Blogger speaking

Hi, I'm Kelly. 39 years old, English teacher, world traveler, book nerd and mother. I'm participating in Dry January, like so many others, to reflect on what alcohol actually means to me.

The social drinking actually started early, before the school party with the (raunchy) canei wine….then before going out for the drop shot and a walk in the woods. I remember that I found that very disgusting (still when I think about it), but I really liked the relaxed feeling you get from alcohol at the time. Suddenly talking to people and acting crazy was a lot easier. And every evening with a drink was an evening of adventure. But was it really because of the alcohol? No, but it seemed to make everything easier.

Fast forward to now and I've traded the breezer and vodka Red Bull for red wine. Delicious! With two kids it is especially nice in the evening to relax with a glass of wine when they finally sleep. But is it really that relaxed? Wouldn't it be better to go for a walk or read a book, or watch a movie? I started to wonder that more and more. The buzz of a glass of wine is wonderful, but there are many other ways to relax and I now want to find them again. That's why I participate in Dry January.

The first challenge came right away, a midweek Duinrell in a bungalow park. Super fun, but also tiring. And then the temptation is great to grab a glass of wine at the end of the day. But not drinking was a lot easier than I thought, even in the game hall / pub I ordered a nice coke zero. Which was also good, I think, because the next day 8 times in a row in the 'Falcon' (super fast roller coaster) would not have been a success with a hangover ...

So, so far so good…..but there will be more challenges, because soon the first birthday of this year will be a fact. I neatly indicated that I'm participating in Dry January, so 0.0 wine has already been achieved, super sweet. I'm looking forward to better sleep, more energy, better skin etc. etc. But for now I'm already proud, step one has been taken...... and on!!