500 Days of Sober

Today is a milestone that I was never exactly fixated on, but also never thought I'd achieve: 500 Days without alcohol.

When I started revisiting my relationship to alcohol during the pandemic, it was because I noticed that the times I excitedly spent with friends and family were spent consuming alcohol, and then the next day (or two, hello mid-30s!) would be a rollercoaster of hangxiety and physical discomfort.

After a particularly bad hangover, I asked myself: What's the point?

In early 2021, I started to monitor the length of time between drinks and the response in my mind and body when I abstained vs consumed. And wow, what a difference. From then until the end of 2022, I would go weeks and sometimes months without a cocktail. Then, I decided that New Year's Eve 2022 would be my last time drinking for at least the 2023 calendar year.

I said Cheers to the New Year with an espresso martini at 6pm on 12/31/22 and I haven't looked back since.

Here's what has changed & what I've learned:

• I sleep better. I have always been someone who functions best on a full night's sleep, but the weekends where I found myself drinking alcohol, I was not able to truly sleep. I'd wake up early, or be restless throughout the night. Now, I am somewhat embarrassed to say I am asleep early and awake early every day, and I almost always feel rested.
• I have more confidence. For me, "hangxiety" is a real thing, and upon reflection I can see ways that it affected my confidence at work. Overall I feel more grounded in my value and what I bring to the table, as well as more excited to learn and receive feedback.
• My sweet tooth is prevalent! I have seen online content that alluded to this, but for me it's very real: I crave sugar more often now that I don't drink. Sugar is actually more difficult for me to give up than alcohol!
• I'm more steady. My work is all about curveballs, so I've always been good at navigating the unknown of event planning. Now, I can see myself going from 'problem' to 'solved' much quicker and with more confidence than before.
• It pays off. Due to a variety of factors (the post-pandemic bounce-back; creating packages/pricing with confidence; being more intentional about the types of clients I work with; setting up processes that I put off before), my business revenue has increased substantially since I stopped drinking. I'm able to assess pieces of business with more clarity and create clearer and more thought-out proposals.
• Networking can be weird without it, but worth it. Networking, for many of us, is inextricably linked with alcohol, or at least having a beverage in your hand. I've attended two-hour events and multi-day conferences, and sometimes, it can be weird to be the person who isn't drinking, but I find that the connections I made are more genuine and have lasted longer than a cocktail conversation.

One thing to the hospitality industry professionals out there:

Don't overcharge for mocktails.

Jumping on a trend makes complete sense, but in my early years of dabbling in the dry lifestyle, I was charged over $12 for a 'mocktail' which consisted of tonic water, a rosemary sprig, and dried berries.

My next drink? A club soda with lime.

Offer a variety of options, and don't arbitrarily set pricing. The conscious consumer can tell, and those who are in active recovery should not be upcharged because sober curiosity has become trendy.

This is a non-exhaustive list of the things that have changed for me since I stopped drinking 500 Days ago, and although I am unsure if I'll ever drink again, I'm so glad that I decided not to, for the foreseeable future.