Flipping the Ritual: What I’m Sipping Instead of Wine (And Why It’s Working)

One of the things no one really talks about when you quit drinking is how much of it wasn’t just the alcohol, it was the ritual.

For me, that glass of wine at the end of the day had become almost sacred. It was the moment I told myself, you made it, you deserve this, now let’s take the edge off. The clink of the glass, the pour, the swirl, it was a whole ceremony. And for years, I believed it was helping me relax, take the stress down a notch, survive the chaos of motherhood, hormones, and life.

But when I made the decision to stop drinking, I knew I had to get honest. Really honest.

And what I discovered shocked me.

One night, not long ago, I opened the cabinet and reached for the wine glass, the same one I used every night. Just the act of opening that door and hearing the soft sound of glass on wood gave me a feeling of calm. That’s when it hit me: the relief I thought I was getting from alcohol was already happening before I even poured a drop.

It wasn’t the alcohol.

It was the ritual.

It was my brain associating that moment with relief, reward, exhale.

So I decided to keep the ritual but change what was in the glass.

And that’s where this little beauty comes in:

Flora Cannacocktail | Blueberry “Moscow Mule” infused with 10mg CBD and 5mg THC.

Zero alcohol. Zero regret.

My hormone doctor was so happy when I told her I quit drinking. She reminded me how damaging alcohol is especially during perimenopause. It can throw your cortisol through the roof (check ✅), mess with your gut, your sleep, your mood… basically everything I was already struggling with.

She suggested CBD to help manage inflammation and cortisol, and that’s when I stumbled onto Flora’s drinks. I pour mine into a pretty glass with a splash of kombucha, and voilà….my brain still gets its wind-down cue, but now my body actually feels better, not worse.

Even just a few weeks in, I already know this was the right choice. My stomach isn’t in knots after dinner. My mornings aren’t foggy. My anxiety? Cut in half.

Honestly, I should’ve stopped years ago.

But I’m here now, and that’s enough.

I don’t drink alcohol anymore.

I just don’t. And that sentence feels more and more like freedom every day.

If you’re reading this and wondering if the wine is really helping, I invite you to slow down at the cabinet, hold the glass in your hand, and ask yourself: Is this the relief or just the routine?

You might be surprised what your body’s been trying to tell you.

With love and a new kind of buzz,

-Casey