Wellness
| Publication year | 2021 |
| Pages | 0056 |
| Citation | Vol. 26 No. 5 Pg. 0056 |
Sober Curious
Sober Curious began as a movement for individuals looking to give their minds and bodies a break from alcohol. For readers who might be considering sober curiosity, or even cutting back on your alcohol intake just one day a week ... take it one day at a time.
BY MEGAN MURREN RITTLE
In keeping with this year's wellness theme of designing an integrated life[1]and taking a closer look at the six dimensions of lawyer well-being, we are spotlighting a lawyer's social well-being. The American Bar Association (ABA) defines thriving social well-being as "developing a sense of connection, belonging and a well-developed support network while also contributing to our groups and communities."[2] While one's social wellbeing encompasses many arenas and relationships, this article will focus on one aspect of this dimension.
Around this time one year ago, we were all in quarantine. After about two weeks of lockdown, my husband and I started to get restless. We live within walking distance of several breweries that were open for to-go drinks and food, so, feeling deprived of exercise and social interaction, we decided we should walk there to get some fresh air, get out of the house and support our local businesses. After a few months, our "support" was starting to look more like micro-investing as we took a daily evening walk—after a workday of non-stop Zooming—to grab a few beers, chat with the servers and bartenders, and head back home. Before we knew it, we were in the habit of drinking two to three beers a night. Once the days got shorter and the temperature dropped, we traded our brewery run for splitting a bottle of wine at home and watching whatever newest binge-worthy show just hit Netflix ("The Queen's Gambit" really is worth the hype.) It became a way for us to unwind and spend time together without having to use our over-videoconferenced brains.
As the pandemic wore on, and our need for social interaction overcame our fear, we began to meet up with friends in parks or backyards, always with a tumbler of wine or cooler of beer. By the time January rolled around, which is traditionally "Dry January" in our house, we were so entrenched in our nightly habit, and still so exhausted with COVID-19, that we did not even consider taking our annual break from alcohol.
However, with February came our yearly physicals. It turns out that drinking three glasses of...
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