When I share my story with friends, I am surprised how many are sober curious.
Alcohol was no longer my friend and hadn’t been for quite a few years. I was a sneaky drinker, and no one ever brought any concerns to my attention. I was the fun one who loved to party. Yet with passing time I drank more and couldn’t wait to leave work to have my first drink of the day. I thought I deserved it. It’s lockdown and teaching is really hard these days. Right?
Then the ugly patterns emerged;
Pass out, night sweats, irritable bowels, morning confusion, and taking any remedy to be present for the new day. New Year’s Day and I wake up and can’t remember what I ate the night before, although there is red sauce stained on the sleeve of the dress I wore. At that moment I said the gig is up! I’m done and I need to take care of myself before the rock bottom hits!
In September of 2019
OYNB came across my Facebook newsfeed and I was shocked to see it! I was feeling so much shame and guilt about my drinking I thought it was a miracle I was being shown this way out. I bought the 28 Day Challenge book along with some cool merchandise and completed the month. I made some deals with my friend alcohol and committed to a life of moderation. Those deals didn’t last! Gratefully my OYNB book remained on my bookshelf waiting for when I was ready to commit with all my heart and soul. My online 28-day challenge was still there welcoming me back and it is now 365-days and beyond challenge!
Changing any habit is not easy!
I quit smoking 17 years ago and my mantra has always been “I don’t want to go back to day 1!” Quitting alcohol was not going to be easy either. I knew to be successful on this journey I needed to take a holistic approach. Each day consists of a brief journal entry, watching my OYNB video, eating healthy, and exercising. Since starting, I’ve lost 22 pounds, my blood pressure is down, I’m calmer, and have time to enjoy life more! The first 45 days were filled with cravings and self-doubt. I persisted and eventually I began to feel more stability and happiness. Why would I want to risk going back to day 1?
What's next?
Every day I look forward to reading on Facebook how my fellow OYNB friends are doing. I get so much joy cheering for those who are finding strength in their journey. I’m inspired by the encouragement and inspiration of the daily videos. I wish I had a sober friend to hold my hand. Luckily, I found this community to be my compass.
As a teacher I am always telling my students to pull out your strategies for learning. I have created a huge toolkit of strategies thanks to OYNB. I know I still have many obstacles to overcome on this journey, but I’m prepared to take them head on!
When I share my story with friends, I am surprised how many are sober curious. I have shared the OYNB website and offered words of encouragement to give it a try.
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.
