Thank you for this Sarah. I quit on 2/26 of this year after several stops and starts, similar to what you described. There are times I still struggle and wish to drink, but I'm always grateful I didn't.
Good for you! My group of women running friends very rarely drink and we keep each other on track for training and lifestyle dining. It is harder for some than others, but that's why we are all keeping each other accountable. Dry January is also a great reset for what goes on our plate too!
I was so surprised and excited to see this headline! Coming at the perfect time as I’m sure so many struggle during the holidays. I’ve had a similar battle of stops and starts with drinking, and after an especially bad night last month I started dry January early. I’ve had an amazing few weeks where I’ve felt present and confident with friends and family (and happy to be the DD!). Thank you for sharing your story ❤️
I had a total of 16 drinks last year, spread out, not at once! That's counting the sipping during a couple of champagne toasts at weddings. It was enough. It was festive. I had lots of fun and zero headaches or regrets.
It's entirely possible to be an extremely light drinker. The lighter you are, the less you'll want it. I think that works better than being a prohibitionist scold, which I have found all over Substack this morning. I like the whole idea of a damp January for some folks, and will do my part in trying to get that into the vernacular for 2025.
Thanks for reading! "A prohibitionist scold"—lol, I know what you mean. I think it's important to provide different avenues to health and moderation than 12-step, which is lifesaving for some but definitely not for others.
Thank you for sharing this. We all have our vices, and they may never be fully contained. Appreciate you so much for your honest writing and happy holidays!
Thank you for reading, Billy! I’m looking forward to watching your mammoth film. Loved the Mongolia one. Have a happy new year and I look forward to seeing you in Silverton.
Your writing is vulnerable, brave and hopefully inspiring to those who read it Sarah. So many parallels to my story so I can obviously relate in so many ways (especially growing up in the 70’s and early 80’s….) My relationship with alcohol ended 7 years ago this coming February after some honest reflections. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing this and being open with your experiences in this context. Radically minimizing alcohol’s role in my everyday is one of the best things I’ve ever done.
I do wonder why I bother to have a beer or glass of wine a few times per week. It’s more of a psychological fall back thing that I imagine relaxes me and provides some kind of reward for a hard days work (or workout). I am going to challenge myself to swap that silliness out for a tea or some other nice non alcoholic bev for January and see if I end up dry or damp. As a kid who grew up with an alcoholic mother I am acutely aware of the negative outcomes of letting drinking become habitual. Thanks for the honest read.
“The good food gnome”🤣🤣🤣 That really was brilliant, Sarah!
I’m intrigued. The girls and I were without alcohol for about half of our JMT hike, and when we did have it the portions were pretty tiny. I missed it at first, then not so much. But, sure enough, I fell back into my glass of wine every night habit after we returned. It’s incredibly rare that I have more than that, and when I do (like at a friend’s holiday party last week), I am guaranteed to have poor sleep and a mild hangover. Chris is totally sober and has been since his mid 20s. Whenever I flirt with not drinking, he assures me that I hardly drink at all and shouldn’t feel guilty about my single glass of wine. But I don’t know. I don’t like feeling dependent on it. And I’m definitely interested in any strategy to combat the menopause belly!
I dunno, I think it’s cool you can feel satisfied with just one glass. Sounds very French! Maybe try dry Jan then see where you want to take it? Happy new year! I just got a PRP shot and doc told me no lower body exercise, no impact, for 2 weeks, then take it easy with hiking and don’t try running for 2 more weeks, or else I may jeopardize the magic juice working. One more reason not to drink…I really don’t need empty calories while I’m sedentary!
Thank you for this. I needed it.
Thank you for this Sarah. I quit on 2/26 of this year after several stops and starts, similar to what you described. There are times I still struggle and wish to drink, but I'm always grateful I didn't.
I'd never heard "damp january" before — that's good
Wow. The story of me, right down to the IPAs. Perfect timing for me. Thank you.
