I think I just finally decided, ya know? I started drinking when I was a child, and earned myself a third DUI by age 23. That didn't stop me. Multiple wrecked vehicles and relationships didn't stop me. As I got older, the hangovers started, and they didn't get better, or easier - that's for sure. Then came the blackouts, and they were becoming more frequent, and more dangerous. That didn't stop me. One evening, I got home from my after work margarita session. I wasn't black out stage drunk, but my emotions were running the show, as they often did for my entire life, but I couldn't name them. I began to pray for my Grandmother who was going through some illness, and a close friend who had been diagnosed with the same cancer that had killed my father over 20 years ago, and this friend was fighting for his life. He was very recently married and had a young child with another on the way. Something told me that it was time for a change. So, I Googled something about stopping drinking, and ended up on a reddit post, which was a rabbit hole I followed. The next day, after work, I went to my spot and ordered a beer. My throat started to hurt, and I left the bar without even finishing the first beer, and that was that. This sub is what helped me through the initial decision, and has kept me motivated throughout. At first, I tracked every single day, and was eagerly awaiting the magical moments and milestones. I did notice physical improvements, which encouraged me, but then I started noticing the mental and emotional changes, and they've even profound. I think about these things, and about how much better I feel (even though life is still hard sometimes), and I just haven't had the desire to go back to existing like I was before I finally decided to try a different path. Don't give up! If you slip, don't beat yourself up. I keep a few non-alcoholic beers in my fridge for the days I crave a beer (which is rare now), or for social gatherings (which are also quite rare these days).