Our incredible challenge members report countless inspiring transformations from being alcohol-free!
We’re so lucky to see and hear about the ways our members have worked to change their lives for the better. We feel it’s important to take a moment to celebrate them, so we’ve collected a few amazing examples to share with you.
Seeing isn’t always believing
You might assume that a transformation is a visible thing, but that isn’t always the case. While many of our members go through some incredible physical transformations, deep fundamental changes can happen within. You may not be able to see the mindset shifts, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Arguably, these internal transformations are the most meaningful, and create space for the truly important things in life.
Mind
Your brain is a powerful thing, and the changes you make can massively impact your entire outlook on life. Dean, one of our 365-day members, discovered a passion for positive psychology, and learned to turn to mindfulness techniques instead of alcohol when feeling low.
“I would drink when I was unhappy. I started practising mindfulness as part of my morning routine. I was waking up a little earlier to do some exercise, and I decided I could add an extra five minutes to meditate. All of a sudden I had lights popping on all over the show, where I was connecting dots to see where I could improve my overall wellbeing in other areas of my life.
“One of these new interests sparked by OYNB was positive psychology. This is where the game really starts levelling up. I’m no longer stuck, I’m whizzing along and enjoying the ride.”
We often hear increasing bouts of anxiety cited as a reason our members choose to take a break from drinking. Stephen had suffered with anxious feelings for most of his life, but by reducing his alcohol intake, he was able to reduce the hold his anxiety had over his day-to-day life.
“I’ve suffered with anxiety most of my adult life. I started really enjoying the feeling of waking up sober on a Monday and not having that anxiety of three or four days of heavy drinking. I still feel anxious sometimes, but it exists in a controlled way, where I can see it for what it is and it no longer rules my life.”
Body
Alcohol impacts the body in a variety of ways, so when you take a break from it, the benefits can come in many forms. Claire felt a spectacular physical transformation after only a few weeks.
“I was astonished to see my blood pressure had fallen dramatically within two weeks of starting my challenge, and since then I’ve continued to see and feel benefits. I’ve lost 16kg, my energy levels have surged, and I’m finally maintaining a healthy weight. My skin is better, and I actually like the way I look! I sleep eight hours every night and wake up feeling great.”
It can be frustrating when you set goals to see what you can achieve, but feel you can’t do your best because something is holding you back. Ben wanted to see how far he could push his fitness performance with alcohol out of the picture:
“I couldn’t be performing at my best, could I? And my poor body was focusing on recovering from the weekend rather than being a well-oiled machine. The benefits far outweighed the negatives, so once I started there was no looking back. Nothing is stopping me from achieving more. Perhaps an Iron Man next—any coaches out there?”
Lifestyle
It’s breathtaking how the simple decision to take a break from drinking can so massively impact your whole life, but that domino effect can certainly lead to big things. In the past, Tracy and her husband had often felt guilty about nights out as they got in the way of spending quality time with the kids. When her husband signed up for the challenge, the difference in him inspired Tracy to follow suit:
“I really missed my drinking buddy, but I could see the change in him; his determination, new-found energy, creativity and patience with the kids. I woke up one morning in the horrors after a very boozy night out and signed up too. I now go to the gym two mornings a week, and the mornings I’m not at the gym, I’m shooting off emails.
“And of course, those who benefit most are our kids. We’ve watched every children’s movie with them, rather than leaving them to their own devices while we partied in the kitchen. We can drive anywhere, any time, and Sunday afternoons are now about adventure, hiking, walking, bowling.”
Live life better
No matter why you choose to take on an alcohol-free challenge, or what you hope to achieve, transformation of some kind seems inevitable if you’re willing to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly. And when you do that, the benefits just keep on coming.
Try it for yourself—you never know where it might take you.
An entrepreneur and former senior oil broker, Ruari gave up drinking after excessive consumption almost cost him his marriage, and worse, his life. Going alcohol-free improved his relationships, career and energy levels, leading to him founding OYNB to provide a support network for others.
