Why I Stopped Drinking (Without Hitting Rock Bottom)

When you work in sales or client-facing roles, drinking isn’t just social—it’s part of the job. Dinners, events, late trains home, going to the hotel bar after dinner. A glass of wine here, a pint there. Nothing dramatic. Nothing reckless. But if you’re out two or three nights a week, the units start adding up before you even realise.

That was the rhythm I found myself in. And while I was never the guy stumbling out of a bar or chasing the last round (ok occasionally I was - but it certainly wasn't a habbit), I started noticing a different kind of hangover—one that crept in slowly.

Less energy. Less sharpness. Just… less me. It wasn't something that I felt was bad but I knew with an increased effort in my fitness and paying attention to my health things were starting to just not add up.

The Culture of Casual Pints

There’s this unspoken expectation: you drink to build rapport. You toast to new deals. You match the mood of the table. You do it because it’s what people do. And no one questions it—because, on the surface, it’s harmless. Throw in working in parts of Europe - it's almost expected.

But after a while, I started asking myself. Why.

Not in terms of damage or guilt—but in terms of presence, health, performance. I wasn’t an alcoholic. I didn't HAVE to drink and I didn't need a drink every night, and I could go a few weeks without one.... But when I did have a "few" drinks I knew I didn't feel good....

Over the last couple of years, health’s become more important to me—not as a project, but as a baseline. I’ve done the work to understand how my body responds to things. I’ve cut out foods that didn’t agree with me. I’ve started new routines. I’m trying to build a version of life that helps me feel sharp and steady.

And alcohol? It just didn’t fit anymore.

Not because I had a problem. But because I wanted to feel better than fine.

A family member has now been tee-total now for a few years and I talked a lot to her about it. How had she found it, how did she feel, what did it all mean. I knew after those talks it was the right thing to do. (Tracy runs for ladies the site https://soberglimmers.co.uk/ which is well worth checking out!)

Clearer Days, Better Nights

Since stepping away from drinking, I sleep better. I recover faster. I feel less tired (helped of course by Heights). I make better choices—not just in what I eat or how I train, but how I am at work. A promotion at the start of 2025 saw me have more responsibility - and more people to look after and I needed to be there for that. And on a practical level, I’m not paying £9 for a lukewarm G&T I didn’t really want in the first place.

I still go to dinners. I still meet clients, toast wins, and stay out when it makes sense. But now I drive myself home. I wake up with clarity. And that matters more to me.

I feared of course that my customers and clients wouldn't get it, and also perhaps I would lose that "sharpness" but actually on the first point it's been a interesting talking point. And the second yes - it's taken getting used to, but it's becoming not a problem!

One thing that’s made the shift easier? The quality of non-alcoholic beers right now is genuinely impressive. There’s real variety, flavour, and craft behind them. It’s no longer just a token warm bottle in the fridge—there are options that feel grown-up, social, and satisfying.

Free damm, in particular, has become a go-to for me. It’s crisp, refreshing, and—bonus—it’s gluten free. That ticks all the boxes. It doesn’t feel like a compromise, it feels like a proper beer!

On My Terms

That said, I’ve not decided to go teetotal for good. I’ll still have a drink from time to time—on a birthday, a special dinner, or when the moment feels right. But now it’s a conscious choice. Not a reflex. Not because I have to match the table, or keep pace, or “just have one.” I’m in control of the moment, not the other way around. That for me is huge.