I Gave Up My ‘Mom Vices’ and Here’s What Happened

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Mom Vices. Most of us at least have one, right? You know, those little things we look forward to in order to get us through stressful times, or as a reward at the end of the day.

Recently, I had to give up all my mom vices at once in order to prepare for an upcoming surgery. This meant no green tea, no kombucha, no supplements, no hormones, and no alcohol. Apparently, these are things that thin your blood, which you don’t want during surgery.

Honestly, I didn’t realize how many of my mom vices were subconscious and part of my daily routine until I gave them up.

Too Dependent on My Mom Vices?

Over the past few years, I’ve acquired a huge interest in natural vitamins and supplements. I take them at different times a day, all depending on my mood and energy levels. First thing in the morning, I pop a multivitamin, a fish oil, and a biotin for hair, skin, and nails. Kids being crazy? I take a holy basil and a lavender pill to calm my nerves. Feeling run down? I add extra vitamin C and D, olive leaf, and elderberry for immune support. Lately, I’ve also been depending on hormones for mood regulation, which you can read about HERE.

Furthermore, kombucha is my go-to for an after workout treat. I just love the fizzy flavor and the way it makes my body feel. Even my kids like the taste of it, so we often share one. Along the same lines, I like to make a cup or two of green tea in the afternoon to gather up my energy for when the kids get home from school.

By the same token, one of my favorite things to do on a Friday is to have a Happy Hour with my husband on the patio (weather permitting) and wind down from the week with a glass of wine. Wine on the weekends is my go-to mom vice for relaxation and celebration.

So, I Had to Give Them All Up for Two Weeks

It’s only two weeks, right? It should be easy.

Not. So.

Now, I know that it could in fact be the placebo effect that I’m getting with all of my different supplements, but I definitely felt like I was operating with a lower energy levels those first few days. Additionally, I so closely associated my health with my vitamins/supplements that it began to bring up some anxiety when I couldn’t take them as usual.

One of the biggest surprises to me was how much caffeine I was consuming. After my morning cup of coffee, the kombucha, and the green tea… I was caffeinating all day without even realizing it. Although I buy the decaf version of green tea, it still contains a good amount. Following the first day of no mom vices, I was pleasantly surprised that I was sleeping much more soundly and deeply.

And the wine. Oh, I miss the wine. However, once again, I’m discovering that it’s not as much about the actual substance as it is the routine of it all. The ritual of unwinding with my husband on Friday evenings gave me permission to let go and relax into the weekend.

I Don’t Want to Be Psychologically Dependent on Anything

All in all, I now have clarity on how powerful my psychological connection is to my mom vices. As I’m recovering from surgery, I still cannot indulge in any of these things, so I’m trying to reframe it into a positive. Starting from scratch, I can step out of the rigid routine and attempt to listen to my body in a more spontaneous and freeing way.