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've been having a good think about this since the party last night and I've seen all the photos and craziness that went on. I'm glad I left when I did because the photos just show everyone doing pretty mundane things, but enjoying it purely because they are 6 drinks in.

I've started to think that if I need to drink to enjoy a fairly rubbish thing - just don't do the thing. Do something else.

The CBD drinks have left me with a bit of a headache today so I'm going to ditch that idea. I did drink 4 30mg ones in pretty quick succession so maybe I over did it 😬

Clare Pooley's book The Sober Diaries (she used to post on MN) does a really great job of describing the early days - waiting for the great things to kick in and not feeling it - but hanging in there and it does happen.

Thanks for your kindness everyone.

I’m honestly a bit mind-blown that I’ve normalised feeling this rubbish pretty much every day, and actively chosen to cause it by drinking night after night, year after year. I mean, if I didn’t know I’d had alcohol last night I’d assume I had food poisoning or had caught a bug. Madness!!!

YOUR PERSONALITY WASN'T THE ALCOHOL—YOU WERE JUST BORING

You thought booze made you funnier, more interesting. It didn't. It just made you care less about being boring. Now you're sober and realise you don't have that many interesting things to say. "Guy who drinks" isn't a personality. You have to rebuild yourself from scratch.

^ From @SwiftyFifty’s Ian C post. I mean, ouch 😳

The other problem is - it makes people you wouldn't usually talk to seem more interesting too. My closest friends are the ones where we enjoy each others company sober as well. Those friends have been the lifelong ones.

Its strange to be only just realising this now after half a lifetime.

Afternoon.

Sorry - been running a half marathon today, haven’t caught up fully.

I agree @freshstart2026, I think that’s a little bit harsh that particular phrase. It’s not about rebuilding from scratch, more reevaluating what matters. I never drank to change my personality. Not that I don’t think his stuff isn’t amazing, but I think that’s a bit too far. I’m personally stepping away from something that doesn’t serve me anymore. If it ever did.

@katinthehattt you definitely won’t be the last of us to have a small slip. I know you feel shit today, but maybe that’s also because your tolerance to alcohol has already gone down, which means you were and are already starting to heal.

Hang in there @ImALittlePea - it may be hormones, it may be the alcohol, you may be starting with something but had you been hungover, you’d have felt worse - if you could hold onto that ❤️

😆 I do get it though . I need to learn how to socialise when I’m sober. I’m not a natural extrovert and I probably do seem quite boring to people when they first meet me. I used alcohol to try and make myself more socially confident and “interesting”.

I’m much older now so I’m past caring if people think I’m boring. Im just glad not to be a desperate, fun/zany but ultimately melancholic drunk anymore.
If “boring” means stable, solid, reliable, calm then bring on boring …

Yeah, I get it too - although I think alcohol did make me funnier and more interesting TBH, as it made me chattier and more confident. One of the reasons I drank is because I think I am boring and I don’t like that about myself!

I think it’s a tolerance thing, I gave way more tolerance for sh!t talk and people I don’t like when I’m drunk/ drinking but then way less the next day for loved ones when I’m hungover! Something wrong there….

Sunday check-in, Day 19 💪

Busy day and still no alcohol. Up and out the house by 7.45am… who even am I?!

Caught sight of the exH today and honestly the contrast was stark. He looked absolutely awful, really worn down. Meanwhile I’m over here looking fresher, clearer, and actually feeling like myself again. Skin brighter, head clearer, energy back. The difference is undeniable.

Not going to lie - it felt good. Not in a petty way (ok maybe a tiny bit), but in a powerful reminder of why I’m doing this. Alcohol takes far more than it gives.

Still going strong. Still choosing myself. Still embracing this new version of life.

It’s Ok to have a wobble - sounds like it’s done you a favour and helped many others in the group who might be having that conversation in their head..! It’s really not worth it, the guilt and hangover are the worst. Learn from it, push past it and carry on. No drama! Hope your feeling a bit better by now xx

I don’t subscribe to the idea that sober people are boring. There is nothing more boring than drunk people (myself included) talking self-absorbed drivel and repeating the same story 100 times.

Not all of them are, but I am 🤣

Another day done. My app looks very pleasing with two full weeks filled in. I’ve had a bath and am already in bed for an early night. Looking forward to my morning coffee tomorrow. Goodnight all!

