I'm sorry that may not be helpful, but I simply did. Alcohol tastes terrible and I never felt the urge to not be able to think properly. I like being in control. It felt pointless to spend money to damage my cognition, inhibit my risk-taking mechanisms, and feel awful the next day.

For me not to even get started, however, it was helpful to get into exercising as I was growing up. It was one extra motivator not to drink. I enjoyed exercising more than I enjoyed any possible "social benefit" of drinking.