Breaking the Coffee Myth: Discovering Strength I Didn’t Know I Had

Happy Friday! It’s our first Friday since the older kids are back in school. We had a wonderful summer, but boy—it was non-stop.

And I never thought I’d be writing these words, but here we are: I’ve been coffee-free for 27 days.

For most people, that might sound like no big deal. But for me? This feels like climbing Everest barefoot. I’ve been hooked on caffeine since I was 14. Three Trader Joe’s triple-shot lattes and a couple cups of coffee a day were my normal. Before that, I lived on 5-Hour Energy shots.

It wasn’t just a habit—it was how I believed I survived motherhood, teaching, and life.

But something shifted this summer.

A Little Backstory

I’m a mom of four little ones (ages 20 months to 7 years), with a husband working full-time and studying for the CFA exam. Life is full, loud, and constant.

Coffee became the thing I thought I needed to:

• Keep the house running

• Teach yoga with energy

• Avoid falling apart by 2 p.m.

  
  

I convinced myself it was the glue holding everything together.

Swimming Changed Something

Last summer, on vacation, my mother-in-law invited me to swim laps with her. My immediate answer: Nope. I can’t swim.

But she handed me a kickboard anyway. I gave it a try. And—surprise—I swam. I loved it.

That routine of swimming (and smoothies after) became my favorite part of the trip. For the first time in years, I had something that was just for me.

This summer, the pool was closed at first (I was crushed), but eventually we found another one. This time, I dared myself to go further: putting my face in the water, swimming without a kickboard.

Another story I’d told myself for years—that I “could not swim”—started to unravel.

Letting Go of Coffee

Then, right at the end of vacation, I got sick. My last coffee was on the flight home. Normally, I would’ve run straight back to caffeine. But this time, I didn’t.

• Days 1–3: brutal headaches, exhaustion, irritability. Every night I told myself, What if I can make it one more day?

• Day 7: something shifted. I realized I’d already gone farther than ever before. Instead of thinking “I can’t live without coffee,” I started wondering: What if I can?

The Real Test: Teaching Yoga Without Coffee

In all my years of teaching fitness and yoga, I had never taught a single class without caffeine. The idea terrified me.

That Monday, I walked into my noon class—after wrangling four kids since 5am—completely uncaffeinated. It wasn’t my best class, but it wasn’t my worst. And afterward, I felt something better than a caffeine buzz: pride.

By Thursday, I doubted myself again. This was my signature class, the one I’d built from a handful of attendees to a packed room. Could I really do it without coffee?

I did. Again, not perfect—but I showed up, I taught, and I proved to myself I could.

Small Wins Add Up

The only caffeine I’ve had since was a small Arnold Palmer at lunch yesterday. The shocking part? I didn’t crave more. I didn’t refill. I just said, That’s enough.

It wasn’t willpower—it felt… easy. And that’s completely new for me.

What I’m Learning

This journey isn’t really about coffee. It’s about the stories I’ve told myself my whole life:

• I need caffeine to be a good mom.

• I need caffeine to be a good teacher.

• I need caffeine to get through my day.

I was wrong. And I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

Because now, every day without coffee feels like one more limiting belief falling away. First, swimming without a kickboard. Now, teaching yoga without coffee. Who knows what’s next?

I’m still tired (what mom of four isn’t?). But it’s a different kind of tired now—a lighter kind. The kind that comes with more joy, more hope, and the quiet belief that maybe, just maybe, I can do more than I ever thought possible.

Closing Thought

If you’ve ever thought, I could never give that up—whether it’s caffeine, sugar, or something else—maybe that’s your sign. Not to quit forever, but to remind yourself that you’re stronger than you think.

Because if this coffee-obsessed, exhausted mom of four can make it 27 days without caffeine… maybe you can too.