Podcast Ep 54: Ruari Fairbairns of One Year No Beer

Have you ever looked at your life and realized you need to make some adjustments to make yourself happier and healthier? Ruari Fairbairns did, and in his case, that adjustment came in the form of giving up drinking alcohol for two years in the face of incredible peer pressure — and thinking he would lose his edge as one of the top brokers in the world. However, he soon realized that his fears were unfounded — and learned some other important life lessons to boot. Spurred by this life-changing experience, he and Andy Ramage, another broker, created the One Year No Beer (OYNB) program, which aims to help people rethink their relationship with alcohol and consider how their own lives, bodies, and health might change if they abstained for a month, six months, a year — or more.

And that’s what this week’s podcast ep is all about.

This episode (and the purpose of OYNB) is not about how to recognize if you have a true alcohol addiction. (Please speak to your doctor, therapist, or a trusted friend or family memeber if you have concerns about that.) Rather, it’s about learning to socialize without imbibing. Ruari offers suggestions on how to make abstaining fun and successful. He also clues us in on the kinds of people who join the challenge (16,000 strong around the world!) and his favorite OYNB success stories.

Some of our favorite quotes from this episode include …

Podcast Episode 54 Highlights With Ruari Fairbairns

• The benefits for both mind and body when taking a break from alcohol
• How to handle peer pressure, especially when faced with situations that usually consist of some form of drinking alcohol
• Tips for setting yourself up for success (including “stealth drinking” — which isn’t what you think!)
• The surprisingly tough part of giving up alcohol and facing your more authentic self
• Why a fitness challenge is a huge help for those doing OYNB
• Looking at the cessation of drinking as a challenge rather than something scary
• What we can expect from his upcoming book, The 28-Day Alcohol-Free Challenge

Get the episode with Ruari Fairbairns here or below!

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What are your favorite ways to socialize without alcohol? —Margo

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