Calling Time on Wine - 100 Day Reset | Thread 2: One Day at a Time - Together

[therockingbird]

Welcome to Thread 2 of Calling Time on Wine 100 Day Reset 🍵

If you’re here, you’re doing something genuinely brilliant. This reset isn’t about perfection, shiny lives, or pretending it’s easy. It’s about choosing ourselves one day at a time, even when life keeps lobbing chaos our way.

We’ve already proven we can sit with hard evenings, bad days, stress, boredom, celebrations, and still not reach for wine.

Thread 2 is about keeping the momentum going, supporting each other, being honest when it’s tough, celebrating the wins and remembering why we started when motivation wobbles. Clearer heads. Stronger bodies. 💪

So pull up a chair, grab your tea, water, or AF alternative, and keep going. You are not doing this alone - and you are doing so well. 💛

@thisoldcity good luck on the AF holiday. I’m quite excited in a way of how rested I’ll feel at the end.

@Raindancer101 I am totally the same I feel afraid of drinking again I feel I’m in a safe AF bubble at the moment.

I also feel my home is starting to be more organised. I got to the bottom of the laundry baskets.

I am deffo on for a year thread.

Evening.

FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC that a few of us are willing to dip a toe in the ‘sober for a year’ water. I’m very happy to start the thread when the time arises.

I’m going on a training camp in Portugal in a couple of weeks. So on holiday, but a bit like the yoga retreat, not quite the same stereotypical idea of a holiday. The most folk have is a small beer with their meal and the majority don’t even bother then. It’s so interesting how much easier it then becomes to just do the same.

@therockingbird - honestly, I don’t think folk care whether you drink or not, not half as much as we think they are going to do. If you flip it, would you care if one of your friends decided not to drink? Unlikely, in fact you’d be supportive I am sure. Plus many folk don’t drink for so many reason these days, it’s less of an exception.

@Raindancer101 exactly, 60 days is brilliant!

@freshstart2026 - brilliant savings!

Thanks guys! I'm not planning on drinking after 60 days (Saturday) because I don't fancy it at all at the moment but very small goals feels much more achievable. As soon as I say I'm definitely not drinking for a year, I know I'll want the forbidden fruit 😂 so small steps it is for me. I'm weirdly finding myself enjoying the journey and I'm interested to see where it ends up for me

I have my sights on 60 days and then we'll see what happens. A year seems a very long time to commit to for me but pleased to have got this far.

This is so true. The first few sips are lovely, granted. But after I’ve had my first drink I just want another and if I can’t then I’ll spend the rest of the day feeling a bit tipsy and tired and miserable. It’s a no-win situation really.

This discussion has got me thinking - I’m feeling so good and positive not drinking, so why start up again? I’m not going to commit to anything beyond 100 days right now though as it feels too soon for me. I have another 43 days of this challenge to get through yet, which is by no means a given! I don’t want to run before I can walk. Here’s to day 57!

How’s everyone going with the tiredness? I’m still really struggling tbh. In a way it’s helping me as I’m not counting down the 100 days I’m waiting to feel not tired again which should happen after 12 weeks. Makes me think how much damage I have done if it’s taking this long!
I really don’t want to drink after the 100 days I need to set myself a new goal to continue with as I still am not at the stage where I could moderate. Maybe my goal might be 6 months

I feel great this morning. My sleep is wonderful now - deep and restorative. AND for the first time I woke up 20 minutes before my alarm went off this morning feeling awake and energized. Sorry @SwiftyFifty - not very helpful! I am still sweating a bit in the night - I naturally run hot and my duvet is very thick so could just be that.

I’ve finally booked in a blood test for next week - I’m feeling a bit nervous about the liver results but it’s better to know of any issues than not I suppose.

@freshstart2026 my sleep is deep and restorative too but come the afternoon I am exhausted. I have never slept so well! The last time I gave up dribking for a few months I didn’t feel this exhaustion at all. So it’s either age related or further damage.
get the bloods done tbh it’s what kept me going in January, I still want mine to go down further am getting more in March.

