Dry January: No alcohol for the whole month.
For some of you, that may sound a little daunting. I know I thought I’d fail after the first week or so, but I surprised myself! Everyone chooses sobriety for different reasons. Some want a reboot to their system, some want to lose weight, some just want to get back on track, etc. Now that I have one round under my belt and a second one on the go(* EDIT: I am fully sober now), I feel like I have the experience and tips to help you get through it too. I’ll be telling you why I started, the physical and mental changes I saw, what happened when the month was over, and ways to get through it! Here’s what you need to know!
Why I started
If I’m going to suggest this to you, I feel like I should explain why I started in the first place. Let’s go back to 2017, shall we? 2017 was a tough year for me, like really tough. Without going into too much detail, my life had been flipped upside down, and my mental health had been the worst it’s ever been. With all of this stress, I did a lot of drinking. I was mentally exhausted and didn’t feel like myself at all. By the time New Year’s Eve came around, I knew something had to change. That night I decided that I needed to hit the reset button for 2018, and I decided that Dry January was something I not only wanted but needed to do. And here we are! It turns out that sobriety is actually pretty awesome!
Physical Changes
By the end of the month, I noticed some serious physical changes. I couldn’t believe it! Not only did I feel better, but I looked better too! Here’s are the kinds of changes I saw:
Bloating/Weight loss– The first physical change I noticed was that I wasn’t bloated anymore. Of course, I’d get a bit of a tummy after eating a large meal, but the high-waisted jeans that I had to squeeze myself into FINALLY FIT AGAIN!
Clearer skin- My skin also changed. I’m one of the fortunate ones who never struggled with acne, but I do get the occasional breakout; Thanks hormones! By the end of the month my skin was brighter, no breakouts, my pores looked smaller, and my skin was soft with no dryness. I hadn’t had an eczema flare up either! WIN!
Better hair– Before dry January, my hair always felt really dry and brittle. After the month was over, it felt softer, I had less breakage, and it was shinier than usual.
Better sleep– This was one of the best changes for me. For years I struggled with sleeping at night. I took forever to fall asleep, and when I did sleep, it wasn’t good quality. After the month, I was on a really good sleep schedule and slept like a baby!
Feeling better in general– When you’re not drinking, you’re not waking up with a hangover, and as you get older you’ll start to understand why they’re the devil. No one wants to spend their weekends feeling like shit for 2-3 days. Yes, 2-3 day hangovers are real, people!
Thicker wallet– I know it has nothing to do with my physical self, but man is it a plus! Who doesn’t like saving money?
Mental Changes
The physical changes were great, but the mental changes are why I’ve made Dry January, and dry months in general, a staple in my life. It completely changed my mentality and the way I saw my life. Here’s how things changed:
I was able to focus– My brain wasn’t always in a fog. I was finally able to focus on things that needed to be done and plan the things I needed to do.
Productivity increased– With focus and energy comes productivity! Because I was focused, I was able to check things off my to-do list. Checking things off my list gave me a sense of accomplishment.
Happier emotions– Because I felt accomplished, I felt better about myself, which lead to more positive thoughts. Living your life with positive thoughts creates a happier life!
Getting real with myself– Because of all these new changes, I was able to get real with myself. I was able to see and pinpoint my bad habits and self-destructive behaviors. I was finally able to make some much-needed changes!
Confidence– Feeling good gave me confidence! I stopped second-guessing myself and went for what I wanted!
After the month
So what happens when the month is over? Most people think it’s the green light to go crazy, but I honestly didn’t have much of a desire to drink! On February 1st, I went and bought myself a beer, thinking it would be great, and I don’t think I even drank half of it! The first time I went out to dinner with my friends I had two beers and felt a little bit hungover the next day! Doing Dry January set me up to drink less for the rest of the year. Sure, I had times where I went overboard, I’m human, but the number of times that happened was far less than the years before!
The Excuses You’ll Try To Make
When faced with a challenge like this, many of us like to make excuses as to why it won’t work for us or why we won’t do it. I know this because I was one of those people. Have no fear; I’m here to call you on your bullshit!
- “I don’t want to stay in all month!”– It’s amazing how you survived all the way up to the legal drinking age! What on earth did you do with your time before drinking? There are a ton of things you can do that don’t include alcohol. Do everything you usually do, just don’t drink!
- “My friends will give me a hard time.”– If your friends pressure you or tease you for having a dry month, your friends are assholes and you need new ones. This is something you’re doing for yourself, not them.
- “All my friends like to go out.”– Great! They serve non-alcoholic drinks at bars too! Another great option is to check out No & Low!
- “If I go to the bar, I’ll end up drinking anyway.”– Perhaps your friends can keep you accountable, or maybe a night in would be best! There are a ton of mocktails you can make too! Click here for some recipes!
- “FOMO”– Ok, I used to be this way, so I get it, but let’s be SUPER honest here; How many times have you gone out and something amazing happened? Probably none. It’s always the same places, the same people, and the same things happening over and over again. You’re not missing out on anything!
- For the anxious/ emotional drinkers– Believe me when I say that I totally get you. I AM you! I’ve been dealing with this issue for over a decade! It’s not easy, but I can tell you that doing a dry month really got me on a better path and this is doable for you. I could do a whole separate blog post about my mental health journey and self-medicating. Just know that you’re not alone, and I’m here if you ever need some support! I’ve also written a post here about healthy ways I deal with my anxiety.
Make The Most Of It
Giving up alcohol for a month will make you feel great, but you can always feel better. You’re not going to feel amazing if you substitute booze for junk food and more bad habits. Here are some ways to feel even better:
- Drink water– Most people aren’t drinking enough water on a daily basis, so adding an extra glass or two a day will help you feel better and see better results.
- Make dinner at home– Save yourself a couple more dollars by eating at home more often.
- Exercise– Try adding in exercise to your routine! Add it slowly though, don’t over do it or you’ll end up giving up.
- Self-reflection– Take some time to re-evaluate your life. Are you happy? Are you now noticing some behaviours that need to change? What could you do to feel better on a daily basis?
- Find a hobby– Is there anything you like to start doing but never had to the time to?
I hope you took something from this post! I’d also like to say that dry months can be any month, not just January. I find the best time to have a dry month is right after a hectic time, which for many of us is the holiday season. It’s a great way to decompress, reset, and get your life back together. Have you ever done a dry month? What did you take from it? Leave a comment down below! I’d also like to hear from those of you looking to try it out but haven’t. What’s stopping you? Let’s chat in the comments!
xoxo Little J
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