My theme for 2025 was meant to be all about my health, with a focus on improving it. The best way I saw to achieve this was committing to a fully alcohol-free (AF) year.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was certain it was necessary for all sorts of reasons. In January, I fully committed and completed Dry Jan—even navigating a close friend’s wedding without caving to the free wine and late-night bar. It turns out I can do it. Waking up in the hotel with a clear head, no hangxiety, and ready to drive home was a lightbulb moment. This is how life could be.

But February has been a different story. A work event felt like a well-earned reward for getting through Dry Jan, and just like that, the goal of a completely AF year was over. The last two weekends, I’ve gone out and had a drink, and with that came the hangovers, bad decisions, and anxiety. It feels like I’m back at square one. But—I’m not giving up.

Technically, I’ve been AF for 45 out of 48 days, which is a huge improvement on last year. That’s something to be proud of, even if it hasn’t been perfect. I’ve realised that for this to truly work—like any new habit—I need to be intentional and have a plan.

The streak has restarted. My goal now is to beat my last streak of 35 days and remind myself how good I felt in January.