I’m here to tell you, I understand, and everything is going to be just fine.

Once upon a time, I was just like many of you, completely and utterly obsessed with Diet Coke. If you are an addict, you know exactly what I am talking about or perhaps you are in denial. “What? Not me, I am not addicted to Diet Coke.”

To people like us, nothing is better than the sound that you hear when you pop the tab on that sacred aluminum can or the hissing sound you hear when you twist open a bottle.

I was the one who drank Diet Coke first thing in the morning, for a midday pick me up and with almost every meal. “My food just tastes better when there is a fizz,” I would say to justify myself. You and I both understand the terrible feeling you get when you go out to eat and the waitress has to be the bearer of bad news, “Sorry we only have Peps.” Let’s be real, Pepsi is not Diet Coke nor will it ever be. Nothing compares to true authentic diet coke.

One of the most tragic things that could happen to a Diet Coke drinker is when you open the fridge and there is not Diet Coke in sight. Sometimes you get so carried away that you do not even realize you drank the last one you had, and it is quite frankly, one of the most tragic feelings to a Diet Coke lover.

Even though we would never say it out loud, we are secretly judging people who order a regular Coke product because we do NOT drink our calories — we save them for better things like pizza and burgers.

And another thing, it is so annoying when people insist on letting us know “Diet Coke actually makes you get fatter with time.” Well guess what, I am living in the now and that means I am drinking a Diet Coke.

You always want to say “no,” when a friend asks if they can have a sip of your drink, but you are a good person so you usually spare a sip ... sometimes.

Although you may totally relate with all of these things, just as I do, or once did, I am here to tell you there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

This summer I decided to cut back on Diet Coke. I replaced that magnificent aluminum can with carbonated sparkling mineral water, and to be honest, it worked. I started to feel a lot better and found myself not as hungry all the time. I had fewer headaches and did not crave caffeine as often.

To say I do not occasionally drink a Diet Coke just for the heck of it would be a lie, but I am saying, there is a life after Diet Coke, and it is actually pretty great.

Although I still crave a soda every now and then, I now crave water more than not. As much as I hate to admit it, most of those “annoying” people who comment on the negatives of Diet Coke, were totally right. I did notice a change in my body once I gave it up and had more energy. The weirder thing about giving up Diet Coke is that when you do finally drink it again, it just does not taste as perfect and wonderful as you had remembered.

Giving up Diet Coke is kind of like breaking up with that crappy ex of yours, it was a long time coming and man was it hard to do, but once you did, your life was so much better, and you felt so much better too.

So please, Diet Coke lovers everywhere, remember I understand, and there is hope. Before you stone me in the village for this one, try it out for yourself, and you might see that the world is not so scary without your Diet Coke in hand, and it is actually wonderful.