Yesterday—Christmas Day—marked 365 days, a full year of giving up alcohol. In this video I share why I set that challenge in the first place, and it’s not coming from a “look at me” place. Several years ago my dad passed due to alcohol abuse, and it’s something that’s been in that side of my family. The weird part is after he passed, even though I was never much of a drinker, I started drinking more—probably to numb the pain or feel closer to him—and year after year it slowly ramped up. Last year I noticed I was forming habits I didn’t like: drinking on days and at times I shouldn’t, and not liking the version of myself that showed up when I drank. I wasn’t an alcoholic, but I could see the trajectory, and that scared me enough to draw a line in the sand. I quit on Christmas Day, which meant going straight through New Year’s and my birthday—so yeah, it was hard—but I wanted to prove to myself I had the willpower to say no and stick to it. The biggest takeaway: my life improved in every way, and finishing the challenge made me realize I don’t think it stops at a year. If you’re struggling with any vice—alcohol, food, working out, whatever—I’m telling you: you have more control than you think. Make the decision, stick to it, and if you need encouragement, DM me.