THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING ALCOHOL-FREE!
SOBER LEGENDS AND LEADERS SHARE THEIR NUMBER 1 BEST THING ABOUT BEING ALCOHOL-FREE! - Article By Faye Laurence @untoxicated
It’s Sober October guys! And for some inspo, I thought I’d ask a whole heap of sober legends and leaders in various areas - advocacy, podcasting, coaching, influencing, community etc - what their NUMBER ONE BEST THING about being alcohol-free is for them.
In the world today when alcohol is everywhere, choosing to be alcohol-free is not always easy. But once the decision is made, it can lead to a life full of clarity, control, and countless health benefits. But what is the best thing about being alcohol-free? Let's hear from some sober legends and leaders as they spill the tea on this topic
Many of them have several years alcohol-free under their belts and hopefully their words will provide you with some insights that might just be in store for you on the AF journey! Let us know at the end in the comments what your best thing is, or what inspires you the most!
SHANNA WHAN, FOUNDER + CEO, SOBER IN THE COUNTRY; SOBER ADVOCATE + AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR (2022)
“For me, the very best thing is the ongoing blessing of not ever craving, wanting, or needing alcohol. I never imagined that was possible.”
8 YEARS SOBER
https://www.instagram.com/sober_in_the_country/
VICTORIA VANSTONE, DRUNK MUMMY SOBER MUMMY; CUPPA COMMUNITY; SOBER AWKWARD PODCAST HOST + AUTHOR (AUS)
“Brain function. One of the many rewarding parts of going alcohol free is feeling so functional again. My brain works! The cogs are turning and instead of dusting off a hangover I’m able to get stuck into many wonderful pastimes, including pottery, writing and boxing. (It also means I don't flash my knickers at police officers anymore!)”
5 YEARS AF
MICHELLE SMITH, CEO + FOUNDER, RECOVERY IS THE NEW BLACK + RECOVERY COACH (US
“For me, health benefits
When I was drinking, my overall health plummeted. Living a life of sobriety supports my body's natural ability to restore optimal health.”
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryisthenewblack/
Side note: Michelle’s community on FB was so helpful to me in early sobriety. Thank you, Michelle! ❤️
DANNI CARR, FOUNDER, HOW I QUIT ALCOHOL PODCAST + COACH (AUS)
“The best thing for me and the thing that kept me going was that feeling of not waking up with shame and self-hatred.
Every morning that I woke up having not drank, I focused on how good it felt to not feel that anxiety and negative feelings towards myself. Once I had a few days, a few weeks and a few months of mornings like that I realised this is how life SHOULD feel and I slowly began to like myself rather than hate myself. It was the greatest gift I could give myself and everyone in my life.”
https://www.iquitalcohol.com.au/
SARAH RUSBATCH, GREY AREA DRINKING + WOMEN’S WELLBEING COACH (AUS)
“For me, removing alcohol from my life has allowed to truly meet myself. My true self. When I was drinking I was so disconnected to myself I had no idea what my true passions, interests or feelings were as I just masked everything with wine.
Over the last 4 years I have been on such a deep journey of self discovery and finally understanding who I am at my core, what makes me happy, what I need to feel in good in my life, what I need to say no to and finally, how to go about meeting my own needs instead of simply drowning everything out with wine. I've finally learnt to trust myself, and dare I say it, to love myself.”
Proudly alcohol free since April 27 2019
www.sarahrusbatch.com https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/
WILL HITCHINS, LAST DRINKS PODCAST HOST + CONTENT PRODUCER
“Choosing sobriety was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life, it gave me the opportunity to truly pursue living a life worth living. What little positive alcohol brought me didn’t match the vast negative consequences I dealt with.
Alcohol is poison. Trust me, you don’t need it for anything.”
3.5 YEARS AF
Poddy: https://open.spotify.com/show/0pmWFCnqfwkWjg8XUE05ai?si=ed188e489f9f4ea6
https://www.instagram.com/willhitchins/
(p.s. he’s single, ladies )
NAT BATTAGLIA, FOUNDER, MINDFUL MOCKTAIL (AUS)
“There are so many things I could say but the thing that stands out the most is this:
Alcohol kept my world very small. When my drinking was at its worst, I was so overwhelmed with life it felt like I was at absolute capacity and couldn't possibly fit anything else in.
Once I stopped drinking, I realised just how much time and energy alcohol was consuming. As my alcohol intake lessened, my world grew. Suddenly I found time to start my own business. I made new friends and started hobbies that I never dreamed of having time for previously.
Turns out alcohol is a huge time waster...I just wish I realised earlier!”
3 YEARS AF
https://www.instagram.com/themindfulmocktail/
SARAH CONNELLY, ALCOHOL-FREE LIFESTYLE + MINDFULNESS COACH
“When I removed alcohol, it felt like I had come home. By that I mean I remembered who I was again. I have discovered or reconnected with things about myself I really like and now have the confidence just to be wholeheartedly myself without worrying about fitting in or keeping others happy.
In short, I’ve found alcohol-freedom to be me.”
