New Year Challenge - 100 days alcohol free. Anyone want to join?!

[S2P78]

Hello,

I know very well that my drinking has crept up to unhealthy levels in recent months again due to a difficult relationship period. I feel how low alcohol is making me, and it adds nothing to my life. I'm 44 and I really want to stop.

Would anyone like to join me in a 100 day challenge from 1 Jan? I managed 80 days last year and felt amazing, but since then my drinking has increased to really unhealthy levels and I feel really rubbish again.

Let me know if you might be keep to join for support!

Thanks.

I'm in

I would like to join too. Alcohol has taken a massive grip effecting relationships including that of my children. If I do not stop I will lose my son. I know this yet still choose to drink! It is no longer fun it’s self destructive!

well done to all those who have already done so well

How's everyone doing? I think it's so hard to go dry on the 1st January, as everyone is in holiday mode. I managed it. DH asked are you not drinking? so I dramatically announced I've had enough! I really have had more than enough. I hope everyone is doing OK.

Morning all...happy sober new year! Feeling more than ready to kick the booze but it's great to have support :) Looking forward to all the benefits it will bring. I am just bored of booze and it's negative impact on every area of my life...

Feeling good this morning and ready for this. Good luck everyone!

Morning everyone hope you all had a good night I had a terrible sleep got up at 5 loaded dishwasher made ginger shots and just had breakfast back in bed lol

Hello everyone - hope it’s not too late for me to join? I have been AF since Christmas Day and had cut down for the week before that. I was drinking 6 out of 7 nights and a bottle of wine was no longer quite enough.
I’m really pleased I managed to have an AF New Year’s Eve as we hosted a party. I’m suffering with insomnia at the moment but hope that will pass.

🙋I'm in too! Day 1 for me ... my longest dry stretch was just shy of 100 days, so let's see.

I did feel better, slept better & lost a bit of weight, so I know only good can come of this.

I live alone, work, plonk myself in front of the TV with dinner + wine or gin or whatever then go to bed. Not even sure why I drink as it's not a socialising thing, nor do I feel good when doing it. Really very stupid of me but I guess it's habit/boredom.

Let's do this!

@HCHQ Hello! Welcome! I am a similar drinker - I usually drink a lot at home, and easily polish off a bottle of wine solo. I did 80 or so days last year sober and felt great. Want to get to at least 100, and go from there. I can only see good things resulting from this...I know after about two months you stop thinking about wanting a drink. It will be toughest when out with drinking friends, but let's be determined! It is a lot to do with habit and boredom at home, so got to find other things to entertain us. I've already started reading more, and started online courses too. I'm 45 this year and feel life goes so fast - don't want to miss it by drinking through it anymore!

Hello! I’d love to join please! I am in desperate need of a reset, I can no longer keep going the way I have been. I wanted to do something bigger than Dry January but not as overwhelming as a year so I’d like to try 100 days! My DH is going to do it with me!

Hi everyone, I've just got home from work and sorting out elderly relatives. The witching hour for me is around 7.30 to 8pm. So I'm riding the craving crest now and have come upstairs to check in with you lot instead. Thanks to @S2P78 for starting this thread. It's going to help tremendously.

I'm in. I managed 297 dry days last year and aiming for at least 328 this year (90%). Best streak is 140 days but I want to do at least 150 this year. Good luck to all! I'm excited about being free of alcohol for a few months again.

Hi everyone, I'd like to join too please.
I've managed about 80 days in the past but I'm easily polishing off 3/4 of a bottle of wine 5 nights a week. It ruins my sleep and I have no energy or patience with the kids. I'm sure I'm peri menopausal too so hormones and hangovers have left me a bit of a mess to be honest!
Wishing everyone the best of luck and looking forward to feeling clear headed and energised!

Morning all. It’s good to have a few of us.

@CiderWithLizzie - I know that feeling of a bottle of wine no longer being quite enough. And I remember when half a bottle was plenty 😞

ok so far but I don’t think I’ve been ‘tested’ really. I also do most of my drinking at home but a night out without the booze would be v hard especially if others are drinking. Luckily I don’t have a very active social life 😂

i did a tai chi class last night! Never done anything like that before. It was good actually - really focused my attention for the hour.

Oh and I don’t feel magically energised or anything. Actually I’m very tired. We were all ill over Xmas and I still have a cough and a pain in my ribs when I cough so that’s probably not helping.

Hi! Day 5 and I’m feeling a little better actually. Same as @SnowyKitty I am very tired but am noticing a marked improvement in my mood and work performance. I am sleeping so deeply with such intense dreams, I’m actually looking forward to when I put my ear plugs in and eye mask on and drift away into dreamland knowing I will get a deep sleep and not a broken one! Hope you all have a good day :)

Hi! Day 3 for me, I've found it really tricky to get to sleep for the past two nights but still have more energy. First day back at work for me today which I'm not looking forward to as really not enjoying work at the moment, but that's a whole other story!
Hope everyone is doing well x

@VelvetB I've been waking up at 4am and then that's it! I'm away for the rest of the night.

Does anyone else have sleep problems at the mo in first few days? Maybe it's normal...

Keep going everyone! I'm reading lots of quit lit...

Hello, can I join? Am also 45 this year and need a reset. Am loving the mornings so far this week, just finding I have so much TIME in the evening now, might need a hobby 😂 hope everyone doing well

@Matterti Welcome! I'm 45 this year. Reckon I'm in the process of hormones changing so hoping quitting the booze will help with the other stuff!
Despite not getting much sleep because I'm waking up at 4am I am still better at work...and have more energy, which is weird! But good.

Anyone got tips on what to say when people who are boozy ask why you're not drinking?! One 'friend' who drinks a lot told me I was 'insane' when I did 80 days dry last year and gave me such a hard time! I don't want people to judge me, but it feels they absolutely will unless I say something that'll hit the mark.

@S2P78 one of my close friends says "I don't drink to protect my mental health" which resonates with me a lot. She's been sober for 2.5 years now.

Could you say you just don't want to drink? Or be proud of the goal you've set?

Aagh insomnia here. I'm sorry your friend is unsupportive. It's hard to know how to deal with judgy people. It says more about them than it does of you. Why are they feeling threatened? You could say I'm not drinking right now because I like judging people who do 😁 or here's a good one "because it tastes like my hopes and dreams dying!". I hope you get more sensible suggestions that resonate.

@earlyraisin Thanks! Ha ha - yes. I def feel a lot of judgement from some friends because they generally drink a lot...so it's a good learning curve for me too as I need to care less about other people's opinions and just do what's right for me. I def have gone along with the herd too much.
Slept through for first time last night! Whoop!!! Hope you sleep better soon...

@frostyfours yes - need to just say I don't want to drink and like you say, it's a goal to be proud of even if a lot of people want to make you feel bad for being healthy! I do want friends to be comfortable drinking when I'm not though if I'm out with them, so don't want to sound judgemental. It's about making it 'not a thing' and just saying one thing and then getting on with it. The mental health line is good and so true!