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Ready to start your transformation?

Join thousands of others who have successfully changed their relationship with alcohol.

Life changing, magical and transformational – Phil Jordan

  • Writer: OYNB
    OYNB
  • Nov 17
  • 3 min read
Man in blue shirt holds Parkrun frame in Worsley Woods. Festive runners in background. Text: "Life Changing, Magical and Transformational."


I no longer wish to spend a single moment doing anything that doesn’t excite me or drive my passion


I joined OYNB in April 2019. I used to think of myself as a “typical drinker”:weekends, the odd weeknight, a few too many at parties – but nothing “serious”.

I worked hard as an NHS manager, paid my bills, took care of my responsibilities.So I told myself I’d earned the right to spend my free time however I wanted.

Over time, I realised the reality was very different.


When “normal drinking” isn’t so normal


My weekends usually started on a Thursday.


  • I drank heavily most weekends

  • I’d “allow” myself drinks whenever my team – or anyone’s team – was playing

  • Crushing hangovers could last up to three days

  • If I wasn’t hungover, I was usually drinking


On the surface, I was functioning. Underneath:


  • I was neglecting my responsibilities to my partner, children and family

  • I was physically present but rarely truly there

  • I lived with intense anxiety and low-level depression

  • Drinking behaviour kept reinforcing low self-esteem

  • My confidence, self-belief and motivation were being quietly eroded


Alcohol wasn’t just a weekend treat anymore; it was holding me back from my own life.


Seeing OYNB everywhere – and finally listening


OYNB kept appearing in my social feed, especially when I was hungover. It felt like a message I was trying hard to ignore.


I had already done 40 days alcohol-free the year before – and then fell back even harder.This time, I knew my willpower alone wasn’t going to cut it.


So I joined OYNB and committed to a 365-day challenge.

At first, my expectations were simple:


  • swap beer for diet coke

  • carry on life as usual

  • “learn to moderate”

  • become more “normal” around alcohol


I thought my life would stay the same – just without the booze.

What I actually experienced was life-changing, magical and transformational.


Realising I wasn’t alone


Inside OYNB I quickly discovered:


  • many people shared similar patterns and struggles

  • “normal” drinking covers a huge spectrum – and I wasn’t an outlier

  • others were also trying to survive in a culture where alcohol is the default

  • every occasion – from births to funerals – seemed to be wrapped in booze


That sense of recognition and relatability was powerful.I wasn’t broken. I wasn’t the only one.I was just finally seeing the problem clearly.


The benefits of going alcohol-free

“I am fitter now than I have been in 20 years.”

Over my alcohol-free year, everything started to shift.


Body and health


  • I lost two and a half stone

  • All my large clothes went, replaced by mediums

  • My skin became hydrated and clear

  • I slept deeply and restoratively – the kind of sleep I’d only dreamed of

  • I now run and cycle regularly

  • I completed two marathons in a single year


Mind and habits


  • I built a daily practice of meditation, affirmations and journaling

  • I added Yoga and Pilates into my routine

  • I developed a genuine thirst for self-development

  • I read widely in the self-help space and listened to podcasts

  • I started working through negative self-beliefs and childhood trauma


Life and relationships


  • My confidence, self-belief and motivation returned

  • I reconnected with myself and with the people I care about

  • I met incredible, like-minded people along the way


Finding a new purpose


The transformation didn’t stop with health.

“I am now training to become a Transformational Life Coach and will be dedicating my future to helping others realise their true potential and purpose in life.”

Sobriety gave me:


  • clarity about what truly matters

  • the courage to pursue work that lights me up

  • a deep desire to help others experience the same freedom

“I no longer wish to spend a single moment doing anything that doesn’t excite me or drive my passion.”

That’s no longer just a nice quote – it’s the way I choose to live.


The power of the OYNB community


For me, the most valuable part of OYNB has been the people:


  • those “in the arena”, showing up daily

  • the constant, unwavering encouragement

  • the openness and complete lack of judgement


At first, that level of support is almost overwhelming.But it genuinely has the power to change lives.


My relationship with alcohol now


Today:


  • Alcohol is firmly part of my past

  • I don’t buy it, pour it or drink it

  • I’m totally comfortable around people who do

  • I don’t judge anyone for their choices – I just know mine


I’ve realised:


  • I never actually needed alcohol

  • I am far more content, consistent and present without it

  • My relationships, passions and day-to-day life are all better without booze


Would I recommend OYNB?


Absolutely.

Whether you:



  • feel alcohol is a serious issue

  • simply want to change your relationship with it

  • or are just curious about what 28, 90 or 365 days off could do for you


OYNB can give you:


  • structure

  • support

  • and a genuine chance to build a life you’re excited to live.

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