Why celebrate 365 Days? Because it’s a big f*cking deal! Sobriety isn’t easy. In fact, it’s amongst one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It’s not just about turning down a drink—it’s about facing every reason you wanted the drink in the first place. It’s about knowing I can and will never want another. This is incredibly hard in a world that links success with a glass of something fizzy. Finished work? Have a tipple. Someone having a birthday? Where’s the plonk? Death? Let’s get smashed. You know the score.
It’s also about accountability, at least for me. About recognition too. About staring in the mirror, liking the reflection at last. It’s also about sitting in the discomfort, the loneliness, the cravings, and saying “not today.” Every single day of sobriety is important to me, and they all deserve to be celebrated—because they’re hard-won. But 365? That’s a full year of firsts without alcohol. First sober birthday. First Friday night in and out where I didn’t “just have one.” First time I sat with my emotions instead of drowning them. First time I faced down a craving so strong I thought I’d cave—and didn’t. This day isn’t just a marker on the calendar. It’s a reminder of every hard-fought decision, every tear, every moment I almost gave in but didn’t.
Why This Blog? Why Now? I’ve started and stopped, like my drinking, multiple times. I almost started writing this months ago. Back at day 100, when I felt invincible. Again at day 200, when I almost relapsed and felt like a fraud. And again at day 300, when I realized that sobriety wasn’t a straight line—it was a messy, tangled, backward-forwards dance. But today felt right. Not because I’ve got it all figured out. (Spoiler: I really don’t.) I’ve hit a point where I want to start telling the story. And like all good stories, this one won’t be linear. I want this blog to unfold like Stuart: A Life Backwards. It starts here, at 365 days sober, and peels back the layers that got me here. The highs and the lows. The relapses I almost had and the trauma I drank to forget. The moments I felt brave. The moments I felt broken, and everything in between. It won’t be tidy. It won’t be perfect. But it’ll be real.
This Is My Journey – But It’s Personal for Everyone.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this past year, it’s that sobriety looks different for everyone. We all have our reasons. We all have our stories. Some people find sobriety through community and connection. Yet, I found it on my own. I white-knuckled my way through Friday nights and avoided the wine aisle. I convinced myself that I didn’t need alcohol to be brave, to feel loved, or to survive. And now? I’m starting to believe it.
This blog isn’t about telling you to get sober. It’s not advising anything about how to get sober. It’s not a guidebook. It’s just my story—told backwards, forwards, and sideways. It’s a place where I’ll share and continue to figure things out along the route. I’ve been discovering it’s a constant learning experience. If this space does resonate and help you, well that is just an amazing bonus.
What Comes Next? Brain dumps probably. Honesty. Openness. This to me is some scary ass sh*t. An over-sharer of tosh mostly, being honest and bare to the world is frightening. I aim to keep peeling back the layers. “This is what it really looked like.” I aim to share about the underlying reasons for my own drinking. and why they made sense at the time. The trauma I numbed. The messy process of finding my voice again—without the wine. The moments I almost gave in. And the moments I realized I never needed the drink in the first place. Because 365 days sober isn’t the end of anything—it’s just the start of everything else.
Thanks for being here. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just along for the ride, I’m glad you’re here. And if you’re wondering if you can do this too? Maybe? Sure? Only YOU will know if an when if that is for you. It’s hard. It’s messy. But it’s possible. Me and thousands of others are proof. One “Not for me, thanks” at a time.
Not For Me, Thanks 
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