As part of my New Year’s resolution of being impeccable with my word (to myself!), I committed to an alcohol-free January.
Why subject myself to this torture, you ask? Well…after quite a boozy holiday December, I wanted to prove to myself that I don’t need to drink wine to have a good time AND I told Mr. J I was doing it.
I won’t lie to you, dry January had a shaky beginning. (For those of you that don’t know me, wine is the closest I’ve ever come to a religious experience.) The first weekend of the new year, we attended not one, but TWO back-to-back dinner parties. I never realized what a social crutch wine was for me until I found myself tugging awkwardly at my party dress in a sea of people I barely knew, attempting to be charming, empty handed and sober.
As the night wore on (and my companions began to get tipsy), I started appreciating my unique vantage point. I was able to stay fully present in conversations and just listen to others. (Note: People [present company included] tend to ramble on about themselves after a few drinks.)
I ended up having a great time AND saved myself $40 on the requisite Uber home + avoided the morning hangover. By Dinner Party #2, I was a consummate sober party guest. I strapped on my finest party dress with gusto and threw myself willingly into the sea of people. Once again, I had a great time. Another $40 saved; another hangover avoided.
I am 17 days in now, and I am feeling pretty great (and smug). Dry January is beginning to make me re-evaluate my drinking patterns, and I suspect I will be cutting out weekday drinking moving forward. Although I don’t think I would ever cut out wine totally (and see no reason to do so), I am enjoying this newfound balance.
What new year’s resolutions did you make? How are you doing at the mid-month mark?
Current status: smug AF / having my feet warmed by my fat dog’s belly / avoiding Netflix
No more NY resolutions for me – I always break them. I used to drink, probably too much at times, but ‘life event’ = no drinking for extended time. Post event many years and I am drinking again, but only 2 at most – 2 beers or 2 glasses of wine. Manageable, healthier, definitely fewer wasted hours.
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Two is a great rule for sure. I think I will do something similar and only on weekends.
I also tend to break New Years resolutions but this year is different (I swear!).
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Good for you that you gave sobriety a try – for whatever amount of time you felt necessary – if for no other reason that to allow yourself a really honest look at your drinking.
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Thanks for stopping by. It has definitely been a worthwhile experiment and I didn’t expect to have such a profound effect.
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I’ve stopped drinking for over 6 months. It was definitely getting the best of me and I’m better without it. But it was a shock to learn that life can actually be good without a drink in my hand. There’s a freedom in it for sure. Best to you!
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I admire your determination and willingness to be dry for January. I can’t imagine staying “dry” at parties though, it is so very hard. I usually drink a glass of vino every night when I’m preparing dinner and listening to the world news on the radio. That’s the time of day I have to myself and that glass of vino is something I look forward to. However, unlike you, I just gave it up during the weekdays, but def drink on the weekends when I’m out socializing. It’s got to be tough, let us know your secrets of keeping a promise to yourself 🙂
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Thanks, Loretta! I honestly couldn’t imagine staying dry at parties before this experiment as well. It made me quite antsy going into the first dinner party without wine.
There will always be a place for wine in my life – I love everything about it. But nevertheless, this has been a great experiment to prove to myself that I don’t require it as a crutch, and that I could stop at any time.
A big part of sticking to this was telling Mr. J (boyfriend) and other family members. Ha-ha, so in being accountable to myself, I made sure that I told enough other people that I would feel silly if I wussed out.
Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m also partaking in Dry January. I usually ski at this time of the year, so it’s not really feasible to give up the booze, but this year is an exception. I’ve had quite a few dry months over the years. I started one in September which carried on through until mid-December! I love the feeling of waking up hangover-free and able to get on with life. Just a week left to go – you can do it!
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