The best gift is being present: a year of comments, connection and gratitude

In the midst of the festive season and as we prepare to close out another year, we at Hello Sunday Morning want to pause, reflect and celebrate you—our community. Over the last 12 months, our blog has been enriched by hundreds of comments from people just like you—taking the time to share your stories, your encouragement and your gratitude.

In this season of giving, we believe that one of the most precious gifts is simply being present—and through your thoughtful words and heartfelt reflections, you’ve done just that. Every comment, whether it’s an insight, a shared experience or a message of support, reminds us why we do this work and reaffirms the strength of our community.

Today, we want to acknowledge you. We appreciate you. We see you. And we celebrate you. As a special gesture of thanks, we’ve gathered some of the most inspirational, insightful, and encouraging comments from this year—words that not only capture the spirit of the season but offer guidance and motivation for the months ahead.

Is moderation possible? Mick shares his journey back to social drinking

• Love those lyrics, Mick. And your comment about getting through the post-work/ dinner time is so true. After that it is easy and I always feel grateful I didn’t succumb.
• Thanks for sharing your story Mick! I’m also in the process of changing my habits around relying on alcohol to manage stress. Giving up daily drinking frees up so much time & energy. Good on you for channelling that into music.
• I joined HSM in August 2014. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I was AF for almost 8 months. I posted every day, made a life long friend and have been able to drink in moderation. Sometimes I’m not always following the rules I’ve established for myself but have managed to stick to the ones that are the most important to me .
  It’s always good to see people who can take the moderation route with success.

Do you suffer from hangxiety? Here are some tips to help

• I could not agree more with this thought. I have been a regular but not heavy drinker for the last 20 years. I have always felt a slight background level of anxiety. I had got used to the anxiety. I didn’t associate the drink with the anxiety.
  This year I have stopped drinking for 44 days and now only drink 1 or 2 at social functions.
  I feel great, anxiety that I expected in challenging situations has gone, as has the background anxiety. The plus easily out weighs the not drinking.
  I was recently given a cancer diagnosis, unrelated to drinking, and while it doesn’t feel great to know that I have this serious threat to my existence, I am not experiencing the anticipated anxiety that I would have felt if I was drinking.
  Thanks for your work.
• Wow, there’s a name for this! I thought that was only me that experienced this super heavy anxiety combined with a hangover …. It’s quite comforting to know that its a “Thing ” and not just something specific to me ….
• Thanks for that insight. I stopped all alcohol a year ago. One of my reasons was hangxiety. No more of that! Feels so relaxing.
• Excellent to read very useful information and makes you stop n think.
• Glad to say goodbye to waking up with hangxiety. Unfortunately I’m waking up today to sore muscles from the gym, as alcohol free allows me to push harder than I could before!
• 100% get this. When I don’t drink I’m motivated, energetic, thoughtful, full of ideas, etc… when I drink, even one or two, my sleep is disrupted, I crave carbs, and just feel sluggish! I’ve come to realize the BRIEF euphoria experienced from drinking is not worth it the hangxiety of the next day! Drinking is a habituated behaviour.

“I wore my handbrake out” – Jamie’s story of perseverance and how he choose between abstinence and moderation

• Wow! Thanks so much for sharing Jamie. Your story is very inspiring. My younger care-free days were pretty much the same as you, however that little whisper in my ear about drinking is these days, more like a roar. I have been on the moderation path for a while now but absolutely feel it needs to be more. Love the alcohol free weeks then blow it up with a binge. Time to be kinder to myself which means I’ll definitely start listening to those podcasts. Helping me turn my weeks in months. Hopefully I’ll be writing a similar story to yours.
• Thanks for your story
  I relate to it.
  I’m trying to change my relationship to alcohol and like you say other people, like yourself, are great inspiration and help with my motivation.
• Thank you for sharing. I resonate with much of it. Well done
• Thanks for sharing your experience with this, especially the part about how many day ones you had. It’s really admirable that you kept going even though you had to start over. We all have something that makes us struggle with moderation and I really was able to relate to the illusion of control you talked about. It’s incredible and inspiring what you’ve accomplished.

Abstinence vs moderation: What’s best for you?

• That’s just what I needed to read. I do enjoy a drink but I have found myself drinking almost daily I definitely need to cut back. So my aim is no alcohol Mon-Fri. Sat after work and Sun afternoon will be my allocated drink days.
• I have had a troubled relationship with drinking.
  As a woman born in 1960 women’s drinking wasn’t as common or acceptable as it is now.
  In the past 20 years my drinking has increased in direct proportion with social catch ups with female friends being focused around having a drink.As someone who now understands that I have social anxiety, being social and drinking has meant excess, days list to recovering from a “big “ night and feelings of remorse and shame.
  I have been abstinent for 16 days.
  Not cracking open the Chardonnay when I cook dinner and the one , two , three glasses is a toughy.
  Not drinking when out with friends challenging.
  I haven’t felt any physical changes.
  I’m eating more.
  Psychologically I’m feeling boosted by my resolve and commitment.
  Early days.
  Abstinence or moderation.
  It’s going to take some time to find out.
• I would be interested to hear from people who have successfully combined periods of genuine moderation with prolonged periodic abstinence. What approach was taken to the moderation and how did they oscillate between the two?
• Well said. I appreciate the gradual approach you take. It inspires me that your site is a genuine helpful place.
• I have tried both. I have been abstinent for a while and was on a cruise recently and was surrounded by excessive consumption in all directions. I caved and had a few. I was in control. After the holiday, I continued with no drinking at all. I went to a wedding last weekend, however, and got completely black-out drunk. The slope is slippery for me. Back to abstinence, AGAIN. No alcohol at all is the only road for me, at least, at this present time.
  Thanks for being here. I am looking for more support and the attitude of HSM, is just the right balance of smart choices and support without being pushy about what only YOU can decide about your life.
• Thank you for existing. I feel like I have little support and it is helpful to hear these thoughts. I appreciate this very much.
• I learned that while I went for periods of total abstinence (2 months, 6 months) I always went back to heavy drinking and not moderation. It was a professional that pointed out and showed me total abstinence for life was my only way as I was and still am depended on alcohol. No alcohol for 3 years and replaced my booze money with gym membership.

