Sober October!
Hell yeah! The sober October challenge is just around the corner and many folks are thinking about diving into the month with a clear mind and a hangover free body. It is a great way to ring in the autumn season and I want to be here to cheer you on in your endeavor!
First off, if you are at a place right now where you are considering taking a break from a substance like alcohol, I want to applaud you for even considering doing something like this. Depending on the ingrained pathways and habits that alcohol has carved out in your mind and subconscious, this month might be a breeze, or it might be one helluva challenge. Here are some things to consider as you make your move into the month of October.
Don’t rely on willpower!
I remember two years ago when I made an attempt at sober October. It wasn’t pretty and I didn’t make it too far, barely two weeks as a matter of fact. I was in a state of mind where I thought I would just muscle on through it. I was using the very finite resource of willpower as my only tool to get me from one end of the month to the other. Willpower is more of a top down approach that can work for a while but will eventually run out.
So what can you do? I found that instead of running from or struggling with cravings, leaning into the feelings and thoughts about drinking helped me. I used curiosity to explore more deeply how and what I was feeling in regard to alcohol.
Prepare thy self.
Now is a great time to begin your mental preparation for the next month. In my last attempt, I pretty much decided on September 30th that I would do the month-long challenge and that it wouldn’t be too much of a problem. I had not envisioned what those next four weeks would look like or how I was going to feel as I encountered all the triggers and mental barriers. Giving yourself the time of a week or two will really help to cement the commitment in your mind and subconscious. It will also give you the space to use your imagination to run scenarios that you might encounter along the way.
Burn the Freakin’ Boats!
This is one that can save you a lot of energy expenditure. Believe it or not, making decisions takes energy and having to make a bunch of small ones throughout the day can be exhausting. I know when I would get to the end of a day, I would get that whole “Screw it!” mentality. My mind-as it was wont to do- would give me all the reasons why I should have a drink. You know all the old gems like “you deserve it” or “one won’t hurt” or “it’s been a long day.” Because I was tired and had not made the firm decision to fully commit, I was much more susceptible to giving in.
By making one big decision, one true and firm commitment to yourself that you will not have a drink, no matter what, you can save yourself a lot of energy and mental noise. It may not sound like it, but it can actually be a relief to start at the beginning with a promise to be alcohol-free for the month of October.
Hello Handsome.
You might encounter a lot of mental chatter. That is normal. Our limbic brains- the older, more reptilian part of our minds- want nothing more than to seek pleasure/comfort and avoid pain. When we get into a place of comfort and familiarity, even if it is harmful to us, our subconscious will pull out all the tricks to keep us in that comfortable state. I know I would get all kinds of stories and feelings from within to get me back to that old familiar place.
Have you ever watched Young Frankenstein? Your limbic brain is like Gene Wilder’s character when he asked to be locked in the room with the monster. He says to his assistants to not let him our no matter what. As soon as the door is locked, and he confronts what he has to deal with he immediately pleads to be let out and uses all his wits to be removed from the situation. It’s one of my favorite scenes and it’s a good representation of how parts of your own mind will try to trick you and plead with you to go back to what was comfortable and familiar.
Speaking of monsters…
You will be in a place of clarity during these four weeks. When I was out from under the numbing and dimming effects of booze, I was then confronted by all the things I was using alcohol to numb in the first place. Don’t let this scare you, rather see this time as an opportunity and use this newfound energy to direct it toward those monsters that you have been avoiding. All the fear, all the discomfort, all the beliefs you have avoided are still going to be there and you can now dive into them like the brave adventurer that you are!
One of the reasons my attempt didn’t last was because I didn’t take the time to really dive deep into my own thoughts, beliefs, and stories. I didn’t examine the feelings and the behaviors that came up as a result of immediately depriving myself of an addictive chemical that was a daily part of my life. My use of alcohol went way deeper than the surface level. It was tied to my deep subconscious behavior and habits all of which I failed to examine. I no longer had such a time-consuming habit on my hands but I didn’t use the newfound time wisely to dive deep into why I was using and abusing it in the first place.
“So, what’s in it for me?”
I am not going to tell you this will be an easy journey because, more than likely it will not be. Then again, what journeys of growth and transformation in your own life can you look back on and say they were easy? In this month you have the opportunity to reframe your thoughts and beliefs. Perhaps you could view sober October from the lens of “what I gain” instead of “what am I losing?” It’s kind of like the whole abundance vs. scarcity mindset that all the new age woo-woo folks talk about. You can gain clarity, health, and insight. You will get to step out of your comfort zones and expand those boundaries. You are on a great adventure, and I wish you well!
If you are up for the adventure and would also like a guide, feel free to contact me at my website mapstomeaning.com. There I have a link to schedule a FREE call at a time that works best for you. We can talk about where you are currently, where you wish to be at the end of the month, and if you would like to sign up for the month. I also have a FREE 7-day journaling course that you can sign up for entitled Get Your Bearings. I believe it is a great tool to help you get started during Sober October! I look forward to hearing from you!
