I am over 8 years happily alcohol-free but I never imagined enjoying staying sober long term. I loved to drink and had every intention of enjoying drinking throughout my hopefully long life. But about 10 years ago I realized that my nightly wine o’clock routine was becoming a ball and chain. When I tried to stop drinking so self-destructively, I could stop for a week here and there, but once I started drinking again, the cycle renewed. I would begin my days with a vow “never to drink like that again“ but ended up with what felt like a well-deserved glass of wine in my hand by 5 pm. The one glass always led unintentionally to a bottle or more. Year after year the cycle kept going. Wash, rinse, repeat. And the closer I got to 50, the faster the machine seemed to go.
Desperate to get my life back, but not ready to label myself an alcoholic, I began googling. I found a website called Hello Sunday Morning that encouraged people to take a 3-month or 1-year break from the booze by blogging and I am now well over eight years happily sober. Through blogging, we shared our stories, shared resources, support, and inspiration and I found that once I let go of the stigma that I had always felt at the thought of possibly being an alcoholic, getting sober was a lot easier than I thought it would be.
Staying sober turned out to be an adventure rather than a chore.
On sites like Hello Sunday Morning, Soberistas, and Club Soda, and now here in the Boozemusings community Boom Rethink the Drink, people around the world are finding anonymous support to take back control of their lives.
If you find you’re drinking too much too often come talk to us. Here are some thoughts on why taking a break from the booze may be the best gift you can give yourself with resources to help you break the binge drinking cycle. Open blue titles for resources
55 Great Reasons to be Alcohol-Free with 12 Posts to help you Stop Drinking and Stay Happily Sober
by members of the legacy platform at Hello Sunday Morning and the BOOM Rethink the Drink Community
1.) I don’t want to waste another minute of my life being drunk!
2.) I love being able to hop into my car at any time of the day /evening
3.) To be fit and healthy, happy, to have better relationships, to gain more confidence, to feel free, alive, awake, excited, pure, clean, curious
4.) So that I can dance without falling. It’s more fun (and dignified) that way…….
5.) I FEEL GREAT!
open the title below for
Simple Solutions to Beat the Binge Drinking Routine
6.) For courage to find my inner peace! Facing a lot of changes right now and I have the courage to do it! All in search of my true happiness!
7.) To save my marriage and my family!!!!!!!! And to feel good about myself, no lies secrets or guilt!
8.) To be my own master, better family life and look better.
9.) Being sober is by far preferable to being drunk
10.) I have my intelligent, alert, sharp mind back. No more foggy anesthesia!
11.) Peace
open the title below for ideas on
How to NOT open a Bottle at Wine o’Clock
12.) There aren’t any inconvenient times for people to phone or drop by 🙂
13.) I can now live with myself (and so can my husband)-I’m so much nicer now!
14.) Just to FEEL and BE alive….. without guilt, anxiety or fear…..
15.) And my reason to be AF is I am better, in every way, without alcohol. ‘Nuff said. 🙂
16.) To have peace with no anxiety, and to feel good to be alive tomorrow.
open the title below for thoughts on
17.) because the truth is so much bigger, brighter, and infinitely more interesting, than anything that comes in a man-made bottle cleverly marketed as ‘the good life’
18.) Each day a new beginning….. yay!
19.) because if i dont stop.. i am going to lose my mind.
20.) FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!
read more here on what FREEDOM really means
The Silver Lining In My Pink Cloud
21.) Because I like myself now. I am the best I can be.
22.) I hated myself and couldn’t believe that the truth was that I had alcohol controlling me.
23.) I was lost and I hated it and now I’m free.
24.) Feeling great joy about being a mother!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
25.) Tired of wasting life by not remembering most of it and tired of monotonous repetition.
for tips on staying sober open the title below
26.) Because now I’m the Boss of Me. Not that Wine Witch. And without alcohol, I am a much nicer boss. I rarely criticize myself anymore. I’m healthier than I’ve ever been in mind, body, and spirit. I’m 13 kg lighter and I feel so much smarter. I am finally really proud of myself. I hardly ever have to apologise for anything anymore, because I don’t do dumb stuff anymore. I’m so fucking calm about 90% of the time. And a much better parent and therapist.
27.) A clear conscience which brings peace in my relationships with God and others.
28.) To stop making so many (or preferably ANY) damn dumb decisions!
29.) I want to remember all of my days/nights and really live 🙂
read more
Alcohol-Free is a Truly Amazing Way to Live
30.) To be the healthiest, sensiblest, liveliest, happiest, lovingest, postive-est…BEST woman I can be!
31.) Personal freedom 🙂
32.) I don’t get sick of myself when I am not drinking…. I am sure others don’t get sick of me either
33.) For me: peace. I kept looking for it in a bottle-or-3.
34.)To be present, loving and positive with everyone in my life x
35.) No more time wasted being drunk or hungover… I’d rather be fully present and able to be more productive, active, engaged, happy. But the myriad of mental and physical health improvements are hard to beat.
Staying Happily Sober is all about
Breaking Down the Myths: What Can Alcohol REALLY do for You?
36.) Because it means I get to keep and truly enjoy everything that’s important to me in my life rather than risk losing it all and damaging it because of my addiction.
37.) To be healthy
38.) because it feels better to be sober
39.) I feel peace and joy
40.) To see what can be achieved without it in my life.
Open title below
42.) CLARITY. In thought, memory, relationships, daily life, perspective, health, so many ways.
43.) Because I owe it to myself to look in the mirror and not hate the person looking back at me.
44.) Because I no longer want to drink. It has no place in my life, and no longer has a hold on me.
45.) I love being present in my life 🙂
46.) Replace feeling like shit with feeling like a champ
47.) My number one reason for staying AF is because I can’t cope with the guilt and regret that comes with a hangover!
No More Hangovers No More Shame
How I Became Alcohol-Free. Thoughts on Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis
48.) The freedom – in every sense
49.) To feel the good and the bad – not obliterate it.
50.) To find ‘me’ again. I really had been quite lost along the way…I do believe I’m on the way up 😉
51.) Alcohol will NEVER control me again
52.) My health and the calm and peace that comes with it.
53.) My number one reason for staying AF is because I can’t cope with the guilt and regret that comes with a hangover!
54.) To be in control of my life, not have alcohol do it for me.
55.) The inner peace………….
An Invitation
If you’re “sober curious” … If you are drinking too much too often and want to stop or take a break…or if you have stopped drinking and are trying to stick to sober! Talk to Us.
We are an independent, anonymous and private community who share resources, support and talk it through every day. It helps to have a community behind you in a world where alcohol is the only addictive drug that people will question you for NOT using
You can read more about us Here And join Here
BOOM Rethink the Drink– community support 24-7
ou had “crossed the line” and had a very serious alcohol problem?
Do you really PROMISE it’s better on the other side? Swear?
Open a Book, open a browser, open your mind. The keys are out there.
You don’t HAVE to drink.
This post has been edited and updated from a post published in Huffington Post in 2017
Why Taking a Break from the Booze Could Do a Lot More than Cure Your Hangover
