For years, Cecilia lived a life dedicated to health and fitness and encouraged others to prioritise their well-being. But one thing didn’t align with her values: alcohol.

Cecilia didn’t drink often, but when she did, she didn’t like how it made her feel. It clashed with the lifestyle she professionally advocated.

Welcome to the next round—where we explore what happens after people evaluate their relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re a daily drinker or an occasional binge drinker, alcohol can affect your life in both physical and psychological ways. Can quitting open up new perspectives?

This week’s guest, Cecilia Shandeva, a Workplace Wellbeing Professional and Grief Recovery Specialist, proves that no matter where you start, social pressures remain the same—but cutting out alcohol can make a huge difference. While the physical benefits of quitting are clear, the biggest gains may come from the psychological transformation.

“Everything about drinking isn’t fully aligned with me, who I really am as a person.”

For years, Cecilia lived a life dedicated to health and fitness. She ran marathons, led group workouts, and encouraged others to prioritize their well-being. But one thing wasn’t aligning with her values: her drinking habits.

“I considered myself a social drinker, I’d go out maybe once a month, and sometimes I’d take a break for a couple of months. But then there were times, like around birthdays or Christmas, when I’d drink more than I planned. Even when I thought I was controlling it, I wasn’t.”

Despite drinking less frequently than some, the impact was undeniable. The hangovers, the anxiety, the lost days of recovery – Cecilia realised that alcohol was taking away from the life she wanted to live.

“If I went out planning to have one or two drinks, it would usually end up being more. I was waking up feeling awful, regretting the night before, questioning my decisions – even if I hadn’t done anything particularly bad.”

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