Celebrating Dry January

This year’s Dry January felt different than in years past.

No, not because of the pandemic.

Not because of the US presidential inauguration and the craziness leading up to it (Jan 6, anyone?).

But because it was a year that despite all the reasons to have a glass of wine, I chose not to. And thinking that I would fail at every turn whenever I started scrolling through my Twitter feed or watching the news, I didn’t. Of all the years to fall off the wagon and for it to be socially accepted, I didn’t.

Not only did I not fall off the wagon, but I started to reinvent what it means to imbibe. You can still enjoy the experience of consuming a drink without, well, having one. At least not one with alcohol. So I started to focus on zero proof cocktails for the blog and in my research to see what else everyone was doing, it opened my eyes to a new and expanding world.

What inevitably also happens about two weeks into Dry January is that my body starts to adjust and resets. I began sleeping better - especially in the past week - and that’s no small feat considering the man I lie next to snores like a goddamn freight train. I was also consuming so much more water than I normally do and have been actively working my way through my tea cupboard. 

I also spent the last two weeks of January walking for miles and miles, with encouragement coming from my Fitbit smartwatch. If you’re following me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’m doing a wellness campaign with Best Buy where I’m featuring the Fitbit. What comes with that, of course, is the need to actually use and experience the device. I’ll admit that without it, I’d likely be sitting on the couch and watching another episode of Friends re-runs. The concept of setting and exceeding personal step goals taps into my Type A personality perfectly, of course (insert eye roll).

So unlike previous years, this year I actually want to celebrate my Dry January of 2021. Last year sucked and this year’s no better, from a global issues perspective. But personally, I feel healthier, happier and more balanced than I have been in years. And yeah, I’m only one month in but this evening when I raise a glass of something a bit stronger to celebrate, it’s not without merit. Small wins, my friends, small wins.

Girl done good.