Why I Gave Up Coffee (And What I Found Instead)

My Coffee Backstory ☕

I didn’t even start drinking coffee until later in life. By then, I was already deep into wedding planning — a career that’s both incredibly rewarding and physically demanding. Wedding days are long. I’m usually one of the first people to arrive and one of the last to leave.

One night after a wedding, I was driving home — about an hour outside of the city — and I fell asleep at the wheel. It was only for a moment, but it scared me. That moment changed me. After that, I started drinking coffee, thinking it would help me stay awake, alert, and safe.

But before long, I wasn’t just having coffee for the drive home. I was having it every morning. Then occasionally  twice a day. I felt like I needed it to function — to be productive, to “show up,” to power through my never-ending task list. Coffee made me feel like Superwoman, crossing off to-dos left and right.

The Hidden Cost of My Daily Cup

Beyond the caffeine itself, I didn’t like how much money I was spending. Whether it was at-home coffee runs or iced lattes from my favorite spot on the way into the city, it started adding up — fast.

At first, it was easy to justify. Coffee meetings with clients. Coffee before venue tours. Coffee because I “deserved” it after a long week. But the truth was, I was using it as a crutch.

And then I noticed something that really hit me: my daughter started rinsing out Starbucks cups and filling them with chocolate milk — because she wanted to look like me. My kids would say, “Mom needs her coffee first.” It was their normal. And I hated that I was setting that kind of example.

The Side Effects I Couldn’t Ignore

From the beginning, my body told me that caffeine and I weren’t a good match. My heart would race. My hands would shake. I’d feel anxious and tense — all while trying to keep up the image of being “on top of everything.”

I told myself it was just part of being a business owner. But in truth, I was burned out.

By January, I had hit my breaking point. My business was growing fast, and while I loved what I was building, I was doing it at the expense of myself and my family. I was missing games and school activities. My work never stopped — emails during the day, meetings at night, weddings on weekends. My shoulders were constantly tense, my hands clenched, and I finally went to a neurologist to figure out what was wrong.

The results? Everything looked normal. The diagnosis: stress. Pure, unfiltered stress.

Finding Freedom in Letting Go

That was my wake-up call. I started delegating more within my team — and I’m so proud of how beautifully they’ve stepped up. It gave me breathing room to just be Brandi again. And a few months later, I decided it was time to tackle the next step: giving up coffee.

My last cup was August 2, 2025 — on a wedding day, of course.

The next six to eight weeks were rough. Headaches, fatigue, irritability — all of it. But slowly, I started to feel different. Lighter. Calmer. Clearer.

Today, I sleep better. My concentration feels more natural — more me. I love that I can wake up and have a great day whether or not I’ve had coffee. I’m saving money, I’m less anxious, and most importantly, I feel free.

A Final Word

I know coffee isn’t bad for everyone. Some people can enjoy a cup or two and be totally fine — and that’s great for them. But that wasn’t my story.

If you’re reading this and any part of my journey feels familiar — the dependency, the anxiety, the pressure to keep going — I just want you to know: you don't have to live that way.

You are strong enough to let go of whatever's holding you back, even if it's something as small (or as big) as a cup of coffee.

Sometimes, freedom doesn’t come from doing more — it comes from doing less.

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Written by Brandi Swanson, founder of Next Chapter Weddings — helping couples (and sometimes planners!) focus on what truly matters.

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