I gave up coffee at the beginning of 2025. I did it because I was increasingly anxious in social contexts – giving an update to a small company town hall, telling the baker what bread I’d like, and even when introducing myself at a parent-teacher conference.

I noticed caffeine was a possible culprit and, ever since I took the plunge into decaffeination, I’ve proven myself to be right. But one thing bothered me until now: I’m no longer getting brain sprints.

Apart from an artificial but instant energy boost, drinking coffee has very reliably delivered me into a state of inspiration over the decade plus that I’d been a consumer. I would drink a cappuccino and wait for the neurological thunderstorm to kick in. I’ve had many a good idea come from those electric brainstorms.

But since I’ve left the world of coffee behind, I’ve not had one of these. I had already given up on feeling the surge, since it’s clearly antithetical to the very notion of “calm by zero caffeine.” Until today, when I suddenly felt one.

The surge is a small one, but it had the signature of a surge: I was propelled into action. I envisioned my future self with the kind of clarity that you’d only get when more than a fraction of your brain is activated.

I immediately went to delete a new publication I’d created a week ago – Noticed Daily – and ported those posts to this blog, typing my reason:

The most active part of me is the writer. And as a writer, I can’t bear the thought of scattering my writing all over the internet. So, here they are, in one place. Despite being a less discoverable place, it is a more durable place. Like a home should be.

Then, having just read Alex Danco’s latest newsletter, I wrote in my journal – 2 new goals for 2025: 1) pay attention well; 2) read 12 books. It’s the latter that Danco’s posts ”Ten books” and ”Ten more books” inspired, and I immediately ordered second-hand copies of 4 books from medimops.de and sent Danco a direct message on Substack to thank him.

What I noticed: I had my first surge of inspiration post-caffeine.

What I realised: Caffeine is not the only way to heighten brain activity. Perhaps the quality of these “brainstorms” is different, since one comes from preventing sleepiness and another comes from being less sleepy in the first place.

Implications for life: We could invalidate and throw out the idea that certain kinds of work can only be done well if the doer drinks copious (or even any) amounts of coffee.

Perhaps it’s important to call out that I’m currently a parent of a toddler, but I manage to sleep 7.5 hours each day, do 1 hour strength workouts 3 times a week, do bouldering once a week, and I’m in a happy relationship. I imagine these play a part somehow.