The benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle.

My sobriety story

There was no rock bottom… but there was definitely a turning point. A friend of mine, Roz, had invited me to join her on a ‘100 days sober’ challenge and I think if this hadn’t of happened in the months prior then the outcome might have been different. I finished the 100 days… and then I kept on going!

I’m now just over 5 years alcohol-free.

The impact of removing alcohol

Ditching booze has been a massive game changer for me in so many areas of my life… for my health (alcohol just didn't agree well with my Crohn's Disease) and my children (I'm more present as a parent now)… oh, and also my finances. But one that you might not immediately think of is that it's been a game changer for my business too.

I have never been more productive. I think a lot of us know that alcohol can greatly impact our energy, mood and so on… but perhaps we’re not so aware of just how much a night out drinking at the weekend can impact the start of your working week. It’s not until I’d taken the break from it, that I realised just how much I benefited from not consuming it.

I’ve managed to reclaim so much time! I’m able to get up early at the weekends, and instead of being hungover, my weekends are filled with soul-nurturing activities like long dog walks in nature, brunch with friends, being fully present with the kids or exploring Scotland in my campervan, Verity (although it’s been a while since I’ve been away in the van, we’re having some family challenges at the moment which have clipped my wings a bit).

I still love the theatre of having a drink… the pretty glasses, the garnishes, the bright colours… and enjoy a mocktail when I’m ‘out out’. There are loads of great alcohol-free spirits available, and the options available in bars and restaurants continues to improve.

I think there’s a misconception that because you don’t drink that you become boring. But I think that’s so far from the truth. Think of all the time you’re going to create, and all the exciting things you can do with it! And I still like to go out dancing, but with the benefit of remembering the night out and feeling fresh the next day too!

Helpful resources for the sober curious

It’s been my tribe of sober friends that have helped me massively on this journey; having like minded individuals to chat to has been invaluable.

Fancy giving it a try? I’ve a good friend, Kirsty Mulcahy, who is a life coach working with people who are sober and sober curious. She has a fab workbook, “30 days aff it”, that gets great reviews. Kirsty is also the founder of Soberbuzz Scotland. I joined Soberbuzz Zoom calls at the start of my journey, and it was lovely to be in a safe space with other like-minded people.