Are you sober right now?
Not just sober this moment, but are you sober for the month? Or maybe you are part of the “sober curious” movement? I applaud you if you are.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, perhaps you've been ignoring social media. "Dry January" is a trend where you do not consume alcohol for an entire month. And beyond that, many in the younger generation are deciding to forgo alcohol all the time, deciding to enjoy life while sober.
There are mounting reasons why. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued the ultimate buzzkill days after New Year’s when he called for health warnings on alcoholic drinks, saying alcohol use in any amount is a leading cause of preventable deaths.
I get it. But for the record, I'm not drying out this month.
Let me explain why. First, by nature I'm not a “joiner.” If a throng of others is doing something, I'm not likely to want to go along with the crowd. And yes, I've had several friends ask me if I would be doing Dry January.
But more importantly, this is about making a personal decision, not signing on to a TikTok trend or a group activity. It's about choosing how to live my own life – as you should for yourself.
I know a lot about making personal choices – I've spent the past 7 years working diligently on a self-improvement plan that has included books, therapy, meditation, changing my diet and joining a gym. I know many of you are on similar journeys and I am rooting for you.
The central elements to this are self-awareness and perspective. We are not perfect – we’re humans under construction. There is no one-size-fits-all, just what we find as truth when we look into ourselves with honesty and grace.
I’ll call that my “Why? January.” That is, I believe the most important thing with any lifestyle choice we make – diet, exercise, relationships, community service – is to do it in a spirit of self-reflection and growth.
So, in that spirit, I’ll share this: A story and video on a mocktail at a brewery in my area: “Salt Springs Brewery doing non-alcoholic cocktails justice.”
In the piece, Santino Mattioli, an MLive videographer, enthuses about the qualities of a nonalcoholic beverage he samples.
But he also confides, “Dry January lasted about two days for me, but I am continuing to try the experiment. I think the goal for me is less about going the month without a sip of alcohol and more about overall reduction of intake by becoming more mindful about it.”
Cheers to you, Santino, and to all of you on your own journey of self-improvement.
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