Five Steps to Supercharge Dry January Or February Or March. You Get the Point.

So you’ve decided to participate in Dry (insert name of month here), now what? Here are five things you can do to keep you sober through the month of (insert name of month here)!  

(Note:  These were my strategies to get me through my first thirty days… so, take what you want and leave the rest.)

1) Like any program that you start (WHOLE30, KETO, Weight Watchers) the first thing these programs recommend is that you CLEAN OUT YOUR CUPBOARDS FROM TEMPTATION. In this case, it would be your booze stash! Honestly, I sorta panicked when I realized I had to do this. I told myself that I could do this challenge without cleaning it out. Let's be honest though, if it’s in the house, I will drink it. So, I had two options. I could dump it down the drain or box it up and give it to a friend to hold on to until the end of the month. I choose option two.

2) I recommend going shopping for non-alcoholic beverages - I recommend sparkly water. I’m a bubbly girl and one of the reasons beer is so attractive to me is the bubbles.

3) Buy a Journal: Write all your thoughts down about this journey. My goal in this whole 'Dry January' thing is to understand the relationship I have with alcohol. I want to understand my drinking patterns- when I feel I NEED to drink vs when I WANT to drink (ex: stress vs. celebration). Use your journal how you see fit. If a journal isn’t your thing...

4) Use an App: There are a plethora of apps that help you stay sober. Many of them track not only your days dry, but the money and calories you have saved. I am going to use the I Am Sober App. I really like their daily motivational quotes.

And here is the most important one:

5) Get a buddy. A buddy will hold you accountable. And if you fall off the wagon, they’ll remind you and help you to get back on. If you don’t have a buddy, long onto the app Sober Together.  They provide a space for you to share your experiences and get feedback within the comforts of your own house.