On the first of January 2020, after ringing in the New Year and having my last pint of Guinness at 1am, I decided to challenge myself and see if I can live with no alcohol for 365 days. Today, I’m officially 1 year sober.
I know what you’re thinking, I picked the right year for it. Most of my friends who knew I was doing this challenge thought the same. With COVID-19 restrictions, pubs were closed and I didn’t need to use my ready-made excuses on why I can’t have a pint of Guinness or a glass of gin and tonic. The temptation to go out and drink was taken out of the equation so in that regard, I admit that I did get lucky…or maybe I just had 20/20 foresight. Ba dum tss.
Some wondered if I found it challenging to not have a drink being in lockdown.
No, I didn’t find it challenging at all. It was so easy to say no to that weekly Zoom Pub Quiz!
I think it’s because I got busier. I ended up getting consumed with the world of politics and my brain needed to be sober and functional for it. I also had more time to read and write so I just didn’t have the time to even think about alcohol. Somehow I’ve related drinking alcohol with not being 100% functional that it was easier for my brain to comprehend that that’s not good for us, as in my brain and the rest of me.
Do I feel better?
Yes. I feel sharper.
But I also feel intense.
Alcohol made me fun, not that I’m no fun now. But alcohol reduced my inhibitions so I was less aloof.
The fear, you know the one I’m talking about, the one you get when you’re hungover still popped up. Joys of anxiety! But at least it wasn’t as bad. They were manageable. They only lasted a couple of hours, not a week. I used to get them for a week after a night of drinking.
So here are the pros and cons of going alcohol-free for 365 days if you fancy bragging rights to say you’re 1-year sober in 2022.
Pros
– No fear/anxiety/impending doom or regrets while you’re hungover
– No hangover
– Liver says thanks
– Skin also says thanks
– Bank account is ecstatic with all the extra cash
– More time to do things because of not suffering from hangover
– More time to reflect because judgment isn’t blurred by alcohol
– Clear brain
– Ability to connect to friends and family better because you remember conversations
– Emotional management, ability to cope with emotions better without using alcohol as an emotional crutch
– Less regret/less guilty, I found that most of the things I regret in life are things I’ve done or said with alcohol or drugs involved
– Sober me is 100% me and I really like her!
Cons
– Miss the taste of Guinness
– Miss the taste of pink gin and tonic
– Having a drink in your hand was a decent way to avoid awkwardness at social gatherings
So there you go. If you fancy quitting alcohol for whatever reason, I hope this list helps you.
