What if the secret to a life changing transformation was as simple as curiosity? What if being ‘sober curious’ could redefine not just your relationship with alcohol but your entire outlook on life? For many, it starts with a challenge – a dare to explore the possibilities on the other side of the bottle.
I love to start most life changing journeys or intellectual moments with a pause to reference the dictionary. I know, I know it makes me kind of lame. But a great teacher started the practice, and a sponsor made it a habit.
Curious: eager to learn or know something.
Although I am sure there were movements in the past for a cleaner lifestyle, I enjoy the timeline of Dry January and the Sober Curious movement. Picture it – 2011 Emily Robinson signs up for her first half marathon that’s due to take place in February. She doesn’t really enjoy training and is looking to make it easier. She decides to give up booze for January. She loses weight, sleeps better and feels like she has more energy to do the run. Then she starts talking about it. The next year, she starts working for Alcohol Change UK and makes it a challenge for coworkers and eventually a country wide campaign. Since most of the globe loves a good challenge,11 years later, the movement is still on the rise.
She gets a good audience in the UK and in 2018, Ruby Warrington publishes Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol. Although it might be a mouthful for a book title, it jump starts a curious movement and it begins to trend across the globe.
In moment like these, my curiosity builds, and I am “eager to learn or know something.”
I wonder if by mixing curiosity and challenges, we can get humans to get well? Insert your best challenging phrase here [I dare you, I double dog dare you, I triple dog dare you]. Although you might have to think back to childhood, or to last week when you found yourself on the slopes taking the double black diamond when you really didn’t plan on it or chasing the office trophy during a rousing game of “Chubby Bunny” we respond well to challenges.
Research lets us know that setting challenging goals can significantly boost motivation, as individuals strive to reach a higher standard. It points to the idea that overcoming obstacles fosters personal growth, resilience, and motivation by pushing individuals outside their comfort zones, leading to increased learning and a sense of accomplishment when successfully navigated, particularly when challenges are perceived as manageable and provide opportunities for skill development; this is often referred to as the “positive psychology of challenge”.
Challenges impact:
- Flow State: Research on “flow” suggests that engaging in optimally challenging tasks can lead to a state of deep focus and enjoyment, enhancing performance and well-being.
- Resilience Building: Facing and overcoming challenges helps individuals develop coping mechanisms and mental toughness, improving their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
- Skill Development: Challenges often require acquiring new skills or refining existing ones, leading to personal growth and increased competence.
- Self-Efficacy: Successfully tackling challenges can boost self-confidence and belief in one’s abilities to handle future difficulties.
That’s what I think treatment is – a time and place for curiosity. A platform to learn new facts about substances, as well as the impact they have on our behaviors and beliefs and a challenge to live a slightly different lifestyle for a brief period of time. It’s a community to share notes so we can become a better version of ourselves.
Whether I am curious to see what life would be like without “hang-xiety”, or hoping for less strain on relationships because of drinking or use, or finding a version of myself that I can be proud of, treatment can provide it – and if not, I can always borrow someone else’s curiosity until I make my own!
Schedule a time to learn more about Women’s Recovery
Meet the Women’s Recovery Marketing & Outreach Representative, Taylor Ross, MSW. Taylor has a diverse background in both social work and marketing. Taylor obtained her master’s in social work and graduated with Honors from Tulane University. Taylor’s studies focused on mental health, addiction, and family systems. As the Marketing and Outreach Representative at Women’s Recovery, Taylor builds meaningful relationships and strategic partnerships with professionals from a variety of industries.
Taylor would love to spend 20 mins with you to learn how we can work together to serve our community. Email Taylor directly to schedule at time: taylor@womensrecovery.com.