Deciding to take a break from alcohol is a massive first step—but how do you actually get through those critical first few days? Whether you are starting Dry January, a 30-day challenge, or just a personal pause, stringing together those early alcohol-free (AF) days can feel overwhelming.

In this episode of The Alcohol Myth Podcast, coaches Jonathan and Ellen dive deep into the tactical and emotional tools you need to navigate the early stages of sobriety. We share our personal stories—from Ellen’s "driver’s ed" guardrails to Jonathan’s "magic trick" mindset shift—and discuss why community and planning are more important than willpower.

What we cover in this episode:
The Power of Planning: Why you need to plan your evenings down to the minute (including snacks and treats!).

Building Community: Why finding a "shared space" makes the hard days easier.

The Curiosity Mindset: Shifting from "I can't drink" to "What if I don't?"

Self-Compassion: Why beating yourself up is the fastest way to fail.

The Live Alcohol Experiment: How to get daily coaching and support for your alcohol-free journey.

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED
Live Alcohol Experiment (January): Join Jonathan and other coaches for 31 days of live support https://go.livealcoholexperiment.com/join-today

Live Naked AF by Annie Grace: Pre-order the new book for special access to the experiment https://thisnakedmind.com/live-naked-af/

📬 CONNECT WITH US: Have a question or a story to share? We read every message! Email us: thealcoholmyth@gmail.com

Find Jonathan at https://livecreativeaf.com/

Find Ellen at https://ellenbiggscoaching.com/

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro: Life on the other side of alcohol
00:53 Why the first few days are critical
01:58 Ellen’s Story: Using "Guardrails" to get through week one
04:38 The 2 pillars: Community and Planning
07:23 Breaking the isolation: Finding your people
10:34 Moving from 4 days to a 21-day challenge
13:03 Self-Discovery: Redefining your relationship with alcohol
17:41 Advice: Don't make it about "Forever"
19:45 Jonathan’s Story: The "Magic Trick" of mindset shifts
24:20 Dealing with setbacks and grief
32:30 How to join the Live Alcohol Experiment in January
37:02 3 Quick Tips for your first AF days
41:34 Final thoughts: Be kind to yourself

#DryJanuary #AlcoholFree #SobrietyTips #ThisNaked Mind #TheAlcoholMyth #SobrietyPodcast #AlcoholExperiment #MindfulDrinking