“It changed me. It changed everything.” Fiona’s story of growth, understanding and empowerment

• Thankyou Fiona for such an inspirational article.
  I’d like to give meditation a try. Any tips on how to get started? 
• Fiona, I love this piece of writing. Your story resonated very deeply with me. I’m very happy for you that you have achieved this amazing life for yourself. Not beating yourself up during the time that it took to get to the moment you launched on this new life, that must be one of the hardest things when working towards creating change. I don’t drink a huge amount but I think it would be great for me to stop altogether because I can see the benefits for my life. You make these very clear for anyone. Thank you!
• Thank you for sharing your story Fiona. It has many similarities to my own. You are a source of hope and inspiration to anyone considering breaking up with alcohol.
• What an amazing and truly inspirational story. Thanks for sharing. I really like your words.
• What a great share. Thank you so much! Your story is so me. I am really struggling right now. I want to quit so bad, but can’t see a life without it at the moment. I think I’m reaching out which feels good. Once again, thanks for your story. 
• You are an amazing inspiration thank you.
• I feel so inspired after reading your story, especially in regards to meditation and your faith. I have been trying for years to moderate and control my drinking, but I have now come to the realisation that I need to completely abstain. Thank-you for sharing your story. I am determined to take my life back.
• Thanks for sharing Fiona. Your story is a powerful one that after reading it,I am having another go at giving up drinking. I read over your story when I need a little pep talk to keep going.

Chelle shares her path to enlightenment and healing

• Good on you. Very well put into words. Inspiring. Giving hope. I am just at the beginning of 10 years (for the 50th time).
  Thank you.
• Beautiful, thanks for sharing your story. I love that nature was a part of your healing.
• Congratulations. What an inspiring read.
• I enjoyed reading your story, thank you!
• What a great read…it makes all of us trying to make the change believe if you can do it so we can too.
  Thanks so much for sharing.
• Hello Chelle
  I am a beginner at giving up. AF from July but had a blow out last Friday. The guilt and anger at myself is unbelievable. I am on a discovery to replace the habit and try to be happy and deflect horrible thoughts. You have inspired me.

Stuart’s story: how alcohol lied to me…and it’s lying to you

• Great story Stuart. This really resonated with me as I realised there is more to gain than lose when being alcohol free.
  For those considering taking a break, just give it a go. One day at a time.
• Thank you Stuart for this well articulated and thoughtful article. As both an Emergency and Drug and Alcohol Nurse, I look for great ‘layman’s’ information/education to use with my patients. This is going into the files, ready for printing on demand!
• Thank you for this article. I am about to walk down to the beach to write my Breakup Letter with alcohol and you really helped my clarify some of the things I’m thinking and going to write.
• Thank you for your honesty. Your story has been inspirational to me, and you must be very proud of your achievements so far. Well done.
• Wine is my downfall. It’s hard because I own a bar and alcohol and alcohol consumption is all around me. I don’t imbibe behind the bar, but at the end of the night I definitely go at it. I’m tired of it and scared to, like you said, stop listening to the lies. I love the “ten minutes” of uncomfortableness. I’d love to hear more about how to get through the cravings and come out without a glass of wine in my hand!

How Sunshine chose between abstinence and moderation

• That seems like a really healthy and thoughtful (not to mention doable) plan for moderation . My first attempts at moderation had no rules and I just had to “police myself”, but had I put in ground rules like this right away, I may have landed on my success a lot sooner. Well done!
• Great example of the road to moderation with alcohol.
  Thank you for sharing.
• Coming from someone like me who is trying to give up altogether – but haven’t quite got there, your post has been very refreshing for me.Even I haven’t quite stopped altogether – I have substantially reduced my drinking. I guess I feel like I failed because I haven’t stopped altogether, but on the other hand, it’s a lot, lot lower than used to be.
• Before blowing out a little bit in the 10 days I was down to drinking once a week and not getting drunk. I think I could drink between 0 and 4 / week . I would be pretty happy.
• Anyway, thanks for your post and sharing your guidelines. :-). I feel better about my own attempts to reduce.
• Nice post – I have also reduced my drinking significantly by following very similar rules. But find I like to have something in the evening so have stumbled across a cheap but refreshing wine option. It is equal parts sparkling water, verjuice and tonic. I actually prefer it to wine (unless a very nice bottle is being opened, or of course a red!). There are many zero beers in the market now, which I also enjoy, but strangely enough in moderation as I feel it perpetuates the idea of a beer after work.

Belinda’s transformational journey from grey area drinking to empowerment

• What a great story. Well done and you have proven to yourself that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself:)
• Your story with alcohol is very similar to mine. I hope I can find the strength to do what you have done. Reading your story has made me think I will try again Thank you
• You are an inspiration Belinda. Thank you so much.
• So, whether you’re on a path of moderation, abstinence, or simply exploring a healthier relationship with alcohol, let these voices remind you: you are not alone. Thank you for being here, for showing up, and for helping us create a space filled with support, connection, and hope.

Here’s to the festive season, the gift of shared words and a bright year ahead.

Season’s greetings from the Hello Sunday Morning Team.