Alcohol free in 23

[DancingSober]

Hello!

This is the thread for doing a whole year alcohol free beginning tomorrow (although some have started a bit early).

This isn't a moderation thread, so it isn't for cutting down. It's absolutely no alcohol for the whole of 2023.

That said, slip ups happen and I will not be throwing anyone off the thread if they have a blip, (or several blips), but please don't post if you're planning to have a few drinks here and there, as it may affect people who are struggling to remain AF but want to.

Tagging everyone from the initial thread:

@SerialMover
@Metalhead
@nancydroo
@blondie87
@TooSunny
@Preparedforjobnottolast
@thenewaveragebear1983
@limitededitionbarbie
@afaloren
@hashbrownsandwich
@Wantmyownbed

I think that's everyone, but please join if you want to (it's open to everyone) and huge apologies if I have missed anyone with my tagging.

@AthenaWhite welcome!

@onelife22 - well done - I'm pretty sure that in the morning you'll feel relieved that you didn't drink. No one ever regretted not drinking!

@TeeNoG you're right, I slept through without waking up for a drink or my child crying (DH did luckily 🥴) I am very happy with my decision

Great news @onelife22 - and full night's sleep too 🙂!

Hi and welcome @AthenaWhite !

I've got the week off work and I've been busying myself with bursts of deep cleaning/decluttering/organising, whilst listening to a book on Audible. Enjoying the process and the results at the moment.

I've started to notice that I'm making better use of my evenings now - they used to feel like a block of time at the end of the day that needed filling. I guess I'm starting to do what I said/thought I wanted to do with them but found motivating myself to actually do it was a struggle? Wine used to fill this. The struggle seems to have gone and I'm enjoying them now. Hopefully this will hold true when I'm back at work too...

I bought a last minute ticket for a concert tomorrow night - just one ticket [only had single seats left for a start]. I'm interested to see how going to a concert by myself works out. I've been to the cinema by myself before (20 years ago!) but this is a new one...

@Coppergate sounds great, when you've finished your own decluttering, would you mind coming to make a start on mine please?!!

Enjoy your concert, I'm sure you will have a fab time!

Thanks @TeeNoG !

The only thing I really know about decluttering is that it never ends! I'm not that ruthless - I just take it as far as to make my storage spaces feel comfortable and organised again. Unfortunately, I've developed a fondness for the Home Edit storage items...which is an expensive habit. It sparks joy though 😀

I'm so impressed you are going to the concert yourself.

Loan concerts are the best! I often book single seats for events, luffs it. Left the family at home and took myself off for a solo holiday last year. It was blissful.

I'm away so feeling the cravings and breathing through it. The cravings are real but the thought of the hangover, anxiety, breaking my streak etc.

I'm listening to the Sober Awkward podcast which is really insightful. the idea that this isn't my life minus alcohol, it's a whole new life. I've done drinking, years and years and years of it. I now need to do sober.

Thank you @coodawoodashooda - shall see if I enjoy it! It is a classical concert so for some reason I've decided that is a good one to start with, thinking it will be more commonplace?! Also, my pool of people who would also enjoy that is fairly limited!

Oh @AthenaWhite - you're my hero! I would love to do more of this, in theory. I really fancy doing things like a matinee at the theatre on my day off. Trips away by myself really appeal too (PT teacher so more holiday entitlement that most) - the freedom! One step at a time!

I meant lone!

Another evening really feeling like a drink. Very almost put wine in the fridge. Dry Feb is proving harder than Dry Jan!

It is harder isn't it. I think sometimes the reason to give up fade into the background and the little imp on your shoulder gains strength.

I focus on one day at a time and just don't put a drink to my lips for that day. I imagine it will be hard for the first year at times. So many benefits though. So much more time and just glorious not having the guilt and worry of drinking.

Once you recognize alcohol for what it is it's hard to square including it back in your life again.

I’ve also been tempted quite frequently this month @onelife22. Thankfully, the cravings don’t seem to last very long each time, so I have managed to resist.

One day at a time is definitely a good approach. It feels way too overwhelming thinking about much more than that sometimes.

My lone concert took an unexpected and enjoyable twist! I ended up sat right next to a couple I know - didn't know anyone else in the whole place (audience c. 3-400 at a guess and it was a 40 minute drive from where I live) apart from them and ending up with a ticket right next to them. Had a great time catching up before it started and during the interval. So not the fully lone experience I was expecting.

