When I found out I was pregnant in September, my world shifted in ways I never imagined. Suddenly, the habits I had relied on to navigate life—daily drinking, vaping, and smoking weed—became decisions I could no longer make lightly. It wasn’t about giving them up for good; it was about making choices that prioritized the health and well-being of the child I was carrying.
So, I paused. For the sake of this little life growing inside me, I stepped away from my vices, knowing it was the best decision for now. Let me be clear: I don’t view myself as someone who needs to quit forever. My perspective has always been that everything is fine in moderation. But I knew this pregnancy required me to make a temporary, yet significant, change.
The transition wasn’t easy. Breaking daily habits brings a sense of discomfort and adjustment, especially when they’ve been a routine part of your life. At the same time, it gave me a chance to reflect. Why had I leaned so heavily on these things? What would life look like if I chose a different approach moving forward? These weren’t questions I necessarily wanted to face, but pregnancy has a way of making you pause and take stock.
Now, as I prepare for the months ahead, I’m not making any definitive promises about the future. Will I return to my vices after giving birth? Probably, though maybe not in the same way. Maybe I’ll find that moderation feels better than daily use. Or maybe I’ll pick up right where I left off. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet, and I’m giving myself the grace to figure it out when the time comes.
What this experience has taught me, though, is the power of choice. Sometimes, life asks us to make temporary sacrifices for greater reasons. And in those moments, we find strength and clarity we didn’t know we had. For me, the health of my child became my “why,” and that was enough to get me through.
To anyone navigating a similar decision, my advice is this: don’t think about forever. Think about now. What choice feels right for this moment, and what’s the bigger picture you’re working toward? For me, it was health and readiness for this new chapter of motherhood. For you, it might be something entirely different. But whatever it is, give yourself the grace to make the decision that feels best for you, knowing it’s okay to reassess down the line.