The OYNB Blog

Start improving your quality of life with the OYNB blog. Packed with articles and inspiring stories to help you become the best version of yourself!

I could never have imagined how far I have come – Gemma Sheppard

My mental health has never been better, and many people around me turn to me for advice or as a source of inspiration on their own journeys I joined OYNB 90 day challenge to start in January 2020. This was also when I was set to move from Wiltshire, England to Hanoi,...

I wanted to break the cycle – Maartje Lute

Whenever I tell people about doing the OYNB challenge they are always a bit surprised. ‘But you don’t have a drinking problem, do you?’ ‘What did we miss’? ‘We know you like a glass of wine or two or a Gin Tonic, but was it that bad’? Well no it wasn’t that bad. I...

New Year's resolutions – How to set realistic goals and stick to them

It’s not always easy to stick to the goals we set for ourselves Even the best intentions can be left by the wayside as busy lives take over. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to increase your chances of success. There’s a difference between dreaming big...

I'm awake and living every moment – Lee Owens

One of the hardest things I have done in my life, but also one of the most transformative and meaningful. I had been a drinker from about the age of 14. As I got further into my 30s I was drinking almost daily, a few drinks as a matter of habit and the main way I...

Help prevent loneliness and spread a little joy this Christmas

Christmas is the season of joy, gift-giving and... loneliness? Christmas and the festive season can be a magical time filled with family and friends getting together to share food, presents and memories. But for some, this time of year only highlights a lack of...

My heart would swell with pride and gratitude – Kristin Fleming

On Christmas Day, 2020, I began my day with mimosas at 8:00 a.m. Throughout the day and evening, I drank wine on a consistent basis. This wasn't that unusual from any other day at this point in my drinking career. Always needing more, and never having enough. I...

Christmas drinking peer pressure: tips and advice for cutting back

Dreading the pressure to drink this festive season? Worried about temptations? We’re here to help Andy Williams famously crooned that the festive season is ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but for those of us keeping away from the booze, Christmas is awash with...

Oh my gosh, how I have changed! – Tina Hyder

I wanted to know how it felt to earn OYNB - what would my life be like with a year without hangovers or drunken foolishness and better health? I was a weekend binge drinker who had slowly turned into a daily drinker plus binging on the weekends who was slowly turning...

Positive psychology: Showing gratitude can increase happiness

Grateful, thankful, appreciative or pleased. How focusing on the positive can make you a happier person At this time of year it’s common for people to consider what they’re thankful for - but no matter what you celebrate, there are benefits to making time to express...

OYNB really does break the psychological cycle – Jayne Gomez

I have a lot of love and respect for myself because I make the time, effort and have the inclination to show up for myself every day I originally joined OYNB in April 2020 during the first lockdown when the 28-day challenge was being offered for free to those wanting...

Alcohol Awareness Week: Alcohol and relationships

Raising awareness around drinking It’s Alcohol Awareness Week (organised by Alcohol Change UK), and this year’s theme is alcohol and relationships. Makes sense, right? Alcohol and relationships are intertwined. Socialising with the people in our lives is exactly when...

I love life each and every day! – Lisa Jones

It’s beyond anything I could have imagined, I never knew you could live life without alcohol. Life before OYNB was very much like a treadmill. Wake up, do my daily routines, pour a big glass of Pinot Grigio at 5pm for both myself and my (now ex) husband and watch TV....

How to overcome FOMO

Don’t let FOMO (or fear of missing out) hold you back from alcohol freedom! We hear FOMO is one of the biggest reasons stopping people from getting stuck into an alcohol-free challenge - even when alcohol isn’t that appealing anymore. There is a big event coming up. A...