On November 2, 2021, I was sitting in front of my laptop shaking, my finger ready to press ‘send’. I had written an email to my therapist to inform him I had made the profound decision to quit alcohol altogether and embark on a sobriety journey which I knew was not going to be easy.

I was shaking because by sending that email I was officialising my decision. The decision took me a while to action, and sending the email meant there was no going back to a place that was not serving me anymore. Now that I have the clarity to reflect on my journey and think of that moment, I must admit I was weirdly anxious. The unknown was both encouraging and scary. Quite scary, actually.

I could not conceive my life without alcohol. That was the scary part. However, here I am, three years later, celebrating what I now can be considered one of the most profound and bravest decisions I have ever made in my life.

Since becoming sober, I feel I keep getting inundated by good news. The benefits of sober living are countless in many respects to my well-being. As my therapist has told me a few times, I am living a life beyond my wildest dreams: psychologically, mentally, physically and even spiritually. 

I have spoken about all these benefits in previous pieces published here on GCN, and before delving into what I would like to outline and share with you this time, I would like to proudly say that I recently obtained a certification as a Mental Health First Aider with Mental Health First Aid Ireland. This is another achievement to add to my sober portfolio. And I am incredibly proud.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Marlon Jimenez-Compton (@marlife16)

One important aspect of the sober journey that is not talked about often is the financial freedom we gain from it. Drinking alcohol is expensive and when combined with drug taking, it’s even more expensive. If we really pay attention and do the sum, we spend a fortune. There’s no such thing as a “cheap night” if you are going to consume alcohol and/or other substances – which can often go hand in hand.

Even if we don’t go out and drink at home, as cheap as it might sound, every bit adds up. For example, let’s say you spend a tener every day on your preferred drink. That’s €70 a week; multiply that for a month and multiply that for a year. It is a massive bill. And this is not even counting when we do go out. Or Christmas, birthdays, weddings, holidays and every other occasion – which are many – that requires us to spend money going on the lash.

Author Sean Alexander makes a fantastic analysis on this topic in his book Sober On a Drunk Planet – The Financial Freedom of Sobriety – which I highly recommend.

In my own experience, this was an incredible realisation. I was amazed at how much I was spending on alcohol. Needless to say it has been a blessing to be able to enjoy the freedom from not having that extra huge bill. Now I can save more. I can invest my money in meaningful pursuits and achieve long-term financial goals. The clarity I have been enduring due to my sobriety has also enabled me to be better at financial decision-making, leading to a more stable and secure financial future, and this is another reason to be grateful about my decision to quit alcohol altogether three years ago.

This is a message I will continue spreading from every platform I have, including my radio show The Marlon Show on Dublin South FM. Check it out here.