What you think about when you stop drinking

I had promised myself not to participate in Dry January (alcohol-free seemed much more fun), but as things sometimes take hold of you (I also notice that I reach for the vegetable alternative much more often due to the anti-meat police), I suddenly found myself truly alcohol-free. Already two whole weeks. Time to pick up the net. Just in case you feel like it too: so you know what you get in return.

1. Sleep

I always said that I slept so much better with a little drink in my belly than without, but that's just not true. Okay, maybe the first night and the second night too, but now it seems like I've been promoted to the advanced class of the sleep association. I sleep deeply and soundly and dream like crazy.

2. The habit

I wasn't Bonnie St. Claire, but I was a habitual drinker. Just like I was a habitual smoker. Or a social drinker. In me, you always have a drinking buddy nearby. Or had. It's not like I would order a soda at a New Year's party. I still don't do that. The idea that it's only really fun with a glass with a little umbrella was deeply ingrained in my brain. A weekend without alcohol, I couldn't imagine it. But now I've had three weekends without alcohol and they were great fun. A bad day was an instant cue to fill a nice glass in the evening. I don't even think about it. A, oh, itch and tickle, nice glass of tea is just as nice.

3. The alternative

Did you just throw up from my previous paragraph? Well, welcome back. Because of course, I'm not completely done with the Blue Knot Foundation. Sometimes you want a party in your glass. Last week I had a bite with my beloved at Soho House and at the moment I really started to find it a bit too much, the waitress came with the best news of the month: Seedlip gin. So that's alcohol-free gin. Okay, it doesn't taste like gin, but it has a bite. And it looks festive. A few big ice cubes, a nice glass, a slice of orange, and girl, we are out.

4. The glass bin

I used to go there with my collar pulled high, now it's a cheerful walk. The only things going in are bottles of Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic and an empty bottle of olive oil. Unprecedented.

5. Additional benefits

I now always take off my makeup in the evening. The dishwasher is neatly emptied before I go to bed (after two glasses of wine, I don't feel like doing that anymore), I can't say that I don't fall asleep, but I do so less quickly. I watch movies from A to Z. In the morning, you immediately stand next to your bed. You stay up longer. That's also what I really enjoy about drinking: sometimes I want to switch off. But well, if I'm up, I might as well make myself useful. And I haven't even mentioned what I save in a month. So it could be February 1st a hundred more times tomorrow, I fear I will keep going.