Episode 106: Dry January Is Over... Now What?

Feb 3

So Dry January has come to an end… now what?

In today’s episode of Euphoric The Podcast, Karolina shares her experience navigating Dry January for the first time and the incredible journey it led her on. Taking a break from alcohol can open your eyes to so much possibility, but more than that, sometimes it’s the contradictory experience of drinking again that can really expose what’s going on! Karolina explains some powerful options available to you as you move into the month of February and where an alcohol-free adventure could take you.

It’s here! Can you believe it! Run to your nearest bookstore because Karolina’s new book Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You officially hit bookshelves. Buy the book, share the book, and tell your friends. And when you get your copy, be sure to leave a review on Amazon so others can find it. We appreciate you!

From Dry January to full integrity

Four years ago I participated in my very first Dry January. I admit it - I had absolutely no intention of quitting alcohol forever, and was only committed to those 31 days. As the end of the month approached, I noticed my sleep was deep and restful, I felt pride when I woke up in the morning, and I was living my life abiding by my intentions! So many positive changes.

Dry January felt like a vacation where I lived my life with full integrity and authenticity. But vacations come to an end, right? So when February arrived, I returned to the life I was living before the new year. In my mind, living alcohol-free wasn’t possible, so I went back to drinking.

Throughout February I drank socially nine times, and every single time I woke up feeling disappointed in myself. Drinking numbed my ability to experience awe and joy. It dampened my mood, interrupted my reading, and disrupted my sleep. It left me feeling sad.

By the end of February I had had enough, and took another break from alcohol. But this time, it was different. I committed to learning about alcohol and upleveling my life. I purchased books, I did programs, and I even hired a coach.

Not long after, I was on vacation in Japan with my husband and part of an experience we booked included free drinks. I remember when we planned this trip, I was dreaming about all of the sake and Japanese beers I was going to try. But at that moment, I was thrilled to see that alcohol-free beer was on the menu, and made the conscious choice to continue my alcohol-free journey. No way was I going to change this beautiful trajectory I was on! And guess what? It was the most profound and joyful experience I could have ever asked for!

Choosing what comes after Dry January

Since cutting alcohol out of my life, I have uncovered my most authentic self, stepped into my own business helping other women thrive, written a book, and I’m happier than I could ever imagine.

So here we are at the end of Dry January. February has arrived. Maybe you quit alcohol for the month, or you cut back on how much you drank. Maybe you’ve already had alcohol again. Wherever you are, my hope is that you’re mindful and intentional as you lay out the next steps on your journey.

If you’ve decided to drink again, I want you to be completely ruthless about how you feel. I challenge you to really notice how alcohol affects you. How do you feel at first? 20 minutes later? After an hour? How did you sleep that night? How do you feel in the morning?

Take in the entire experience.

Now be honest with yourself: if that experience comes with more negative feelings than when you weren't drinking, use it as a sign from your intuition to take another break from alcohol!

Or maybe Dry January left you with this incredible experience and you’re learning about yourself in new ways, and becoming more of who you want to be. I invite you to continue down that path. Extend your break from alcohol. It doesn’t mean it has to be forever, but why not see what could be possible?

From breaking a habit to transforming your mind

What if you are just one alcohol-free day away from your biggest epiphany?

Taking a break from alcohol can be just that. It can be solely about no longer drinking fermented beverages. But I firmly believe that being alcohol-free can lead to so much more. The way to get there is not just by changing a habit. It’s by changing your mindset.

So how do you do that?

Throughout my journey I invested in countless personal development books, alcohol-free meetups, group coaching programs, and even hired a coach of my own. I challenged my beliefs and allowed myself to dream bigger than I ever thought possible.

Going alcohol-free and becoming the best version of yourself is hard work, but it’s so, so worth it. I firmly believe in a mindful, spiritual, and intuition based approach to stepping away from alcohol, and it’s why I created my Become Euphoric program.

When you transform one area of your life, it teaches your brain that you have the power to change other areas of who you are. The possibilities become limitless. Discover what really brings you joy and happiness.

“Only your own experiences are ever going to teach you what you need to know… if after dry January you start drinking again, I want you to be ruthless about how you feel. I want you to really notice how the alcohol makes you feel at first, 20 minutes later, an hour later… take in the entire experience. And if that experience comes with more negative feelings than you had when you weren't drinking, use that as a sign. Use that as a sign to take another break from alcohol.” Karolina Rzadkowolska

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Remove your desire for alcohol, and discover new desires and passions with Become Euphoric: a step by step guide to make sense of the role alcohol plays in your life, and how to remove it.

Check out the Become Emboldened Program and learn how you can break the stigma around being alcohol-free.

Listen to these other episode of Euphoric The Podcast to feel inspired in your alcohol-free journey:

Order your copy of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You today.

Follow @euphoric.af on Instagram

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