There was a time in my life when a glass of wine at the end of the day felt like the perfect way to relax. After a long day of teaching, followed by the second shift of being a mom, pouring that glass of wine was my signal that the day was done. Carpools were completed, bags were packed for the next day, and I could finally sit down for a few minutes.
For a while, it worked. But lately? One glass of wine guarantees a restless night’s sleep and a rough start to the next day.
Aging is humbling. So without really announcing it, I started breaking up with my nightly wine. It wasn’t anything dramatic, but just a quiet realization that it wasn’t doing me any favors anymore.
Ironically, I had already broken up with something else years ago: Diet Coke.
In my late 20s, I gave it up for Lent. When I finally had one again, it tasted almost shockingly sweet. I remember thinking, How did I ever drink this every day? Over time, I just stopped altogether. It wasn’t hard. I had matured.
Cut to recently. I was in the McDonald’s drive-thru, already a dangerous place for decision making, fully planning to order the Big Mac I absolutely deserved after a long day of teaching, driving kids to practices, coordinating schedules, and generally serving as the family chauffeur.
But in a rare moment of restraint, I ordered only a Diet Coke. And honestly? My world changed.
That first icy sip was magical. Suddenly, I understood why the internet lovingly calls it a “fridge cig.” And before I knew it, my wine fridge was stocked with cans of Diet Coke, and my evening glass of wine was replaced.
There is something incredibly satisfying about cracking open an ice-cold Diet Coke at the end of a long day with some pebble ice and a lemon wedge.
But the best part of it is that I sleep. No more staring at the ceiling. No middle-of-the-night anxiety spiral. No waking up wondering why I thought I could function on “just one glass.”
At this stage of parenting, when my kids are 12 and 15 and my evenings revolve around sports practices, driving everywhere, and reminding someone for the tenth time to get off the video games, a full night’s sleep is worth more than a great Pinot Noir.
Of course, people love to remind you that Diet Coke isn’t exactly a healthy drink. I’m aware. We’re all aware. But at this point in life, I’ve stopped overanalyzing the small things that bring me a little joy.
Some people unwind with herbal tea, some meditate, and some journal. I drink a Diet Coke and sit down for five uninterrupted minutes, and it makes me ridiculously happy.
It may not be as glamorous as a glass of red (or a skating espresso martini), but it also doesn’t betray me at 2 a.m., and for now, that feels like a pretty good trade.
So these days, when someone offers me a glass of wine, I just smile and say, “Hold the wine, and pass me a fridge cig.”