Good for you! My group of women running friends very rarely drink and we keep each other on track for training and lifestyle dining. It is harder for some than others, but that's why we are all keeping each other accountable. Dry January is also a great reset for what goes on our plate too!
I was so surprised and excited to see this headline! Coming at the perfect time as I’m sure so many struggle during the holidays. I’ve had a similar battle of stops and starts with drinking, and after an especially bad night last month I started dry January early. I’ve had an amazing few weeks where I’ve felt present and confident with friends and family (and happy to be the DD!). Thank you for sharing your story ❤️
You got this!
I had a total of 16 drinks last year, spread out, not at once! That's counting the sipping during a couple of champagne toasts at weddings. It was enough. It was festive. I had lots of fun and zero headaches or regrets.
It's entirely possible to be an extremely light drinker. The lighter you are, the less you'll want it. I think that works better than being a prohibitionist scold, which I have found all over Substack this morning. I like the whole idea of a damp January for some folks, and will do my part in trying to get that into the vernacular for 2025.
Thanks for reading! "A prohibitionist scold"—lol, I know what you mean. I think it's important to provide different avenues to health and moderation than 12-step, which is lifesaving for some but definitely not for others.
I am 5 years sober...you should quit period. Do it for you.
Congrats to you!
Thank you for sharing this. We all have our vices, and they may never be fully contained. Appreciate you so much for your honest writing and happy holidays!
Really enjoyed reading and thanks for a timely subject, inspired me to a dry Jan for the first time since 2018
Great read Sarah, I appreciate your candor in talking about something that I know many struggle with.
Thank you for reading, Billy! I’m looking forward to watching your mammoth film. Loved the Mongolia one. Have a happy new year and I look forward to seeing you in Silverton.
Your writing is vulnerable, brave and hopefully inspiring to those who read it Sarah. So many parallels to my story so I can obviously relate in so many ways (especially growing up in the 70’s and early 80’s….) My relationship with alcohol ended 7 years ago this coming February after some honest reflections. Cheers!
Thanks for reading & relating, Mike, and happy new year.
Thanks for sharing this and being open with your experiences in this context. Radically minimizing alcohol’s role in my everyday is one of the best things I’ve ever done.
I do wonder why I bother to have a beer or glass of wine a few times per week. It’s more of a psychological fall back thing that I imagine relaxes me and provides some kind of reward for a hard days work (or workout). I am going to challenge myself to swap that silliness out for a tea or some other nice non alcoholic bev for January and see if I end up dry or damp. As a kid who grew up with an alcoholic mother I am acutely aware of the negative outcomes of letting drinking become habitual. Thanks for the honest read.
Well done! Ultrarunning is boring; this is good.
Haha thanks for reading, Buzz!
“The good food gnome”🤣🤣🤣 That really was brilliant, Sarah!
I’m intrigued. The girls and I were without alcohol for about half of our JMT hike, and when we did have it the portions were pretty tiny. I missed it at first, then not so much. But, sure enough, I fell back into my glass of wine every night habit after we returned. It’s incredibly rare that I have more than that, and when I do (like at a friend’s holiday party last week), I am guaranteed to have poor sleep and a mild hangover. Chris is totally sober and has been since his mid 20s. Whenever I flirt with not drinking, he assures me that I hardly drink at all and shouldn’t feel guilty about my single glass of wine. But I don’t know. I don’t like feeling dependent on it. And I’m definitely interested in any strategy to combat the menopause belly!
I dunno, I think it’s cool you can feel satisfied with just one glass. Sounds very French! Maybe try dry Jan then see where you want to take it? Happy new year! I just got a PRP shot and doc told me no lower body exercise, no impact, for 2 weeks, then take it easy with hiking and don’t try running for 2 more weeks, or else I may jeopardize the magic juice working. One more reason not to drink…I really don’t need empty calories while I’m sedentary!