What's your approach to drinking alcohol and how do I not over do it?

As my friends know, I am a big fan of sparkling wines and as I was enjoying a delicious glass of bubbly the other day, I had two revelations:

1. Champagne/Sparkling wine is an actual gift from God!
2. I discovered a way to not get drunk and still enjoy having a yummy effervescent drink. 

Here is why/how:

1. I believe that the closest people to God are people who commune with God the most, they listen, the meditate, they pray. In particular monks are known to devote their entire lives to solitude and to serving God. In the end of the 17th century, a monk named Dom Perignon is said to have established the principles of modern champagne (the legend actually says he made it by making a "mistake"). Ha! I don't believe in accidents or mistakes and choose to imagine that it was his daily communion with God that led him to create this magical drink. 

Personally, when I drink sparkling wines I feel happy and bubbly myself. I guess it's true - you are what you eat (or drink)! And I choose to believe that God communicated the secret of bubbly to us through the now famous monk and I am forever grateful and honored to include in my weekly diet :)

2. I realize that often times we drink because we feel happy or feel sad. Like Napoleon said: "In victory, you deserve Champagne; in defeat, you need it." The challenge with drinking is that sometimes we have too much and then we regret it the next day. I for one, have had a lot of yummy drinks on Tuesday night this week and didn't go to bed until 2am! Sure, it was lots of fun, but the next day was pretty rough. 

This got me thinking - WHY did I drink so much? Sure it was fun and I was having a grand time, but why did I overdo it? What I realized was that I over indulged because I wasn't having enough fun on regular basis on the days before Tuesday. I felt like a I was on a pendulum - to compensate for lack of fun, I overdid it in one night. 

Reflecting back on other days when I would drink in moderation, I saw that I only needed a half a coupe or just one flute of bubbles when I made sure to have fun on regular basis before going out. 

So with that, I want to inspire you to look at how you spend your days and if you have enough fun on daily. Because if you are under-playing your fun, you may find yourself over-eating, over-partying or over-drinking to compensate. And fun can  be just the simple joys of life - buying yourself flowers and smelling them, enjoying how they look, playing with your pet, chatting with your best friends, taking a bath, etc. 

I hope you bring more joy and fun into your life today and every day and that if you do choose to drink alcohol, you choose the best kind that lights you up and you savor it without over-doing. 

Cheers!

Alina