My Sober Curious Journey (So Far)

Today I celebrate 100 days alcohol-free!

This one’s for my sober curious folks. The ones who’ve thought about taking a break from alcohol or maybe even stepping away from it entirely. If you’ve ever felt that internal nudge to evaluate your relationship with drinking, I get it. I’ve been there.

I grew up in a culture where drinking wasn’t just common, it was expected. Holidays, cookouts, family dinners…there was always a bottle being opened. Drinking was normalized in my world before I even knew what alcohol really was. And when it’s everywhere, all the time, it’s hard to recognize when your relationship with it might not be serving you.

For me, it was never about addiction. I wasn’t drinking every day, but alcohol had woven itself into how I coped, how I celebrated, and how I socialized. Whether it was managing anxiety after a long week or showing up in environments where “having a drink” was just what you did. Alcohol was always in the mix.

There were moments I pressed pause, like when I was training for a half marathon or doing Dry January. But those were short-term decisions with an end date. Lately, though, I started feeling over it. Not in a dramatic, “I’m never drinking again” kind of way, but more quietly, signaling a deeper shift. The hangovers that took three days to recover from. The mood crashes. The spike in anxiety. The subtle but undeniable feeling of misalignment.

The moment I knew something had to shift came during a 3-day cruise in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. My partner and I were celebrating his birthday and took full advantage of the cruise’s happy hour deal of buy two, get one free. Several drinks later, I’m on stage, belting out “Don’t Stop Believin’” to a room full of strangers. And honestly? It was so much fun. That memory, hazy as it is, still makes me smile. But the next morning hit differently. I woke up groggy, sluggish, and wiped out. I slept through most of the morning, missing activities we’d looked forward to. I looked at my partner and said, “I think I’m going to stop drinking.” And this time, I actually meant it.

I started with a set goal in mind of 90 days of sobriety. Just a quiet promise to myself that I shared with a couple of friends to hold me accountable. What surprised me most? How easy it was to remove it from my lifestyle. I think much of that is attributed to simply reaching my limit. I didn’t want to feel cloudy or depleted anymore. I was tired of the sleep disruption and the energy crashes. I was ready.

But around the 50-day mark, I met my first real temptation. I was at a nice beach, and that familiar thought crept in: This is the perfect time for a margarita. I realized how deeply I had associated certain places or moments with alcohol. A chill Sunday? That used to mean a glass or two of red wine. Poolside with friends? Bring on the cocktails and a day full of drinking. But once I realized those were just learned associations and not actual needs, I was able to create new rituals. I swapped wine for kombucha. I mixed sparkling mocktails with fresh fruit. I still let myself indulge, just in a different way.

And slowly, I started to notice other shifts.

Without alcohol in the picture, I naturally became more active. I moved my body more through yoga, long walks, and I even took up surfing. I spent more time outdoors. I meditated. I journaled. I wrote this blog post. I remembered things more clearly, not just memories, but how I actually felt in my body and mind. I slept better. My energy improved. My mood stabilized. The brain fog evaporated. 

The most important shift? My anxiety. It decreased significantly. I no longer felt like I was constantly on edge. I wasn’t chasing calm,  I was fully embodying it.

Another catalyst for this journey was a podcast episode, “What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health” by Huberman Lab (see episode below) that unpacked the effects of alcohol on a physiological level. It explained what I was feeling in a way science could back up. A few takeaways that stayed with me:

• If you’re a social or casual drinker, taking a break from alcohol for just 2–6 months can help reverse some of the damage alcohol does to the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, which affects decision-making, focus, and emotional regulation.

• If you’re a heavier or chronic drinker, healing might take longer, and some effects may linger, but the brain still has a powerful ability to bounce back. Research shows that those who begin drinking regularly between the ages of 13–15 are more likely to develop alcohol dependence, even if they have no family history of addiction. Meanwhile, those who wait until their early 20s to start drinking are less likely to develop dependency, even if alcoholism runs in their family.

• Even just one drink a night can disrupt your body’s stress system. When alcohol leaves your system, your brain compensates by releasing more cortisol, which we all know as the stress hormone, making you feel more anxious, edgy, and emotionally reactive on your non-drinking days.

That podcast gave me the push I needed to step back and reassess my relationship with drinking. It gave language to things I had been intuitively feeling but couldn’t quite articulate.

After 100 days alcohol-free, I can honestly say that I feel good. Really good. My energy is up, and my mind feels clearer than it has in a long time. I’ve started to trust myself more to make decisions from a grounded place rather than a reactive one.

Am I committing to sobriety forever? I don’t know. I’m not here to slap on a label or claim I’ve figured it all out. What I do know is that taking a break gave me space. It gave me clarity. And it reminded me that I can have fun, connect, and celebrate without alcohol in the picture.

So, if you’re feeling the tug to slow down or re-evaluate your relationship with drinking, let this be your gentle reminder that you’re not alone. You don’t have to hit rock bottom to make a change. Curiosity is a good enough reason to start.

Talk to me

Have you ever taken a break from alcohol, whether for a week, a month, or longer? What did you notice about your mood, energy, or overall well-being? I’d love to hear what your experience taught you about yourself in the comment section below.