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Hi, all.

Today’s post is different from what I usually post on this blog, as I usually focus on my travels and travel-related content. However, I figure that this is a huge milestone in my life that I wanted to share with all of you, as I’m really proud of how far I’ve come in this journey. It wasn’t easy, but I made it, and I want to continue to succeed going forward in my life.

As you see from the title, yes: I am one-year sober from alcohol. 365 days of abstaining from drinking, 365 days without a hangover, and 365 days of working on myself to become physically and mentally healthy without booze. I’ve struggled with drinking and moderation for as long as I had my first sip of alcohol years ago: I’ve gone through cycles of binge drinking, hangovers, even withdrawals throughout my twenties, only to constantly promise myself that I’d “never drink again” after each episode. Only to resume and go harder than ever before.

I’ve made efforts to stop in previous years: the first time was when I was 22, when I had a horrible experience with alcohol that I decided to quit cold turkey and give myself a timeline of six months without drinking. Six months passed successfully, but then I returned to it and unfortunately for the worse until just last year, when I decided that it was taking a toll on me and to try abstaining again. Little did I know that I would make it to a year without drinking, and I’m incredibly happy and surprised at myself for doing so.

Quitting drinking for a year has definitely made me feel a lot healthier than ever before. Again, I don’t get hangovers and horrible migraines from alcohol anymore, I feel less bloated and lighter and stronger (especially when I exercise), and my skin is a lot clearer. I save a lot more money per month when I’m not buying booze, and I’m getting back into hobbies that I enjoy and are more productive than just drinking on the couch.

I’m still working on my mental health, as unfortunately, I was using alcohol to self-medicate– whether to numb myself from stress at work or as a social lubricant to break out of my timid shell at social gatherings. I’m still struggling to work through those issues, but ultimately, I know this is the right choice for me– to come to terms with my emotions and to become an emotionally-healthier person.

Will I ever return to drinking? I don’t think I’ll rule that out, but to be completely honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to drink again. From my experiences so far, I can’t trust myself to have “just one drink” in any occasion. It’s a slippery slope for me, as I do love the taste of certain drinks (e.g. wine, cocktails, ale), and I do love the relaxed feeling they give me after one sip– I end up craving more, and before I know it, I’ve already finished the entire bottle. That’s why it’s best not to have any at all, to keep myself sure and safe from the poison that it does to my body and brain.

This post not only is to update you about my sobriety journey, but also to keep me accountable for my actions going forward. As I finally realize I can’t do moderation, I need to constantly remind myself that it’s not a good idea to drink, even if only a single glass. While I did initially struggle with alcohol withdrawal and cravings in the first three months of going sober, I’m in a much better place now where I barely feel the cravings and I find other drinks to enjoy instead (e.g. tea, lattes, even water!). This isn’t the end, but a journey, to continue to keep myself sane and happy, and to be present in life, to enjoy every single moment of it consciously and with purpose.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day. ❤

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

66 thoughts on “I Am One-Year Sober.”

  2. Great milestone! Huge congratulations. A year is wonderful. Deciding not to drink two decades ago is one of the best decisions I made for my health. I take an antidepressant and alcohol was counterproductive for me. Best wishes for your continued good health.

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca! Making it through this year wasn’t easy, but now I’ve gone through it, I hope the next following years will be easier. Congrats on your 20+ years of sobriety; I strive to be like you!

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  7. Congratulations on your strength of character, and I hope that one day you’ll be able to master the moment and the quantity to simply appreciate the quality of the wine or alcoholic drinks.

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    1. Thank you! To be frank, while it’d be ideal to be able to return to drinking and enjoying the quality of it all, I don’t believe I’ll have the willpower to simply do so. I think it’s best just to abstain all together and not tempt fate. But I appreciate the sentiment!

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    1. Thanks, Elle! It’s been a process (and not an easy one), but I’m happy that I’ve made it this far in my sobriety journey, and I plan to continue with it. I appreciate you reading!

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  12. Congratulations on one year of sobriety, that is no easy feat! I always feel like my sleep gets really disrupted if I have even just one drink so that made me want to cut back. I like the taste of cocktails, but it seems in NYC mocktails are almost the same price. Doesn’t make any sense, I can’t justify paying $16 for juice haha!

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    1. Thanks, Lyssy! Yes, drinking isn’t great for sleep: when I drank a lot, I could fall asleep easily, but then I would wake up sporadically in the middle of the night, and ultimately would get terrible sleep by morning. Mocktails are a great alternative, but I agree that it isn’t paying just as much for it as the alcoholic version (although some bars actually have mocktails priced less)!

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  13. I can imagine how hard it must have been for you to stay away from something that was a big part of your life for many years. But you’ve made it this far, and that is no mean feat! So congratulations, and here’s to many more years of living more healthily!

