Why I’m Staying Sober For 70 Days

Recently you may have seen that Michael & I decided to go 70 days without alcohol along with doing daily movement & meditation. 

Today is day 57 out of 70. We have gained muscle tone, clarity, focus & peace of mind.

Why 70? It just felt like the right number of days for us. We have a trip planned in November, so though we thought it would be fun to not drink & ‘pop our cherry’ with a cocktail on the first day of our trip.

In the past I’ve done Sober October but I never had a WHY. This time I had a very clear reason which is why it’s been easy to stick to.

So far I haven’t had even a drop of alcohol. Which is crazy because you guys know I fucking love a skinny marg with half rim of salt & a speck of agave – my fave recipe is here if you wanna try it.

Also, incorporating movement every single day has been a game-changer & I’m going to make it part of my daily routine. I was already moving about 5 days a week, but making it 7 just feels right for me.

The biggest thing though has been MEDITATION !!

Sitting with myself in silence has been so life-changing & made all the difference. If you asked me before I started the 70 days what would make the biggest impact, I would’ve said no alcohol. But now I can tell it’s the meditation.

I just feel so clear-headed & not feeling fuzzy from alcohol just helps the benefits of meditation really sink in. If you were thinking of doing something like this, I wanted to share some specifics that I found really useful.

TIPS FOR 70 DAYS OF ALCOHOL-FREE MOVEMENT & MEDITATION:

♡ take it one day at a time.

Looking at the whole 70 days is overwhelming. Just take it one day at a time, don’t think about tomorrow too much. Don’t think about the weekend, or that you’re going to this or that dinner, omigod, how will I not drink??? Just stay focused on one day at a time.

♡ make a plan for movement.

The only exception to not looking at the next 70 days on you calendar is to schedule your exercise. This could mean a walk with a friend, meeting a trainer,  booking a Pilates class, or even just doing a yoga video at home. I love Melissa Wood Health’s app for all kinds of low-cortisol workouts. She has all different lengths too, so you can choose a quick 15 minute full body workout or do a 45 minute yoga/Pilates flow. ( If you want to get to know Melissa, stalk her 3rd episode on The Skinny Confidential HIM & HER show here ).

For me, having workouts or movement on my calendar ( in yellow, always ) means that I’m accountable & I won’t miss a day. I like to sit down on a Sunday to plan out my week of movement.

♡ meditation is just so beneficial.

15-20 minutes per day on meditation used to sound fucking nuts to me. Now, I CRAVE it.

Meditation is also something that I have on my calendar. It’s scheduled in the morning AND at night. I don’t hit both times every day, but at least having it in my calendar helps me meditate at least once.

My friends Ingrid de la Mare – Kenny & Mimi Bouchard have both raved about a specific meditation that involves putting your legs up the wall. This position is very restorative ( you know this if you do yoga) & it reduces swelling in ankles & feet, helps relax the mind, releases tension & calms the nervous system.

Here’s what you do ( I’m gonna get so psycho-specific & go off on a tangent because I feel like that’s why you guys come to the blog ):

I lay on my PEMF mat & turn it up to the highest temperature. Then, I put my legs up the wall, put on my super cute white & rose gold headphones & listen to a Melissa Wood or Mimi Bouchard meditation. They’re both amazing, you can’t go wrong with any of their meditations.

Benefits of a PEMF mat?

The mat I have is by HealthyLine. Basically this mat gives you hot stone therapy, far infrared therapy, negative ion therapy & photon light therapy. You wrap it around your body & the crushed Amethysts provide a calming effect. Amethyst emits a strong & steady flow of negative ions & promotes wellness & an overall better quality of life.

The benefits of negative ions are unreal: purifies your surroundings, counteracts positive ion disturbances ( toxins, chemicals ), attracts harmful airborne particles & pulls them to the ground, assists in detoxification of excess waste in your body, cleanses your mind.

Anyway, as I mentioned the mat has a ton of other therapies that are so beneficial. The ions from the crystals make you feel magical.

This mat is a little pricey so I got a code for you guys! It’s an investment, but if you’re into wellness it’s really a must-have. You can use code THESKINNY10GIFT for 10% off, free shipping & a free gift.

I sit there with my thoughts & even use a chiropractic wedge that my friend Barry Sams gave me. I’ll use a CBD leaf roller on my neck & the whole thing is so relaxing. I look forward to it every day. I also like to use The Preggers Pantry Om Rollerball. I’ll roll it on my hands, rub my palms together then take a big inhale. It really sets the scene, lemme tell ya.

Louise Hay’s nighttime or morning meditations are also a go-to. She wrote an incredible book called You Can Heal Your Life which is for people who are trying to move on from their past & make their future the best it can be.

All these steps might sound overwhelming but once you start doing them, it becomes a system & you won’t even think about it. It becomes so natural.

If you’re into starting a meditation practice I have tons of tips on how to set up a meditation space at home. Recently I wrote a blog post about it but here are some of the tips:

How To Set Up a Meditation Space at Home:

Choose a spot:

So the first thing you want to do is choose a spot in your house that’s right for you. At first I thought it would be a great idea to share Zaza’s playroom with her & use it as my meditation space- THAT was a mistake. All the moms out there know what I’m talking about. I know I know. No need to discuss this any further.

So eventually I decided on a little space downstairs in my office. It’s got natural light, it’s bright & surrounded by nature because there are tons of windows. So figure out what space in your house brings you peace & stillness & make that your mediation space.

Set the vibe:

Next, it’s time to set the vibe. As I said, I wanted everything neutral & earthy so I started with a nude, very specific yoga mat. This one has a nice grip, is something I could practice yoga on, but also lay down on it & do Wim Hof’s breathwork.

The color & feel of this yoga mat is just right- it’s not too thick or too thin. It took me 500 years to find just this right one. Typically, I like to play Japanese zen garden music on a speaker while I just sit on it in stillness & breathe.

You might want a whole different vibe for your space, but everything in mine has to be neutral. Just be sure to set it up in a way that is unique to you & your meditation practice. It has to be set up perfectly for YOU.

The next thing you need to do is get your space comfortable for meditation. I scoured the internet for days until I found the best cushions by Mala Collective.

Mala Collective meditation cushions are hand-made in India, they’re the perfect height to support your hips & knees, plus they’re all made of recycled cotton which means each piece looks a little different. Anyone who comes over & sees my meditation space just HAS to know where I got them.

For more specifics & all of my favorite items from Mala, stalk this post. We get into it.

♡ no hangovers have been incredible.

In place of alcohol I’ve been doing a grapefruit kombucha with some Topo Chico in a wine glass & I’m good to go.

For me, I don’t have a problem with alcohol, but I drink when I’m socializing & over the last few months I was socializing & traveling a lot. It was just time for a little detox to clean out.

Taking 70 days away from alcohol has been really powerful – it’s helped me not feel attached to it, makes me feel rejuvenated, gives me clarity, makes me more present in my relationships & business, & overall I just feel sharper when it comes to interviewing guests for The Skinny Confidential HIM & HER podcast.

Now, I’m in bed by 8:30 & feel so fucking fresh when I wake up. I highly recommend not drinking alcohol if you want to feel more rejuvinated & clear-headed.

If anyone is interested in doing this DM me on Instagram, comment below & tell me how you’re feeling. Remember, it’s 70 days no alcohol, daily movement & daily meditation. YOU CAN DO THIS!

The discipline alone just makes you feel so amazing & powerful.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

x, lauryn

+ scope my favorite mocktail recipe.

++ check out the benefits of connecting with nature.

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