Celebrating 3 Years of Sobriety

Hello beautiful community,

I hope you all enjoyed this week’s class on the solar plexus chakra💛 This chakra is located just above our belly buttons and represents personal power, confidence, and self-esteem. When it is not aligned, you may feel doubt, low self-worth, or a lack of motivation. When balanced, you feel empowered, confident, and capable of shining your light fully.

This week’s intention: I embrace my inner power and radiate confidence

For me, this intention can feel like a big statement - sometimes hard to say out loud. But like most things in life, it’s about practising it until it feels real… a little bit of fake it till you make it!

When your solar plexus chakra feels out of balance, try core-focused yoga poses, energising breathwork, affirmations, journaling about your strengths, or practising healthy boundaries to realign your energy and restore confidence.

3 Years of Sobriety

This week marks three years of being sober, and I’m very proud of this achievement.

Here’s a little about what led me to stop drinking.

When I was at university, I used to drink a lot. I believe much of it stemmed from the university culture. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol numbed my body and mind, which temporarily gave me relief from my fibromyalgia symptoms, a way of escaping the chronic pain I deal with daily.

After some time, my norm became drinking a bottle of wine most nights as pre-drinks, followed by lots of spirits. Eventually, alcohol stopped giving me relief and instead made my fibromyalgia worse, not to mention the two-day hangovers. Alcohol made me a version of myself I didn’t recognise and wouldn’t have wanted to meet.

After an appointment with my doctors regarding my fibro, I was asked how many units of alcohol I drank weekly. I estimated about 50+ units, while the recommended weekly amount was only 14. I was also told it was dangerous to drink while taking my medication. That day, I stopped drinking. And now, three years later, here I am.

What I’ve Learned

This journey hasn’t always been easy. By stopping drinking, I had to reassess my social life completely and what I considered fun. I definitely lost friends along the way, and there were moments I felt left out.

But over time, I’ve built such an amazing circle of people around me who remind me that I don’t need alcohol to enjoy myself. Your social life doesn’t have to revolve around drinking. I’ve discovered how much I love simple things like brunch with friends, doing crafts together, and meaningful conversations.

For the first year or two, I didn’t go on nights out, partly because of my fibro, but also because I was still adjusting. More recently, I’ve started going out again, and it’s been such a joy. And yes, I still proudly claim the title of best dancer in the group💃 (humble brag😂). People often ask if I’m drinking because I’m so full of energy, and I always smile and say no. I’m just genuinely having fun.

Reflections on Not Drinking

There have been times I’ve felt looked down on for not drinking, as though it made me less fun. But over time, I’ve learned that isn’t true. There are many reasons why people might choose not to drink, and none of them need to be explained to anyone.

I have felt peer pressure, but what’s helped me most is surrounding myself with the right people. In situations like work socials or meeting new people, it can be hard not to feel like you need “liquid courage.” What has made a difference for me is giving myself permission to just be myself and stepping back if something doesn’t feel right.

I’ve also discovered so many amazing mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks that make social situations feel fun and inclusive.

My Thoughts

For me, choosing not to drink has been life-changing. Whether you drink or not, it’s such a personal decision. What matters most is that it feels right for you.

Next week’s class, we will be moving on through the chakra series to the heart chakra ❤️, my favourite chakra, our centre of love, compassion, and forgiveness.

Comment below and let me know: what helps you feel your best self?

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See you on the mat next week,

Eloise x