A life less ordinary: How saying no to alcohol helped me find true success by Ali Roff

Is alcohol holding you back from your dreams?

Ali Roff shares how ditching alcohol helped her build real self-belief — and create a life less ordinary.

I’ve never been the “life of the party” type. While others danced with toilet roll feather boas, I was the one in the corner having deep, meaningful conversations with a close friend — and for years, this made me feel inadequate. Surrounded by big personalities, I used alcohol as a shortcut to confidence. It numbed the insecurity I didn’t want to face.

And I wasn’t alone. Research shows that people with low self-esteem tend to drink more in social settings, especially when they feel pressure to fit in.

The problem? As long as alcohol supplied my confidence, I never had to build the real thing.

But what about the bigger dreams — writing a book, becoming a yoga teacher, running my own business? How would I ever do those things if I couldn’t even feel confident sober among friends?

Getting out of my own way

Success changes us. When we achieve things we are proud of, our self-esteem grows. And interestingly, studies show that people with low self-esteem drink less after a recent success than after a setback.

So instead of patching insecurity with alcohol, I decided to build confidence honestly — by investing my time and energy into the things that moved me toward my goals.

Friday nights out became Friday night yoga workshops.

Sleepy Sundays turned into energising brunches, hikes, and meditation courses.

The more I said “yes” to things that nourished me, the more my creativity surged. I had more time. More energy. More clarity. More money. And slowly, the space that alcohol once occupied filled with something bigger — possibility.

Eventually, that possibility grew into my dream: taking a month off work to train as a yoga teacher. It became the foundation of a new career teaching and writing about yogic philosophy.

Moving mountains

That month changed everything. After weeks of yoga, self-study and stepping far outside my comfort zone, I returned home a qualified teacher — and a different person.

At my welcome-home gathering, someone handed me a glass of wine. Hours later it was still sitting there, untouched.

For the first time, I didn’t need it.

Self-commitment builds self-worth.

Self-worth becomes self-belief.

Self-belief becomes freedom.

In choosing growth over distraction, I finally ripped off the plaster — and stepped into a life that felt genuinely mine.

Three steps to a life less ordinary

1. Get out of your own way

What’s the biggest thing holding you back from working towards your goals? And what would happen if you removed it?

2. Commit to yourself

What does “living bigger” look like for you — and how can you show up for that version of yourself?

3. Cultivate something you’re proud of

What is one small step you can take today toward the dream that keeps whispering to you?