Sober-Curious? Vegetarian-Adjacent? The Power of a New Year
There is power in a new year.
Many of us spend time in December indulging in food, drink, and relaxation indoors. By the time Dec 30th rolls around we feel the familiar itch, the call of a new year. It beckons us to shed the past year and look forward to the new one with hope.
Change is not made overnight.
It is very unlikely that we go to sleep one night, and wake up the next day with entirely new habits or entirely new life circumstances. We shouldn’t expect so much of change, or demand so much of ourselves. Change happens gradually, through small incremental changes over long periods of time. With intentional check-ins with our values and our actions, we can move toward a life aligned with who we want to be.
I’ve already outgrown several versions of myself- and what a relief!
Bryana and I agree, the New Year Journaling workshop has had powerful impacts on our lives- giving us the courage and clarity to transition careers, helped us identify and prioritize our core values, and to continually evaluate our own health and wellbeing.
I love to think about how I can be Radically Well.
What do I mean by that? I mean thinking of eating in ways that are nourishing vs. thinking about “diets” or “restrictive eating.” I think about exercise as an opportunity to get outside, experience joy, and move my body in ways that help me feel radiant and alive vs. thinking of exercise as an obligation and/or a punishment. Sometimes this means forcing myself to get outside or plan something fun when I am feeling down or depressed. I enjoy having curiosity and a positive mindset around what radical wellness means for me in whatever season of life I’m in.
Over the past year I experienced the death of my grandmother and a dear friend. I was (and am) incredibly sleep deprived as my daughter seems to be on a track to being the last one up at night and the first to rise in the morning. I dealt with annoying and painful health issues all summer.
Radical Wellness looks different depending on our life circumstances. And while we may not always feel radically well, we can keep wellness as a goal we strive for, even amidst the difficulties of life.
Over the past two years I’ve been sober-curious. I read the book “This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life” by Annie Grace. I started following several sober-positive instagram accounts, listened to podcasts about sobriety, and became curious about my own relationship with alcohol. In early October I decided to become sober. I am not sure if it’s for now, or forever, but for right now it feels like the right choice for me. In this season of my life, sobriety feels like a step I can take toward radical wellness.
We live in an alcohol soaked society. It is tough to find a party, work event, baby shower, friend gathering, book club, or even children’s birthday party that doesn’t offer, or revolve around, alcohol. Choosing to opt out of alcohol is challenging. If you are sober-curious, I encourage you to find small ways to implement sober days, weeks, months or years into your life. Try a sober holiday or a sober wedding. There are a multitude of really tasty NA beers out there, with many breweries also offering NA beer on tap. Mocktails are also a fun way to keep things interesting! Find others who will support you and uplift your choice to opt out of alcohol.
Over time, you may find your friends and family become open to participating in activities without alcohol, and that, SURPRISE, those activities may even be more enjoyable! (No hangover and better sleep, hurrah!)
For me, I have found clarity and joy when alcohol is not in play. I share this only because I thought it might be helpful for others who are sober-curious. Sobriety doesn’t have to look like attending AA meetings or be the result of alcohol abuse. Sobriety can simply be a perfectly acceptable life choice, or choice for right now. Maybe you don’t want to feel hungover anymore. Maybe you want to save money and spend less on alcohol. Maybe you need better sleep or less complexity in your life. You don’t need to justify your reasons to anyone. You also don’t have to commit to being totally sober or sober forever. Sometimes we try a micro-shift and learn that it doesn’t work for us, and that’s okay too!
I wonder what you’ll be curious about this year?
Maybe you’ll implement meatless Monday as a step toward eating less meat (Vegetarian Adjacent!)
Maybe you’ll start meditating for one minute a day (Meditation Beginner!)
Maybe you’ll clear your schedule one weekend a month to create space for spontaneity. (Spontaneity Planner!)
Maybe you’ll commit to walking one mile a day for the month of January, no matter the temperature (Cold Weather Impervious!)
Maybe you’ll decide to start practicing guitar or ukelele a few times a week (Aspiring bonfire guitarist!)
Maybe you’ll develop curiosity around your relationship with alcohol (Sober-Curious!).
Maybe you want to improve your heart health by dropping red meat (Heart Health Hero!)
Over time these small changes have transformational power. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes and have made mistakes. What we can do is forgive ourselves and move forward with grace, humility, and hope. Onward to a new year!
More about this workshop: We will begin with a gentle morning yoga practice. The best part about zoom - no need to turn on your camera! Roll out of bed in your PJs, grab some water and your journal, and ease into your day.
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT BEING TOGETHER IN REALTIME ON OUR MATS IN OUR OWN LITTLES CORNERS OF THE WORLD ON THE NEW YEAR THAT IS PURE MAGIC. WE LOVE KICKING OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH YOU!
We go through the same set of questions each year to reflect on the past year and look ahead. This annual practice has been really powerful for both of us over the past 9-ish years. Whether you are joining for the first time, or have started joining us annually, we think this is a powerful practice and look forward to connecting virtually from the comfort of our own homes!
"Join" with a friend, sibling, parent, grandparent, partner, or indulge and focus on yourself! Light a candle, make yourself a comfy space, grab your mat and journal, and treat yourself to two hours of self care.
This practice is more about examining the relationships and experiences that support, empower, and bring you joy than goal setting or resolutions.
Workshop takes place live on zoom January 1st from 9:00-11:00am CST.
Includes:
Gentle Yoga Class
New Year’s Journal Prompts
Intention Setting Exercise for the New Year
Upon purchase, zoom link information will be emailed to you on December 31st by 4:00pm.
What to bring:
Your yoga mat
Journal + pen (colors pencils/markers/pens if you like to get creative)
Cozy clothing (roll out of bed in your PJ’s in you like!)
Blanket, pillow
Water and/or warm tea/coffee
Quiet space so that you can fully enjoy your experience
$25 for this 2-hour yoga, journaling, and intention setting session.
PURCHASE RECORDING OF WORKSHOP - JANUARY 2ND
Can’t make it to this workshop live, but you’d still love to partake? You can purchase the replay of the workshop and we will send it to you on January 2nd. You are free to take the workshop on your own time when you are available.
$15 for a recording of our 2-hour yoga, journaling, and intention setting session. Note that the actual recording will likely be under 2 hours as we stop the recording during participants reflections and sharing at the end of the session.
