Experiencing Liquid Courage Without Alcohol
You are not alone if you have found yourself at the bottle or a shot glass to gain confidence in something that could cause you anxiety or stress. Liquid courage is a quick fix to any uncomfortable feeling you are experiencing while preparing yourself to be in a situation you don’t necessarily want to be in.
Liquid courage can help you feel more relaxed, but it is not a fix-all problem. It may last a few hours, but then the hangxiety can catch up to you and have you feeling worse than before. We want you to feel confident by believing in yourself and not feeling bad about discomfort.
Today I want to go over some tips that could help you gain the confidence you need to experience life without alcohol as a crutch. These tips will not only help you for nightlife, but in general, as a rule of thumb, I want you to incorporate them every day.
What is liquid courage?
“Liquid courage” is a well-known term in the drinking world. I’m sure you have heard or even used the term. I know I sure have. Liquid courage is what happens when a person is drinking and becomes ultra-confident; they gain self-esteem, which usually results in a change of mood and attitude.
It is called “liquid courage” because the confidence comes solely from the liquid, synonymous here with alcohol. When someone refers to liquid courage, they say it when they need to get comfortable with someone or something, maybe someone is shy around groups but with a little alcohol they open up. This would be referred to as having liquid courage.
The amount that a person “needs” can change based on how much they drink or simply their body composition and their natural confidence levels. Taking a sip of a drink or maybe drinking a whole drink will alleviate some of the nerves or worries of going out and make facing the world easier, but only for a short time.
How to develop self-confidence without alcohol?
Posture/body language
Body posture can have a significant effect on confidence. It is shown that the mind and body are strongly connected, and when postured correctly sends a signal to not only others but yourself that you are confident and in control. When you are feeling more confident you decrease the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can lead to low self-esteem.
2. Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that you say to yourself in repetition with the intention of changing the way you think and behave. When used with the intention of change, they can be a very useful tool in reprogramming your thoughts and self-image to increase self-awareness and confidence. Start affirming how strong and capable you are.
3. Take chances
Get used to being uncomfortable. When you get accustomed to feeling a certain way, it will become natural, so feeling uncomfortable in the beginning will only last a short time until you gain confidence. Practice!
4. Set goals
Your goals should be tough enough that it seems unattainable, but within your means. Constantly aim toward those goals. Goal-setting can help increase self-confidence by providing a purpose, a sense of progress and accomplishments, positive self-talk, and overcoming fears. Start with daily fitness goals and watch how your confidence improves!
Get started with our full body AMRAP video today!
5. Confident support system
When you surround yourself with confident people, you begin to allow yourself to be confident, too. Most of us when thinking about confidence get it confused with being egotistical, but you will not be seeking approval, instead, you will have faith in your own abilities and hold yourself to a different standard.
Why do I get more confident when I drink?
Alcohol has various effects on the brain and body, including reducing inhibitions, increasing feelings of relaxation, and altering behaviors. Already anxiety-ridden and self-conscious individuals will typically rely on alcohol more.
When drinking alcohol, it can affect the part of the brain that is associated with anxiety and is responsible for decreasing anxiety to allow someone to feel more confident.
Additionally, alcohol causes the rapid release of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that plays the role of motivation and reinforcement.
When consuming alcohol, you let loose and feel better about yourself at that time, which sends a signal to your brain and releases dopamine, which can be a sign to your body that alcohol is good, because you feel happiness or excitement.
Final thoughts
Overall, alcohol may help you gain confidence, but it will be short-lived and constantly be something you are battling. Having liquid courage without the liquid helps build confidence and boost your self-esteem. This is something that can be developed and strengthened over time with the tips we have discussed.
Remember that you are a strong individual that stands tall and will get out of that comfort zone in order to build yourself up into what we all know you to be. Amazing and powerful!