“No judgement, only acceptance, love and support” – Kerry Mulholland

For me, there was no defining moment that led me to address my relationship with alcohol. No pouring vodka on my cornflakes in the morning, no hiding bottles around the house. Like millions of people in their 40s, drinking had become more regular — and once the bottle of wine was open, it would be gone, with another on standby “just in case”. Who was I kidding? That one would be half gone too.

I spent my 20s and 30s binge drinking, partying hard, drinking most nights of the week. I could make any occasion a reason to have a big drink to celebrate or commiserate.

It wasn't all fun and games

I piled on the weight. It became an effort to be the party girl. I was riddled with self-doubt, low self-esteem, anger, and bouts of depression. I’m not saying booze was the sole reason, but it certainly contributed to my mental-health issues.

I went for counselling to work on my self-esteem. During those sessions, I would say, “I wish I didn’t drink.”My counsellor replied, “OK, so why don’t you not drink?”

I think I looked at her like she needed counselling. Stop drinking? Was she mad? I dismissed the idea as crazy talk and busied myself with mindfulness, walking, yoga — anything but give up booze.

Previous AF attempts

Over the last year or two, I had completed Dry January, and the following year I stayed sober from January to March. Then it was my birthday. I drank a huge amount of red wine and made an absolute arse of myself. Well done, me.

Clearly, I hadn’t learned my lesson. I needed to drink like a normal adult with a “stop drinking” button. I kept returning to the counsellor’s words: “OK, so why don’t you not drink?”

I wanted a different life — to fulfil my potential, remove self-doubt, challenge myself, and feel like I was really living, not just existing.

Finding OYNB

I was drunk one Friday night (standard) and signed up for a 26-mile charity hike. I knew I couldn’t do it if I kept drinking.

This is when I found One Year No Beer. I’ll be honest — when I realised I had to pay to give up drinking, I hesitated. But then I worked it out: I’d been spending far more on booze and cigarettes, so why not? I had nothing to lose.

The support from the start was amazing. Daily emails, videos, and once I joined Slack and Facebook, the support network just blossomed. No judgement — only acceptance, love, and support.

Soon after joining, I agreed to attend an OYNB social event. This was a huge deal for me. Meeting new people sober was nerve-racking, but I didn’t need to worry — everyone was friendly, open, and happy to share their experiences. I was proud of myself for overcoming my first challenge.

My AF benefits

As a woman in my 40s, I had become used to being overweight, having ageing skin, dark circles, and piling on night cream hoping it would help.

But there is no better skincare regime and no better diet than not drinking alcohol.

Within weeks, my skin was glowing. The dark circles were gone. In three months, I lost 18 lbs. Seriously — if you want clear skin and a waistline, step away from the wine bottle.

Other joys I’ve found in my alcohol-free life:

• reclaimed weekends

• long hikes in the countryside

• dog walks and gardening

• learning new skills like sewing

Most importantly, I’ve regained my self-esteem and my mental health. I know who I am and where I want to be — and that’s better than any bottle of wine could ever be.

I won’t pretend it’s always easy. People might call you boring or try to tempt you. But true friends — the ones you really need — show their true colours. You may be surprised.

To anyone thinking of going AF

When life throws you challenges, it’s hard to resist using alcohol as a coping mechanism. But I promise you: taking on the OYNB challenge is 100% worth it.

I simply could not have done this without the love and support of the OYNB tribe. They are the best there is.

So if you’re thinking about giving up booze and signing up for 28, 90, or 365 days, ask yourself one question:

Do you dream of a better life?

If the answer is yes, this is the first step toward making that dream a reality.