Culture

Lessons from a Year Without Alcohol

Sylvia Benavidez

 |  Jan 5, 2026

Happy New Year! What started as a simple 365-day challenge —a personal test to see if I could go one year without a drink—unexpectedly turned into the most eye-opening experience of my life. After drinking most of my adult life, I thought I was just taking a break; instead, I was taking off a blindfold to see how beautiful things really are on the other side.

Here are some lessons I learned along the way……

• The “true work” begins. Without alcohol to numb the edges, you are forced to process your emotions and thoughts in their rawest form. It is challenging, but it is the most powerful and enlightening growth you can experience.
• “Because I wanted to” is a valid reason. People often struggle to understand why I stopped. You don’t need a tragic rock-bottom story to justify choosing a better life. You don’t owe anyone an explanation beyond that.
• Better health isn’t always a number. I didn’t lose a massive amount of weight, but the physical shift is undeniable. I feel better, my body functions better, and I’m much less stressed. If you drink often, alcohol is causing your anxiety whether you want to admit it or not.
• Clarity redirects your energy. Every morning, the focus is there. That mental energy has shifted away from “recovering” and toward what actually matters: maximizing time with the people I love. Speaking of….
• Hangovers are not normal. We need to stop glamorizing the cycle of poisoning ourselves and then suffering for it. Listen to your body when it cries for help.
• Socializing is a skill, not a chemical reaction. If an environment or a conversation is boring without a drink, it was probably just boring to begin with. You can have fun without it if you want to.
• Sobriety is a friendship filter. This year changed my perspective on “friends.” I realized many only valued me as a promoter for their interests. If you haven’t heard from them since you stopped drinking, they weren’t your friends—they were just your drinking buddies.
• If you are already thinking about it, it’s time. If you are even considering a long break or going sober, that thought is your intuition and body speaking. Listen to it.

Now that the year is up, the question I keep getting is, “Will you start drinking again?”

The truth is, this was never about going sober forever or keeping a perfect streak. It’s about the clarity I’ve gained through this one year challenge. Now that the blindfold is off and the path is clear, I finally have the power to choose and my decision now rests on a simple standard: is the drink truly worth the trade-off, and is the moment better served by being 100% present? For the first time, that choice is entirely mine to make.

If you feel stuck in the same old cycle and need a supportive place to turn, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here with an open heart and a helping hand for anyone ready to explore a different path. You can find me anytime at Cheers@houstonbeerguide.com.