DRY JANUARY IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Included in this Blog Post: Dry Jan Events, Support & DRNK Promos

“People who abstained from alcohol for a month started drinking less the rest of the year and showed striking improvements in their health.” – Anahad O’Connor (The Washington Post, 2022)

A new year is upon us, and with it comes a multitude of fresh starts. New Year’s also reminds me of something my parents used to say (unsure of who the original author is), “Today is the first day of the rest of your life!”. You can say that line every day and is something that I try to remember at my lowest moments. Today however IS the first day of the rest of your life in 2023, resolutions have likely been made, and a not-so-new monthly challenge is about to begin – Dry January!

A BIT OF DRY JANUARY HISTORY

According to Wikipedia, Dry January (a registered trademark of Alcohol Change UK, a not-for-profit group founded in 1984 whose aim is to reduce the harm caused by alcohol), was a campaign first delivered by this group in 2013, and this year marks its 10^th Anniversary.

BENEFITS OF TAKING A MONTH OFF ALCOHOL

Dry January has grown tremendously since its inception, in both size and geographic reach. Of course, it shouldn’t really matter when you decide to take a break from alcohol, or for how long. But a month can do wonders for many things including one’s health, which sometimes results in a reduction of the waistline, and who doesn’t love that😁. But it can also give you time and perspective to reflect on the why of it all, and it seems a month is perhaps the perfect amount of time to form new and healthy habits.

There are a Multitude of Health Benefits Associated with Cutting Back or Cutting Out Alcohol – When you start the realize these benefits, it positively reinforces the new habit which can further motivate you to continue. If you can turn down alcohol for a month, you can probably turn down alcohol for more than a month.

But Just Remember to Be Kind and Forgiving with Yourself – Healthy competition is good, and I am very competitive by nature. But when it comes to creating new habits, or making major shifts in your daily routine, such as choosing to NOT reach for the booze, you need to leave room for “failure”. And I put that in quotations because some may view it as a bad word. It is not!  We must fail to learn, and these lessons are what will help us build resilience and foster determination. Failing is a part of life, and no one is perfect (if you told me that 5-6 years ago, I would have disagreed with you). But as humans we are fallible, and we must embrace this and the wonderful teachings it brings.

Seek Out Support or a Community to Lean On – Asking for help, support or guidance is a sign of intelligence. We rely on many people throughout the course of our lives, so if you need extra help or motivation, don’t neglect to reach out. We will be posting a community page to the website and providing some links on Instagram as well.

DRNK HAS PARTNERED WITH THIS UNWASTED LIFE TO: Support, Motivate and Quench Your Dry Jan Thirst!

What better way to participate in a challenge but to hold yourself accountable 💪🏽, and do it alongside a group of supportive friends…even if it’s social media friends 👬👫

• Save the Dry January calendar (below)
• Check off each day of sobriety this month
• Post the calendar image to your story alongside us!

And please READ THIS CAREFULLY. If you slip up…it’s ok, call it a cheat day. Let’s just see how many days out of the month you can rack up!

We will also be hosting a number of events at the DRNK Mocktail & Smoothie Bar and offering 15% off to keep your thirst quenched with our tasty mocktails (see flyer below).

Upcoming Events will be posted to the DRNK and TUL websites, and the respective Instagram pages.

PODCASTS/ ONLINE EVENTS

**Updated Dates Below

Jan 1st – All The Things Podcast – ‘Holistic Health Princess’ Sofia Merlo and I had a lovely chat on sobriety, the formation of DRNK and everything in between. Access Podcast Here

Jan 12^th – TUL Instagram Live with ME🤗 – Join Hayley and I as we talk about our approach to a dry challenge, and offer some tips and tricks for achieving your goals!

Jan 13^th A Sober Girls Guide Podcast – I joined Jessica Jeboult just before the holidays for a sober girl chat, and she didn’t hold back on the questions. @A Sober Girls Guide is a resource for anyone seeking advice and support in changing their relationship with alcohol. You can access the podcast from either of these links!

EVENTS @ DRNK MOCKTAIL & SMOOTHIE BAR

Jan 5^th – DRNK Try Before You Buy – Come into the store between 12pm-1pm and 4pm-5pm to sample our Mojito and Mule. We will also be compiling all our recipes on the website so that you can spruce up your mocktail throughout the month (see flyer below).  

Jan 12^th & 21^st – Paint & Sip Nights – We’ve partnered with Sankofa Entertainment to bring you some AF creative events. Great for date night, after-work de-stressing, or for those who just love to embrace their creative side. Live DJ and AF drinks included!

Jan 14^th – Dry Jan Check-In – Join your community for a check-in to share, connect and support!

Jan 31^st – STAY TUNED | Will be announced soon!

LET’S GO – WE GOT THIS!