The first couple months of sobriety, I honestly had very little resources. Most of us also don’t have any sober friends, so it can be super challenging navigating the early days of sobriety! Let’s face it – whether you drink or not, we’re living in a culture OBSESSED with taking the edge off. It can feel really isolating to decide, whether for a little break or a lifetime commitment, to abstain from drinking.
I read a lot of posts from sober people on Instagram in the early days, and a lot of them talked about being grateful for sobriety but didn’t really share anything about how they were doing it. It took me a long time to find educational and empowering resources to support myself, and I want to take some time to share them with you! Hopefully this is a helpful post for the sober and sober-curious alike!
After all, this journey isn’t as much about sobriety itself as it is creating a life you don’t feel like you have to escape from.
Reading
Quit Like a Woman – Holly Whitaker
Where do I begin?! This book has completely and totally changed my life.
Holly believes that there’s no such thing as an “alcoholic” just like there’s no such thing as a “cigarette-aholic.” She has an empowered, compassionate, embodied approach to living a life you don’t have to escape from. She delves into her own journey with addiction, the depth of the alcohol industry and the war on drugs, issues with AA, cross addictions, and provides endless tools on how you can restructure your life after drinking. I can’t say enough good things about it – I definitely did not find an empowered, confident place in my sobriety until after I read her book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for tools to build a more meaningful life.
Podcasts
Some of these are actually about sobriety, and some aren’t. But they’re all lead by empowered, mindful, feminist, sober women! They’ve been my little sober community and have kept me going on days when I felt most alone and isolated in sobriety.
We Can Do Hard Things – Glennon Doyle
This entire podcast is a love letter for your soul. Glennon, author of Untamed, and her sister Amanda co-host this incredible podcast and they are both sober! They come to sobriety from different places – Glennon identifying as an “addict” and Amanda coming to sobriety after a glass of wine each day turned into a bottle. I think everyone can relate to their stories, and they are so honest in their discussions about all of the different “hard things” we encounter in everyday life.
I would especially recommend the “Addiction” and “All the Feels” episodes for sobriety – they delve deep into living a sober life and feeling everything that comes with it. But honestly, every episode is phenomenal and they talk about their sobriety almost every week in one way or another. Check it out!
Sober Curious – Ruby Warrington
Ruby Warrington is the author of the book Sober Curious, which admittedly, I have not read. But, I have really loved listening to her podcast! Ruby challenges the toxic drinking culture we’ve come to accept as normal, and while not all of her guests are strictly sober, they are all either sober or committed to a mostly sober life. I found Holly Whitaker on this podcast, and I’ve really appreciated her interviews with sober yogis, authors, and spiritual leaders.
I would recommend any of the episodes but “Gray Area Drinking with Holly Whitaker” is my favorite so far!
The Confessional – Nadia Boltz-Webber
If you have come to question your drinking at all, odds are that you are wrestling with some shame. Nadia Boltz-Webber is a Lutheran Pastor and founder of the House for All Sinners and Saints in Colorado. I’m not Christian, but her work has really spoken to me. There isn’t an episode of The Confessional that I haven’t cried while listening to. She speaks to people from all walks of life about something they have done that they are ashamed of, and walks with them through the experience with immense compassion and utter grace.
My favorite episodes have been “Dr. Ray Christain, Storyteller and Fulbright Specialist” and “Abby Wambach, Soccer Star.” Abby’s episode is especially about an event that brought her to sobriety – the others are not necessarily about sobriety but they are an incredible companion to anyone going through getting sober.
Unlocking Us – Brene Brown
Dr. Brene Brown is a world renown social psychologist and her work is revolutionary. I would recommend any of her books, but her podcast has been a comforting and empowering companion to me through my sobriety. She herself is sober and it’s woven into almost all of her conversations. She is passionate about living a life that is full of feeling and accepting all of the messy emotions that come with living a life.
Some of my favorite episodes include “Brene with Drs. John and Julie Gottman on What Makes Love Last” and “Brene with Samin Nosrat on Grief, Gratitude, and Connection.”
Yoga & Meditation
Yoga and Meditation practices have been practices in my life for years, but they have become especially essential for navigating life in sobriety. They have both helped keep me active and grounded, energized and calm, and are embodied practices that bring me home to my body. I have battled a lot of self-loathing, depression, and anxiety before sobriety, but they became magnified in my early days of sobriety. Yoga and Meditation are mindful and embodied practices that lovingly care for your body and provide you with tools for coping with hard things. The biggest challenge of sobriety is replacing your negative coping behaviors with positive ones! These are some of the best, in my humble opinion 😉
The Collective Yoga Co-Op
Lead by my dear friends and mentors in the Chicago yoga community 
Home Practice with Halle: Yoga Tools for Every Body
This is also a podcast, but I wanted to include it here. Halle is also a dear friend and mentor of mine from the Chicago Yoga Community!! Her podcast features guided yoga asana, meditation, and mindful interviews. I’ve incorporated her meditations into my daily practice and they have filled me with so much love and peace. You can find her on Spotify!
Sobriety School
Tempest Sobriety School
Almost all of the tools I’ve previously listed (with the exception of the book and yoga classes), are free! I suggest you try them out and see how you feel. If you’re looking for a little bit more – I am enrolled in Holly Whitaker’s Tempest Sobriety School and it is LIFE GIVING!
This is Holly Whitaker’s online sobriety school, and it focuses on creating a life that you don’t have to escape from. Her program is fiercely compassionate, educational, empowering, and loving.There are coaches that work with you on group calls, video classes, offer meditation, mindfulness practices, and even mocktail recipes!
I think it’s a beautiful school for a mindful approach to life – not simply “sobriety.” I recommend it to anyone who is interested in building a mindful life. You can check out Tempest Sobriety School here.
Therapy
I couldn’t write a post on Sober Resources without mentioning Therapy. Therapy has saved my life time and time again, and I would recommend that anyone questioning their drinking habits do so with a Licenced Therapist. All of these resources are wonderful but there is no substitute for talking to a medical professional who is trained to help you and provide you with the personalized support you deserve!
I would just make sure that you choose a therapist that supports your decision to be sober, as there certainly are Doctors out there that will shrug off drinking habits as “normal.” If you are questioning your drinking, that’s enough to take a step back. Find a therapist that supports you and empowers you on your sober journey!
I hope that you find some love, support, and empowerment from these resources. They have been really beneficial to me these past few months and I am so excited to share them with you all! No matter where you are on your sober journey, I’m proud of you, and holding you in love and power.
All my Love,
Lex
