Celebrating 1 Year Alcohol-Free

We’ve tackled lots of topics here in The Nourishment Lounge, some very personal to me and my health journey. Today, I want to share that I’m celebrating my 1-year anniversary of being alcohol-free!

Alcohol had always been a part of my life. Growing up, my father was a heavy drinker, yet my mother didn’t drink at all. By the time I was 14, my friends and I were sneaking booze from our parents’ liquor cabinets. Drinking was fun, social, and freeing, and we had lots of fun during our high school years. I ended up at Arizona State University for college, and enough said there… the drinking continued very heavily. My early 20s were filled with happy hours with friends from work and weekend drinks. I never felt addicted to it or like it owned me, but as much as I hated the taste, I loved the feeling of being buzzed.

As life changed, so did my habits. I quit cold turkey during my two pregnancies and really didn’t drink much while my kids were young. We’d have girls’ nights on occasion, but it wasn’t a nightly thing for me then. I was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom for 5 years, and always on the go with the kids, so there was no room for drinking and hangovers.

Fast forward several years: The kids got older, and wine made its way into my life. Again, as much as I didn’t like the taste, I chased that feeling because “I deserved it,” right? Unfortunately, I was never a one-drink person, so one glass turned into three most nights. Then perimenopause came along though I didn’t know the term at the time. I’d never heard of it, but something was off; my body couldn’t process things the same anymore, and I couldn’t shake the hangovers.

There was no rock bottom, or sneaking drinks. It was just the acknowledgment that I consistently felt like crap. The realization hit that alcohol no longer served me. I started drinking less and less, and by 2023, I was barely even drinking once a month, pretty much only when we went out with friends. In 2025, I made the conscious decision to give it up entirely, as it seemed stupid and pointless to even drink at all. There were also several things I’d learned about alcohol that I just can’t unlearn, proving the point to myself even more.

My identity now is simply that I do not drink. Not at weddings, parties, or funerals… literally, I do not drink alcohol. And I love it. I’m clear-headed every morning, even January 1st and the morning after the Super Bowl. I’m laser-focused on my coaching clients and helping them achieve their goals. And I’m looking forward to remembering all the conversations I have for the next 50 years with my adult kids, husband, and everyone I love.

This year has been surprisingly simple in many ways. I’ve loved the slower mornings with my coffee, dogs, and the Bible, laughed harder at family stories without the haze, and found new ways to unwind naturally. The decision has brought a lightness, like clearing a path I didn’t know was cluttered, and it’s reminded me how powerful small, intentional choices can be in midlife, when our time and attention feel so precious.

If you’re reflecting on similar habits or just curious about letting go of something that’s run its course, know it’s okay to take it at your own pace, there’s grace in the process.

What’s one intentional choice you’ve made lately that’s lightened your load? Share it with me if you’d like; I love hearing your stories. Here’s to lighter paths ahead. Thank you for being part of mine. 😊