Calling time on wine: 100 days sober - starting 01/01/26

[reset100]

My wine drinking has slowly spiralled into a daily habit and I’m calling time on it. No drama, no rock bottom - just the realisation that it’s become a crutch and I want out of the swirl.

From 1st January, I’m committing to 100 days sober and I’d love others to join me. This isn’t about moderation or “just weekends” - it’s about a clean break and supporting each other to go completely alcohol-free for the full 100 days.

If alcohol has crept in as a daily default, if you’re tired of negotiating with yourself every evening, or if you simply want a proper reset with people who get it, you’re very welcome here.

No judgement. No pressure. Just accountability, honesty, and support.

I’m trying to work through that. I don’t have past trauma or issues. Mine is either loneliness, boredom, reward or just plain habit thinking it will make me happy. I also had my first craving tonight so pured a sprite in a wine glass with a ginger shot, then ate and I’m all good now. Just ordered sone alcohol free gin for tomorrows treat - tanqueray

I guess so you can either resolve or accept the ‘issue’ and learn to live with it sober. I suppose the idea is, whatever you feel, needing a drink to deal with the feeling / tolerate the feeling is not sustainable. If you can’t change the way you feel you need to find a way to make your peace with it or rationalise it; numbing it through alcohol can not be the solution. I could be wrong though!

I guess so you can either resolve or accept the ‘issue’ and learn to live with it sober. I suppose the idea is, whatever you feel, needing a drink to deal with the feeling / tolerate the feeling is not sustainable. If you can’t change the way you feel you need to find a way to make your peace with it or rationalise it; numbing it through alcohol can not be the solution. I could be wrong though!

I'm the same Swifty. I mean I have some trauma in my life- everyone has something - but my taste for drinking predates a lot of that. Loneliness, boredom, reward and habit just sum it up for me. Or as someone said upthread by drinking wine I have been conditioned to think that a bottle of wine is the solution to any issue - or the treat in any day.

I have really enjoyed the past 12 days. I like going to bed stone cold sober. I find it harder to go to sleep but it is worth it. I read my kindle and actually remember what I read the next morning. I like waking up not wondering what I said to DH last night and do I need to make amends in some way - that wasn't good for our relationship. If I can't sleep I fantasize about my next trip to the GP (3 months time) where she says "Oh you've lost 10 pounds, your BP is normal and so is your cholesterol and you look great!"

My BIL gave up drink for lent back in 2020 and kept going for a good few months after. He is a social drinker not a big or worrying drinker. He went to his GP at the end of his non-drinking few months and apparently she said she hadn't seen such a physical transformation in a long time - and he wasn't even drinking that terribly much.

One think I want to say is I hope that everyone on this thread completes the hundred days but please don't stop posting if you have a slip and then go back to trying. You are still part of the group.

@anewyearthisyear fab post and yes if anyone has a day off then that’s not the end just a blip. The level that I for one was drinking at means that a dry 95 or 99 or whatever days is still going to make a massive difference healthwise. Can’t deliver I’ve joined such a fantastic, supportive group.

Checking in all! Day 12 here. I was missing wine but not anymore. Reading The Alcohol Experiment by Annie Grace, which is hitting home, and have started watching the traitors!

Day 9 here and going to bed. Been a good day, work, pick up kids then an hour in the gym. I would normally be mildly hungover on a Monday and not made it to the gym. Also spent some lovely time with the kids after dinner. Also trying to up my skin routine, figured I might as well during the process and see the difference it makes.
Booked myself for a women’s retreat end of month, will probably involve very little alcohol… something that would have discouraged me prior to AF!! A weekend without wine was a weekend wasted. Really cringe just thinking about it…..

love reading all your daily updates

That makes sense, thank you. It’s hard for me to sit with my anxiety without wine to block it out. But it’s something I’ll have to figure out how to do, because like you say, the alternative (downing a bottle of wine a night) is not sustainable.

I’m in bed and have just ticked off day 12 on my app. Well done everyone on 12 days sober!

So pleased to have found and joined this thread. It really does feel like a proper community.

@SwiftyFifty thank you for the Ian C posts.. you always seem to post them at just the right time!

@needastrongoneagain very sorry about your situation with your dad. Well bloody done for keeping your resolve with the wine. That must have taken some willpower!

Is the anxiety easing at all? I appreciate you may have some genuine underlying anxiety but I think it’s also often the case that while the drinking feels like it eases the anxiety in the moment, it’s also a big cause of it.

I’ve never been an anxious person at all (sometimes not anxious enough, one could argue, given the ridiculous situations I’ve got myself into) and even though I’ve been drinking heavily for a few years it’s never really been something that’s affected me. I do get massive overwhelm though, which I find debilitating.

