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Kicking off the holiday madness with a Sober October

We have all the tips and tricks you need for the spooky season.


October — the kickoff of the holiday madness. Parties filled with boozy punches and feeling like in order to pull off those stilettos in that wig, you need to take a shot of liquid courage. Now that the world is starting to jump right back into holiday events, dress-up parties and halloween bashes are back in full swing.

Whether you have been sober for a while, have a habit of not drinking at events, or are curious about sobriety — October is such a kickoff point. So, if you're toying with doing Sober October these tips are for you.

Photo courtesy of Pixels

SOBER OCTOBER TIP #1: READ THE DRY CHALLENGE

The Dry Challenge is an incredible book that was originally written for doing a Dry January. It's a workbook to guide you through 30 days without alcohol. We interviewed Hillary Sheinbam on the CLEARHEADED podcast about how she started this journey, and it might resonate with you on how to start your journey with sober curiousity or taking a break.

This book truly has everything from how to answer somebody who asks you if you want to drink or what to do instead. There are so many resources in The Dry Challenge, even if you don't want to try a Sober October, you could do a Dry November, December, January, or really any month.

Photo courtesy of Death to Stock Photography

SOBER OCTOBER TIP #2: SIP ON A BOOZE-FREE ALTERNATIVE

So, how do you do this? How do you go to that costume party and pull off those stilettos without a sip of halloween punch? Alcohol free alternatives are our best friends and we feel like they might be yours too. 

Sometimes alcohol alternatives can be triggering, especially if you're already feeling tempted. Just remember to be kind and honest with yourself. If you get a ritual bottle of non-al tequila — you open it up, smell it and you're tempted to drink — that's okay. You can close the bottle, walk away and try again. You could also try something like Kin Euphorics, which is an option that isn’t one-to-one to an alcohol alternative. It tastes totally different and the benefits are relaxing and uplifting.

Photo courtesy of Pixels

SOBER OCTOBER TIP #3: LEAN INTO CANDY

Lean into candy, baby, because do you know how much sugar is in alcohol? So much. And if you're trying to cut down on alcohol in October, embrace the fact that everybody has candy and stock up.

We like to have an entire drawer full of candy and it's the best treat. No one is going to turn down  a candy bar if you have a friend over and they want a drink and you don't have one, but you do have Gobstoppers, a nerd rope and some fun throwbacks, like a ring pop — hello — that's so fun and perfect for the season. We’re even making a candy bar instead of an alcohol bar for the entire month of October.

So, enjoy staying in and sharing your stocked-up candy bar with your friends or going out for a costume party with your favorite non-al alternatives. Finish out this year and begin the holiday celebrations with all the resources you need for a Sober October and keep us updated along the way!