Two Years Sober

Before we get into this, it’s worth mentioning that my relationship with alcohol before I made this decision was more of a long distance relationship littered with toxic spells. We would rarely get time together but when we did, it never made me feel good. The worst part was the “hangxiety”, I’m a very chatty drunk and love conjuring up grand plans, getting deep but also being quite silly. Without fail, the following morning, I would wake up and think “Oh god, what stupid shit did I say last night”

It’s the 30th of June 2023 and I’m in France. I’m about 3 weeks into my trip, I was there to surf, explore, be in nature and generally chase adventure. I took the ferry from Plymouth to Santander and spent some time in Picos De Europa and along the Basque coastline before entering into France. I’m heading out for dinner in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and thinking how nice it would be to have a bottle of wine with dinner, since I am in France. Dinner was lovely and the wine went down with zero issues.

Fast forward to the following morning and I feel TERRIBLE, my body physically hurts, my anxiety is through the roof and guess what, I don’t feel like surfing, which if you knew me, you’d know that is very unlike me! The exact thing I came to Spain/France to do, I just couldn’t do it.

It was in that EXACT moment I had an epiphany and said to myself I’m going to break up with alcohol once and for all. I had these thoughts playing on my mind “Why do I give air time to drinking alcohol which brings me no joy and it’s stopping me doing the thing that brings me ALL the joy”. In that moment, I said to myself I would never drink again.

I broke up with alcohol to prioritise my mental and physical wellbeing, to ensure I am present for the moments that matter to me. To prioritise jumping in the ocean before the sun has risen, to chase adventure and to love my body and mind.

Today is the 2nd year anniversary of committing to a healthier lifestyle, a lifestyle that suits me, free of the shackles that alcohol brought me.

The main things I’ve noticed navigating this journey is that I just feel healthier in my body and mind, no more feeling sluggish and achy (which was a common thing for me during a hangover). My relationship with sleep has improved massively, this is something I’ve really been working on but gone are the nights of lying awake staring at the ceiling worrying about the hours preceding this moment. My bank account is obviously a lot healthier, I’ve lost touch with how much a pint costs these days but there’s more money available for things that bring me joy.

Finally, I just feel a sense of confidence in myself, I’m proud that I made a conscious decision and I’ve managed to stand by that for two whole years.

I understand this is a complex topic and everyone has their own relationship with alcohol and of course, there is no judgement for yours but for me, this was one of the best decisions I ever made.