9.30 bedtime - bliss!
Im having a luxurious bath now and looking forward to a good night’s sleep 😴
(Three weeks ago i woke up on the sofa at 3am with acid reflux and a feeling of cold sweaty dread. The self loathing and anxiety lasted for over 24 hours. )

Back from the yoga retreat. Drinking AF drinks or water or tea just became normal through the evenings for everyone. A couple of people had late nights and a few drinks into the evening but it was mostly a very wholesome long weekend. Slept well when away, until almost 7am yesterday but today, back in my own bed, I was wide awake at 4am again. I can’t do four sessions of yoga every day for the rest of my life so am hoping the sleep will right itself.

Morning all. Feeling good today - I think I prefer the weekdays to the weekend at this stage!
Has anyone noticed that now we are “ non drinkers” you tend to not get invited out to the pub as friends assume because you aren’t drinking that you won’t/ can’t go out?
Not bothered atm but just thinking my already practically non existent social life will now become even worse! Just an observation not here for suggestions re taking up new hobbies and ditching old friends etc.
Well done to us all for making it through another weekend and for those who had a blip, that’s in the past now it’s a new week ( I would cheat and just ignore it as if you’re starting again from Day 1 it might send you to despair!). You’ve done your penance with the awful feelings of guilt etc!
Happy Monday all

Morning.

Our social life doesn’t revolve around going out and pubs anymore, due to DH’s disabilities following his stroke 3 years ago, so I meet folk for a dog walk or a run if I can get help at home, or go for a coffee. We go to folks houses for dinner/lunch too, or they come to us - so it’s a different kind of socialising but I definitely don’t feel like it’s less (and there are a lot of things that you’d consider ‘less’ post stroke), it’s actually much calmer for him (and me!) and more suited to not drinking, if that helps @SwiftyFifty at all?

I fully agree that resetting to day one after one blip feels so negative.

I’ve woken up feeling a bit knackered, but that’s because I ran hard yesterday and it’ll take a few days for the body to recover, so some stretching, rehydration and a gentle half hour on the treadmill will be on the cards

It’s Monday folks - generally what might be the ‘easiest’ day of the week to negotiate. Keep going 😊

Day 20 🤩

Kicked my Monday off with a bike ride 💪 Have reset all my personal records on my peloton (that I achieved yonks ago when much fitter!), was nice to see I earned my best performance ever today 🤣

Slept like a log last night, my husband had to wake me as my alarm didn’t! Also realised last night that I’m not sweating in my sleep anymore.

Going to make a bit more effort to keep track of my food intake this week as I feel it’s time to gently shift a few pounds.

Re day counts, I think people should do whatever they feel helps the most. If and when I have a slip I think I’ll keep two tallies; one of my consecutive streak and one of my total days AF in 2026. I feel like both are precious to me, and hard earned!

Morning! I am still here on day 19 even though I have lost track of the thread, sorry.

Sleep hasn't been great, but I think that may be because I have been drinking more coffee. Also have a really sweet tooth and am craving chocolate most days. I also didn't really get on with the CBD drink. Instead my nightly routine is water, sugar-free fizzy drinks and hot chocolate. Will need to deal with that at some point, but probably not this week.

This weekend has not been too much of a challenge for me, but I am already trying to decide what to do next weekend, as we are going away. I feel a bit torn whether to drink or not. This seems very silly, so I am just voicing that out loud in the hope I will make a good decision!

Happy to be here on day 19. Tomorrow will be a fifth of the way through this challenge💪.

Morning! Had a few cries yesterday, but a good night's sleep and feeling brighter this morning. Week 3 - bring it on 💪

@GreenCherries yes I'm going to do the same in terms of counting days. The streak(s) and the overall AF days. I'd love to be someone who can just have a couple of glasses on a social outing once a month, but spend the rest AF, eventually. But I'm currently not missing it at all (although haven't had a social night yet since stopping - that'll be the teller!).

Two tallies is a good idea @GreenCherries

Morning everyone. I stepped on the scale for my weekly weigh-in and after losing nothing last week, I am down 5lb! Which means I’ve lost 9lb in total since 29 Dec (a combination of stopping drinking plus the 5:2 diet). Hooray!

I agree @SwiftyFifty, I much prefer the weekdays to weekends. There are no social situations and it’s a lot easier not to drink!

Wow well done @freshstart2026. I need to start dieting as every time I weigh myself I am a little bit heavier! I am eating a bit more sweet stuff but less calories than if I was drinking wine so not sure what’s going on