How a Year Without Alcohol Changed My Life

“I don't need alcohol to see the world in its depths, I carry the sun in me.” — Lamine Pearlheart

Today marks 365 days without a drop of alcohol. Granted — I am currently pregnant, so three of those months would have been alcohol-free anyway! But still, I had full intentions of going the entire year without drinking — and I did it! And I am so incredibly proud of this accomplishment.

Back in April, I shared some of the reasoning behind this decision, which had a lot to do with fertility and health, but also the idea of purposefully choosing the alternative route — or countering the norm (kind of like being a minimalist). That is the majority of why I decided to do this — to see if I had the willpower to say “no” in an environment where it’s almost always a “yes” when it comes to drinking.

As I look back on the last 12 months, I can confidently say that this year without alcohol changed my life for the better. I’ll attempt to summarize my discoveries and outcomes as best as I can. But before I do so, a simple word of encouragement (and some helpful resources) if you’re considering a similar life change in 2024 — or whenever you’re reading this.

This is 1) absolutely doable and really wasn’t that difficult, especially in today’s climate that is glorifying alcohol less and less, with so many alcohol-free options and a growing population of “sober curious” individuals. And 2) you don’t necessarily have to go cold turkey and completely cut alcohol out of your life. There are so many variations of a sober curious lifestyle, which can include only drinking on special occasions or maybe just once a month. Plus, it can also simply include sticking to one drink at such events; it’s not always about the absence of alcohol, but more about the moderation of it — and ultimately, the control over it.

I also highly recommend following Dr. Brooke Scheller on Instagram — and tapping into her resources at Functional Sobriety, if you’re looking for further support. She shares so much information about the effects of alcohol on your health and overall well-being, and her posts really propelled me along on this journey. Reading different variations of “alcohol is poison” over and over on my Instagram feed kept me motivated! And she uses informed data to back up these statements.

I’ve also had several people recommend the book This Naked Mind by Annie Grace, which offers a science-based and compassion-led approach to reinvent your relationship with alcohol. I never got around to reading it (and hate recommending something I’ve never read), but I’ve heard it has played a significant role in propelling others to pursue a sober or sober curious life. There are also several incredible free resources on Annie Grace’s website.

Okay! Now let’s dive in — with a quick disclaimer: I am not sharing this to brag in any way; I am neither claiming to be Holier Than Thou nor that I have my life together more than the next person. I simply want to share some of the benefits I’ve experienced first-hand, with the genuine hope it might inspire someone else interested in this decision. I know I would have loved to read a report “from someone on the other side” when I started this journey on January 1, 2023!

Here are just some of the ways this alcohol-free year changed my life:

I Had No Hangovers

One of the quickest results I noticed was the lack of hangovers. Previously, I didn’t necessarily drink enough to have major hangovers or a lack of function as a result of alcohol, but I definitely had that next-day grogginess and headache-y feeling, even with just a drink or two. This got worse as I got older, so it didn’t take much to make me feel gross the next day. It felt good to not have to struggle with this whatsoever! I woke up every single morning feeling stable — and if I didn’t, it was due to something completely out of my control, like sickness or hormonal issues.

My Brain Was Less Foggy

I’ve noticed in the last several years that my memory and overall clarity have been a little more foggy. I easily forget certain details people have already shared with me and my mind just feels a little less…sharp than it did in my 20s. I know this is a natural part of getting older, but it was a tad concerning (and frustrating) to see unfold. I’ve noticed that the last year without alcohol has improved this! There was a direct correlation between drinking and my mind feeling sluggish or out of sorts. So without the alcohol, I believe I improved my brain’s function in the long-term.

I Had Better Energy Levels

Similarly, I noticed improved energy levels over the course of the year. Sure, I had my tired moments, as we all do, but I experienced sustained energy on a daily basis, when I used to see a significant drop of energy at the same time each afternoon. This is probably related to improved sleep, which is a common benefit of an alcohol-free life. I chose not to list “improved sleep” as one of my benefits, because I’ve always been an annoyingly good sleeper, no matter the circumstances. But who knows — the quality of my sleep may be better now and I just can’t measure that on my own!

