I’ve been writing about alcohol for quite a while now; about when I used to drink, why I stopped drinking, how it made me feel, the regrets and the shame, and the newly-discovered happiness and positivity that I have derived from sobriety.
Giving up alcohol has led me to thinking a lot about the meaning of my life, how to achieve and then maintain true happiness and how to feel the very best, and how to be the very best, that I can be. And so I’ve decided that 2013 is going to be a year of effort and experiments, a living test to find the secrets of inner serenity, wellbeing and happiness – and I thought I would share my findings with you. 
Life isn’t about being dealt the best hand – it’s about doing the best you can do with the hand that you’ve been dealt. This year I want to discover all my cards, and work out how to play them to the best of my ability.
I’m focussing on the spiritual, physical, mental and social aspects of life because I believe that true happiness comes from within, not from without. I think the world we live in often places too high a price on the shallow and the irrelevant, failing to realise that what is just under our noses is often the source of the greatest joy; cooking and eating wholesome meals together as a family, creating something out of nothing, working towards and then reaching a personal goal, spending quality time with family and friends, learning how to be more mindful and appreciative of the small stuff, letting go of anxieties about the things we are helpless to change, being kind and helpful to people we don’t know, and to those we do, having adventures, seeking out new experiences, being community-spirited, and finding space in busy days to have ‘me time.’
From now on, I’ll use this space as a record of everything I do that counts towards reaching my goal of seeing all the cards I’ve been dealt, and how to play them as best I can. This journey of self-discovery that began when I woke up one day in April 2011 with THE worst hangover known to mankind will be twisting and turning for a while yet, I hope. Now that I’ve cracked the alcohol, I’m going to channel my efforts into being the best sober ME that I can be…and I’m starting with MEDITATION.
Read about my very first meditation class in my next blog…
My journey, from wine lover to sober and happy... 
Fantastic Lucy, I really look forward to reading this as you explore, I’m trying to do some of the same things.
Take care xx
Thanks Sue – must be something about giving up alcohol that is making us seek out even bigger and better things. Keep me updated of your progress….
Best Wishes, Lucy x
Good for you Lucy – I am on a similar journey focusing on meditation, yoga and I have added in attending Quaker meetings – refocusing on relationships and how I can help the world, the joy of a shared lovely meal and opting out of the race to have things – because it doesn’t bring happiness and we can live without. I have been reading around the voluntary simplicity topic and there is alot of evidence to show that simplifying life leads to an ability to develop spirituality – and vice versa. Lets enjoy the journey – I am in the next carriage along!
xx
Hi, that makes a lot of since, that simplifying life leads to heightened spiritual awareness. Our days are so crammed full of stuff that in the end seems pretty irrelevant – for me it is definitely time to focus on the important stuff.
Good luck with your journey, and let’s compare notes 🙂
Lucy x
Look forward to your future posts on this topic I have been trying to move in this direction too esp with meditation! Wonder is it an age thing I’m 36
thx Kathryn x
Hi, I think age has a lot to do with it for me. My sense of mortality really kicked in when I reached my mid thirties and I just couldn’t stand the idea of not finding a way to maximise my life, whilst I’m still young (ish!) and fit enough to do all the stuff that I want to do. Giving up alcohol just made that even more clear – I appreciate my life so much more now that I’m not living amidst that fog. I’m so glad that I gave it up and got this clarity and now I really want to make the most of it.
Thanks for your comment – I hope you find the stuff that I plan on writing about in the future helpful. All the best, Lucy x
Good for you! Looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
Hi thanks for your comment. I hope you enjoy reading about my quest for self-improvement! Lucy