Smart guide to dry january | members only

23. ASK FOR SUPPORT DIRECTLY Consider what may help or hurt your Dry January. “Let [your loved ones] know what level of support you need from them,” Lara recommends. “Maybe you need an

alcohol-free home for the time being, or you want date nights to be more activity-based rather than dinner and drinks.” Additionally, Smith recommends sharing how you feel with your loved

ones throughout your alcohol break. “There may be days that it’s hard, and you get discouraged,” she says. “Let them know you’re having a tough day and need to cancel dinner that night.” 24.

SUGGEST ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO ENJOY EACH OTHER’S COMPANY If you’re only used to being around certain friends while drinking, it can feel very different being the only one not drinking. But

you can still enjoy your friendships by suggesting new rituals. Lara recommends saying: “Maybe we can go for mid-week walks or afternoon tea while I take a break from alcohol. I still want

to spend time with you; our time together just needs to look a little different for now.” 25. JOIN AN ONLINE PEER-SUPPORT GROUP Finding others doing Dry January can be crucial to your sober

time. “When people quit drinking alcohol or drink less alcohol than they used to, it's common for a lot of emotions to arise,” Lara explains, and talking to someone who gets it can

help. Aziz recommends finding a group through online resources such as forums, apps and “websites dedicated to sobriety and mental health, which can offer additional support and

information.” Try starting with Reddit’s sober (r/sober), sobercurious (r/sobercurious) and stopdrinking (r/stopdrinking) communities. You can also search Facebook groups for peer support.

26. VISIT A SUPPORT GROUP If you think you may need more support for your dry month, or if you are thinking about quitting alcohol for good, Aziz recommends considering joining a support

group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery, “which provide community and guidance.” Both groups are free to join. Or try an alternative group, such as the secular groups LifeRing

and Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS), or Seniors in Sobriety, Moderation Management (if you decide to go back to drinking alcohol after January) or Women for Sobriety. Search online

for in-person groups in your local area, or attend meetings online. 27. GET SUPPORT FROM AN APP Several smartphone apps are available, many at no cost, to help you be more aware of your

drinking habits. Apps like Sunnyside, DrinkControl, I Am Sober and DryDays allow you to track your daily drink totals, your dry days, the amount of money you've saved by not drinking,

and the calories you've avoided without the booze. Some, like Reframe, also offer online coaching sessions and support from an anonymous community of subscribers. An April 2024 study

published in _eClinicalMedicine_ found that smartphone apps like DrinkLess may do more to help users reduce their drinking than just willpower alone. 28. READ QUIT LIT Whether you’re

quitting drinking or just looking to drink less, there are a variety of “quit lit” books by and for people from all walks of life — not just those who have experienced negative consequences

from alcohol abuse. Head to your library to explore titles such as Smith’s _Girl Walks Out of a Bar_ and Lara’s _Dry Humping_, plus _Sober Curious _by Ruby Warrington, _Quit Like a Woman _by

Holly Whitaker, _This Naked Mind _by Annie Grace, _The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober _by Catherine Gray, _Not Drinking Tonight _by Amanda E. White, _Quit Drinking Without Willpower_ by

Allen Carr and _Dry _by Augusten Burroughs. There are also many sober influencers on Instagram, many of whom you can find through the sober hashtag (#sober), who offer camaraderie and

support. 29. LISTEN TO SOBRIETY CONTENT Use this time to explore different types of sobriety content. There are several popular podcasts where hosts explore their own sobriety journeys as

well as those of their guests, like _Recovery Elevator_, _Sober Sisters Talk_, _That Sober Guy Podcast_ and _Seltzer Squad: Staying Sober in the City_. If you’re sober-song curious, you can

find inspiration by listening to alcohol-free anthems like “Sober” by Kelly Clarkson, “Amazing” by Aerosmith or “Demons” by Kenny Chesney. 30. FIND INSPIRATION IN PUBLIC VOICES Reading the

stories of sober celebrities can inspire you during Dry January. Jamie Lee Curtis has said her sobriety is her key to freedom. Samuel L. Jackson has also spoken on why his family’s love

changed everything. Elton John celebrated 30 years of sobriety in 2020 after a friend’s funeral became a “catalyst” to get sober. Other sober celebrities include Rob Lowe, Ben Affleck, Sir

Anthony Hopkins, Edie Falco, Jim Carrey and Bradley Cooper, to name just a few. Getty Images AFTER DRY JANUARY 31. CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ALCOHOL-FREE ACTIVITIES You’ll likely come away from

Dry January with an awareness of alcohol’s impact on your life and a list of the things you enjoy without drinking. “The key is to find activities that you find meaningful,” Smith says.

Continue to use your time in new, different and more significant ways, which can include supporting a cause close to your heart. “Many people find this through a community organization or

their place of worship. Volunteering locally can be particularly fulfilling. It gets us out of our heads and makes someone else's day.” 32. REWARD YOURSELF Use the money you saved from

not buying alcohol for a reward, like a weekend trip you’ve always wanted to take. Something like crossing a dream trip off your bucket list or investing in redecorating a corner of your

house for your favorite hobby will feel even more satisfying. 33. DETERMINE WHETHER YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING During this time, you may realize that you have abused alcohol in the past or that

you enjoyed the benefits of an alcohol-free life. Smith recommends learning more about alcohol and its effects on you during Dry January: “For women, Ann Dowsett Johnston's book, 

_DRINK: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol_, is fantastic. For anyone, _Alcohol Explained_ by William Porter is great.” 34. MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE YOUR BEST LIFE “People

get sober for many reasons,” Weinstein says. As you find interesting and fun activities that don’t involve alcohol during Dry January, Weinstein encourages you to ask yourself what a sober

life could look like, and whether anything is getting in the way of experiencing that life: “How can you make this time the best of your life?” This could mean more physical activities you

enjoy, like going on nature walks, hiking, working out at the gym, meditation or yoga. It could also mean alcohol-free nights out, like attending a concert or joining a book club.