I am now living my life as opposed to existing – Pippa Crouch

My biggest change is me – and I finally like this person

Life before OYNB

On paper, my life looked perfect: a fantastic family, lovely house, good car, amazing job. I drank “like everyone else” – socially and often at home. No big deal.

Until it was.

Slowly, my fun-filled relationship with alcohol began to shift. What started as Fridays, Saturdays and special occasions quietly turned into:

• Hard day at work → glass of wine

• Missed my Weight Watchers target (again) → glass of wine

• “It’s Friday” (then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…) → wine

And it often didn’t stop at one glass.

I wasn’t missing work, I functioned, I did everything I needed to – so clearly, I didn’t have a problem… right? I even did Dry January every year and sometimes Sober October too, just to “prove” it.

But underneath, things didn’t add up:

• I got into the habit of clock-watching, waiting for “acceptable” drinking time

• I planned evenings so I didn’t have to drive or collect the kids

• I rushed them into bed so I could get some “me time” – which really meant wine time

• My body stopped processing alcohol well; headaches lasted for days (which I then “treated” with… more wine)

Taking on the OYNB Alcohol-Free Challenge

When I joined OYNB, I didn’t do it to quit drinking forever.

I wanted to prove to myself that I didn’t have an issue – do 30 days, then go back to soaking myself in gin.

Alcohol felt like part of my identity.“How could I be fun mum without a drink?!”

My plan:

• Do 30 days

• Prove I’m “fine”

• Go back to “normal”

But then I hit 30 days and thought:“Let’s try 90. No way I’m committing to a year though.”

What actually happened (spoiler: no magic overnight)

I had a lot of assumptions that turned out to be wrong:

• I expected the weight to fall off immediately – it didn’t

• I assumed life would instantly become amazing – it didn’t

• I thought everything would fix itself just because I’d stopped drinking – it didn’t

Instead, something more important happened.

When I removed my default coping mechanism, I was forced to:

• Actually feel my feelings instead of numbing them

• Face the situations that made me uncomfortable

• Learn to say no

• Build real resilience

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real growth.

The power of the daily work

For me, the daily videos were a game changer.

I’m busy, like most people, and I don’t have the time (or honestly, the inclination) to plough through piles of self-help books. But:

• Short daily videos

• Bite-sized ideas

• One thought to reflect on during the day

That format worked perfectly. It kept the journey in my awareness without feeling overwhelming.

Reaching one year – and a completely different relationship with alcohol

When I got to a year, I realised something huge:

My relationship with alcohol had shifted exponentially.

• I actually liked myself

• I was no longer defined by what was in my glass

• I wasn’t constantly negotiating “if/when/how much” to drink

It felt:

• Empowering

• Enlightening

• Honestly, bloody amazing

At that point I knew:

I’d never drink again – not because I “have a problem”, but because alcohol adds nothing to my life.

The biggest change: me

My biggest change isn’t the weight loss, or the achievements.

My biggest change is me.I now know who I am – and I rather like this person.

OYNB gave me the tools to:

• Look inward

• Question my patterns

• Challenge my beliefs about alcohol

• Rebuild how I see myself

My new life, actually lived (not just “managed”)

Since stopping drinking, I can honestly say I’m living, not just existing. Before, I was a passenger. Now I’m actually in the driver’s seat.

Some of the shifts:

• Relationships with my children and partner have improved

• I’m less grumpy, more mindful and present (still a work in progress, but miles better)

• I actually listen, instead of half-listening while thinking, “Can I squeeze in another glass of wine?”

• I’m clear on the role model I want to be – for my kids and for the patients I support

And in terms of tangible changes:

• I’ve taken up triathlons

• In the last 3 months, I’ve dropped 11kg

• I’ve completed a half Ironman

I can now model strength, health and commitment far more effectively than I ever could with a glass of wine in my hand.

Why this felt different from “Dry January”

Dry January and Sober October always felt like:

• A countdown to when I “could drink again”

• A temporary pause, not a transformation

OYNB was different because it:

• Challenged my core beliefs

• Made me question ingrained habits

• Shifted my identity, not just my behaviour

The transformation was so subtle I barely noticed it as it was happening – but looking back, the difference is night and day.

I don’t have a relationship with alcohol now

I don’t have a relationship with alcohol anymore. It never even crosses my mind.

The program as a whole is a complete game-changer:

• The Facebook group is brilliant – a safe, moderated space to share fears, wins and setbacks

• The support is honest, kind and non-judgmental

• You feel truly understood, not broken

• 
  

Would I recommend OYNB? Absolutely.

I would highly recommend OYNB to anyone, at any stage:

• Maybe you don’t think you have a problem

• Maybe you’re just a bit worried

• Maybe you know you need to do something but don’t know what

Then try it.

There’s really nothing to lose – I was spending more on wine than on the challenge. What you stand to gain is huge:

OYNB will help you discover the best version of yourself – and give you the tools to actually live as that person.

I’m deeply grateful.