Through My Eyes

There was a time, not that long ago, when the festive season meant champagne flutes, late nights, blurred conversations, and the familiar promise that "next year will be different."

But over two years ago, I made a decision that altered the entire landscape of my life: I stopped drinking. It wasn't glamorous, and it certainly wasn't easy. I did not need rehab or the AA structures. I credit my success to a American self help guru, Andy Fiscella and his '75 Hard regime' and off course to my long lost friend Saya who introduced me to and did the first year with me back in 2020.

Alcohol had been stitched into every ritual - celebrations, grief, weekends, and friendships, even boredom. Letting it go felt like tearing out a thread that held my social world together. The first year of 'Sober Sabbatical' was white knuckle frenzy. The hardest 75 days ever (exaggeration). Year two was easier and by year three I was ready to let it go for good.

The relief came slowly, then all at once. Waking up clear-headed. Remembering every conversation. No more apologies for things said or done in cloudy moments. No more planning my day around recovery. As the festive season approaches - a time traditionally fuelled by excess - I move through it with a quiet confidence. I know that each morning I'll greet the day with energy, not regret. I know that my joy is real, not chemically propped up. And I know that when I put my head on the pillow at night, I'll wake up exactly as myself.

What has surprised me most is how many others are choosing the same path. Sobriety is no longer a fringe lifestyle hidden behind shame or whispered explanations. It is becoming mainstream - even admirable. A cultural shift is underway, driven by people who are simply tired of feeling tired.

My mom still nudges me sweetly, pointing with her head toward the bar in the corner of their lounge, "Come on open a bottle, they look so sad in there."

The rise of sober living has many roots. We are living in an age where wellness is more than a trend; it is a form of self-respect. People track their sleep, count their steps, meditate, and invest in mental health with the seriousness our parents reserved for pensions and life insurance. Alcohol, once seen as harmless fun, is being re-evaluated - not through moral judgment, but through practical reality: it disrupts sleep, heightens anxiety, and slows the body down.

Younger generations have pushed this conversation forward with refreshing honesty. Gen Z speaks openly about their mental health. They question traditions instead of inheriting them. They are not interested in the bravado of drinking to excess, nor in the old belief that refusing a drink makes you boring or difficult. Their openness has made it easier for the rest of us to step out of the fog and say: maybe alcohol isn't the centre of my life after all.

Then there is the sober-curious movement - an invitation, not a rulebook. It encourages people to ask themselves what drinking adds, and what it takes away. It isn't about labels. It's about clarity. Some choose full sobriety; others choose mindful moderation.

The point is consciousness, not perfection.

Even the beverage world has woken up. Zero-proof spirits, non-alcoholic craft beers, and sophisticated NA wines mean you can enjoy the ritual without the consequences.

This festive season, while the world pours and toasts, I will sip my sparkling home made kompot (recipe shared on page 6) and know - deeply - that I am exactly where I want to be.

Through my eyes, sobriety isn't a limitation. It's liberation.