How To Prepare For A 30-Day Alcohol Free Challenge
You’ve made the decision to quit drinking for 30 days and now you’re thinking ‘Am I ready for this?’
Some days of an alcohol free challenge will feel easy and you’ll be bursting with energy and pride. Other days you may find yourself white-knuckling and battling out-of-nowhere triggers to drink. The best plan forward is to be extra prepared.
Here are 5 ways you can prepare yourself for a 30-day alcohol free challenge.
1. Find support
You don’t need to go it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t go it alone. Studies show people have better success at quitting alcohol if done with support around them. Your support crew could be a friend, your family or an online group. There are many benefits in joining an online group. You’re all on the same mission, supporting each other, learning from each other and keeping each other accountable. You can join my July 30-Day Alcohol Free Challenge HERE. You can read success stories and testimonials HERE.
2. Plan ahead
Take a look at your social calendar. What’s coming up? A work dinner? A trip away? A stressful family reunion? Whatever it is, now is the time to put yourself first and say No to events you don’t want to go to. If you decide to go to social functions, plan how you will approach them. You may plan to bring a bottle of AF bubbles. Or spend the night with a glass of sparkling water in your hand. You can also plan to leave early. Start to think about what you’ll say when people ask the inevitable question ‘Why aren’t you drinking?’
Some easy answers:
‘I’m giving Dry July a try.’
‘I’m driving tonight.’
‘I’m taking a break from alcohol to see how I feel.’
‘I have a <insert unbreakable date> early tomorrow.’
‘I’m choosing not to drink at the moment.’
Planning ahead also means taking away any alcohol from your house. Stock the fridge with delicious AF options. There are some great ones out there and for so many people – who like the ‘ritual’ of a special drink – they can be really helpful. Need some ideas? Check out my absolute favourite AF drinks HERE.
3. Know your triggers
Is 5 pm Wine Time at your place? What can you do instead at this time? Take the dog for a walk? Join a yoga studio and go to a 5 pm class? You may simply get into a meditation routine at this time. It doesn’t matter what it is so long as it feels nourishing and distracting. Knowing your triggers include work or family stress. Ask yourself: Is there someone at work who makes you so stressed you come home and drink just to “take the edge off”? Or, are your children at an age where drinking wine feels like the only moment of “switch off” you get at the end of a long day?
Know what your triggers to drink are and start looking at them as that – triggers. Write them down. Plan to do something different. Plan for extra support. Plan to protect yourself against triggers.
Awareness is key.
4. Don’t fixate on “giving up” alcohol.
Instead, focus on what you are about to gain. Try not to look at your 30-day alcohol free challenge as “giving up” something but the incredible gifts and gains that sobriety brings.
Here are a few:
Glowing skin
Better sleep
Better mood
Weight loss
Clarity and confidence
Sober pride
Extra time
Extra money
Having a “gains” mindset will make the process easier and more enjoyable.
5. Open your mind.
We live in an alcohol-obsessed culture where you have to explain why you’re not drinking a poisonous, addictive substance. To change your relationship with alcohol so you quit entirely - or at least don’t go back to drinking as heavily as you were before - you need to educate yourself on the true impacts of alcohol.
That’s why I recommend anyone who is sober curious to take on my 30-day Alcohol Free Challenge. My programs are packed with information and support to deal with not only the withdrawal from alcohol but also the big question ‘What’s next?’
Ready to change your relationship with alcohol? Join my July 30 Day Alcohol Free Challenge! 30 days of information, daily accountability and support from an incredible community of women. Plus, I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way. Click HERE to sign up!
Xx Sarah
Join the next Alcohol Free Challenge!
Curious about taking a break from booze? Would like to give your body a chance to detox and reset? Join hundreds of women in my next Alcohol Free Challenge, and get 30 days of information, support and community!