I had always harboured a desire to go travelling and see some of the world. I also wanted some time out to focus on myself and find out if there was a better version of me that I would be happy to live with.

The problem was I had no money. I had been a single parent for a long time and no matter how hard I worked or how good I was at my job, there was only ever ‘enough’ money in the bank.

This meant that my dream to go travelling stayed exactly that.

I can see clearly now that, back in 2012, my lifestyle was a massive contributor to my drinking. Working in a stressful job and taking on other responsibilities meant I had no time for myself and was always living on the edge of extreme stress.

To try and redress the balance, I took two weeks off from my job where I loaded up on microwave food, snacks and lots of wine and vodka and lay on my sofa for two whole weeks.

I was out of my mind with stress and exhaustion.

The rest did help a little, but at the end of my first day back at work, I had another one of those conversations with my boss that drained the life out of my soul.

The next day, I handed in my resignation.

I had no job to go to and no real plan, but the relief I felt was wonderful, and I knew that, regardless of whatever might follow next, I would be fine.

Shortly afterwards, I decided that it was now or never to go travelling and within three months of quitting my job I had let go of my rented flat, sold everything I owned and stuffed the remains of my entire life into a backpack.

For the next 6 years, I travelled and worked in amazing places like India, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. I meditated, did some yoga and kept on drinking.

In 2017, I had been in Spain for about 12 months and had started thinking about finally going back home but I was terrified.

Thinking about going back to the UK in 2017 made me realise that I had gone travelling to find myself only to realise that I was still the same fat, miserable woman I had been when I had left in 2012!

I felt like a complete and utter failure and that my whole life had been a waste of time.

I tried to journal it out to see if I could conjure up an answer, but as I glanced back at the entries that were already there, I got the answer I needed.

Almost every day for months I had been writing about alcohol completely unconsciously. Good or bad, there was some commentary about my drinking, and I was horrified that I was apparently so obsessed with it.

At that moment, I decided to stop drinking. I spoke to a sober friend who recommended I try it for 30 days and see how I felt. What happened three weeks later changed my life forever.

I had gotten through the detox, which was a bit uncomfortable but manageable, and was beginning to enjoy the lack of pressure I had always put on myself every day, trying to decide if I was going to drink that day or not.

As I walked along a Spanish street, tears of joy suddenly started pouring from my eyes. I had the biggest, cheesiest grin on my face and I knew in that sparkly, clear-minded, spectacular moment I would never drink again.

My business was borne out of my realisation that sobriety can be the foundation of true, life-changing happiness and I wanted to share that with any woman who is ready to stop drinking and change her life for the better.

Today, I always have a clear vision of where I am going, and my sobriety is the firm ground I stand on. No one’s life is perfect and, of course, I experience life’s normal ups and downs.

BUT, in my core, at the centre of who I am, I always know that I am happy and all I had to do was stop drinking to achieve that.

I know that I sound ridiculously positive about being sober, but honestly, the way I see myself now is so radically positive that I would never risk losing this again by drinking.

I will never let go of the confidence I have, my improved self-esteem, my loving relationships, improved health — the list of positives is truly endless.

Much love always, Jules xx

I am now hosting my writing on the wonderful, ad-free, platform, Medium.com. You can read all my thoughts, ideas, tips and hints HERE.