@SwiftyFifty I’m still tired even though I’m sleeping ok, sometimes the day feels like I’m wading through mud. I can’t say I’m feeling fit, healthy and full of energy at all…maybe it’s partly the time of year too?
That said I’m much clearer headed and my moods are more stable so that’s a huge bonus. I’m also in for continuing after 100 days 🙂.

@SwiftyFifty good sleep feels amazing after years and years of lying awake every single night between 2.30-5am. Not to mention staggering downstairs and guzzling a can of Coke to help with my hangover! 🤮

I will update on my blood test results when I have them. I really do fear the worst for my liver…

@BonosToupeeyes exactly! I actually long to go to bed and feel almost ill with exhaustion by nine pm. I’m not unhappy but feel like I’m getting through a prison sentence ! And that’s not re not dribking as I have no urges at all and even mu sugar urges have decreased massively. It’s just this darn tiredness.
@freshstart2026 you’ve had nearly two months off so they should be ok. My two high ones almost halved in a month off. I’ll be intetested ti hear what they are if you are happy to share. Also your serum iron. Do you have previous blood results from when you were drinking so that you can compare?

@SwiftyFifty I was struggling last week with exhaustion, could have literally fell asleep at work. It's lifted this week and I can feel my energy improving.

Yes, I will post the results when I get them. I did have a blood test done about three or four years ago I think which was fine. But obviously I have done three years worth of damage to my liver since then, so might not be so lucky this time.

Looking at my drinking app for last year, these were the number of dry days I did each month:

Jan: 31
Feb: 14
March: 13
April: 11
May: 13
June: 10

And here’s where it started to go very wrong…

July: 3
Aug: 1
Sept: 1
Oct: 5
Nov: 0
Dec: 0

😱

Morning all!

@freshstart2026 wow - that's fascinating to see the slow slide from total abstinence to daily drinking. It's a pretty poor advert for moderation too when you think about it....it's so hard to stop that slide once we start down that road. I only started logging sporadically towards the end of last year but I have committed to logging every day this year come what may so at least I am being honest with myself. Thank you for sharing - it's really interesting.

Another instalment of things I massively resonated with in the book am currently listening to (The Realm of Hungry Ghosts, in case anyone missed my PPs);

“Terrified of my mind, I have always dreaded to spend a moment alone with it. There always had to be a book in my pocket as an emergency kit in case I was ever trapped waiting anywhere, even for one minute. Be it a bank line out or supermarket checkout counter. I was forever throwing my mind scraps to feed on, as to a ferocious and malevolent beast that would devour me the moment it was not chewing on something else.”

I am like this - I ALWAYS have headphones in if I am not talking to someone, always have the news on, or a podcast or something so I don't have to be alone with my brain. Drinking is a big part of this behaviour for me; I try to escape my thoughts. The odd thing is, I am not sure why; I don't have intrusive thoughts or particularly negative thoughts but being alone with my brain makes me feel somehow claustrophobic. It's weird.

I woke up at 6:15am this morning, before my kids and before my alarm. It wasn't totally dark outside and the birds were singing. Spring is coming and I felt so grateful to be well rested. I went out for a run expecting to feel amazing but my legs felt like shit. 😂Oh well, can't win 'em all.

@freshstart wow,mine is almost identical! Same pattern.

It's a pretty poor advert for moderation too when you think about it

100%! I started the year with very good intentions as you can see, then aimed for 3 days off a week from February onwards. I managed that (bar the odd blip) until June and then totally fell off the wagon.

Interesting insight from the book. I don’t think I’m the type of person who always needs a book or podcast on the go, but I certainly do drink as a form of escapism from thoughts of self loathing. The irony is I like myself so much better when I’m not drinking so I have those destructive thoughts far less. To be fair, that could partly be because I’m hardly socializing - interacting with others is definitely a trigger for feelings of low self-esteem as I start stressing that others think I’m boring, don’t like me or that I said the wrong thing.

I must say though, achieving almost 60 days sober, losing weight and finally getting my home organized has been very positive for my self esteem. I just feel proud of myself for achieving it all - and that makes me feel good about myself.

