Introduction

● I can’t have fun without it. Imagine going to a party without drinking!

● It makes me feel less anxious or depressed.

● It helps me sleep.

● I can’t relax without it.

● It makes me entertaining to be around.

● It fits the lifestyle of my boozy friends.

● I like the taste.

● It’s cool and sophisticated.

● I’m not confident enough to talk to new people without it.

● It helps me deal with all the problems that life throws my way.

● It stops me from worrying, especially about how much I’m drinking (ironic, I know).

If you find yourself nodding at even one of these statements, then I know how you feel. I too used to believe that I couldn’t live without alcohol, and that once I’d had a few drinks, I was funny to be around (hilarious, in fact). Being honest, I was a heavy daily drinker for well over twenty years.

Slowly, I reached the point at which I felt sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I became fed up with the hangovers, the regretful behaviour (there was enough of that to write another book about!) and the damage alcohol was causing my relationships, my career, my body, and my mind (to say nothing of my soul). I started to see that the beliefs I listed above were wrong: alcohol was no longer serving me or adding anything positive to my life. In fact, it had been stealing my happiness and wellbeing for years, and I decided I wanted what it had stolen back.

From this point on, it took me a full five years to face up to my problem and find the key to transforming my life. Because alcohol is so addictive, it was doing exactly what it was designed to do: get me hooked on it, so I felt I couldn’t give up. How on earth was I going to haul myself out of the hole I’d dug for myself, and which I’d been stuck in for so long? It was obvious I was a problem drinker, but what should I do now? This uncertainty led me to dig myself even further into the ground by drinking more so that I would stop thinking about it. I just wanted the painful thoughts to leave my head, and wine seemed the perfect solution.

However, I did eventually remove the grip that alcohol had on me and have gone on to live a life of complete happiness ever since. I learned that what I’d believed about alcohol was completely wrong. Of course, I didn’t understand this at the beginning, but as I steadily moved down the path to alcohol freedom, everything became so very clear.

You may be reading this book because you too are tired and fed up with the routine of drinking, and you want to make a change and improve your life. Or you may simply be curious about how a life without alcohol might look for you. Could it be better? Happier? Calmer? More peaceful? Perhaps you’re already on the path to changing your relationship with booze and might have read other ‘sober books’ or taken part in programmes to help you quit.

I want you to know that you can do the same as me, and you don’t have to wait for years like I did. Also, I want to reassure you that addiction is never a person’s fault, and that there’s no need to blame yourself for finding it hard to give up. It honestly isn’t as hard as you might think, and this book will provide the support and advice you need as you progress on your sober journey.

You may have heard of the word ‘sober’ and assume it simply describes someone who doesn’t drink. But sobriety is so much more than that. For me, it’s a lifestyle – a way of living due to a choice I made that led me on a wonderful journey of self-improvement, awareness, and wellbeing. So when you read my thoughts on sobriety in this book, I’m not just talking about it as simply quitting drinking. On the contrary, to ‘go sober’ is to embark on an amazing adventure during which you’ll discover a whole new version of yourself.

For me, that’s included launching one of the world’s fastest-growing online sober communities. I also work as a coach helping people who want to change their relationship with alcohol, and have spoken at live events and become an enthusiastic advocate of the sober movement (we’re not alone). This means that I’ve helped thousands of people to explore how alcohol fits into their life, and many of them have chosen to quit drinking altogether.

Now, through this book, my hope is that I can do the same for you. By the end of it, you should see how you can be free to make your own choices about how you drink and you will feel equipped to decide whether you want to do it any longer. It’s up to you. Don’t waste time like I did – take action now.

The book is split into two parts. The first is designed to set you up for success and put you in a place where you can find freedom from alcohol, if that’s what you want. It’s important that you read this all the way through, as it contains essential information for when you’re in the early stages of controlling your drinking.

The second part serves as a handbook as you move forward into an alcohol-free life and this is, if I’m honest, where this book comes into its own. As you read it you’ll see that I’ve used my own experiences and those of the people I’ve worked with to help ensure you’re ready for the challenges, fears, and questions that will come up in the years after you’ve quit drinking. You’ll learn how to handle the work Christmas party without a glass of bubbly in hand, the joys of sober holidays, what to do when you stop drinking but your partner won’t, and a whole lot more. With this part, you can dip in and out, picking the chapters that address the problems you’re facing that particular day or week.

At this point, it’s important to be clear that this book isn’t a replacement for professional medical advice. If you’re physically addicted to alcohol, or experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, such as shaking, tremors, hallucinations, or any other side effects that cause you concern, please visit your doctor and get medical advice. However, if you’re either ready to start thinking about what a life without alcohol might look like, or have already given up and are looking for further support and tactics as you move forward on your alcohol-free journey, this book is for you. Either way, you have found the perfect companion to help you on the path to complete freedom.

Let’s take some positive action. Read on and start learning how to change your life in the most incredible and positive ways.