I feel great now that I am sleeping well, and have more days feeling positive, energised, and confident in myself.
I joined OYNB because I began to question my drinking habits. I had been drinking since I was 18 years old, first socially, but when I turned 21 I started drinking daily. Binge drinking to party was common, and turned into most nights of the week. My drinking became more moderate when I started my career, and even more so when I had kids; but it was still a daily habit by then. I have become more health conscious as I have gotten older, however alcohol was certainly one of my unhealthiest habits.
Starting my alcohol-free challenge
I started OYNB with no plans of going AF forever, I just wanted to cut back and not feel so dependent on needing a drink. I don’t like feeling like I am “addicted” to something. But at that point I didn’t even know alcohol was addictive. I distinctly remember being a teenager and being told alcohol was not addictive, which gave me a pass to feel safe drinking whenever I wanted.
I have discovered that it is harder to give up alcohol than I ever expected. There is a dependency there. I have a hard time saying no in social situations, even at 86 days alcohol-free. I still have worries that I will be boring or that I won’t have fun. This is why I want to do an entire year, I want to get over these feelings completely.
My experience going alcohol-free
My journey hasn’t been perfect, I have had a few blips. But these blips have taught me new things about myself, and I continue to learn more about who I am without alcohol. I can recognise how it takes me a good 4 days to a week to get back to my normal self after I have a day of drinking.
I have struggled with depression and anxiety my entire adult life, and never knew that alcohol actually contributed to this until I took a break. I also didn’t know alcohol messed with your sleep so much. These two reasons alone have made me want to quit alcohol for good.
I feel great now that I am sleeping well, and have more days feeling positive, energised, and confident in myself. I also have so much more time to do things I enjoy. I have always complained about not having enough time for myself, and it was because I started drinking at 5:00pm every day when I got off work which drained my energy for the rest of the evening.
The OYNB support
I have found the community to be a game changer. I did 28-days with OYNB back in 2019, but I didn’t participate in the FB community. By the end of the 28-days, I was barely reading the daily emails and I was drinking. This time around, I signed up for 365-days right away, and committed to being “all in”. I take time every day to read the emails, listen to the video and reflect on my journey. I jump in the FB community and provide encouragement to others, as well as post about my own journey. I even signed up for Mastermind and LOVE it! You get out of this what you put in.
What now?
I don’t think about alcohol every day anymore. When I am stressed or irritated, I have healthier coping mechanisms. And honestly, I am way less stressed and irritated! Social situations are still a challenge for me, but I do have tools that I have learned in OYNB that are helping.
This challenge has really helped me make this life change that I have been wanting to make for over 10 years. You do have to be ready for the change, and you have to put in the effort. But OYNB gives you so many tools and encouragement. I am so pleased to have found this program.
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.
