You are listening to the Take a Break Podcast with Rachel Hart, episode 297.

Whether you want to drink less or stop drinking, this podcast will help you change the habit from the inside out.

We're challenging conventional wisdom about why people drink and why it can be hard to resist temptation.

No labels, no judgment, just practical tools to take control of your desire and stop worrying about your drinking.

Now here's your host, Rachel Hart.

All right, welcome back.

We are talking today about advice you should ignore for sober October, because October is right around the corner.

And a lot of you are going to be doing sober October.

A lot of you may be planning to do dry January in the new year.

And I want to make sure if you're going to do that, that you're going to do it in a way that actually helps you change the habit instead of just crossing days off a calendar.

And then when it's over, going back to drinking and then discovering, hey, you just pick up right where you left off.

That's not what I want for you. So really my mission with the work that I do in the world and the work on this podcast is to turn conventional wisdom on its head.

I think we need a new approach when it comes to understanding why people drink and why it can be hard to change.

And the skills that we need to make lasting change.

So every year around this time, sober October or in the new year with dry January, people are taking breaks from drinking.

You hear a lot of advice about how to stick to your commitment.

It sounds like give rid of all the alcohol in your house.

Avoid being around people who are drinking.

If you can't avoid being around people, offer to be the designated driver.

If you feel really tempted, go home.

Hang out with people who don't drink or who are also taking a break or make sure that you get your significant other on board with your plans or fill up your evenings and weekends with activities that don't involve drinking.

It sounds very logical.

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