10 Tips To Survive Dry January This Year
Taking part in dry January is a popular goal and new year’s resolution. Abstaining from drinking alcohol for the entire first month of the year can certainly be challenging, however. This year surviving dry January may be even more difficult than usual, but it’s important to persevere to achieve your goals. There are plenty of tricks you can try such as finding healthy alternatives and distracting yourself with mediation, yoga, or a new hobby. Here are ten tips for surviving dry January this year.
Set realistic goals
It’s important to learn how to set realistic goals. Don’t set yourself too many goals. If you’re planning to take part in dry January and think it will be challenging, don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t write a long list of unrealistic resolutions as well and take each goal one by one. Make your goals more achievable by breaking them down into tasks and a realistic timeframe.
Find alternative drinks
There are plenty of healthy alternatives to alcohol. If you find the right one for you you can replace that after-work cocktail and change your habits. Often people opt for that 6pm glass of wine or beer out of sheer habit, but you could switch this to something healthier instead. Popular options include kombucha, sparkling juices, mocktails, and alcohol-free beer. Find something that suits your tastes.
Simple distractions
Often when you’re trying to break a bad habit, a trick that works is to distract yourself. Do an activity that will take your mind off drinking for half an hour, and it will be easier to forget about it. Practice one of your favorite yoga routines, do some housework, or find a new hobby altogether. A simple walk in the park could also do the trick, or calling a friend.
Don’t overcompensate
Try not to overcompensate by replacing drinking with other unhealthy habits. This will only have negative side effects and could make it harder to achieve your goals. Maintain your diet and include plenty of health food. Keep exercising as often as possible, and rest well. It’s important to practice self-care and look after yourself especially during the winter.
Prepare to say no
It’s time to learn the gentle art of saying no. Refusing drinks from friends can be difficult but fortunately, dry January is a common trend. People will generally accept what you’re doing if you explain and you’ll find many of your other friends are taking part as well. If you’re nervous about saying no, rehearse what you’re going to say at home first.
Identify triggers
It’s important to identify triggers that will cause a desire to drink. These could be emotional triggers or simply certain times of day or particular scenarios. Think about when you usually drink and why. Once you’ve identified these triggers it’ll be easier to avoid them, or at least understand why you have the urge to drink. Prepare what you’re going to do when these urges occur. A change of scenery is often very useful, or distract yourself with a relaxing activity.
Don’t give up after one hiccup
If you do end up having a drink during dry January this doesn’t have to mean you’ve failed. You don’t have to take the all or nothing approach. The main purpose of dry January for most people is to change their relationship with alcohol and reduce their overall intake. If you end up having a drink or two for whatever reason, you can still continue abstaining afterward. Often people give up after breaking dry January once, but why should one hiccup get in the way of you achieving your goals? It’s counter-productive to be so strict on yourself at times.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to maintain inner calm. It’s a very useful tool if you’re trying to change your attitude or habits. Meditation is a core part of mindfulness practice and it helps you to be more aware of your thoughts, your body, and your surroundings. Take time to meditate for just ten minutes a day and you’ll start to feel the benefits. It’s a great alternative to drinking as a way to relieve stress. It will also help you sleep at night. Being mindful of your thoughts and body is a useful way to improve your overall well being.
Keep track with apps
Some of the best alcohol apps track the amount you drink. If you’re planning on cutting down these can be very useful. They also provide you with information about what you’re drinking. You could do various things to cut down your drinking if you don’t want to abstain completely. You can change to smaller or weaker drinks. You could also mark non-drinking days in your calendar and set a limit for the week. Keeping track is an easier way to monitor how much you’re drinking and find out where you can reduce your intake.
Understand the benefits
During the month and after completing dry January, make a note of any health benefits you’ve noticed. You could use these as motivation to drink less in the future. You may notice you’re sleeping better, you’ve lost weight, you’re exercising more, or feeling more positive in general. One month is a short time, but if you’ve drastically changed your drinking habits you should be able to feel some benefits already. The idea is to encourage yourself to take part in healthier activities, whether these start as a distraction or not, and develop better habits.
Dry January can be challenging so don’t try to go it alone. Remember to get the support you need from friends and family. You could even encourage them to take part with you. It’s important to practice self-care at all times and not be too hard on yourself. Take the time for yourself and practice meditation. Mindfulness isn’t about punishment, it should motivate you to be more aware and positive. If you’re struggling to achieve your goals, make them more realistic instead, and reward yourself for all the hard work.
