FAQ: "Why Is Your Dry January Programme Longer Than One Month?! "
I want to answer a FAQ today about why I chose to make my Dry January programme 90 days, instead of just 31. You're going to be able to find other programs out there that just support you for the month, but I want to help you make REAL, LASTING change in your drinking.
Whether you choose to cut-back or quit for good, you need to have all the information available to you, but even more importantly, you need to FEEL THE POSITIVE CHANGE, all of it. And that takes a little time.
So, without further adieu, here are 4 reasons why my “Dry January & Beyond” programme is longer than 31 days.
- I came to this decision based on my own sobriety journey. At the end of one month of not drinking, I definitely felt better, and my sleep had improved, but the physical and mental changes that I felt in month 2 and 3 were incredible. My circadian rhythm (sleeping pattern) fully adjusted in month 2 and I was able to experience what true rest felt like. My joy also came back and continued to increase in month 2 and 3 as the chemicals (dynorphin) cleared my system and my adrenaline and cortisol levelled out meaning my stress levels decreased. I didn't experience the calm, joy and peace levels in the first month- that all came later.
- I came to this decision based on clients I coached for just one month. I don't offer one month coaching anymore in my practice because again, I don't think you have enough GOOD feeling under your belt to be able to make lasting change. This is not true for everyone, but it has certainly been true for me and dozens of my clients. The whole point of this 90 day experiment is to see if living alcohol free feels better than living with alcohol. I believe you need at least 90 days to be able to make that decision…
- This program is 90 days because of science. As I mentioned above, it takes time for hormones to balance out. One of the huge impacts that living alcohol-free has on us as women is that it reduces our anxiety. That's because of adrenaline and cortisol. That's something you need to FEEL to understand. And to really grasp it, it takes longer than a month. Further, neuroscience tells us that to make lasting change in our habits we have to replace the triggers with new actions. It takes longer than 30 days to figure out all of those triggers.
- You need to experience as much of life as possible without alcohol to see that not only is it bearable, it might be better. You need to do an alcohol-free date night, you need to do an alcohol-free girls night, you need to do an alcohol-free kid's birthday party, you need to do an alcohol-free holiday, vacation… ALL OF THE THINGS. I know that can sound overwhelming, but that's why you've got SUPPORT.
Once again, this doesn't have to be about quitting forever. If you want to drink less over the course of 2023, then this programme will help you do that. I don't mind what your drinking goal is- but I do want to make sure you feel your best so that it actually sticks this time.
100% of my clients who have coached with me for three-months report either 1. drinking significantly less or 2. ditching booze for good. Yes, I've asked them.
If you want a programme where you ditch alcohol for the month of January as punishment for all that you drank in December, than my programme is not for you.
If you want a programme that will have you drinking just as much as you are now come February 1st, then this programme is not for you.
If you want a programme that is going to use willpower, judgement, and labels then why are you even here right now??? Haha, I'm just kidding.
I'm done playing with Dry Januaries that don't actually make real change, are you?????????