I Was Healthier in General

Overall, I’ve just felt healthier. And that’s saying a lot in this particular year, as we went through IVF from January through September. This involved pumping my body with a variety of intense hormones, which can greatly affect your quality of life. On the contrary, I didn’t really react to these meds like I was told I would (with moodiness, fatigue, bloating, soreness, etc.). By cutting out alcohol, I eliminated one substance from the equation so my body was able to handle the other foreign substances much more easily. IVF was actually one of the main reasons I did Dry January, which evolved into a Dry 2023, since I was doing the more medication-intensive portion of IVF that month. But after January came and went — and I had a relatively mild reaction to the meds and started to see some of these benefits — I decided to keep it up. Plus, aside from IVF (and more relevant for the everyday person), when you make one healthy decision, you’re more likely to make other healthy decisions — it’s just how it works! So if you aren’t drinking, you’ll probably eat healthier, stay more active, get more sleep, etc.

My Skin Cleared Up

I’ve struggled with acne off and on since I was a teenager (and was even on Accutane at one point), so this is something that is super important to me. I have noticed a significant difference in my complexion since cutting out alcohol. Avoiding alcohol helps you stay more hydrated and improves your liver health, which has a direct impact on the clarity of your skin. No, my skin is not perfect and still goes through ups and downs (especially with pregnancy), but overall, I’ve seen a significant improvement in this area.

I Spent Less Money

There’s no way to calculate the exact savings of not drinking, but I can guarantee they are significant. Let’s just assume I would spend an average of $15 if I were drinking a cocktail or a glass of wine at a restaurant. If I did this once a week, that’s $60 a month or $720 a year. But I can guarantee that number would be more some months, as I might order two drinks and bring that bill up to $30. Not to mention, Brandon drank less because I wasn’t drinking, which also saved us some money (and we rarely purchased alcohol to have at home). So I can safely say we probably saved about $1,000 this year because of this decision!

I Gained Self-Control + Confidence

As I mentioned, a big portion of this decision had to do with the basic human desire to find out “can I even do this?” It was a lesson in self-control, as I had to practice saying “no” when asked what I wanted to drink in a social setting — or watching others sip and enjoy their drinks. There were only a handful of instances that really stretched my self-control, and they all were social situations in which drinking was the main focus. It’s tempting to want to be a part of the experience of drinking — riding that same rollercoaster others are on and enjoying the taste together. But thankfully, I resisted each and every time and gained confidence in my willpower as a result.

I (Hopefully) Inspired Others

I had several great conversations about alcohol along the way — and I wasn’t necessarily preaching about it or drawing attention to my decision, either. It just naturally came up one way or another and produced some excellent conversations, about the benefits I’ve seen or more often, how much the other person has wanted to do the same. I hopefully inspired others to make the leap or at least reconsider their relationship with alcohol.

I Survived

At the end of the day, I survived. And like I mentioned, it really wasn’t that hard. This is the first time I’ve stuck to a clear-cut “goal” for the entirety of the year — and it seemed like a daunting one at first. But once I set my mind to it, it just felt like “this is the way it is, no matter what.” There wasn’t a chance of failure because why would I throw out my accomplishment thus far for one measly drink? That felt like such a small reward in exchange for a pretty big upset. So it is comforting to look back at this achieved goal and realize that I not only survived — I thrived. And more importantly, that I can have a similar outcome with other goals I choose to set in the future!

What’s Next?

Well, obviously, I won’t be drinking during the first half of 2024 since I’m pregnant. But after that? Who knows — I may end up keeping this going through the rest of the year or even longer. And if I do reintroduce alcohol into my life, I know the relationship will be drastically different. Thankfully, I have never struggled with addiction or over-indulgence, but I could see myself setting up some pretty strict boundaries. I may reserve alcohol for special occasions or have a monthly “quota” of just one or two drinks. We’ll see! For now, I can confidently say I don’t miss it — in fact, I don’t really think about it a lot anymore. And that’s a pretty great place to be.

Want to join me? I highly recommend Dry January — or a full Dry Year, if you’re feeling up to the challenge! Let me know if you’re interested in cutting alcohol out, in one way or another. I would love to cheer you on as you start this life-changing journey.

PS I think a good portion of the drinking experience (especially with cocktails) was the taste of the other ingredients — so mocktails are an excellent alternative! My friends at Homebody HQ put together an excellent list of holiday mocktail recipes, which could work any time of year. And there are so many amazing alcohol-free drink brands out there so you’ll still have something to hold in your hand!