkey.
What caused my brain to turn on the idea of coffee? Well, I realized one morning that I was downing my third 20-ounce cup of coffee before it was even noon. That’s a lot of coffee before I even got lunch into my system. It was then that I realized just how addicted I really was to the wonderful coffee beans we have all grown to worship.
I decided right then and there that I was going to quit for at least a week. But that first week turned into a week and a half. Then two. All of a sudden, I realized that I didn’t need coffee anymore. It was a miracle, right?
Before you believe that I’m some kind of health nut, let me assure you that I only quit because I was tired of how much I relied on coffee just to get through the day. I didn’t even care if it was cold or old-coffee was life. It had to stop.
Trust me, the first day truly sucked. I kept eyeing the coffee machine and telling myself that one cup wouldn’t hurt. But instead, I poured myself some ice-cold orange juice instead. Who knew how refreshing juice could be!
When I headed to work, I automatically considered stopping at my local café for a huge cup of flavored goodness. I didn’t. Instead, I drank from my bottle of water while thinking about how much money I could save by forgoing my usual huge, expensive coffee. I even started thinking about everything else I could buy instead. Why hadn’t I thought of this before?
I have to admit, the second and third mornings were very hard for me. I suffered from a headache both days, probably because of the lack of caffeine my body had become used to. But I stuck to it and chugged water. By the fourth day, I felt much better. Instead of waking up and craving coffee, I woke up thinking about my first glass of water.
I did miss coffee for the first week or so. But once I broke the habit, I realized just how much healthier I felt from all the water I had been drinking to replace the addiction. I also had hot tea once in a while to break up the monotony.
Breaking up with coffee taught me how much my body needed water. It taught me that I had more willpower than I thought. I learned to live without having to always have a coffee in my hand.
Now, coffee is a treat for me. I’ll have a small cup after a good meal at a restaurant, or I will enjoy a hot latte during a long road trip. However, it is no longer a necessity for me. It’s simply a treat that I appreciate. It was rough in the beginning, but I have become so much better for it.