A month or so ago, I was talking to my good friend Erica. She was happy, energetic and alert. I was feeling the exact opposite: dour, sluggish, and dull. The truth is, I’m almost always tired. I start the day tired, I get more tired throughout the day, and I end the day by waving a white flag and begging sleep to take me. I have come to accept that exhaustion is the place where I live and that this is how it’s going to be for the rest of my life.

And yet, Erica looked so energetic. So present. So well rested. She and I are both approximately the same age, both relatively healthy, both prone to cheerfulness (when we can manage it), and so I marveled at the difference in our physical and mental states. I begged her to tell me her secret, and she was happy to share that she had quit drinking coffee, and that, since then, her life had been utterly transformed.

I was intrigued, but also a little worried. Coffee has become an integral part of my everything. I think of it the moment I awake. My day does not seem to begin until I have my first cup. My brain does not begin to fire until it is thus fueled. And yet, listen to how Erica describes the rewards of giving up coffee:

It is GLORIOUS on the other end. You will have gorgeous sleep. Luxurious, deep, healthy, satisfying sleep. And you’ll have very even energy all day long—no crashes. You’ll feel human, present, in your body, rather than speeding along, amped up and over there instead of right here. That unease you mention will be removed. You’ll know a new clarity. You’ll feel closer to your source.

How could I not be intrigued by such promise, in particular, the “gorgeous sleep?”

But Erica went on to warn me that the transition would not be easy. Apparently, when she quit, she spent a week feeling just plain “stupid.” She told me that, “My brain misfired for a while. I was really slow and had trouble coming up with words.”

But she also gave advice and encouragement:

Drink gallons of water. Take advil the first day or two if you get a headache. I also recommend investing in Celestial Seasonings Roastaroma tea (product description from Amazon: Roastaroma® “This full-bodied, caffeine-free alternative to coffee has been a trusted favorite for more than 30 years. With the robust flavors of roasted chicory and barley, a hint of chocolate from roasted carob and just a touch of cinnamon and allspice, Roastaroma is hearty enough to give you a lift in the morning and delicious enough to enjoy all day long.”)

Inspired, I immediately went on Amazon and ordered myself some Rostaroma.

Since then, it has been sitting on my desk as a kind of beacon of better days ahead. I considered giving up coffee back when I talked to Erica, but in light of the aforementioned “stupid,” I decided that I could not afford to do so in the midst of the stretch of crazy travel and speaking engagements we’ve just come through.

But now, this morning, back from the road, and looking into the eye of a hurricane, I’ve decided it’s time to take the plunge. I’m bracing myself for the headaches and mental molasses, but I’m leaning forward in anticipation of that “gorgeous sleep,” which sounds, to me, like the answer to everything that ails me.

Right now it’s Monday at 3:48pm and I’m doing just fine. I’ve felt a little slow, but so far no crippling headaches. I’ve had two mugs of Roastaroma, and it is as delicious as advertised. Perhaps, if the hurricane does what the hurricane is predicted to do, I won’t have electricity for the next few days and the option of brewing a cup of coffee will not even be available.

If anyone has been thinking of giving up coffee and is looking for an excuse, feel free to join me, and to use this post to share thoughts, pains, instances of stupidity, bouts of gorgeous sleep, etc.

Wish me luck.