How to Actually Thrive (Not Just Survive) Your Dry Month Challenge
(6 min read)
So you've decided to take on an alcohol-free challenge. Whether it's Dry January, Sober October, or your own personal experiment to give booze a break, that's brilliant. But how are you actually going to get through it without losing your mind, falling face-first into a bag of Haribo, or falling off whichever wagon you've set for yourself?
Today we're talking about survival - or better yet, ‘thrival’ - strategies. Not just white knuckling through 31 days, but actually thriving and making the most of this time.
These 10 tips come from years of personal trial and error, with a good dose of research and input from others in the Low No Nation.
1. Sleep Like Your Success Depends on It
Everything—and I mean everything—starts with how well you sleep. The duration and quality of your sleep directly impacts your decision-making powers and, importantly for a challenge like this, the magnitude of your willpower. Because willpower is not an infinite resource; it’s very much finite.
“That’s why you’ll find that you are better at resisting things or sticking to your convictions in the mornings, rather than towards the end of the day, because often, by the time you get to your evening tipple, we have used it all up and we’re starting to run out.”
Try putting your phone down an hour before bed, preferably in a different room. Remember that your bedroom isn’t an office or entertainment centre—it’s there so you can get the rest your body and brain need to serve you best the next day.
Bear in mind that the first few nights might be terrible, even if you try these strategies. That’s normal. It’s not a failure—it’s your body adjusting to change.
2. Eat Well, But Don't Go Crazy About It
Don't mix a dry month challenge with a brand-new diet, plus a new workout routine, and reading three books a week...
This isn't the 75 Hard challenge. This is simply about focusing on one aspect of your life you want to improve.
"Whatever it is that you currently do, my advice is to keep on doing that, but to do it better. Get variety in your diet and get colours on your plate. It's the easiest way to make sure that you're getting the most nutrients in your body."
If the kids want fish fingers for dinner and you don't have energy for anything else, have fish fingers, but throw some frozen peas on the plate too.
Small changes support your body so it can support your brain in making the changes you want.
Prefer to listen? Catch this on the latest episode of the Low No Drinker Podcast: Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife. Listen on Apple – Listen on Spotify
3. Move Your Body Even If You Don't Feel Like It
Lethargy is often a side effect of cutting back on booze initially.
Your body is adjusting and puts all its energy into dealing with that adaptation, leaving little energy for other things.
The average adult walks just 4,000 steps a day, that’s roughly 30 to 40 minutes of brisk walking spread over 24 hours.
That's not a lot. You can do better, and this is a perfect time to start.
"Movement creates energy, even when you don't feel like it, and that energy can then be transferred into helping you make better decisions - into improving your willpower, for example"
4. Be Kind to Yourself
Your inner critic will be working overtime because your body and mind want to return to what they're used to. You can't let yourself fall victim to your own negativity.
Try changing how you speak to yourself, from "this is hard" to "this is hard, and I'm doing it anyway." Remember, this is about progress, not perfection.
"One mistake does not undo everything, just like one jog doesn't make you Usain Bolt. This is about creating habits that change into incredible lifestyle changes over time."
5. Don't Be a Solo Hero
Going it alone with anything in life is tricky. Find somebody to go on this journey with you, or at least someone who understands and supports your mission.
"Tell your friends what your boundaries are. Let people know I'm doing this for whatever length of time, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't offer me a drink this time."
If you don't have someone in real life, turn to online communities. There are Instagram pages, Facebook groups, and meetup groups specifically for these challenges.
6. Get Things Out of Your Head and Onto Paper
Journaling can be a fantastic way to connect with yourself and think through your choices without fear of judgment.
Write about what was hard, what was good that day. Put your goals and motivations at the front of your journal and check in with yourself daily.
Don't worry about grammar or length, this is just for you. Nobody's going to be grading your journaling.
7. Fresh Air Is Not Optional
Do not fall into the hibernation trap and think that because you're taking a month off booze, you have to stay inside.
"It saddens me when I see so many people saying, ‘Oh no, I'm not drinking, so I'm not going out.’ That is not the point of these challenges."
You won't learn to develop new social skills and enjoyments if you just stay inside. Get fresh air in your lungs and vitamin D on your skin - they're great mood boosters and completely free.
8. Fill the Time Void
Alcohol takes up far more of your time than you realise.
It's not just the night out or the hangover; it’s that two to three days later, you're probably still operating at less than full capacity.
"The worst thing that you can do is sit around waiting for your Dry January or Sober October to be over so that you can go and get smashed on the first of the next month."
What have you always wanted to try? Learn a language? Play guitar? Start that Couch to 5K app you downloaded six months ago?
Use your newfound energy to design the life you want to lead.
9. Fuel Your Success
When you cut back on drinking, it's perfectly natural to start craving sweet treats. Cocktails, prosecco, spirit mixers, even ciders, all contain far more sugar than you might realise, and your body will crave energy replacements.
"Once you've started reducing your alcohol intake, you will find yourself craving these things because they give you energy that you would normally have gotten from the alcoholic drink."
By all means, indulge in the odd treat, but stock up on healthier snacks too. Try smart swaps: dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, nuts and dried fruit instead of biscuits.
10. Explore the Alternative Universe
This should come as no surprise: explore alcohol-free drinks. The point isn't not to drink—it's not to drink alcohol.
"The low, no and light alcohol market is now full of thousands of adult beverages for those who choose to drink differently for any reason, for any length of time."
Don't settle for lime and soda. Find venues with quality alternatives, hit the supermarket shelves, and explore online retailers like Wise Bartender (you can even use my affiliate discount code to get 10% off: LOWNODRINKERMAGAZINE)
This isn't just about the single drink you're choosing not to have—it's about the experience and opportunity you're giving yourself to explore a whole new way of drinking and with it, a whole new life of possibilities.
Getting Started
You don't have to be perfect at all 10 strategies straight away. Pick two or three that resonate with you and start there.
Remember, this is an experiment, not a life sentence.
It's about trying different things to see what works well for you.