“I have taken back control of my life” – Sheri Brillhart

“I had tried to quit drinking numerous times on my own before I found OYNB.”

I had tried to quit drinking (unsuccessfully) so many times before I found One Year No Beer. The furthest I ever got was seven months alcohol-free back in 2016, but as soon as I tried to “moderate”, I slipped straight back into my old habits.

By the time I joined OYNB, I’d already gone through what I can only describe as a mourning period. I’d finally admitted to myself that as much as I thought I enjoyed alcohol, it was damaging me, stealing my life, and that I would probably need to give it up for good. So when my 90-Day Challenge began in August 2017, I was ready.

How my drinking started

I actually grew up in a family of non-drinkers and never had much interest in alcohol. The few times I tried it, I thought it was disgusting and couldn’t understand why anyone liked it.

That changed in my late 20s when I started an International MBA programme that included an eight-month internship in Germany. Before I moved, my classmates strongly encouraged me to “learn to drink beer”, which I did. While living there, I took advantage of cheap alcohol and started buying different wines just to see if I could acquire a taste.

Over the next 5–10 years, my drinking slowly escalated. Eventually, I reached the point where I was often drinking a bottle of wine or more a night, with heavier binges at weekends that sometimes led to blackouts. I drank mostly out of boredom or loneliness, but also to celebrate or relax. As a shy introvert, alcohol felt like a shortcut to lowering my inhibitions and “chilling out” — though I later realised it was actually fuelling anxiety and amplifying emotions.

Stuck in a cycle

Alcohol kept me tethered to a life of complacency and status quo. It stopped me pursuing the life I truly wanted, both personally and professionally, yet I had no idea how to break out.

My job came with excellent health benefits, but I was too afraid to tell any medical professional that I had a problem. I worried asking for help would damage my career. So I stayed stuck in the same loop — knowing something was wrong, trying to quit, relapsing, and then drowning the shame in more wine.

I couldn’t seem to pull myself out on my own, but I kept trying.

Drawing a line in the sand with OYNB

When I joined the OYNB 90-Day Challenge, it gave me exactly what I’d been missing: a clear line in the sand.

For 90 days, no matter what happened, alcohol was simply not an option.

I told most of my friends and colleagues what I was doing so I’d be accountable. That alone felt like a huge shift.

The most powerful part of OYNB for me, though, was the tribe. I’m not a big social media person — I even had to rejoin Facebook just to access the group — but it was more than worth it. The community is incredibly positive, supportive and gently challenging. It was such a relief to connect with like-minded people from all over the world who had similar struggles and were just as committed to changing their relationship with alcohol.

I’m now almost two years in and I still check in with the Facebook group regularly because it’s so inspiring.

The changes I experienced

Very soon after starting my challenge, the ripple effects began:

• My self-confidence soared for the first time in years. Without the constant shame and self-loathing, I could actually like myself again.

• My anxiety, stress, mood swings and anger reduced dramatically. I became a much more content, stable person.

• I no longer had to worry about:

  • being drunk when friends or family called or dropped by

  • sending texts or emails (including work emails) under the influence

  • hiding bottles or pretending I was “fine”

On top of that, I no longer needed medication for high blood pressure.

Physically, the changes were more gradual and didn’t come from removing alcohol alone. I didn’t lose weight immediately — in fact, I gained about five pounds in the first few months. My skin actually got worse before it slowly improved, and it took well over a year before I consistently felt the high energy levels other people often describe early on.

I had to make deliberate changes to my diet and lifestyle based on my own body’s needs. But I know without a doubt that if I hadn’t given up alcohol, those physical changes would have been so much harder, if not impossible. My health would always have been compromised.

Almost two years on

Nearly two years later, I feel like I’ve taken back control of my life.

Removing alcohol has allowed me to:

• Start steering my life again instead of just drifting

• Pursue things that truly matter to me, personally and professionally

• Consciously choose growth, even when it scares me

Two months after starting OYNB, I enrolled in a year-long course to become a Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I’m now in the process of setting up my own business.

I deliberately pursue things that push me out of my comfort zone — I’ve even started learning to whitewater kayak. I’ve also removed toxic people from my life and intentionally surrounded myself with those who challenge me and help me become a better person.

I’ve begun travelling again, and most recently returned from an incredible trip to New Zealand — fully present, clear-headed and alcohol-free.

I tried to quit on my own so many times and failed. OYNB gave me the structure, the community and the mindset shift I needed to finally succeed — not just in quitting alcohol, but in reclaiming my life.