“Really do take care of your inner health. Don’t obsess about what you eat or drink but don’t fall into bad damaging habits because the people around you are doing them. I remember dealing with that. Talk about peer pressure. I had a lot friends who were smokers. I had a lot of friends who drank a lot. And there was a feeling like I wouldn’t fit in with my friends if I didn’t do that. Rather than be aware of what my own body needed. Don’t feel like you need to try every single cocktail on the menu to be cool and have fun. But don’t be the police who won’t let anybody else have a good time either. Just find what feels good for you.“ — 40-something, mom, wife, teacher, Los Angeles, CA
Good advice on living in moderation I think. Don’t judge and thou shalt not be judged. One tactic is to always be the one to go order the drinks. It will deflect people from asking you about not drinking, you can order what you want and everyone will thank you. I’d also have to say it’s a good idea to know how to make a great cocktail and open a bottle of champagne gracefully. Spend more time enjoying the ritual of the drink than the ritual of getting drunk.
