What have you got to lose – more hangovers? – Leigh Lavery

Like most people, I found myself drinking more heavily and more regularly during COVID in 2020. I’d been a big drinker for most of my 20s and 30s and always felt it was just a normal part of being a sports-mad guy in Australia.

As I reached my 38th birthday on Christmas Day 2020, I realised I was feeling fat, frustrated, fatigued and fearful about the long-term health impact my drinking was having on me – and what that might mean for my family. It dawned on me that a lot of the “pressure” I felt in life – the same pressure that made me reach for a drink – was actually being amplified by alcohol itself.

I’d been curious about the idea of quitting for a while and had seen other people do it and experience major, life-changing benefits. I just wasn’t sure if I could do the same.

The turning point

On Boxing Day, while nursing a heavy hangover, I made a snap decision: I paid for the full-year OYNB programme and signed up on the spot. Luckily for me, a close mate from work had also been considering it. After a quick phone call, he joined me too.

My hope was simple: that taking a break from alcohol would bring real upside to the most important areas of my life – my family, my career and my health.

From “hoping” to actually doing

Since I stopped drinking, something surprising happened: all the “hope” disappeared.

I no longer just hope to:

• be a better husband

• be a better dad

• be a better friend

• be a better son and brother

• be better at work

• save money

• eat better

• get fit

• lose weight

Now, I just do it.

So far it has blown me away, the difference it has made to my life.

The benefits of going alcohol-free

I was already lucky to have a great relationship with my wife and two kids, but going alcohol-free has made our time together even better. Our weekends are no longer hazy, tired or written off by hangovers.

Physically, I feel great and much younger. I feel sharper and more “on my game” at work. My social life is a bit tamer, but I still have a lot of great mates I can spend time with without needing to get wasted. Our conversations are more coherent and a lot more meaningful.

If you’re considering a year off, I’d strongly recommend going for it. What do you really have to lose – apart from more hangovers?

My experience of the challenge

The first three to four weeks were the hardest. You feel like you’re changing a huge part of your life (quick hint: it’s actually not as big as it feels). The daily emails and exercises really helped me through that adjustment period – I’d recommend the programme for that alone.

Today, my relationship with alcohol feels completely different. I no longer see it as a fool-proof fix for stress or a magic ingredient for fun. Looking back, it feels more like an unnecessary burden that made simple things in life harder, less fulfilling and less enjoyable than they needed to be.

I’d highly recommend the programme to my friends. It has been genuinely life-changing for me, in the best possible way.