Ah. Here it is. The last day of January. My sober month has ended.
Not to say I’m going to go on a bender starting tomorrow–that’s not the plan, anyway–but I am looking forward to the option.
In reality, Dry January is a tradition that has served me well for a while now. After all the holiday celebrating and imbibing, it’s nice to have an excuse to pause it. My brain likes rules, and when I have a no-drinking in January rule it’s never any energy to debate myself. It’s simply something I don’t do.
I admit I was hoping for a happier sober month than I got. An easier time sleeping. An easier time getting up in the morning. An absence of lethargy in my bones. January wasn’t quite that. Too much extra work and bad dreams made me restless and tired. But I can’t imagine drinking would have helped that. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to work as much as I did.
And I did exercise more and read more and remember the shows I watched.
It’s moderation. And perhaps more importantly, non-reliance. I’ve lived through the years where alcohol was a habit and I don’t want to be there again. For me, it should be a Friday treat, a celebration, a social activity with the people I love where we laugh and then still feel great the next day. Never an impairment to other things I want to enjoy in my life.
But uffda. January is a long month to be sober.
With Love,
Natalie