Mommy Juice

OK, so many of you know about my on going saga trying to give up caffeine--more specifically--Diet Mt. Dew--better known as "mommy juice" in our house. Problem is--I LOVE MY MOMMY JUICE. I know I SHOULD give it up, but man is it hard to give up something you love. I figure now that I am not getting up and nursing twins 4+ times a night, I really have no excuses left. Well, no excuses as good as that one. So, I was browsing online about how to cut caffeine and I found this little list of things to do. It took all my effort not to laugh too hard. I'll add my own thoughts in purple.

Be patient and use the following ten tips to rediscover and to reconnect with life and living.

1. Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. Make time to fulfill emotional, physical and mental needs. Perfect! Who's coming to watch the kids. Last time I left James unattended to take a shower he hosed the kitchen cabinets down with the sprayer.
2. Enjoy wake up time and change morning routines even in small ways. Breathe fresh air, walk, and drink room temperature water adding a twist of lemon. Tense and stretch each part of your body slowly. Ha! Ha! Ha! Nice illusion. Real wake up routine: two girls crying in the other room-hungry & with pee up to their armpits, and James bouncing on my head "wake UP mommy!" You must admire my tenacity because I still try to sleep through all this.
3. Use positive affirmations to kick start your day, your mind and your life. "I am a free and powerful being, ""I love myself completely without condition," "My body clears, heals, and balances itself," "I always have enough time." " I will not lose it today." "I will not lose it today." I will not lose it today."
4. Switch to decaffeinated beverages. Say "no" to colas and other carbonated drinks. Well, I don't drink coffee or tea, so carbonated drinks are the real problem here.
5. Upon waking, ask yourself: "How am I right now?" Accept how you feel. Deal with what you can in those moments and put the rest firmly aside until later. Refuse to be overwhelmed. Remember depressed actually means suppressed. Oh, I do this everyday. I am really, really good at accepting how I feel. Doesn't mean I want to continue feeling that way. I deal with how I feel by getting myself a Mt. Dew and snack on my kids left over breakfast or last nights cookies.
6. When that voice inside you demands caffeine, simply break the habit of responding. Drink or do something entirely different instead. Say "no" to the myth that you need caffeine to get you going. Um, does that go for chocolate too? We might have serious trouble.
7. If you feel tired, stressed or need a lift, tense your body, breathe deeply and clap your hands above your head four times. Ask yourself what you need right now and fulfill your needs.
Make time to relax and enjoy simple natural highs. Get comfortable with feeling good and stress free. Does clapping your hands at your kids count? Honestly, I'm pretty sure who ever wrote this has never had 3 kids crying at them, all trying to sit in THEIR lap at the SAME TIME while they were trying to give up caffeine. The nature high of the day is going to bed-- and well, caffeine's not really a problem then, is it?
8. To stop the craving for caffeine or unhealthy comfort foods, repeat firmly in your mind: "I am letting go easily of everything I no longer need." Place your open hand firmly on your chest and rub backwards and forwards then around and around in slow circles. Rock your body backwards and forwards. Keep breathing deeply with the mouth open. You will feel comforted, calmed, and soothed, and will have bypassed the craving. Um, I've been living with my parents for over a year now. I got rid of everything I don't need a long time ago. I'd actually like to get back some of those superfluous things "I no longer need"-- like my own bedroom.
9. Be a leader and not a follower. Make healthy choices while alone, with family, friends, and colleagues. Don't over-consume caffeine because everyone else does. Make conscious and healthy choices. Well, not really a problem here. I think I'm the problem for others. ;)


So, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and suggest that it's my attitude that's in the way---that and the pounding headaches I've had for the last 17 years since a few car accidents--eh-hem, not ALL my fault--I had when I was in high school. Excuses aside--the point of my little mini-confessional is to ask those of you who have given up caffeine for tips on how you did it. I'll do really good for a few days--and then I'll have kids up till 3:30 am and . . . So what it you do to cut caffeine out of you life? I'd love suggestions--or if you have none of those--just encouragment!!