Every year in January, millions of people worldwide stop drinking alcohol. They do not drink alcohol for a whole month. This group of people starts the new year with a sober, fresh start, bringing various benefits. We've collected five tips for you for a successful Dry January!
1. Prepare
Think about why you are participating in Dry January. What do you hope to achieve with it? There may be times when you feel like drinking alcohol. It helps to think in advance about how you can deal with such moments. For example, you can make a list on which you write all the reasons you leave that glass of wine. You can read this if you do feel like alcohol. This is how you remind yourself why you are doing this.
It's also good to think about how you deal with possible bad news or stress. If you usually drink a beer to relax, you now need something else to achieve that feeling. Think ahead of time about what calms you down. So that when you are stressed, you already know what you can do to feel calm.
2. Tell friends and family you won't drink for a month
People around you may offer you alcohol. It helps to think in advance about handling these kinds of situations. It can also help to tell those around you in advance that you will be alcohol-free for a while. You can ask them not to offer you anything. That way, you make it easier on yourself.
Are people trying to convince you to drink alcohol anyway? Ask the person why they want you to drink alcohol so badly. You can say that you don't like that he/she is trying to persuade you. Remember, you don't owe anyone an explanation.
Maybe there are people in your area who want to join you. This makes Dry January extra fun and maybe even easier. You can support each other. Together you can also come up with a nice reward if you succeed. This makes it even easier to maintain.
3. Think about your alcohol consumption
Ask yourself the questions: What does alcohol get me? At what times do I drink, and why do I drink at those times? By asking yourself these questions, you will gain more insight into the meaning of alcohol for you. This can help you make different choices about drinking alcohol.
You may find it challenging to be alcohol-free. Ask yourself why you have such a need for alcohol. Perhaps you can also come up with other, healthier solutions.
4. Learn from a slip
Have you slipped up despite your good intentions? Sorry, but this can happen. This does not mean that you are a failure or can no longer participate. From this moment, you can learn how you came to drink alcohol. A slip will get you behind your pitfalls. Just pick up the thread again!
Do you often drink alcohol? Apparently, it's harder than you might have expected not to drink. It is wise to ask yourself why this is. The Alcohol Infoline can think along with you and look for solutions.
5. Reward yourself
Alcohol is a reward for many people, for example, after a long day at work or when you get together with friends. Now that you leave alcohol behind, this form of reward disappears. Therefore, you should come up with a different way of rewarding yourself. By continuing to reward yourself, stopping drinking becomes more fun and easier. Leaving alcohol for a month may feel like a punishment when it is actually a great gift to yourself.
Alcohol-free cocktails are also a great option for this. Lyre's does an amazingly good job at this. So, make quitting a party and reward yourself by joining our Lyre's Dry January Cocktail Walk!
Photo Credits: @coryexplores & @4foodsake