Earlier in the day I saw two friends [separately] - and ended up making a plan to see a concert in April with one of them, so something else to look forward to.

I'm definitely going to continue with the lone concert/theatre experience though.

Sounds like a success @Coppergate

So after much deliberation I put a bottle of rose in the fridge earlier this evening. You'll be pleased to know, it's still there and I'm now in a carb-coma from pizza so have no intentions of drinking it.

Yes, pleased to know that @onelife22 - well done! Are you going to leave it in your fridge? That seems quite testing? Having said that, I have little choice over things like that as DH has wine in the fridge - I suppose he also gives me frequent demonstrations of why I don't want to drink it so that balances out...

I've been very social (for me) over the last two days and a a result the 'getting on top of things' at home feeling has vanished and I still have 4-5 hours of marking to do...I'm sat her contemplating taking the first few steps required to turn this around again...I'm going to have to pull out all my anti procrastination tactics and I'm just not feeling it.

@Coppergate I'm going to move it to the fridge in the garage so it's not looking at me every time I open the fridge in the kitchen!!

I’ve done loads of Decluttering today. Out tonight for dinner at a friends house. Warned her that I am not drinking alcohol (isn’t it crazy that I felt that I had to do that?) and she said that suited her well as she has drastically cut back.

Another friend told me today that they are going to have to start taking medication for a condition that’s really exacerbated by their heavy drinking. It was hard not to comment/suggest quitting instead. She’s extremely intelligent and is obviously choosing to take alcohol, despite the impact on her health. 😞

Had a great night.

Isn’t it weird getting into your car and driving after a “night out?”

Sounds like you had a great day all round @rothbury !

Yes, it does feel odd! I haven't really done it yet with DH but last time I gave up drinking we used to go out for meals that were beyond walking/a reasonable taxi ride - felt like our world had opened up!

I started to whiten my teeth last night (overnight with the fitted whitening trays & gel from dentist) so I need to avoid coffee now. This is going to be challenging - especially as I haven't thought this through and got off the caffeine first...I did have a lungo this morning, but that is going to have to be it.

I'm going to delete my MN account (procrastination issues! Not the first time I've done this...).

Just wanted to say good luck to you all and thank you for the support and chat before I go 😀. I hope we all continue to make the changes we want to this year and start 2024 in a great place!

Good luck Coppergate. I did the same when taking hideous exams.

Come back when you can.

Good luck @Coppergate make it happen!

So I had ONE glass of wine yesterday. Yes, just the one. A lovely wine I would usually enjoy, it wasn't as good as I remember it being and I had no desire to drink another.

Why did I do it? I don't know, it was day 50 and I was having a nice Sunday lunch and I suppose I tested myself.

Usually I'd go home and drink another 2-3 glasses. I went home and had a pint of water and an early night.

Can I join in? Only alcohol free 6 days so far, but pleasantly surprised that the weekend has gone well so far.

I'm back already - leaving didn't help with the procrastination.

I seriously cut down on my caffeine this week (ditched coffee due to teeth whitening) and I don't know if is related but I've been feeling pretty flat. I really want 2023 to be the year of small changes that add up to a big change but I feel stuck right now. I think I did before anyway but now even more so I'm going to have to find a way to move on from that.

I've had alcohol five times in February now (3rd one small glass red wine with meal; 4th cocktail + 1 large glass wine when out; 17th small glass red wine with meal; 24th + 25th 2 x medium glasses white wine) and I can honestly say I stopped because I didn't want any more and didn't drink on the other 21 days because I didn't want to. I didn't particularly enjoy the wine on Friday and last night but I still think I have stepped onto a slippery slope, which is a wake up call.

I don't want to drink at home at all in March (that was 4/5 of my February moments) and I don't want to drink to the point I get drunk/tipsy at all but I've got a couple of things coming up in March where if I fancy a drink or two, I'm not going to stop myself (but hope that I just don't fancy the drink at all).

Not really in keeping with the thread though is it - even though it is still a massive change from my daily wine habit I had in 2022. I think it will be counter-productive to think in another way though.

Hello @NoDrinksForMe !

How is everyone else doing? @onelife22 @NoTimeForWine @rothbury @Metalhead @AthenaWhite @coodawoodashooda @TeeNoG @HappyHealthy23 @NoTimeForWine @Steppered @WithFlamingLocksOfAuburnHair