“Could you give up champagne?” JJ (my fierce and tiny trainer) asked?
I didn’t hesitate to respond, “Absolutely not!” – was she crazy?
She paused momentarily and said, “I know it’s part of your luxury brand, and you feel like it’s your identity, but it’s not helping you achieve your goals”.
Argh, I hated hearing those words, especially knowing deep down she was right. Don’t you hate it when someone you trust shares something with you you don’t want to hear?
October 23rd, 2023, before Thanksgiving, Christmas, New York at Christmas, and breakfast at Tiffany with my bestie, New Year’s Eve, friend’s birthday weekend, girl’s nights, and conferences—the most festive (and champagne-filled) time of the year.
Even though I knew she was right, it would help my health goals of building muscle and losing weight… I hated her suggestion.
My goal to lose weight and build muscle (not an easy combination) meant that day I agreed to track my food choices, give up champagne, work with JJ twice a week, and make my health my number one priority, my ‘job’ as JJ says in her Bodi program.
A few challenges with her suggestion:
- Madam Clicquot, founder of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, is an example in my luxury leadership keynote (wouldn’t it be weird to talk about someone when I am not drinking their product?)
- Clients buy me champagne on site (wouldn’t it be rude to say no, seriously)
- I love celebrating everything, and champagne is the perfect cocktail … right?
- I always bring champagne to all the events; it’s my contribution as I don’t cook ( what would I take instead?)
- Holding a glass of champagne and watching the bubbles rise to the top is almost meditative. (Would a mocktail give me the same joy?)
- Champagne is the perfect pairing for entrée, appetizer, aperitif, dessert, cheese course… all the courses… (argh, everyone knows I choose champagne as my dessert every time).
- But I love champagne, watching the bubbles in a glass, sharing it with others, the taste, history, even the glassware (what would I drink instead… sparkling water)?
- What would I use for a toast?
These were all pretty flimsy excuses. So I stopped drinking champagne but only agreed I’d do it for 100 days (even knowing it was in the hardest-champagne-filled holiday time of year!).
Why 100 days?
I figure you can do anything for 100 days. It’s a finite period of time. Long enough to see changes, but not too long, you get demotivated. I was a speaker at FICP and also heard Michelle Poler share her 100 days of Overcoming Fear project. She challenged the audience, “What could you do for 100 days that might make you uncomfortable?” – now, giving up champagne may not make me uncomfortable, but it did make others around me unsure. Let me explain.
If people know you as a particular personality, brand, or emotion and you change that, they might take time to adjust. Some friends said, ‘Cool, good for you.’ Others said, ‘Come on, just one glass.’ One friend said, ‘ I am proud of you; they have your fave on the menu.’ LOL!
I am not a people-pleaser, and as my husband recently told some friends, “She never gives in to peer pressure,” referencing my ease in saying No.
Did I miss the champagne?
Surprisingly no.
Want to know a secret? I slept better, built muscle, lost (a tiny bit of weight… damn scales), confidently said no even to some of my fave people and champagnes, and proved to myself we can do anything we put our minds to.
I realized that prioritizing yourself and your goals has implications and consequences (and not everyone is happy about that). You can navigate social situations, obligations, and conversations with the right preparation, demonstrate discipline, and be your own cheerleader.
Sometimes, we need a truth-teller, an advocate, and someone who can speak into our lives that we trust to help elevate how we show up in the world as luxury leaders.
And yes, I am back to sipping champagne occasionally because I still love it!
