Our guide to a successful Dry Jan
Here’s what you will need for your 31-day dry jan challenge.
This year when you make your first toast of 2023 — you can kiss alcohol-induced lethargy, hangxiety, goodbye. Nearly 1 in 5 adults took part in Dry January in 2022, per a study by Morning Consult. And, if you’re here, we’re guessing that you’re looking to raise that statistic for 2023.
Whether this is a Dry January or a Dri-er January a new year means new beginnings — new health-conscious replacement spirits, new moments of clarity to track this month and a new announcement from CLEARHEADED coming to Platform LA this Dry January.
Here’s a few ways to get excited for the month ahead:
READ UP:
Set yourself up for success with quit lit and podcasts for your research needs pre-Dry Jan (or whenever you want to read or listen). The Dry Challenge by Hilary Sheinbaum will guide you through the month like a friend with wise advice. If you’re looking for more to read, Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker takes an honest look at the interconnectedness of alcohol marketing and patriarchal tendencies. Yung Pueblo’s Inward keeps a meditative tone that guides you through healing and transformation.
Great Listens: If you’re more of a podcast fan, be sure to listen to our CLEARHEADED podcast. But, don’t miss out on A Sober Girl’s Guide Podcast from host Jessica Jeboult for a conversational and witty conversation about sobriety. Your Weekly Quick Fix from Sober Sips keeps you updated on non-al recipes and advice during Dry January.
RAISE YOUR BAR:
First, you’ll need to clear out space to put the booze out of sight and out of mind for the month. After you’ve made some room, fill up that empty space with ingredients for health-focused mocktails, replacement spirits and festive n/a wines. Once you’ve tried these, you honestly might forget wherever the hell you put the booze last year.
You can find our favorite holiday recipes in our Happier Hour feature, including chilly mulled proxies, holiday cider and fiery chai. You can also find our list of fine wines, featuring French Bloom’s Le Rosé, Sautaus’ Sauvignon Blanc, and more. These wines will satisfy your palate and pair well with myriad flavors — the bottles are also so beautifully packaged that they’re practically begging to be served to your friends.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR REFLECTION:
You are going to experience so many little successes this month. Whether that’s bringing your own non-al drink to a party, spending some alone time when you need to check in with yourself or swapping a night-cap for a cup of tea before you go to bed. Keep a journal for the month and measure how you’re feeling and what you did every day. Track and celebrate all those moments throughout the month. You’ll find that not only did you finish Dry January, but you’ll have a written visual for all the decisions that you made along the way that brought you to this point.
GET GLASSY:
Take the money that you’re saving from not purchasing any overpriced cocktails and pop into a Goodwill to stock up on glassware. From old fashioned glasses to champagne flutes, the options are endless. Picking up chic vintage glassware will give you inspo to make yourself delicious health-focused mocktails.
GIVE YOURSELF A HAND
You can still cheer even if alcohol is not in your cup. Instead, ring in the year with a flute that is filled with a wellness-centered sparkling wine. Wake up the next morning and track how you feel. Write down a few ways that you're starting to listen to yourself more — and then cheers to that too. Why not?