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  17. Well done, Rebecca. I hope sharing your struggles makes it easier to adhere to your recovery plan, and you always have good things to say about your partner, so I’m assuming they’re a big part of your support system, which can only help.

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  19. That’s fantastic, Rebecca, huge congratulations to you! That’s such a wonderful milestone to celebrate because embarking on the path to sobriety is a courageous and life-changing decision. It requires dedication, resilience, and a commitment to personal growth. Each day brings new growth opportunities, and it’s crucial to acknowledge and celebrate the small victories along the way. Recognizing and rewarding yourself along the way can be a powerful motivator to stay on course. But remember that rewarding yourself in your sobriety journey is more than just indulging in treats—it’s about acknowledging your progress and reinforcing positive behaviours. I gave up drinking when I got pregnant with my eldest one, and never took it up again, so I can easily attest that sobriety leads to significant improvements in mental health. Thanks for sharing. Here’s to celebrating your victories and embracing the joy of living a sober, empowered life! Have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Thank you, Aiva! My path to sobriety hasn’t been easy, but I’m really glad with how far I’ve come and I intend to continue to abstain from alcohol as long as I can. My life has gotten a lot better and healthier as a result, and I’m enjoying life more! Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day 😊

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    1. Thanks, Andy! These 12 months haven’t all been easy, but I’m so glad I made it through. I fully intend to remain sober for as long as possible. Thanks for reading and your support!

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  21. Congratulations on reaching this milestone, Rebecca. It can’t have been easy, but I am glad to hear you’re feeling better for it. I barely drink (at most a glass or two a year), but I find the lack of choice when it comes to non-alcoholic options frustrating. I mean, there’re only so many Cokes/orange juice and lemonades a girl wants to drink in a night, right?!

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    1. *Just realised that last bit might not come across as intended – what I mean is that it would be nice to have a better selection of non-alcoholic drinks for those of us who (for whatever reason) choose not to drink, rather than being confined to the fizzy drink and/or overpriced mocktail section of the menu 🙂

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      1. I understand! It can be frustrating to order a mocktail that costs just as much as the alcoholic version…paying so much for essentially juice just isn’t it! 😆 However, I’ve actually found a few bars on my travels where I ordered mocktails and they ended up being half price! The famous Long Bar on my recent trip to Singapore is an example: I paid half for my non-boozy Singapore Sling; otherwise, it would’ve been $38 SGD!! 😱

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    2. Thanks, Rosie! I recall you mention being teetotal on your blog, and it’s nice to know there are people out there who don’t drink (or barely so). Thankfully, I don’t frequent bars as much anymore, but if I do, I try to find mocktails or request for the non-alcoholic version of a drink. It can be difficult sometime, but we do our best! I appreciate the support 🙂

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  23. Thx for sharing your experience. I am still working of get sober of alcohol and nicotin. Tried it often ever gave up but you support me very much reaching this goal. Keep staying sober, intrust in your inner power (you can read in my blog german, english, french and spanish, when i am on the run)

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  24. I thank the Lord that you’re clear of it for a year now. For some of us alcoholics there ain’t no such thing as a single glass or just ‘social drinking’. Others can we cannot! So it’s better to steer clear of it completely and ask the Lord to strengthen us in this regard. I’m preaching to myself here, dear sister.

    “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” [Prov 20:1]

    My prayers are with you ❤️🙏

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  25. Congrats for this impressive milestone! You can be extremely proud of you for this, not only for managing to quit drinking for a whole year, but also for realising that this habit wasn’t serving you anymore and taking the steps to break out of it. I don’t drink a lot myself and have never really struggled with moderation, but I know how hard it is to resist the societal pressure of drinking for fun, on a night out or with friends. So congrats for that too!

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    1. Thanks, Juliette! One year of sobriety was no easy feat, but I made it! Thankfully, my family, friends, and partner don’t really drink, so it’s been easier for me to forgo alcohol. Here’s to more years of abstaining from booze later down the line!

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  26. My congratulations to you, Rebecca! You are fortunate to have people close to you that don’t drink, so may that help you on your journey. I have a good friend who is a recovered alcoholic and is moving to a new town. She is cheered by learning there’s an AA there, people to connect to that will help her stay strong if needed. Good for you for recognizing the problem and being strong enough to step back.

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    1. Thank you, Ruth! Having close people around me who barely/don’t drink certainly helps with avoiding alcohol. It’s still a process to abstain from it, but having that support network makes it a lot easier. I appreciate your comment!

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  29. Pingback: Life Update #18: New Hobby, Lots of Travel, and Mental Health Update – Rebecca Goes Rendezvous

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