I'm looking forward to opening my letter to mark my first dry year.
December 2024 |
7 minutes
Anna*, in her early 50s, used the Try Dry® App, and the Dry January® Facebook support group, and wrote a letter to herself which she would open on 1 January 2025 providing she stayed one year dry.
The letter says, “if you are opening this letter it means you haven't drank alcohol in one year and I am so proud of you!”
The letter says, “if you are opening this letter it means you haven't drank alcohol in one year and I am so proud of you!”
Whilst at times it was tough as my brain was craving alcohol, I continued to tell myself that alcohol is a poison, and it doesn't serve me. I created new habits, and I started to really appreciate every day I didn't wake up with a hangover. My relationships with my family started to improve. I was now able to collect the kids from late nights out, and able to drop them off to early appointments in the mornings. I started to appreciate the simple things in life.
At the time of writing, I am nearly one year dry and every day I wake up thankful that I made a choice to stop drinking before I no longer had a choice.
I believe I am missing nothing and gaining everything.
I believe I am missing nothing and gaining everything. I also learnt that it gets easier with time, and it no longer consumes my thoughts. I feel at peace. My advice is to push through and do not give up and one day it will stick.
Letter that Anna wrote in 2024:
“Letter to future self 1st Jan 2025
Today Anna you should be waking up one year sober. One year alcohol free. If you do this I am so very proud of you. This will be the single most challenging and rewarding decision you will have ever made.
I am writing this at 12 weeks alcohol free. The brain still craves alcohol from time to time. This is your past life. It isn't it now. Congratulations on one year Anna you are winning the fight and I am proud of you.
I hope by now you believe in yourself and that you know that alcohol no longer serves you and it never did. You thought it was your friend at night when you felt lonely but it wasn't. It stole the next day.
You didn't need it. And that horrendous feeling of being hungover, being afraid to give a lift the next day in case you were over the limit. Raiding your kids supply when you ran out of wine. Begging your daughter for her birthday prosecco had to be your lowest moment. But now you have no shame but have made your family proud. You nipped it in the bud before it became a big problem.
I salute you, I am proud of you. You do not drink. Isn't it flipping marvellous.”
*Name changed for privacy.
