Having done the Dry January® challenge and alcohol-free stints before, the allure of Sober Spring was the longer break during a lighter and brighter period of the year.
While I did not complete the full 90 days, I fully embraced the benefits of going sober for eight weeks and got so much out of it. I'd be in awe of going out to the pub with friends and still having a healthy bank balance the next day, while sleeping much better, having more energy and feeling less lethargic during the day at work.
In fact, it's a great time to experiment with different hobbies and I found I had more motivation to go out socialising after work. I booked a still-life drawing class, got a tarot reading, swam at my local lido, went on sober dates and was beating my Parkrun PB every week.
I'm not one to just drink water when I'm out, so had a lot of fun experimenting with low-alcohol and no-alcohol alternatives, my particular favourites being Mash Gang's alcohol-free hazy IPAs and Lucky Saint's new non-alc lemon lager, launched right in time for Spring/Summer!
As the weeks rolled on, I was feeling less anxious and more 'myself'. After a friend's wedding, I woke up feeling fresh as a daisy while everyone else battled the crippling hangxiety that comes with a free bar. Success looks different for everyone, and I didn’t set out with the aim of quitting alcohol completely, but to give myself a break to assess my drinking habits.
I completed two months but ultimately couldn't resist a caipirinha (the national cocktail!) on the beach during a holiday to Brazil. The great thing about this was that it was a conscious choice I was confident in making after taking a break and feeling the benefits.
Moving into the summer, I plan to be more mindful of my drinking and ask myself whether I'm doing it by choice or because of the rather insidious social pressure alcohol plays in our lives. During Sober Spring, I noticed I'd lean on alcohol as a 'social lubricant' when I felt uneasy in certain situations, but forgoing it completely meant I had to embrace the awkwardness - and I thrived. Learning that's a trigger for me has been really helpful in assessing my drinking habits and is something I'll take forward.
I’d already had a bit of an awakening when it comes to alcohol, but taking a proper break reminded me that drinking alcohol should be a conscious choice and not the default setting.
