The hidden power of sobriety

Happy New Year to everyone! January, bit of a bleak month for some, may seem even more bleak for those sticking to their dry Jan pledges. 

I never managed a dry Jan, I would usually wake up feeling pretty broken on 1st Jan and pledge that was it for a whole month, but I had usually broken by mid Jan. That was until the 7th June 2020. I woke up with such a bad head and such terrible self-loathing, that I decided enough was enough and I pledged to give up alcohol for a year. This hungover self-pledge over the next few days became something I felt I needed to share with all those close to me, almost to make my self accountable and then over the coming weeks I started telling everyone......the more people I told the more pressure I felt to see it through. Powerful thing accountability. (Topic for another Founder's Tales!)  

I did in fact stop drinking alcohol for a year, and yes I felt better, lighter, cleaner as you would expect, but there was so much more to it than the physiology. Once you break through the three month barrier, you begin to feel invincible, like you have some kind of super power, every social event you make it through makes you feel stronger and even more invincible. But for me the thing that stood out most was a kind of rediscovery of myself. I had no option but to just be me and show up as I was, tired, socially awkward, lacking confidence. Alcohol is such a great mask that provides a crutch to shift our state, take the edge off, so without it you have to find a way through, by just being you, just as you are in that moment and being ok with that. 

Three years later and I now do have the odd drink but I usually do 3-4 months at the start of each year without alcohol as a reset and health kick. But I would say my relationship with alcohol has changed dramatically, that  year off for me was a circuit beaker,  a reset and reframe of the role alcohol played in my life. 

To continue this theme I will be doing my first Founder's Tales live event on Instagram this will be an 'Instagram Live' discussion with Terri Macgilbert Founder of the Thrive community a support group for the sober and sober curious - we will be discussing all things sobriety and would love for you to join us! 

17th January at 7.30pm GMT on our Love Ocean Instagram channel @we.love.ocean