Nicole Prentice's Blog - Posts Tagged "quit-lit"
How Stopping Drinking Helped Me Redefine Belonging and Connection
When I stopped drinking, I struggled with social situations. I was constantly battling the chatter in my mind, feeling like I didn’t belong. I often wondered, What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I drink like a “normal� person?
I feared being judged by others. On top of that, I didn’t know what I’d do for fun, as being a social drinker had become a big part of my identity.
Everything started to make more sense when I learned about the Paleolithic brain. During the hunter-gatherer era, being part of the tribe was crucial for survival. Social connections meant access to resources, safety, and reproductive opportunities. In the worst case, being cast out of the group could lead to death.
Although human evolution has progressed significantly since then, our brains are still wired to seek social approval. The fear of rejection remains deeply ingrained in us, which is why choosing to stop drinking can sometimes make you feel like you’re being excluded from the tribe.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need to drink to belong.
While people often use alcohol as a social tool to meet others and form communities, a fermented beverage has nothing to do with genuine connection. It’s surface-level belonging built on a numbed reality.
The invitation here is to redefine what belonging to a community or tribe means to you. It's about identifying your core values and connecting with people who share those same principles.
When you stop drinking, you start to like yourself more. That inner confidence ripples out into all your relationships.
The result? You experience a deeper, more meaningful connection in your relationships—something that was not accessible before. It’s an opportunity to uplevel not just your relationship with yourself, but with everyone around you.
It's time to take your relationships to the next level.Nicole Prentice
I feared being judged by others. On top of that, I didn’t know what I’d do for fun, as being a social drinker had become a big part of my identity.
Everything started to make more sense when I learned about the Paleolithic brain. During the hunter-gatherer era, being part of the tribe was crucial for survival. Social connections meant access to resources, safety, and reproductive opportunities. In the worst case, being cast out of the group could lead to death.
Although human evolution has progressed significantly since then, our brains are still wired to seek social approval. The fear of rejection remains deeply ingrained in us, which is why choosing to stop drinking can sometimes make you feel like you’re being excluded from the tribe.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need to drink to belong.
While people often use alcohol as a social tool to meet others and form communities, a fermented beverage has nothing to do with genuine connection. It’s surface-level belonging built on a numbed reality.
The invitation here is to redefine what belonging to a community or tribe means to you. It's about identifying your core values and connecting with people who share those same principles.
When you stop drinking, you start to like yourself more. That inner confidence ripples out into all your relationships.
The result? You experience a deeper, more meaningful connection in your relationships—something that was not accessible before. It’s an opportunity to uplevel not just your relationship with yourself, but with everyone around you.
It's time to take your relationships to the next level.Nicole Prentice
