Back in February, when I decided to join a 90-day alcohol free challenge group, I couldn’t quite fathom what life sans booze for that long would be like.

Would I even be able to socialize without my vino in hand?

Well, with a lot of hard work, determination and discipline I smashed that 90-day challenge and here I am– on a quest to go a full 365 days hitting the snooze button on booze.

When I get into conversations with people about what I’m doing a common question is, “How do you feel differently by not drinking alcohol?” So I’ve decided to compile the top five benefits I’m experiencing from being booze free:

1. I feel great in the mornings! Before jumping on board this 365 challenge, it would be quite common for me to have a couple of glasses (sometimes more!) a few times (sometimes more!) a week. And what did that result in? Waking up with the “Sauvignon blanc flu”– feeling lethargic and half present. These days, I typically rise and shine without an alarm clock between 5am and 6am. It is so great starting my days feeling in tip top shape.
2. I’m saving tons of money. Alcohol is expensive. Especially in larger cities like Washington, DC, where I live. I cannot believe how much extra cash I have on hand at the end of each week now that water is my preferred evening drink of choice.
3. My thinking is laser sharp. Goodbye mental fuzziness! And because I am more mentally alert and on-point being alcohol free, I would say my productivity has increased at least 50 percent.
4. I feel more healthy and fit. Back in February I set a goal to run a 10k and found a great one here in Washington, DC called the Capitol Hill Classic. The added bonus was that my two nieces and our friend ran too. I’m thrilled to say we all crossed the finish line on May 20th ago feeling pretty darn proud of ourselves. I am definitely more motivated to workout and be physically fit since embarking on my booze-free journey.
5. I am much, much better at processing my emotions. Anyone who knows me is aware that I am an emotional gal (High EQ). Our feelings drive our actions and our actions drive our results in life. Well, because I feel better having hit the snooze button on booze I’m making better decisions. And when I have feelings such as anger, fear or sadness, I am better able to see them for what they are–simply signals that I need to pay attention to something. In general, my emotions of joy and gratitude have definitely bubbled to the top since going booze free.

So that’s it! While I have experienced oodles of benefits of being alcohol free–too many to write here–these are my top five to date.

Cheers!

Kathleen