What if making one intentional, alcohol-free day didn’t have to feel like a test of willpower or a white-knuckle challenge you had to survive? In this practical solo episode, your host Anna Donaghey shares a clear, step-by-step structure for what a supported, intentional day off drinking can look like in real life.

Inspired by a listener who found Dry January a “white-knuckle ride,” Anna explores why sustainable change isn’t about deprivation or strict rules, but about adding support, care, and intention into your day. She’ll walk you through gentle but powerful tools you can use: from a simple morning check-in and choosing your mantra, to micro-habits that help transition from work mode to rest mode without defaulting to a drink.

No matter if you’re struggling to string one alcohol-free day together or just want to experiment with drinking less, this toolkit breaks it down into doable, kind steps so you can approach the question of drinking with more choice and less self-judgment.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Welcome back and the listener question behind this episode

00:55 Why lasting change is rarely about willpower

01:39 “I struggle to put even one alcohol-free day together”

03:02 Sustainable change is about adding support, not just removing alcohol

04:07 What does one intentional alcohol-free day actually look like?

05:26 Starting with a gentle morning check-in (and why it matters)

07:27 Have a “coffee with yourself” and checking in on your needs

09:25 Choosing a mantra to anchor your day

15:29 Micro-rests and working with the day you really have

17:36 Hydration as an act of self-care, not just another box to tick

20:45 How being well-resourced softens evening cravings

21:08 Dealing with the “witching hour”

23:33 Finding new rituals to mark the threshold between work and rest

26:20 The importance of identity cues, not just discipline

27:31 Ending the day with a gentle reflection (not a journaling marathon)

30:30 One intentional day is always worth coming back to

33:30 How to get more support with the Thirsty For More Mindset Lab.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink

About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the...