Over the last several weeks, several women reached out to tell me they were giving “Dry January” a shot. I celebrated each and every one of them and invited them to touch base with me along the way and to let me know if there was anything I could do to support them.

I applaud anyone who gives the dry life a try for any reason whatsoever. Why? Because it’s an opportunity to get honest with yourself about the role alcohol plays in your life. Because even if you start drinking again on February 1, there’s going to be a little voice nudging at you to question your consumption. To me, that’s a good thing.

So, you went alcohol free for 31 days. Was it hard? Easy? No matter how you answer those questions, I can tell you 10 things that are very likely to have happened during the past few weeks (even if we don’t know one another or have never spoken):

1. You felt less irritable.
2. You felt less anxiety.
3. You awoke clear headed every morning.
4. You found it easier to focus.
5. You found time in your day you didn’t know existed.
6. You had more energy.
7. You noticed a little more elasticity in your skin.
8. You lost weight.
9. You saved money.
10. And, you didn’t miss out on a single thing.

Am I Right?

So, you made it! Congratulations! How will you celebrate your success on February 1? Will you raise a mocktail or will there be wine in your glass again? Will you commit to another dry month and see what happens? I’m curious – please let me know in the comments.

If it was a struggle not to drink every day or you constantly thought about drinking or you couldn’t wait for the month to be over so you could have a drink, let’s talk. You do not have to let a toxic, mind-altering substance have that degree of power over you, and chances are, you’d be better off eliminating alcohol from your life altogether.