1. Opening

What is the one thing I could remove from my life that would make everything else easier? For me it was alcohol. Welcome to the Consisten Sai podcast. The show where Consistency turns ordinary to greatness. I am your host Masai Mahapa also known as Consistent Sai. I started this podcast to document my journey of becoming consistent in multiple aspects of life.

2. The first week

This was the hardest week for me. I have been drinking since I was 14 years old, so pretty much my entire adult life. I've had many times where i attempted to stop drinking after having a bad hangover or making a fool of myself. This time it was different. I remember the day i quit quite clearly. I was with my friend Kopano after work on the Wednsaday 1st of July 2026. I bought 3 courts as usual. we call them "ma-one-one". We drove around town and I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I remember parking at Tommies Park and i took the last court and took it to the head. I threw the bottle away and said mate I am done drinking. he said "nah, lets go buy some more". I was like no, im driving home and i no longer drink alcohol. And that was it. nothing fancy. I didnt crash my car or wake up in a ditch. I wish I had a better story so I could be a motivational speaker and talk about "You can turn your mess into a message" or "your test into a testimony". My point is you dont have to hit rock bottom.

I downloaded the reframe app. It has an annual subscription of about $99 and I just closed my eyes and paid. There is a saying that "once you pay, you pay attention". Every single day I would log how i feel, if i drank or not and read a small bit of research and attend these sessions with other people in the communtiy who are on the same path. Kind of like AA.

On friday, i closed my laptop and drove to spar tops. Got to the entrance and I had to remind myself that I have already been down this path so many times. I dont have to reward myself with alcohol. temporary happiness. I should get myself ice-cream instead. Which I enjoyed. then woke up the following day and went on a 10km run .

I had to just focus on staying sober for this day only. Take it one day at a time. That was my goal.

A special treat

I was like, if you stop drinking alcohol I will buy you a bicycle. Its expensive, i cant afford a proper bicycle. I said to myself that, I can make funds available if i stop drinking. I have more time to make money and secondly time to ride. That was a deal. From me to me. I went to cycle lab website and added my favourite bike to my cart and checked it out. Lol, be kind to yourself. So it felt like I am gaining by dropping alcohol, not losing out.

3. My identity changed

At first, i started posting 7 , 20, 30 days alcohol free. This felt amazing and my girlfiend and a couple of strangers would clap for me. Most of my friends were like "you are only taking a break, we know you will be back". I wanted to prove them wrong so bad.

I journaled everday of how its going. There is just something incredible about taking your thoughts and dumping them onto a piece of paper that is just so freeing. I would hype myself up so much.

Once i hit around day 60, i stopped counting. The days just went by. The cravings stopped completely. I just didnt consider myself to be a drinker. Its like my identity had shifted. I had stacked evidence over the past 2 months that I dont drink. I am not taking a break. I am not "trying" to stop drinking. I am just a person who does not drink. The same way I dont could the number of days since i last smoked, coz i am a non smoker. it could be a 1000 days since i last smoked but i couldnt care less.

4. What changed

I finally had more time and energy to do the stuff I care about. I could now spend more time training for a marathon so got a trainer to help me improve my running. I went from 5 hour marathon to 3:30 marathon in 3 months. Lol. Every race was a PB for me.

I got happier. I was more mentally stable. My mood didnt fluctuate that much anymore. I would always feel lots of anxiety and guilt when I was hungover. I was living for the weekends. So my life was like Monday, tuedsay, wednesday, thursday, friday, blur, monday.

My weight went from 88kg to 82kg in 3 months . My running coach now calls me Xtra large to Xtra Small coz now my clothes are too big for me lol. I was no longer consume the empty calories from beer and midnight mcdonalds after groove.

I had more time for myself. I could now finally sit alone, think, plan. We are always receiving info and stimuli from the outside world. We never have time to just be bored and reflect on what we truly want. Which I found to be such a blessing.

5. Friendships + Standards

Some friendships are built around maintiaing a habit. We just get sloshed together and not remember half of what happened last night. YOLO. Now when you drop alcohol, you will lose friends. It may come across as if you think you are better. Why dont you just want to go to the club with us or down the bottle together? So they get intimidated by that. Being at a club till 4am is less apealing to you. So naturally they stop coming to your place since you are no longer buying them booze. Your bar will also rise for what you can tolerate. Drunk people can be annoying. I know I definitely was at times. we do crazy stuff when drunk and say things we would later regret.

6 Room for what matters

Now that you've gained time, you can put it toward what matters in your life. I've since been able to improve my toilet hire business by increasing our toilet fleet, adding a logistics wing to the business with a 4 ton truck for local deliveries with a full time driver. I am also working with my client on a property services mobile & web app. I am also now spending more time on vuti. I am also a more present boyfriend as well as son.

7. Try 60 days

Give yourself 60 days. Stop drinking completely. Notice how things change for your. Its going to be hard at first, but at end end of the 60 days i promise you will be a completely different person. Log the days + how you feel. Naturally you should have more energy to improve thhe rest of your life.

Do not be a "Dry sober", which is an interesting idea of not drrinking for the sake of not drinking. Like all you do is not drink. Channel your energy into other aspects of your life.

8. Will i ever drink again?

Lol I havent signed a contract. I am not alergic to alcohol. If i go wine tasting with my girlfriend, i might consider there. its part of the experience. but Im defintely not going back to the mindless consumption of alcohol . that relatioship was toxic and I was an addict. But for now I am stacking my sober days and living my best life.