Your Cozy Guide to Sober October
How to Live Alcohol-Free for 31 Days!
Sober October is approaching - a time when many people get to experience a bout of sobriety and the many benefits that come with it! This is an exciting time for me - it fills me with joy to see people experience the benefits of removing alcohol and either continuing with sobriety or simply creating a healthier relationship with alcohol!
I’ve created a Free Downloadable Cozy Guide to Sober October where I share all of the benefits you may experience, practical tools to prepare yourself for it, and common challenges AND how to overcome them. I also have a Youtube video out about it as well! I am 2+ years sober and I am healthier, stronger, more confident, and have an abundance of self-love and confidence - all thanks to sobriety.
So why try Sober October? Taking a break from alcohol can allow your body to reset and repair itself. The body can do A LOT in just a few weeks without alcohol. There are so many benefits you can experience from sobriety even if it’s for a set amount of time:
Improved Physical Health - your physical health can improve in these 31 days - many experience better skin, lower blood pressure, reduced bloating, improved digestion, and enhanced immune function. We all love feeling and looking good!
Mental Clarity and Focus - brain fog is a common symptom of drinking alcohol - this can reduce when taking a break. You might also experience better clarity and improved memory function!
Emotional Wellbeing - alcohol has a direct negative impact on your ability to stabilize your moods. You might experience more stable moods, reduced mood swings, reduced anxiety, and definitely no more hangxiety! Can you say health coping mechanisms?
Financial Savings - we all know how expensive alcohol can be - wether you’re buying and drinking at home or paying for $20 martinis at dinner! My dinner bills are half of what they used to be!
Healthier Relationship with Alcohol - this month is an opportunity for you to take a step back and examine your relationship with alcohol. How do you actually feel when drinking vs not partaking?
Now that we know why we want to try Sober October, let’s talk about how to prepare and set yourself up for success this month! Here are my top 3 tips to prepare:
Social Preparation & Communication - tell your friends and family that you are doing Sober October!! Be clear about your intentions, why you’re doing it, and that you would like their support. When you are confident in your explanation, others will usually have a more supportive response.
Have a NA Arsenal - make sure you have your non-alcoholic drinks ready to go! Most bars and restaurants will have a NA option available wether that’s an NA beer or a mocktail menu. If you are going to a social event at a friend’s house, make sure to bring your own drinks! This will help so much so that you still feel included, but you won’t wake up with a hangover!
Craving Emergency Kit - you might experience emotional triggers that induce cravings for alcohol, especially if that’s the coping mechanism you’re used to using. Create a list in your notes app of everything you can do instead of drinking. Can you go for a walk? Try box breathing? Journal? Call a friend? Again, this is a wonderful opportunity to incorporate some healthy coping mechanisms.
Now, I also like to be realistic about some challenges you may experience this month - and the solutions to those challenges! Here are 3 common challenges experienced during sobriety and how to overcome them:
Social Pressure & FOMO - you might experience peer pressure to drink or feel like you’re missing out! This is completely normal and my solution here is to reframe sobriety as a positive choice. Instead of feeling like you’re depriving yourself, think of your why and all of the reasons you are doing this. To feel better, look better, and have a healthier relationship with alcohol. Instead of FOMO, have JOMO - the joy of missing out! You could skip events all together if you feel like that’s your ideal solution or you can still go to events knowing that you can have a good time and wake up without a hangover!
Stress & Emotional Triggers - again this is where your Cravings Toolkit comes into play. If you have used alcohol as a means to cope with your emotions, this month will be an experiment to see what healthy coping mechanisms will actually work for you and leave you feeling more proud of yourself.
Social Events - there are always going to be events to attend! This is why it can be so hard for someone to pick a date to go sober - because we always have a birthday, a wedding, a Friday - whatever that is. It is worth saying again - always have a non-alcoholic drink!! Always have an exit strategy - this is your time to perfect the Irish Goodbye.
Remembering your why and the benefits of sobriety, preparing and setting yourself up for success, and being proactive about how you’re going to overcome challenges are all key tools to have a successful Cozy Sober October. Positive reframes and mindset shifts are what is going to make all the difference with this month. Instead of constantly thinking about how you’re missing out - instead consider this a month to experience a cozy wholesome month. How can you shift your social calendar to revolve around something other than alcohol. Maybe this month you get out in nature? Take up a new hobby? Get crafty? Figure out what it is you actually like to do when you’re just being yourself.
If you would like help along the way, I do offer sobriety coaching as well. If you’re interested, you can always book a free consult with me to see if we are a good fit. Wishing you success and the coziest Sober October!
With care,
Chelsea Popovich | Aligned Healing Coach ✨