Dry January: The Highs, Lows, and Takeaways

The Dry January campaign has been gaining momentum and visibility around the world. My husband and I have wanted to do Dry January before, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it.

My husband hardly ever drinks. Socially, sure; out to dinner, yes. But just casually sitting home after work? Almost never. Me, on the other hand…. well, I really like my wine. I love learning about wine, the artistry of how it’s made, going wine-tasting…. and yea yea, ok, I obviously like getting a little tips-tips from time to time. Let’s be real.

On New Years day, our friends mentioned they were doing Dry January. A client of mine texted me and said she was doing it, too. It seemed like the snowball was starting to roll and that this was the time. Besides recovering from norovirus that day and having absolutely zero desire to drink, I also knew that wanted to cut back and moderate my drinking a little more. So, we cheers-ed our friends at brunch (with kombucha, don’t worry) and decided to go for it, bringing a few more friends into the Dry Crew as well.

I downloaded the Try Dry app, knowing I’d need a little support. The app gives you a calendar to mark off each dry day, a dashboard to show the money and calories you’ve saved, and access to lots of articles and resources about the benefits of not drinking. I was feeling good. But I’ll admit, I felt high-key anxiety looking at the whole calendar, blank and unmarked. “Fuck, that’s a lot of days” was the thought I kept pushing down, committed to just taking it one day at a time.

The first week, I was very aware of the fact that I wasn’t drinking. It took a decent amount of mental energy to not stop at the store on the way home, or go downstairs to the gas station once I was in. I was aware, it was uncomfortable, but I settled in. Observe the anxiety, i thought. Notice and accept the feelings as valid and let it be as it is. I was full blown yoga-teachering myself.

But after that, surprisingly— miraculously— it got pretty easy. Once I was just in it, resolute and firm, I didn’t think about it all that much at all. I found that mixing mineral water and a little San Pelligrino in my wine glass scratched a very similar itch. The habitual act of sitting down with a glass of wine at the end of the night just became sitting down with mineral water and San Pelligrino in a wine glass, and it was the perfect trick.

I started drinking more tea. I started going to bed earlier (no need for “just one more glass” or “one more episode”). I started sleeping well, rather than tossing and turning like I usually do. I woke up with more energy. I felt more in control of my mind and my body, and that I was acting intentionally rather than out of compulsion. We even went out to several social events and were able to turn down drinks and stay committed, which was a damn feat, if I do say so myself. And honestly, that far into the month, it didn’t even feel that hard.

Going into the rest of the year, moderation is the name of the game (and the app also offers year round assistance with moderating and setting new goals). I feel really solid in my abilities to regulate, to limit myself to two nights of drinking a week, to put the bottle away after 2 glasses rather than finishing it off. It feels natural. It feels better. And besides my stomach getting a little flatter and saving a couple bucks, more than anything I’m grateful to have reset my relationship with alcohol and start the year feeling in control of myself and my daily actions.

No more reaching for a glass just because it’s there. No more drinking out of boredom or habit. I’m excited to drink when I actually want to drink, and to not drink when I would be doing it “just cuz.” I believe in intuitive living and intuitive eating, and I’m excited to add intuitive drinking to that list.

If you know you drink a little too regularly or want to start managing compulsive or habitual behaviors, a reset could be good for your mind, body, and wallet. We highly recommend it. And if you do decide to take on a challenge of your own, you have our support along the way.

Join us in our private Facebook group, Fire + Voice Coaching, and follow us on Instagram at @fireandvoice and share your story with us.