Discovering a Sober Curious Lifestyle
In recent months I have not enjoyed alcohol as I used to. To be honest, it feels like more of an immediate change than a gradual one. One weekend I was enjoying mimosas and seltzers, and the next I was sick of feeling sick afterwards. It turns out, a lot of people in their late twenties run into this and have coined the term “sober curiosity.” By definition, sober curious means “choosing to avoid alcohol for personal or wellness reasons. It involves curiosity about the reasons fueling your desire to drink and the way alcohol affects your life.” (Definition found on Healthline.)
During the pandemic I think we all started drinking more than was normal. Nothing about that time was normal, and what else was there to do but share a bottle of wine and binge watch Game of Thrones? It was a tricky habit to break once life started getting back to normal. In midst of trying to lose weight and reinvent myself, I told myself “no drinking during the week.” Which led to craving a crisp Chardonnay by Thursday night, giving in, then also drinking Friday & Saturday. Because I said “no drinking during the week” I felt like I HAD to squeeze it all in on the weekend. I finally figured out what was actually important to me and turns out, it’s not alcohol.
How to Become Sober Curious
To be clear, just because you have interest in a more sober lifestyle doesn’t mean you had a drinking problem. I genuinely enjoy the taste of a glass of wine or cocktail. But, drinking became more of an obligation, a way to socialize. I convinced myself that I’m more fun and easier to talk to after a couple drinks, which isn’t true.
My sober curious journey started with a mindset change for all aspects of my life. Instead of restriction and dieting and punishing myself, I turned to living a more intentional lifestyle. When thinking about alcohol it looks something like this: drinking only when I actually feel like it. Just because it’s the weekend doesn’t mean I need to drink if I’m not feeling it. And vise versa, it’s Tuesday night and I’m making a delicious pasta. I want a glass of wine, so I’ll have one. Removing rules makes it easier to pay attention to what you actually want.
Another part of my journey is knowing my limit. I’ve been to a couple weddings now where I do drink, but I make sure to have plenty of water in between refills. I’ve learned that 2 drinks is my max – I can enjoy them, my dancing gets about 5x better, but I won’t be hungover and I’ll make it to my 8:15 AM Pilates class.
Tips on How to Start
I’m very new to this journey, but if you’re thinking about cutting back here are a couple tips. This isn’t a linear journey. Some week’s you might still be drinking 2-3 times because of special occasions or because it just sounds good. That doesn’t mean you failed. Giving yourself grace is how you’re going to navigate this new era. If you go out to dinner and everyone else is drinking, ask your server if they can make any cocktails non-alcoholic. I’ve run into quite a few drink menu’s that already have mocktails on them. If all else fails, order a tonic with lime or a soda!
I’ve noticed a change in my mood, energy levels and productivity since switching to a sober curious lifestyle. Message me on Instagram if you’re on this journey too and want to chat! I have some amazing mocktail recipe’s heading your way on my social media channels!
