No alcohol in 2024

[Noalcohol2024]

I gave up alcohol for an entire year 10 years ago and I am going to challenge myself to do it again in 2024. Anyone want to join me? I won’t lie I found it really hard. However, it did help me reset my habitual drinking. I feel ready to do it again. If anyone else feels a year off alcohol is something they want to do then join me on January 1st. I am going to take the next few days being honest with myself and reflecting on why I feel this challenge is something I need to do. Anyone who starts on January 1st with me can include their reasons in the introduction (if they wish to). I have a big birthday this year so I know it will be a challenge on that day as-well as Christmas and New Year 2024 but I am determined.

Thank you Jeffsmeffsmeff and Zelda for the kind wishes x

I am so grateful that I did this with you all and got sober. It has enabled me to be dignified and present, and a comfort to others during the time of my father's death. Had I been drinking I know I would have said and done things I would have regretted, I would have caused drama and made a fool of myself like I always do. I am so grateful for my sobriety.

@Gio1 thank you - I'm going to try that! More water and more fruit coming up.
@Theredfoxfliesatmidnight so sorry for your loss, I went through similar a couple of years ago.

Checking in 🙂

@Theredfoxfliesatmidnight sorry for your loss - well done staying sober throughout.

I would definitely like to join this challenge. Bit late in getting started so my start date will be February 1st 2024. So many people commenting here feeling so positive. Hope we can all support each other. Brilliant idea BTW.

Can I be added to the list please - or am I too late?

Hi @user1470467561 welcome to a sober 2024! You won't regret it, despite having a one off night of insomnia tonight, I feel fantastic for a month off, as do most of us.

@Theredfoxfliesatmidnight I'm so sorry for your loss, and you've done so well to not hit the drink, it is so tempting to sink into it thinking it will take away pain and sadness, but it doesn't, it just makes things harder to deal with in the cold light of day xx

Last day of January tomorrow and a Wednesday (normally a drinking day) and payday (definitely a drinking day) and I hit my financial targets at work this month so part of my bonus is a case of (very expensive) wine 🙄
I'm planning to drive it straight round to my father's, it's not even touching the ground in my house.

I don't feel well tonight. Fevery, but not quite, headachey, but not too bad, weird pins and needles in the side of my face and a massive painful swelling at the back of my head. Google tells me this is my occipital lymph node. It bloody hurts and weirdly it's making me want to drink. Probably to be able to sleep, but I'm all itchy, weird and on edge.

Anyway, have a fantastic week lovelies xx

Do you guys think the head thing is another booze leaking out of me thing? Have you had anything similar?

@glindathegoodbitch I've not had anything like that. Sounds horrible. Hope you feel better soon. If it doesn't sort its self out could you get checked out? Sounds like some sort of infection to me.

Checking in !

Sorry didn't get a chance yesterday!

Sooooooooo what is everyone thinking for Feb? Or is it too early for that discussion?😂. I can feel the sneak in my brain biding it’s time and waiting to pounce on the 31st. My partner is away this weekend too. A big trigger for me.

@Atacamadesert I’m doing a year at least. I’m prepared for people to laugh and point when I fail, but I am absolutely dedicated to not giving myself bargaining points to fall back in. If the option is not there, I won’t take it. So dry Feb for me!

@MokaEfti You're welcome. Good luck! 😉

Very quick check in as at work. So sorry for your loss @Theredfoxfliesatmidnight - what an awful shock.

@Limeandsober - very similar to me, I am so insular! It makes me look at drinkers in a different light. I worry I am become judgey even though that was literally me two months ago. I feel so much better mentally but eating like a horse.

Still aiming for 100 days, which takes me to mid March (started on 8 December). Secretly hoping for a year though. And then... life.

Does anyone feel weird about never being 'merry' again? I could do the moderation thing sometimes. But that's it. Only sometimes and I could never tell when. Life is so much more predictable and better now.

