#Ocsober

My friend Nali doesn’t drink. At all. And he never plans to.When we go out to lunch, he sips on passion fruit and lemonade and has just as much fun as the drinker at the table. (That would be me.)

Nali doesn’t drink, and what’s more: He wakes up hangover-less every single day of his life.

While I’d be hard pressed to give up wine forever, the prospect of never having to feel like death warmed up the morning after the night before is pretty damn alluring.

I’ve had the ‘quitting alcohol’ conversation with quite a few people and the overwhelming consensus is confusion. And dread. Because being sober for the rest of your life seems to be one of the scariest things most people can think of.

I suppose the world can get a little much without something to make it blur around the edges every now and then.

Me? I love red wine more than I like most human beings but I’ve been known to give it all up for short whiles in search of better health and a clearer head.

I’ve detoxed, done #NoBoozeCrusades and just… Stopped. Because I just didn’t feel like drinking at that time in my life.

I even went as far as ending my love affair with beer forever after realising that it wasn’t very kind to me or my waistline. I loved beer. Almost as much as I love wine. But it’s been about a year and a half since our iconic mix of barley, hops and water has touched these lips.

And somehow… I’ve survived.

I didn’t spontaneously combust due to the lack of a drink constantly glued to my hand, I didn’t have any less of fun when I went out and I certainly didn’t spend money I knew damn well I shouldn’t have.

I’ve said no to the booze for weeks and sometimes months on end and while I may have missed putting my feet up after a long day at work and taking long, slow sips of wondrous wine, I survived.

And I’ll survive again.

I’ll survive the next month (or more) without the magic of Merlot or the sultry seduction of Shiraz because I’m taking on #Ocsober.

(What originally started as a campaign to promote healthy, booze-less lifestyles to Australian teenagers has now started trending worldwide as a way to ditch the booze for 31 days to be healthier, happier and well… Trendier. Because it’s all the rage, you know?)

For the month of October, I’ll be losing the booze, sipping water and juice and the occasional Red Bull instead and save a few hard-earned dollars in the process.

And what’s even better: My friend Martha is joining me on my quest.

Here’s to a month of no hangxiety, no hangovers and – hopefully – healthier bank balances.

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