Let’s be real: As damaging as alcohol use can be, it can also bring some in-the-moment benefits. It can prevent us from feeling like we are missing out during social situations where others are drinking, help us feel more relaxed and confident, and can enhance different meals. If we didn’t feel like we were getting something positive from drinking alcohol, we wouldn’t do it.

Take a few minutes to make a list of all of the pros and cons of drinking. Think about how alcohol use affects different areas of your life (relationships, health, finances, self esteem, sleep, etc.). When these 30 days of abstinence are over, you can refer back to this list to help you decide what you want your relationship with alcohol to look like moving forward.