Play It Forward
The idea is that when you reach for that glass of wine, bottle of beer, crystal glass of ice, you look to the future and “play it out”.
IF you take the drink of alcohol: What do the first few sips taste like? After the initial buzz, what then? Another glass? Will all the things you want to do tonight get done? Will you sleep well? How will you feel in the morning? Now, what would happen if you don’t have the alcohol? Play that out too. Same questions; different answers? This is harder than it sounds when the temptation strikes, but it can work.
You’ll notice I said ‘drink of alcohol’ rather than just ‘a drink’. Obviously, Bridget and I are huge proponents of non-alcoholic options. I still believe that “having a drink” is a sensory experience that goes beyond what is going on inside your glass. It can be a ritual that brings people together or enhances a moment alone; it just doesn’t HAVE to be alcohol. You can choose another option.
Starting Over…And Over.
Maybe Day 1 wasn’t a total success in your eyes. Maybe you had every intention but the Badgers were on, you had a party to go to, there was a wedding. Whatever. Even if you didn’t go alcohol-free yesterday, Sober October is more about changing your relationship with alcohol than it is TOTAL perfection. For us perfectionists, that’s a hard sip to swallow. But, there’s no reason to throw in the towel just yet. Even if it wasn’t perfect, the though likely crossed your mind and that’s all we can ask for.
I’m Gonna Quit Drinking
So, what does Day 1 look like for me? Do I just stay home all day and night to avoid temptation all together? Should I crawl into my bed and stay there until Halloween? I mean, you could. And to be quite honest, I did that. Sometimes I’d just lay in my room, nap, take a bath, eat some junk food and go back to bed. But, over the next few weeks I’ll be over here giving you suggestions about how to make this experience enjoyable rather than a total drag.
How to have a ‘Sober Curious’ October
The easiest way to have a successful Sober October is to look at this as a positive experience; giving your mind and body a break from the booze. Committing to a month alcohol-free can be an enjoyable and, dare I say, fun experience if you let it.
Everyday All Day
Overall, we absolutely enjoyed our experience. The staff was amazing, ambiance lovely, mocktail menu existent and extensive, as was the cocktail menu, and food was delish. We wish we could have remembered our waitress’s name; top-notch.
Perfect Pies. Just Perfect.
Well, we found heaven one night recently at Salvatore’s Tomato Pies in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. First, thank you to Chris, our excellent server and to the bar manager, Jack, who so clearly has put a lot of love and energy in to an extensive and delicious mocktail (and cocktail) menu.
The Last Time
I’ll be honest, I waffled with this one for days; riddled with anxiety. I spent days from Thanksgiving morning drafting, saving, drafting, saving, drafting and saving posts until finally on Sunday I was like, “OMG Fuck This Shit. This is ridiculous. Beth Dutton this shit.”