OYNB is so much more than coaching or tips & tricks to drink less. It is a movement, a community.
When I joined OYNB a year ago, I was drinking red wine every day after work as a reward, to relax. I drank between 2 and 4 glasses of red wine every night. It does not seem like a lot, but it was worrying me because I was finding it difficult to abstain for one day.
I kept telling myself it was nothing dramatic, after all I wasn’t drinking first thing in the morning and I could work, run or play tennis so it meant it was ok. But deep down I wasn’t comfortable with it; I felt it was too much. I was waking up every morning with a kind of mini-hangover, which was not the state I wanted to start my day in.
I tried a few times to stop completely, but every time I relapsed and came back to my 2 to 4 glasses of wine in the evenings. Then one day, the OYNB ad showed up in my Facebook news feed. I visited the website, watched Ruari and Andy’s videos and decided to sign up.
Joining OYNB
I did not know what to expect from OYNB, all I knew is that I found it hard to take a break from alcohol without any support. I felt I needed encouragements, and hopefully joining OYNB would give me the knowledge and momentum I needed to give up for a whole year (at least!).
I learnt a lot in this process. Thanks to OYNB I realised that alcohol does not add anything to life. It does not make our days any better. No moment is made juicier, more interesting, more loving by having alcohol in our bodies. Early mornings breakfasts enjoying the breeze on my terrace feel so good and I experience more joy with my children. I also discovered my own strength and resilience. The challenges that I faced in my private life those last few months were easier to handle, thanks to being AF.
I am not the only one to benefit from this break from alcohol. It is also a gift to those around me. It makes me a more present and patient mum, daughter and friend. I also lost a bit of weight and my skin looks better but what I like the most is that my appetite for life and hope in the future are much stronger and that is priceless!
My alcohol-free journey
I originally signed up for 90-days, and “failed” twice after around 60 days. Then I thought that if I was able to stop twice for 60-days why not dream bigger, go for one full year and play it full out this time?
I signed up for the 365-day challenge and this time, I stuck to the Facebook group (daily), and read books on quitting drinking advised by other participants. This was a game-changer. The videos that we receive daily from OYNB, topped with the amazing support from the community and the books finally helped me reached 365 days!
Since I had made it that far I decided to stay AF for a second year. OYNB is so much more than coaching or tips & tricks to drink less. It is a movement, a community. And the icing on the cake is that I have made friends across the globe and met in person with some of them!
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.