Hi all, just popping up here after being recommended to join on my own thread I started about needing support. I'm on Day 3 of no alcohol now which feels like a big achievement, but the cravings today are very very strong....

I honestly feel like I'm on the edge of a nervous breakdown. I am an NHS middle manager and have been picking up work for a colleague who's been off sick for months (despite my management saying her worked has been parked). She's back now but not taking anything back off me - also my job is very reactive so it's a constant stream of 'can you just...' little tasks that then escalate and require chasing up, etc. It's worse if I go into the office as they then physically come and knock on my door to ask, so I've been WFH to avoid it but then can't get anything from my own senior colleagues via email, only in person.

I also have a uni assignment due in on Monday which I have zero idea how I am going to get done. I've asked for an extension due to MH issues (not technically a lie, and I've struggled all my life) but it would come at a cost to the Trust.

I won't get anything done tomorrow as I'm at a work event all day that I absolutely cannot get out of. Supposed to have two days leave next week that will only consist of me working anyway.

Sorry for going off on a tangent, I guess I just can't see the wood for the trees and all I want is a drink - it seems like an easy way to 'reward' myself as I don't need to make time for it, unlike if I wanted to have a bath, go for a walk, etc.

@freshstart2026

I just feel proud of myself for achieving it all - and that makes me feel good about myself.

As you should 👏

@BitOfFun2026

Welcome and well done for getting to day 3. You sound like you have got a lot on, which is a very good reason not to drink (although obviously makes you want a drink more!). We have all been there but the cravings are lying to you - alcohol will not deliver what it promises, it will make you anxious, sad and tired and it will not help you get your assignment done. Set yourself a target for getting through the weekend. I find having an AF beer at about 5pm helps me a lot but some people don't find them helpful. I also find exercise is a great way to see of the desire to drink. I would suggest making time for a walk if you can. You can do this - one day at a time.

Welcome @BitOfFun2026 would going off sick be a possibility to give you a bit of breathing space. We'll done on 3 days that's a big achievement.

@freshstart2026 true words about having a tidy house. You should be proud of yourself you have done fab.

@2026x hope your legs are better.

Hope everyone is doing ok. I've had a sore head just in the background for a few days now. Work is pretty full on which makes my muscle really tight and my jaw clench. This is when I would usually open the wine to relax my muscles and get rid of the tension headache. Need to investigate how to get untense without alcohol. Every day is a learning day indeed.

@Ladymuckypuddle if I did it today I would be really in the shit for tomorrow as my manager knows how much I don't want to go (although I do have a doctor's appointment in the morning). If I went off sick nothing would get done while I was off and I'd have it all to do when I got back - had 5 weeks off last year due to MH and then a further 6 for hysterectomy so been there before. Despite me picking up my colleague's work while she's been off she just point blank refused to do the same - and was allowed to do so because 'that's just what she's like'

God that sounds horrendous @BitOfFun2026

@SwiftyFifty I am still so exhausted it's beyond a joke. I feel great in the mornings but like you, I am sick with exhaustion by 9pm. This would usually be the time I'd get a drink as alcohol gives me quite an energy boost. At the moment, I often accidentally pass out on the sofa which is bizarre. I have been reading up online and came across sobriety fatigue, so I guess I have that. I need to ride it out because I'd be gutted if I have an extended period of not drinking and don't see an energy boost, unless actually it's just because this lethargy is my natural state without the boost that alcohol gives me?! Ugh I really hope it's not that!

Welcome @BitOfFun2026. Congrats on 3 days. The first week or so is the hardest I found, as so consuming it's basically all you think about. It does get easier! Have you got something to replace the drink with? Crafting, reading, or even a nice soft drink? I really leaned into the soft drinks. My DH thinks I'm ridiculous for buying them as 'we've never been fizzy drink people' but I like the ritual of an evening "adult" drink. Remedy Kombucha and Trip are good for me as they feel a bit grown up.

@Raindancer101 Thank you, I've never been into soft drinks really as I only normally drink water (or alcohol clearly!) but will have a think. I love reading but sadly at the moment work is all consuming - I do try and read when I get into bed but i'm usually asleep and dropping the kindle on my face within about five minutes!