4 YEARS AF
https://www.sarahconnelly.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/sarah_c0nnelly/
EMMA GILMOUR, THIS NAKED MIND + GREY AREA DRINKING COACH; HOPE RISING COACHING + UNTOXICATED MELBOURNE HOST! ❤️
“The moment’s pause' between reacting and responding - it’s everything!
Changed my relationship with everyone for the better, especially myself!”
3 YEARS AF
https://www.instagram.com/hoperisingcoaching/
MICHAEL SARGOOD, HAPPY WITHOUT THE HOOCH + SOBER SOCIALS (UK)
“The best thing about being alcohol-free has been waking up knowing what I did the night before.
This may sound trivial but when I was in blackout, I would do all manner of things that I wouldn't even contemplate sober, sometimes leaving me injured or landing me in trouble with the law. On top of that, it would cause relationship breakdowns, trouble at work and fall-outs with friends.
I have been alcohol-free since February 2021 and I no longer find myself apologising and arguing about my behaviour. I always know what I have done, my relationships have improved and I no longer wake up on hospitals or police cells.”
www.sobersocials.co.uk
Facebook: @happywithoutthehooch
Insta: @happywithoutthehooch
ANDY QUIN, CO-FOUNDER, ETCH SPARKLING – ALCOHOL-FREE DRINKS WITH NATIVE INGREDIENTS
“For me there are so many BEST things about being alcohol-free, but the most important one is that I am a good role model for my children. Being a Mum of young teenagers, I feel so proud of myself that I am showing my children that alcohol is not a necessary part of having a good time. In fact NOT drinking can be the most empowering and fabulous feeling ever!”
5 YEARS AF
https://www.instagram.com/etchsparkling/
https://www.etchsparkling.com.au/
JANET GOURAND, FOUNDER, TRIBE SOBER (SOUTH AFRICA)
“The best thing about alcohol free living has been getting the extra time and the mental space to discover who I am and what I actually want out of my life.
I quit drinking 7 years ago at the age of 63 and am entering my 70's full of energy, good health - and purpose.
Setting up Tribe Sober and helping others to quit drinking and change their lives is a privilege and a joy for me.”
For more info listen to the weekly Tribe Sober podcast (Apple or Spotify) or visit our website here.
AMY ARMSTRONG, FOUNDER, DRY BUT WET - ALCOHOL-FREE DRINK SPECIALISTS (AUS)
“I was always seen as quite a confident and outgoing person, but since becoming alcohol free, I have unlocked a new bonus level of confidence. I have discovered that so many things I though alcohol was giving me “dutch courage” to do, socialising, dancing, meeting new people, having fun, it was actually taking credit for and I had the power in my all along to do those things and more.
Since taking my power back from alcohol I have changed so many things, started a business, left an unhappy marriage, started public speaking, dating (!!) and all these things have helped me gain more confidence as I have gone along, by realising I had the power within myself and didn’t need alcohols help at all. I never knew how much alcohol was sucking the life energy out of me!”
Over 1200 days AF!
https://www.instagram.com/dry_but_wet/
LUCY QUICK, FOUNDER AND COACH, THRIVALIST SOBRIETY
“My favourite thing about sobriety is trusting myself. Trusting that I will make the smartest decisions, trusting I will be the best mum I can be and trusting that I will always be honest with myself and others. I wholeheartedly trust myself now, which was most certainly not the case when I was drinking.”
SOBER 4 YEARS 10 MONTHS (YAY!)
KATH ELLIOT, THE ALCOHOL MINDSET COACH (AUS)
“The number one best thing about living alcohol-free is the ease, expansion, understanding and joy I get to experience and uncover within myself. As the years go by the layers become deeper and I feel a sacred sense of trust and self-belief in who I am, my purpose and how much choice I have in the life I create. It’s not always easy but so incredibly rewarding.”
www.thealcoholmindsetcoach.com
IG: @thealcoholmindsetcoach
AF since 1 July 2019
MEGAN WEBB, THIS NAKED MIND COACH (AUS)
“So the best thing for me being alcohol free (and it was hard to narrow it down) would be that finally I was finally able to find my purpose and passion and instead of having some distant dreams that I thought I'd get to "one day" I now am on my path and I'm feeling fulfilled for the first time in many many years. It's given me the time, space and clarity to re-connect with my authentic self.
My journey to find freedom from alcohol started 5 years ago and it was a bit on and off again until I found freedom on Dec 31st 2021.”
And, lastly, yours truly!
FAYE LAWRENCE, FOUNDER, UNTOXICATED; ADHD, ALCOHOL + ANXIETY - COACH AND THERAPIST (AUS)
The best thing about being sober for me is without a doubt the improvement in my relationship with myself. For my entire life this had eluded me … turns out, I’d been searching in all the wrong places.
I started to actually like myself, which was mind blowing to me. I started to grow in self respect and confidence, to have pride in doing hard things, to learn self-mastery, to not be a slave to my past as though it was a sentence for the rest of my life, to learn boundaries, to know I was a good person doing the best I could (imperfectly).
I have been able to free myself from a lot of shame and actually have a lot of compassion for my old self, who just didn’t know any other way. I like this version much, much better.
6 YEARS ALCOHOL-FREE ON 8 November 2023!
