6 Years Sober: What I Know for Sure

Six years.

Sometimes I still can’t quite believe it.

What I know for sure is that quitting alcohol is a journey like no other. It takes you to the depths of who you really are — the good, the bad, and yes, the slightly messy bits too.

Over time, your world doesn’t shrink without alcohol — it expands. Time feels different. Days feel longer, richer, fuller. You notice the small things, the real moments. Getting sober is the ultimate life reset.

Six years on, I am so damn proud of how far I’ve come.

The Good: Living Life in Full Colour

Let’s start with the good part — because there’s so much of it.

Six years sober has given me everything I didn’t even know I was missing:

• Energy that lasts all day.

• Time that feels abundant.

• Clarity that cuts through the noise.

• Motivation to build a life I love.

• Better sleep, glowing health, and inner calm.

• New friends, new hobbies, new experiences — all built on connection, not cocktails.

There’s deep pride in walking this path in an alcohol-centric world — in standing firm in who I am.

I’ll never again feel that creeping shame or regret over what I said or did when drunk.
I’ll never again pretend to remember a conversation I’ve forgotten.
I’ll never again plan my weekends around hangovers or 3 a.m. wake-ups filled with anxiety and broken promises.

No more hangxiety. No more pretending. No more numbing.

Instead: peace, purpose, presence.

Sobriety has given me glowing skin, stronger boundaries, a healthier body, a calm mind, and a deep self-trust I didn’t know was possible. I feel aligned — like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

It’s been like going from living in black and white to living in radiant, glorious colour.

The Hard Bit: Feeling It All

Here’s the truth — sobriety isn’t all sunshine and affirmations.

When we quit drinking, we stop numbing. That means we feel everything.

The highs are higher — joy, gratitude, peace. But the lows? They can be confronting. Many of us used alcohol for years to dull the discomfort, so when we stop, we meet our emotions head-on for the first time.

And that’s where the work begins.

We have to face our feelings, understand our triggers, sit in the discomfort, and find healthy ways to cope. It’s messy and confronting — but it’s also incredibly liberating.

Life still happens. Grief, stress, challenges — they don’t disappear when you stop drinking. But facing them sober means you process them faster and move through them more powerfully. You come out stronger, clearer, and more grounded than before.

That’s the quiet magic of this journey.

The Reckoning: Creating a Life You Don’t Want to Escape From

The “ugly” part, if there is one, is the reckoning.

Sobriety holds up a mirror. You start asking yourself big questions:

Who am I without alcohol? What kind of life do I want to live? What am I running from?

You may find yourself re-evaluating everything — friendships, work, relationships, social life. And sometimes, that means letting go. Some friendships fade. Some people don’t understand. You might feel like you’re under a microscope, constantly justifying your “no thanks.”

It can feel isolating at first. But then something beautiful happens: you begin to attract people and experiences that align with who you really are.

You build a life you don’t want — or need — to escape from.

Do I Miss Drinking?

Everyone always asks me this.

No, I don’t miss alcohol.

A small part of me will always smile when I think of Young, Fun, Party-Girl Sarah — carefree, wild, dancing on tables. But truthfully, in my 40s, I was drinking like I didn’t want to grow up.

Letting her go was the most loving thing I’ve ever done for myself.

In her place, I found peace, purpose, and freedom. I found the real me — the one who doesn’t need alcohol to feel fun, confident, or alive.

Six years sober isn’t about what I’ve given up. It’s about everything I’ve gained.

And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Final Reflections

Six years ago, I could never have imagined how expansive this life could feel. The joy, the connection, the clarity — they’re not temporary highs anymore. They’re my everyday reality.

If you’re on this path, or even just curious, know this: it’s not about perfection. It’s about rediscovering who you are without the noise, the numbing, or the labels.

Sobriety isn’t the end of fun — it’s the beginning of freedom.

Ready to Begin Your Own Journey?

If something inside you is whispering “maybe it’s time…”, listen.

I’ve created a free guide — “How to Take a Break from Alcohol” — filled with the exact tools, mindset shifts, and steps that helped me start my journey six years ago.

✨ Download your free guide here and take your first step toward clarity, confidence, and freedom.

You deserve to wake up feeling proud of yourself — every single day.