I think it’s probably easier not to worry too much about how you can sit with your anxiety ling term without alcohol; one day at a time and I suspect it’ll get easier. X

Evening All 😊

End of day 6 for me and it’s been a bit strange. I have had a quiet day at work but feel tired and a bit deflated. I have no desire to drink 🙌 but realise how being busy is key to my mood. So…I think I need to practice learning to just “be” and enjoy quiet times. Have downloaded Headspace and hoping to learn more about mindfulness. I have tried it once before but just didn’t get it - probably because I had had a drink!!

Wishing you all a tranquil night 🩷

Morning all! Day 14 for me so 2 weeks in already, it’s gone quick!

16 days is the longest I have gone since since I broke my 22 month stint in 2020, so looking forward to passing that in a few days.

Feel like I need to plan something outdoorsy to get up early and do on Saturday morning to kick my weekend off but not sure what. Cold water swim maybe, or parkrun; both of which I haven’t done in a long time!

@TheDogLassie the Calm app is good too, I prefer it to Headspace as I found the voices more soothing.

@GreenCherries Well done! Me too - this is where the good stuff starts I believe!? Though I slept terribly last night which is very annoying!
I know what you mean re having something planned for Saturday mornings- I have booked Pilates for this week and haven’t exercised in a few years.

Is the anxiety easing at all? I appreciate you may have some genuine underlying anxiety but I think it’s also often the case that while the drinking feels like it eases the anxiety in the moment, it’s also a big cause of it.

@2026x thanks for asking! Yes, I’m feeling far more calm and in control than I do when drinking. However, I did restart my anxiety meds on 1st Jan so that is a factor too. I can still feel a slight undercurrent of general anxiety but it’s much reduced from my usual level. Another benefit of not drinking!

Pilates sounds like a great place to start.

I slept well again last night after my terrible sleep yesterday. DH is full of cold so I know it’s only a matter of time before I get it too 😬

I love the idea of doing a parkrun or similar on Saturday. I don’t even own a pair of running shoes or gym clothes and don’t have the cash to buy them ATM. Maybe next month though…

Can’t believe it’s day 13 already!

A calm app sounds good - I might try that also!

@GreenCherries I’ve got the Calm app too. I’m becoming a collector of health apps 😂

Morning all it’s day 14 for me! 🙌
Finally starting to feel a bit more human. The lingering cough can do one, but the streaming eyes have stopped so I’m calling that progress.

Sleep is still my weak spot. I was absolutely feral last night, bingeing Netflix until 1.30am, so clearly I need to get stricter with myself about winding down earlier. But you know what? Two weeks in, no hangovers, no anxiety spirals, no regret-filled mornings..so all good!

If you’re struggling, wobbling, or feeling flat - you’re not failing, you’re healing. This stuff takes time. Keep going. We’re doing something hard and it’s worth it. 💪

Happy Tuesday all. xx

I was just thinking about wanting alcohol as a “reward” for doing a day’s worth of chores. The fact is there’s no way I would have tackled that spare room if I’d been drinking the day before - I wouldn’t have had the energy. So by drinking as a reward I’d just screw myself over for the next day.

Last night was tricky. I was having a huge clothes sort out so felt I needed a reward. My friend is staying and she drank half a bottle of red wine, starting over supper. I did my jigsaw and sipped a tonic water. Woke at 5am. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed generally at the moment, but glad to be on here and not drinking.

We’re doing something hard and it’s worth it.

Also just wanted to stress this. It IS bloody hard!!! For me anyway. We should all be super proud of ourselves!

Great to see so many positive improvements among us!

I am sleeping so much better now; exhausted by about 8pm each evening and still having really weird, vivid dreams but the awful wakey window between 3.30 and 5am is gone, which is amazing.

Also - my anxiety and overthinking, which used to be paralysing at times - have just disappeared! I’m so much better at work, and home life feels less chaotic. Such a relief. I can’t quite believe the difference that just 2 weeks without wine has made.

I still don’t trust myself not to slide back into old habits in the future though, so very much concentrating on the present; staying sober today and noticing the (myriad) benefits. Have a good day all xx

Morning.

Thank you @Crocodocodile - and many others - my DF passed this morning. It’s a blessing, the last few days on EOL care were not pleasant. I’m glad he’s at peace from that suffering. I feel strangely calm - a relief. Not that he’s died, but that he’s not going through that. I had no urge to drink last night (the previous night a very strong temptation in truth), and I’ve slept restoratively and well.

I just wanted to add to something I think wise old @SwiftyFiftysaid - it got me thinking. If we slip, and have a drink, please keep posting. It’s one slip - one piece of cake does not a diet break. I was thinking about it in practical terms - if we all on average had been drinking 5 units of alcohol a day, well that’s obviously 500 (500!!!) units over the 100 days. So, if there’s a slip, and it’s 495, or 497 for even 490 it’s still so much less. I really not giving anyone or even me a reason to drink - and I’m not phrasing it well - but more a reason to be kind to ourselves. ❤️