It’s simply the best thing I could have done for myself – Meredith Mollica

I expected to feel better, but I had no idea how much better I would feel

Life before OYNB was a slow, steady increase in how much and how often I drank. Over the years I came to believe that alcohol equalled fun. Without it, I thought I couldn’t have fun and certainly wouldn’t be fun.

My sister was the first to find OYNB and she started sharing all the benefits of going alcohol-free with me, but I still wasn’t ready to listen.

When the pandemic hit, everything escalated. I let all my limits go. I had no boundaries around when or how much it was “okay” to drink. I had a close call with drinking and driving and got involved in other risky situations. As a mum to two small children, I knew deep down I couldn’t keep living like this.

At the same time, I was a yoga teacher, guiding other people in mindfulness and wellness while not respecting my own body. I felt like a fraud.

The night before I started my challenge, I drank nearly two bottles of wine, blacked out, got sick and woke up a complete mess. My spouse asked why I felt the need to drink like that. I didn’t have an answer.

Taking the first step

I started with the 28 day challenge. The timing turned out to be incredible, because I was about to discover that we had fallen pregnant a few weeks earlier.

I needed this challenge to work for so many reasons. I expected to feel better, but I had no idea how much better I would feel almost straight away. My goal was to create a more authentic life – one where I wasn’t just talking about mindfulness and wellness, but actually living it too.

My experience going alcohol-free

Those first weeks were not easy.

I felt triggered when I was cooking.I felt triggered when I was bored.I felt triggered when parenting was frustrating.

But I rode those moments out and stayed true to myself. I even went away for a long weekend with my husband and stayed alcohol-free.

Yes, my pregnancy was extra motivation – but this time sobriety was about more than my growing baby. It was about me. It was about my health. That realisation was a big surprise.

The biggest lesson for me has been this: once you stop drinking, you see how useless alcohol really is. It solves nothing. It only creates anxiety and problems. My drinking had definitely got out of hand, but the truth is the same – alcohol is terrible for our health.

What I’ve gained alcohol-free

Since I stopped drinking:

• My energy has increased dramatically

• I have more patience with my children

• My skin looks healthier

• My mental health has improved significantly

Now that I’m living in a way that feels authentic and healthy, my anxiety has reduced. I feel more peaceful. I also feel stronger, knowing I’ve done something so challenging that many people never even attempt.

Support from OYNB

The daily emails have been amazing, especially at the beginning.

I had already started journaling when I first began dealing with anxiety a few years ago, so the self-reflection that OYNB encourages really suited me. The videos, full of reminders about the benefits of what I was working towards, helped keep me on track.

The Facebook community has been a lifeline. Realising just how many people felt like me, and seeing how many were struggling in similar ways, made me feel supported instead of alone. Everyone treated me with kindness and encouragement – that was huge.

Shame could easily have sent me back to the wine bottle. Instead, the group lifted me up, and now I try to do the same for others.

What comes next

I’m on day 93 of 365 and I can feel the behavioural change. The cravings are far less frequent. I understand the benefits of this lifestyle better than ever.

My baby is due in early August, and I’ll still have about two months left to hit my “one year without beer” milestone. I want to reach that year and then decide what comes next. Maybe moderation, maybe not – I don’t need to decide that today.

For now my focus is simple: I want to be the best version of myself for my children. I want to remember bedtimes and story times. I want to show them how good it feels to be healthy and to inspire them by how I live.

Why I recommend OYNB

I would absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend OYNB to anyone, at any stage of drinking.

That’s one of the powerful things about this community: some people are occasional drinkers who just want to take a break; others have been drinking heavily for years. But everyone who signs up does it with the same goal – to improve their life and be healthier.

It is, quite honestly, the best thing I could have done for myself.