Early sobriety can be overwhelming for a variety of reasons which is why I wanted to offer some helpful sober tips from me, a sober coach. There are lots of changes happening, big emotions, tons of uncertainty and lots of questions. It can be hard to know where to start and what to do first and next. If you haven’t already, be sure to grab my free workbook called the 5 Step Guide to Kickstart Your Sobriety here. It’s a great tool to support you in creating a solid foundation for your sober journey.
With all the change that is inherent in getting sober, I wanted to offer some simple, micro-habits that you can start to implement today that will support you in your sobriety. Unlike looking at changing or creating some of the bigger habits, micro-habits are simple and quick, which will support you in taking action immediately while starting to accumulate some quick wins which are necessary in helping us feel good while also creating the motivation to keep going. Give some or all of these a try and be sure to let me know how it goes!
1) When you wake up every morning, say “I choose sobriety today” out loud, to yourself
By implementing this sentence and practice into your day, you are setting your clear goal and intention from the beginning. This is especially powerful to do before you pick up your phone, open your email or check social media. Let this statement embed into your subconscious, allowing it to guide your day and your choices.
2) Breathe deeply for 5 minutes daily
This will support you in calming your central nervous system by activating your parasympathetic nervous system. It will also invite you to be fully present in the moment and remind you that your breath is a powerful tool you can call on and harness any time you need it. If you want some guidance with this, try the Stress Less Breathing Method.
3) Practice Curiosity
Instead of judging the thoughts and feelings that arise in sobriety, I want to invite you to get curious about them. Approaching your sober experience from a place of curiosity rather than judgment can really change not only your experience but how you feel about it. Being curious about the process will also lend itself to discovering and learning more about yourself and how you arrived at where you are. Practicing curiosity can be as simple as: when a craving or urge to drink arises, you can ask yourself where it came from? You can wonder what it’s trying to tell you? You can get curious about what you’re making that craving or urge to drink mean. You can ask if something else is trying to be communicated through that craving. Getting curious is exceedingly helpful on this journey.
4) Reach out/stay connected
Early sobriety can feel lonely and isolated - that was certainly my experience. But I’m here to share that this doesn’t have to be the case for you! It can be really helpful to share your sober journey with safe, trusted people in your life and it can also be helpful to find a community* of sober folks you relate to. What’s more, reaching out - to share, enable connection, for support - is actually a resiliency building practice. This can be as simple as texting a friend to say you’re struggling, reaching out to tell someone how much you love and appreciate them or posting in a sober group. You can do this alone but you don’t have to and I would strongly advise against it.
* PS: if you’re a sober curious or newly sober woman, please check out my private Facebook community called the HOL + WELL Sober Collective. It's small, intimate, engaged and super supportive. You never know - you may just find your sober bestie!
5) Any time you’re at a decision point in your day, ask yourself what would best support your sobriety and do that
This is a simple way to stay on track with your sobriety while also keeping it front and center. Whether it’s being tempted with having ‘just one’ or a decision that will indirectly negatively impact your sobriety, being present and checkin in with yourself regularly by asking this question will help keep you on track. To remind you, you can also write ‘What would best support my sobriety?’ on post-it notes and stick them in areas of your home you spend the most time in.
6) End your day with gratitude
Before drifting off to sleep, spend 5 minutes reflecting on what went well today and what you’re grateful for. Reflecting on the wins and shifting your perspective to gratitude is a powerful and positive headspace to end your day in, which also then sets you up for a more restful sleep.
7) Prioritize sleep
Getting enough quality sleep is truly the foundation on which our health and wellness rests. When we are well rested, we are less stressed, make better decisions, are more cognitively clear and are more patient. An easy way to add more sleep to your evening is to go to bed 15 minutes earlier tonight and sleep in 15 minutes later tomorrow morning. Boom! 30 more minutes of sleep was just added to your life!
Micro-habits are a powerful way to start to create small changes (and small wins) for yourself immediately without too much thought, effort or resistance. They are a great way to demonstrate to yourself that you can choose differently and that choosing differently can have a positive, immediate impact. Try out some or all of these micro-habits today and let me know in the comments how it goes for you!
If you are wanting more hands-on support from a professional sober coach when it comes to making your sober journey lasting and sustainable, please check out my services and how I can support you here.
Cheering you on, always!