Meant to say - please add me to a Feb challenge!

@Atacamadesert I'm doing the year. Good things take time and we haven't yet really experienced a life alcohol free. What's a year if there is the possibility of being truly free and happy?.. that's how I'm framing it

Check in on 1st February again and will probably need to start a new thread as this one is getting full.

2 sleeps left 🤩

I'm in for Feb. Definitely 🙂.

@wannabedry yes I do feel weird about not getting that "merry" feeling anymore - the feeling I would get from the first one or two glasses of wine or fizz. Trouble is I can never stop there - if I could, I would switch to moderation having done Dry Jan, and always stop at the second glass. Sadly, I'm not wired that way. So I will have to forgo that merry feeling. It is sad, it's such a convivial feeling. How do we replace that?

@Gio1 I've had my evening meal very early and instead of hitting the sweet treats afterwards, I've been drinking water with lemon. It's very nice. I hope I don't give in to sweet cravings as the evening progresses fingers crossed

@MokaEfti ooh lemons, good idea. You’re having the full detox. I must grab some too next time I’m at the shops. Maybe some ginger too.

@glindathegoodbitch Sounds terrible. Maybe a flu coming on? Pins and needles though? Get checked with your GP x

I totally get so much of what has been said about alcohol and anxiety reduction. I now know I've used alcohol for most of my adult life to reduce anxiety / help cope with my obsessive drive for perfection and overcome my lack of confidence.

Weirdly during lockdown when I had more time (and vowed to come out of lockdown in a better place than when we went in) I put a load of great strategies in place to improve and help 'me'. Not change me exactly but just be a better version of myself.

Ups and downs with the alcohol bit but defiantly getting there and joining in with this thread is a great support. Many thanks.

A month tomorrow. Very proud of that! I'm thinking about one or two to raise a glass at a big event this weekend then doing another month dry. I think after completing this month that I'd like alcohol to be for special occasions only moving forward. I've had a few hankerings but on the whole, I haven't missed it much.

See, @rainbowbee, that’s where I differ.
If I were to tell myself that I could raise a glass at a big event this weekend, that’s the start of bargaining.
Next weekend there’d be ‘a big event’ (which in reality wouldn’t be quite as big), and then maybe a big event during the following week and before you know it, a bad day with the kids or a stressful meeting would be a big event and I’d be back where i I started.
Good for you (I don’t mean that sarcastically) if you can have that self control because that sounds like an ideal world of appropriate drinking.

@PissPotPourri @rainbowbee

Today is the first day where I have woken up thinking about drinking. I don't want any now (thank god!) but we are going to Italy in the summer and I'm imagining being there and picturing myself waking around, being very slim and gorgeous (obviously), eating delicious - and of course, there is a large glass of wine as well. Eurghhh.

I need to let go of the "I'm giving up alcohol" attitude and embrace what I am gaining instead - increased clarity and control and reduced anxiety. Why can't I prioritise that feeling?

So, now I am thinking about 'special occasion' drinking as well. Just for holidays. Not even for birthdays (too frequent) or weddings (too raucous). But if it's just me and DH (who can moderate like a pro) and we are on holiday... one glass or two can't hurt? Can it?

You see... it's the wine witch talking... it's like I still believe I can't have true fun without it.

For me I've said I'm doing a year, I've told other people too. So it's done, I don't need to think, worry, bargain or barter with myself until the 31st December. I won't be drinking for at least a year, which will, hopefully give me a more accurate reflection of what life will be like without alcohol. But in my opinion it takes the pressure off. Because all this 'shall I shan't I?' goes away.
@wannabedry the about seeing a beautiful sunrise, waking up hangover free, fresh and ready to explore, eating extra ice cream and tiramisu without any worries about the calories. We enjoyed holidays, Christmas and days out far more as excited children, but as adults we can't enjoy it without alcohol? Something doesn't seem right there. I think we have been lied to and I think a year to try it is worth it to find out.