It's 8.30am in the Scottish Borders. The children are fast asleep, after staying up hours later than usual, and the grown ups are sleeping off the booze.
I'm feeling fabulous.
I threw a wonderful party last night, but this morning both the sky and my head are clear and even the kitchen is clean as a whistle as I washed everything up before going to bed.
How different from the decades of New-Year's-Days-of-Despair during the era of over-enthusiastic imbibing.
So, if you've found this page because your New Year's Resolution is to quit drinking - for a while or forever - then you're in the right place! If I can do it, anyone can.
I finally stopped drinking when, after years of trying to cut down, I realised that I had no other option. But I did it with a fairly heavy heart.
I realised that life would never be the same and that there were many events - such as New Year's Eve - which would always be (like myself) pale shadows of their former selves.
Well, as someone who's made it out the other side, I can tell you that it's true. Life will never be the same. It'll be WAY BETTER. More real, more technicolour, more manageable and more rewarding.
The first few weeks, and - let's face it - months, are hard but there is huge amounts of help in the sobersphere. You are NOT ALONE.
If you're after advice on how to get through Dry January then click here: Dry January
If you're still not convinced that quitting is a good idea, then click here: Reasons to Quit Drinking
If you're here because you think you may be an alcoholic, but you're not entirely sure, then click here: Are You an Alcoholic?
If you'd like a summary of my first year without booze then click here: 2015 - the Year I Quit Drinking
If you'd like to read my story from the beginning then click here: Mummy was a Secret Drinker
I, along with all the regular readers of this blog from around the world, am here to help you and am cheering you on. You are awesome.
2017 - a new year for a new life.
Love SM x
