90 Days No Coffee: Lessons Learned

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I went without coffee for 94 days. I wanted to understand my relationship with caffeine better. At the time, my average intake was 400-500mg of caffeine a day. 

 

During those few months, there were several lessons learned. What follows are the main ones. 

 

Morning Routines Matter 

The first three days of the coffee fast, I toughed it out with zero mg of caffeine.

Of course, it's sick, but I wanted to see what would happen.

 

One of the first things I noticed was how I automatically went to flip on the kettle after drinking my ACV and water.

 

 No coffee broke my morning routine, and I felt it.

 

One HUGE help was incorporating Mud/Wtr into my routine. It wasn't coffee, but it was hot, brown, and had the action of making coffee. It made me feel like my morning routine was back together.

 

As I'm typing this, it seems so dumb, but it happened to me.

 

Who Am I Anymore?! 

My personality has a bend toward extroversion.

On the DiSC assessment, I'm an iD, Enneagram; I'm a 7/8, 3/2. I like to have a good time, if the spotlight shines on me, I won't shy away from it, but I also don't need it. 

 

 One of the curious pieces to this experiment was the idea of who people know me to be. For example, if I've been ingesting a solid amount of caffeine for the last several years then people know me to be caffeinated. 

 

Why does that matter? 

 

Maybe it doesn't. 

 

I wondered if people knew me as me or a version of me that was keyed up a notch or two. Maybe I'm not that nice of a guy. So what's the real me?

 

(geez, that got philosophical, I'll bring it back to practical)

 

Caffeine Is a Drug

The two most popular things people say to me when talking about the coffee fast are: 

  1. I think I could do that. 

  2. I have no desire to do that. 

A close third is "you're a psychopath."

 

Check this article out if you're interested. The short version is, 

 

"Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant responsible for coffee's addictive properties."

"Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world." 

 

  1. I think you could kick caffeine 
  2. You will detox, which is horrible

 

Mushrooms & Sleep Are Awesome

I will not say that the Mud/Wtr concoction I drank boosted my outlook on life, and I certainly didn't see any psychedelic colors.

(Mud/Wtr is a mushroom coffee alternative, yep, I'm that guy)

 

Since swapping my regime of Mud/Wtr for decaf in the morning, I do not have the same energy level or mental clarity I did in month 3 of the coffee fast. Not at all.

 

I also was getting better sleep during the fast from about day 35ish. Specifically, I felt like I was sleeping deeper. 

 

It's hard to explain, but if you go to the bathroom at night and struggle with a racing mind, you know it's hard to turn that off. Or maybe the slightest noise disrupts your sleep. 

 

Shallow sleep vs. deep sleep. 

 

I'd wake up, go to the bathroom, and cash out right away when I laid back down.  

Maybe it was the shrooms, lack of caffeine, or something else. But my sleep was better. 

 

*Two things need to be said at this point:

  1. I typically could fall asleep quickly before the coffee fast
  2. I also did an alcohol fast that overlapped with the first 30 days of the coffee fast. 
    1. To chase the sleep/alcohol rabbit, read this article 

 

More Than Caffeine 

We crave comfort. Physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

 

Our bodies can go further than we typically push them. However, our natural bend toward comfort constantly combats our potential. 

 

Here's a post that will get likes but most won't do anything with:

Comfort and growth are mutually exclusive. 

You will find a way IF you want something strong enough. Me too. 

 

Here's a list of things we probably don't want bad enough:

  • Health
  • Financial freedom
  • Intentional parenting 
  • Spiritual depth 
  • A side hustle
  • Lasting joy

 

 

Here's a list of small ways to begin training yourself to embrace discomfort:

  • Do wall sits or leg lifts while brushing your teeth
  • $20 automatic transfers into a savings account
  • Take cold showers for a week/month/year
  • Set 'do not disturb' times on your phone
  • Think about this 

 

 

The Impact of Leadership exists to equip, connect and grow leaders while having fun.

Bring us on your podcasts, into your company, and connect with us on social media. 

 

We're rooting for you. 

You're not alone.

 

NEED MORE? 

Check out the IOL Community Groups to connect with like-minded leaders!

Go to our YouTube and LinkedIn pages for more encouraging content.  

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