Why I’m Celebrating and Going Sober This October
We all know I like any excuse for a celebration. As this month is all about celebration, I wanted to create some space for a conversation about a topic very close to my heart, a difficult conversation, that I believe is a great cause for celebration. How does celebrating and Sober October go together, I hear you say?
Bear with me…. Sober October is the time of the year – very much like Dry January - when some drinkers part ways with alcohol to either give their bodies a break or raise awareness for a charity that they support, for me, this year, it is MacMillan Cancer Support.
It’s not just about the abstaining from my tipple of choice, or an excuse to raise money for charity. To me, Sober October is about celebrating the positivity of life, of all the many survivors, and the lives and strength of those still fighting. Supporting and celebrating the positivity and fortitude of the nearest and dearest, friends and family, and supporting these journeys. It’s about the importance of checking in with yourself, with the blessings in life.
Sober October, to me, is about celebrating life itself!
Cancer has touched the lives of all of us in some way, be it through friends or family or just by helplessly watching those around us support their loved ones. It’s heart-breaking and devastating and we all need all the support we can get.
The impact lockdown and COVID-19 has had on the cases of early diagnosis and the quality of life for those undergoing treatment, has been catastrophic. I can’t begin to comprehend how frightened and angry all our friends and loved ones must have been when they receive that dreaded information having done everything they can to support the nation in its survival. A million thoughts must have rushed through their heads.
“Anything is possible, when you have the right people there to support you”
So, by going sober this October, I want to do what I can to give back and honour their journeys.
I know that 31 days isn’t a long time, but if you know me then you know that this is no small challenge and commitment. Breaking habits, catching up with friends and co-workers and finding new ways to do this, instead of the cosy sofa next to the fire and a board game in the local pub, has been a whole journey in itself.
While I am very much looking forward to a tipple in my local in November, the life lessons I have picked up from this month, and the solidarity I have seen in friends and family along the way, has grown roots in my every-day life, and will stay with me beyond October.
Raising money for MacMillan Cancer Support has given me the opportunity to while heartedly honour and celebrate life in some way, however small, every day. It’s a reminder to slow down, appreciate life, live in the moment, and to take and make time to do the things we love and spend time with the people who bring us happiness.
I believe that this is an opportunity to create a healthy new habit and that going sober this October can be a gateway to making more positive life decisions, to getting healthier, both mentally and physically. Because - as Chuck Pagano once said - “if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything”.
You all know me, and how utterly blessed I am to be able to do what I love, to be able to have and enjoy and celebrate through my creativity bring me so much joy- I know, what a cliché, but it’s true! Waking up every morning, full of ideas for my creative storytelling adventure makes me feel alive and being sober certainly boosts my creativity.
I savour all the opportunities and obstacles this job throws at me, which helps me be more present in other parts of my life too. This month has been my very own reminder to take a step back, admire what I’ve achieved and be grateful for all the fantastic steps in my creative journey that have brought me to this point today.
So, when you’re booking in your Christmas drinks over the next few weeks, spare a moment to think about all your wins, all the small moments full of life, that have brought you to this point, and celebrate!
Celebrate the air in our lungs, the love in our hearts and the joy each smile can bring to those around us! And most of all, let’s celebrate and support the positivity of those who face the fragility of life head on.
Please help me, help them and donate as much as you can spare:
