Most endeavors worth taking on are better with a bit of preparation and thought.  Dry January is no exception.  Making time to prepare yourself will benefit you for the days to come. Take a moment to plan so that you can protect your sobriety—whether long standing or new—and give yourself the gift of a successful month.  

I’ve identified six key ingredients for success in taking on a challenge like this one. I approach these with a mindset that I will protect myself from temptation in busy times, and will focus on what I need to make major life shifts in the smoothest, or at least, least painful way possible.

The following tips are equally helpful in carrying you through Dry January as they are when planning to avoid alcohol during the  holiday season (i.e. deciding how you will deal with nosy relatives) and into the new year—any time you might face challenges related to abstaining from alcohol.

Step 1: Set an intention

Particularly if you’re new to sobriety, setting clear intentions for yourself is crucial. Instead of letting things just happen, you need to take care of yourself in a different way than you have before. Set an intention for how you want to show up to events, celebrations and gatherings. How do you want to feel while you’re there and afterwards? How do you want to frame your sobriety in conversations (if at all). You’re learning to manage your new sober lifestyle as you go through daily life, including gatherings and places where people are drinking alcohol.