Part of the 21‑Day Alcohol Fast Series • Previous Day • Next Day
Transcript & Journal Prompts
Hello, and welcome to Day 13 of your Fast! Today, we’re going to use the ACT Technique* to debunk one of the most common beliefs that keeps us reaching for alcohol time and again: The belief that “alcohol relaxes me.”
First, let’s quickly review the ACT Technique we learned earlier. ACT stands for Awareness, Clarity, and Turnaround. This powerful tool helps us examine our limiting beliefs and transform them into empowering truths that align with God’s word and scientific understanding.
Let’s apply the ACT Technique to the belief ‘Alcohol relaxes me.’
AWARENESS
Ask yourself: Is this absolutely true? Could you prove it in a court of law? While alcohol might create temporary feelings of relaxation, science tells us it actually disrupts our body’s natural relaxation systems.
Where did the belief that alcohol relaxes me come from? As successful women balancing demanding careers with family responsibilities, you likely have years, maybe decades, of evidence that seems to support the belief. You’ve used it to transition from work mode to mom mode, to decompress after putting everyone else’s needs first all day, to quiet your racing mind when you finally have a moment to yourself. And let’s be honest – it worked, at least in the short term. That’s why this belief is so deeply ingrained.
This belief was also reinforced by what you saw around you. Other successful women at networking events with their cocktails, colleagues celebrating wins with champagne, friends suggesting wine nights to decompress, and countless movies and TV shows portraying powerful women unwinding with a drink. The message that ‘alcohol equals relaxation’ has been reinforced throughout your entire adult life.
Marketing has capitalized on this too, particularly targeting professional women with messages about ‘mom juice’ and ‘wine o’clock,’ normalizing daily drinking as a earned reward and necessary stress relief for the modern woman juggling it all.
Understanding where this belief came from and acknowledging that it’s based on real experiences is crucial. We’re not dismissing your reality. Instead, we’re examining whether this coping mechanism that may have served a purpose in the past is truly serving you now, and whether it aligns with God’s best plan for your life.
CLARITY
How does believing ‘alcohol relaxes me’ make you feel? Many of us feel dependent, like we can’t truly relax without it. I know I did!
This belief often then leads to behaviors like:
- Reaching for a drink after every stressful situation
- Avoiding developing other coping mechanisms
- Missing opportunities for genuine connection with God and others
- Creating a cycle of artificial highs and increasingly lower lows
And here’s something crucial to consider – while alcohol might have genuinely helped you relax in the past, has your experience with it changed? Many women share that what once was one glass to unwind now needs to be two or three or more. What used to give you a gentle sense of calm might now barely take the edge off. You might also notice that while the first drink still brings temporary relaxation, it’s often followed by middle-of-the-night anxiety, morning stress about things said or done, or growing concern about your dependence on this coping mechanism.
This isn’t a judgment – it’s simply the natural progression of how our bodies respond to alcohol over time. What worked as a relaxation tool in your 30s might be working against you in your 40s and 50s.
TRANSFORMATION
Before we jump to completely new beliefs about relaxation, let’s start by adjusting our current belief to reflect this new understanding.
Perhaps instead of ‘Alcohol relaxes me,’ a more accurate belief might be:
‘Alcohol used to relax me more effectively than it does now’
or
‘Alcohol provides temporary relaxation but creates more tension in the long run’
Once we acknowledge this reality, we can begin exploring new beliefs that better serve us. Remember, we’re not trying to deny our past experiences with alcohol, but rather create new truths that reflect our current reality and future desires.
Now, let’s explore some empowering new beliefs that might feel authentic to where you are today:
How about:
‘God’s peace is my true source of relaxation’
‘I find my rest in Christ’
‘The Holy Spirit provides the comfort I seek”My body knows how to relax naturally’
‘I have many healthy tools for managing stress’
‘True relaxation comes from within, not from a bottle’
When we embrace these new beliefs, we open ourselves to authentic relaxation techniques like:
- Prayer and meditation on Scripture
- Deep breathing exercises
- Physical exercise
- Mindful activities
- Meaningful connections with others
- Time in nature
Remember, beliefs – even ones that have served us for decades – can be examined and transformed when they no longer align with who we are becoming. This isn’t about forcing yourself to believe something that doesn’t feel true. It’s about gently questioning your current beliefs about alcohol and exploring new possibilities that resonate with both your faith and your authentic self.
The journal prompts today will help you examine your own limiting beliefs, gain clarity on how they’ve shaped your choices, and discover new, empowering beliefs that you genuinely connect with. This kind of mindset work goes far beyond using willpower to resist alcohol. When you truly transform what you believe about alcohol’s role in your life, you’re rewiring your brain’s pathways and creating lasting change. That’s the difference between white-knuckling through temporary abstinence and experiencing true freedom to live the life God intended for you.
Until tomorrow, remember that you are loved, you are worthy, and you are capable of transformation through Christ who strengthens you.
*Process adapted from the ACT Technique developed by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind.
📝 Today’s Journal Prompts:
(Allow 15-20 minutes for this exercise. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. Begin with a few deep breaths to center yourself.)
1. Reflecting on your current belief that “alcohol relaxes me”:
- How long have you held this belief?
- What experiences have reinforced it over the years?
- Has alcohol’s effectiveness for relaxation changed over time? If so, how?
2. Examine the clarity around this belief:
- How does the belief that alcohol relaxes you make you feel?
- How does it make you behave?
- What are the longer-term consequences you’ve noticed or expect to experience if you continue to hold this belief?
- How does this belief impact your relationship with God?
3. Exploring new beliefs:
- What alternative beliefs about relaxation feel authentic to you right now? (Remember, you don’t have to jump straight to “I never need alcohol to relax” – what feels true today?)
- What evidence can you find in your life that supports these new beliefs?
- What scripture verses resonate with you about finding peace and comfort in God?
🙏 Closing prayer:
“Loving Father, help us remember that true peace comes from You alone. Guide us as we release false beliefs about relaxation and embrace Your perfect peace. Give us the courage to try new ways of finding rest and comfort in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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