Dry January Isn't About Breaking a Habit (For Me)

Welp, it’s almost halfway through January and I’ve yet to write a 2021 reflection post, so I guess that’s not going to happen. It’s safe to say 2021 was a big one for us—primarily in that we welcomed Warren to the fam bam! But the new year is upon us, and so is Dry January, which means I’m past the holiday nostalgia and settled into the gritty focus that accompanies the beginning of each new year.

I’m on year 10ish of Dry January (minus the Januarys following the Decembers I gave birth and had just been dry for 9 months), and it’s less about trying to change a habit in my life and more about starting the year proving to myself that I can accomplish something I put my mind to. I agree with critics of Dry January that it’s not the best approach if you’re trying to truly scale back your drinking in the long run or kick an addiction. But I don’t really take issue with my glass of wine in the evenings. It tastes very yummy in my tummy and pairs well with Downton Abbey. The thing is, I just like to do something that requires commitment to kick off the year, and Lord knows I’m not going to train for a marathon or give up cheese. Let’s not be crazy, here.

I love parameters. I am competitive solely with myself—I could not care less about sports or card games or winning or losing. I make a terrible trivia partner. I get very distracted by the nachos and am usually talking whenever they ask the question. However internally, I think it’s fun to see what I’m capable of achieving. I like setting goals for myself. I don’t like giving myself passes or shortcuts—which totally work for some people. But for me, I’m all about the intensity of consistency.

I’ve talked about this before in terms of how I wrote my book by writing 500 words per day, never missing a weekday for 8 months. No one gave me those parameters except me, and no one made me stick to it like my life depended on it. Things with quantitive boundaries just bring me satisfaction, so give me all the self-imposed rules!

500 words per day.

0 drinks in the month.

You get it.

As with most things, the first week is by far the hardest. Drinking tea helps me a lot, because it’s still something cute to sip that feels relaxing. I’ve even been intentional about only drinking out of our mugs that make me extra happy—usually the cheap ones from Shutterfly with my kids’ faces plastered on them. A positive byproduct is we’ve downsized our mug collection because why keep the ones that don’t excite me? Marie Kondo would be so proud!

Speaking of Ms. Kondo, I’ve also been on a huge minimalism kick that helps distract me when I feel like having a glass. My dining room table is absolutely covered in stuff I’ll be donating this weekend. As someone who regularly cleans out drawers and closets, loves organization, and considers throwing things away a hobby, it’s pretty wild how much I can still get rid of when I get in minimalism turbo mode. Nothing is safe. Ask Aaron. He almost lost half of his cooking utensils.

I know, I know. This is where people who don’t drink point out that this should be a forever thing since there are so many positive byproducts, but nah. I’m good. Still, I love how being disciplined with my drinking makes me more disciplined in other areas. It’s exactly why I love doing Dry January to kick off the year! I always feel so strong when it’s over. Like, I can keep promises to myself and do things that don’t feel easy.

So to all of you doing Dry January, I hope you’re hanging in there and enjoying the byproducts of stick-to-it-ness. But like…is it February 1st yet?