Dry January Isn't the Point
"Discipline is not fighting every urge. It is choosing which ones are worth the fight."
Lots of dry January chatter these days so I wanted to discuss the topic today. First, massive kudos to anyone doing dry January. You deserve a lot of credit for committing to that. The homestretch is in sight, stay strong.
While I have been very focused on drinking less alcohol over the last few years, I have never actually done dry January. The issue with many people who do dry January is that they just revert back to their old ways as soon as midnight strikes on Feb 1. Or even worse, they drink in excess in Feb and March, effectively erasing any benefit. If you revert back to your old ways for the other 11 months of the year, dry January does not really accomplish anything.
I talked to one client the other day who is doing dry January and he had some great realizations. He works in a client facing finance job where he is constantly hosting and entertaining. He said: "Hal, I know we have talked about it before, but Athletic Brewing NA beers make it so easy. It feels and tastes like I am drinking a regular beer. And while I am drinking them I sometimes even forget they are NA and convince myself I am drunk. Your mind really can play tricks on you, in a great way. Also, you quickly realize that no one else even notices what you are drinking, or gives a shit."
So much of drinking is habitual and comes down to not feeling awkward by not having a drink in your hand. Newsflash: the drink in your hand does not have to be alcoholic. Or, it comes down to being worried about what other people think. Newsflash: no one cares what you are doing. Everyone is thinking about himself. The NA beers look like the real thing. A diet coke with lime looks like a whiskey coke.
Strategies to drink less in 2026: Do not drink at home unless you are hosting friends or family. Otherwise - alone, with your significant other, with your kids, or with your dog. Do you really need to drink when you are just laying low with your immediate family? Those are the throwaway drinks that sneakily add up over the course of the week.
During work functions, keep it to 2 drinks max.
Remember that you do not have to cut out drinking entirely to drink less. In any situation where you normally drink, if you can consistently shave off 1-2 drinks every time, that is a massive win. That could easily amount to 100+ drinks over the course of the year.
Stop committing to social events you do not want to go to. If you find yourself regularly committing to things and saying "I will need a few drinks to get through that," here is a crazy idea: stop going to those things. If I do not want to do something and I do not have to, I no longer do it. Very liberating.
My drinking plan for 2026: 5 drinks max per week besides real special occasions like weddings, bachelor parties, and trips. For me, this structure challenges me a bit while also being realistic, which is the balance you want to strike.
I am not here to tell anyone what to do or how to live. But what I can tell you as someone who has lived both lives - it feels good to drink less.
Stay well, Hal the Health Coach
