About 9 months ago I decided to try “Sober October” as I knew I had made alcohol too big of a habit in my life. I am health conscious with the food I eat, but somehow, alcohol always got a free pass. I often didn’t want to consider the harmful effects nor did I want to count the calories when I was on a weight loss streak (which is a daily challenge).  I committed to Sober October and signed up for The Sober School’s 6-week class called “Getting Unstuck” on Facebook. I liked Kate Bee’s attitude about drinking and I did not consider myself anywhere near a candidate for AA. I just wanted to take a break. Much to my surprise,,. 9 months later I have been alcohol-free. This is a personal spiritual journey:  being conscious in every moment of my life, of handling stress head-on, of celebrating the fun in life socially and emotionally without raising a  glass of champagne or sharing a bottle of wine with friends. It is sitting on the patio on a sunny evening with a sparkling glass of Pellegrino, being awake and aware and feeling optimally healthy.  The belief system around being alcohol-free is that life will be less fun, that we will always long for a drink, but I found this to be the opposite for me. Life is better without alcohol, in more ways than I will write about now. If you are curious about trying the path of giving alcohol a break, you can message me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/gailmanahanauthor  or email at [email protected]. I am happy to support you if you are “sober curious.” Cheers!