Kicking Off the Year With Sober January

It’s Friday night after a long week. How do you unwind? In my early twenties, Friday nights were typically extremely boozy occasions with all of my best friends. Now that I’m in my late twenties, Friday nights are much tamer, to say the least. But they often involve unwinding with a glass of wine, an Aperol spritz, or spicy marg. But not this month. On December 31st, my boyfriend announced he would be doing a Sober January. I thought about it for a second and decided quickly I would join him. That means for the month of January, no alcohol. No evening glasses of wine, no cocktails with dinner, no drinks out with friends. So – what’s the deal with Sober January?

Why we decided to do Sober January

After the holidays, which were indulgent and booze-filled, to say the least, we were both ready for a reset. Combine that with a desire to get sh*t done in the month of January (hey, resolutions + goal setting!) and extremely busy work schedules, and we both knew we had to cut the booze.

I’m not a big drinker to begin with, but a glass or two of wine with dinner can quickly become a habit, especially over the holidays when I wasn’t working every day. Then, of course, there are the more obvious reasons to cut down on alcohol – it can lead to weight gain, interferes with sleep, is horrible for your skin, it’s filled with sugar, etc. etc. I could go on and on.

To be completely honest, we both wanted to debloat from the month of December and not have to deal with hangovers and all the other expenses of drinking. We honestly couldn’t afford to be out all night, wake up late in the morning hungover, and eat junk food. #adulting

The Challenge

It’s also funny how our minds work sometimes – I swear when I tell myself I can’t have something, I just end up wanting it more. Does anyone else feel this way? Even though I often usually go days and weeks without drinking, I noticed that when I set a challenge of having NO drinks, I found myself being more aware of the times I was in social situations and wasn’t drinking. I also quickly realized how much alcohol is ingrained in social outings and our culture in general. You don’t even realize how alcohol is everywhere and so many social situations often involve drinking. Now that we aren’t drinking this month, we’re definitely being more creative with the activities we choose to do with friends. Workout date, anyone?

Sober January Updates

It’s only been a couple weeks, but we’ve already noticed a difference in our bodies and energy levels. My skin has definitely cleared up and smoothed out. I feel way less bloated, and I’m sleeping well and waking up naturally. This isn’t to say I’ll never drink again. I definitely miss having the occasional glass of wine. The other night at dinner I definitely stared at the spicy margaritas at our table enviously. But the mental clarity and focus have been much needed this month to tackle our to-do list and I’m happy with the decision and the little mini-challenge we gave ourselves.

We kicked off the challenge after a champagne-filled New Year’s Eve… I loved the sequined dress I wore from Revolve so much. I know sequins are such a NYE thing, but I really think this dress could be worn during the year as well. Maybe I’m just looking for an excuse to wear it again ; ).

What are your thoughts on doing a dry January?

dress: its nbd | jacket: bb dakota | shoes: raye