AUSTRALIA'S drinking culture is a prominent one, and one that Harrietville resident Jordan O'Neill knows all too well.
With many people participating in Dry July – a fundraiser that encourages people to go alcohol–free in July to raise funds for people affected by cancer – Jordan spoke about his journey with alcohol and how he is now helping others.
The 48 year old, who grew up in the hills of Eltham North in Melbourne but returned to work at Mt Hotham every season since his first at age 22, fell into a drinking habit in his thirties and said it took him more than a decade to change that habit for good.
"I think events like Dry July are great and not just because money is raised for a really good cause," he said.
"If you're willing to be introspective, taking some time away from alcohol can show you some of the benefits to your body, brain and mindset that are otherwise affected by alcohol.
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"I think it also helps normalise not drinking when you're out socialising.
"The hard part for many people is that abstaining from alcohol can be hard work.
"I first did Dry July in 2005 and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed being alcohol–free.
"The experience planted a seed, but it still took me another 14 years before I was able to change my habits for good."
Jordan said he had always known drinking as a "normal part of life".
"When I was a kid all the adults I knew drank at all social occasions, dinner time, watching the footy, celebrations and commiserations," he said.
"I think that can be pretty normal for a lot of people in our society.
"As I grew into a young man I joined in.
"Drinking became normal for me at parties, hanging out with mates, after work and with dinner.
"Partying and drinking were a big part of life in the snow where it was pretty normal to drink every day for the whole winter season.
"It wasn't too different from the crowd I worked and lived with during the rest of the year as well.
"During my early thirties I began to question whether drinking was taking more from my life than it was giving.
"Drinking had crept its way into an everyday habit for me.
"Maybe it was only one or two beers at the end of the day.
"Often that could turn into six or more.
"I felt like I deserved it and it helped me relax, I also thought I enjoyed it and I liked making my own rules.
"I'd think, 'Sure, I drink a bit, but I'm fit and active and work hard, this is the way I want to be' but then I also noticed that it had become hard to drink less."
Jordan explained he would sometimes go a few days or a week without drinking and noticed how much more energy he had.
"I noticed how much better I would sleep too, but I would always just revert back to drinking more than I wanted to," he said.
"I loved alcohol and I hated alcohol.
"Eventually, I started to see alcohol as an enemy to my desire to have a fulfilling life.
"This is where it became difficult because I wanted to drink less but couldn't really change my behaviour.
"For me, this process lasted for almost a decade.
"A decade of trying to moderate and using, what I see now, as an incredible amount of mental energy trying to moderate.
"I call this being in No Man's Land.
"Unable to let go of alcohol and therefore unable to experience the benefits of freedom from it."
In early 2019, Jordan discovered the 'This Naked Mind' movement and learned how to "change my conditioned subconscious beliefs around alcohol".
"I was ready to change when I went through This Naked Mind's Alcohol Experiment," he said.
"From there my mindset shifted from, 'You only live once so I'm going to drink when I want' to 'You only live once so I'm not going to waste my time drinking.'
"Right now I drink as much as I want to when I want to...I just haven't felt like drinking anything for the last three and a half years."
Jordan said the experience was the "most liberating experience" he can remember having.
"Every aspect of my life has vastly improved ever since," he said.
"One of the first thoughts I had after changing was that I wanted to share what I have learned with others.
"For me, I had no idea how much better I could feel and how much more I could accomplish having control over alcohol.
"I don't want others to spend years trying but not getting anywhere.
"I want to help people get out of No Man's Land and find control over alcohol.
"I spent last year studying and training and have now become a certified This Naked Mind coach.
"This has led me to start my own business coaching people who want to find control over alcohol for good."
Jordan's advice for people who would like to change is "first and foremost stop beating yourself up".
"Instead, get curious about alcohol in your life and in others," he said.
"You've landed in this life in an alcohol–saturated society where alcohol is not only normalised, but you've been cleverly marketed to.
"It's not your fault, but it is your responsibility to deal with it.
"Rather than trying to change your behaviour as a goal, think about changing how you feel about alcohol as a goal."
Jordan can be found at www.nomanslandcoach.com.au and on Facebook and Instagram as nomanslandcoach.
