Real transformation isn’t a straight line. It’s a hundred attempts, a few slips, and the decision to keep trying until one random Tuesday becomes the day everything shifts.

Here’s the truth: I didn’t quit drinking on New Year’s Day. I didn’t quit on a birthday, or a Monday, or after one of those dramatic “never again” mornings.

I quit drinking on June 4th.
A completely random day.
A nothing day.
And honestly, that’s how most real change happens.

Not with fireworks.
Not with resolutions.
But after a hundred small tries, a thousand “maybe next weeks,” and the slow, painful realisation that drinking less was finally less painful than what drinking was doing to me.

People love to talk about discipline.
But discipline didn’t get me there.
Resilience did.
The ability to slip, get back up, try again, and not hate myself in the process.

And that’s why New Year’s resolutions are kind of BS.
Because 92% of Australians “break” them by the end of January and then assume that means they’re done.

But here’s the truth:

Resolutions don’t fail.
People just stop trying again and again and again.

The messy, real journey nobody tells you about.

Before June 4th, there were so many “fresh starts” I lost count.

Dry July.
A three-month break.
A couple nights out “just to test myself.”
And every time I drank again, I would after a few moderate nights out, slide into my old binge drinking habit!

But here’s what I finally learned:

These attempts don’t mean you are going backwards, you’re gathering data.
And every attempt is shaping your journey and pushing you closer!

That’s resilience.
That’s the truth about change.
And that’s why resolutions deserve more compassion and less punishment.

Five habit tips for 2026 (that actually work)

Inspired by Atomic Habits by James Clear (love this book), mixed with lived experience, and grounded in the idea that you don’t have to get it right, you just have to keep going.

1. Replace the habit, don’t just remove it

You can’t rip something out of your life and leave the space empty.
Empty space pulls old habits right back in.

If you’re drinking less, add something good in the exact moment you feel the urge, for me I went back to what I used to like before I was drinking:

• For me it was a fun Friday night drink, like a spider (with Root beer)
• A movie night, like an old 90s rom com
• Roller blading, no just joking but I take the kids to the park?
• Crafting I made a ridiculous amount of friendship bracelets and macrame

Change shouldn’t feel like punishment.
It should feel like substitution.

2. Start ridiculously small (the Glennon Doyle method)

Glennon Doyle once said she wanted to start exercising, so she did one downward dog a day.
That was it.

The next week: two.
Then three.

Ridiculously small.
Ridiculously effective.

Drinking less works the same way.

Try:

• One alcohol-free Sunday a month
• One midweek night off
• Ordering your alcohol free drink first
• Zebra striping (alternating alcohol and alcohol-free drinks).  Didn’t work for me but some people swear by it!

Tiny wins lead to big changes.

3. Habit stacking, the easiest hack in the book

In his brilliant book Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about linking a new habit to one you already do on autopilot.

Examples:

• Before brushing your teeth → 3 deep breaths
• After you check your phone in the morning → drink a glass of water
• After you sit down at night → pour an AF drink instead of wine

Your brain loves patterns, use that.

4. Treat yourself like someone you care about

I tried to channel all the gentle parenting stuff I had been learning into this one but use it on myself.  
It’s science: people who treat themselves kindly recover from lapses faster.

If you slip:
“That’s ok it was just an accident, let’s try again”

Not:
“Well, I already had one… might as well have ten.”  This was totally old me. Like when you can’t just have one slice of cake?

Cake logic ruins everything.

5. Always be testing, tiny experiments = big change

Make your life a mini lab.

Test:

• Which AF drinks you actually like?
• What nights you’re most vulnerable?
• What routines help?
• What reminders work?

Tiny experiments create huge clarity.

So maybe your only resolution for 2026 is this: keep trying.

Not “never drink again.”
Not “be perfect.”
Not “willpower your way through life.”

Just:
Keep showing up.
Keep learning about yourself.
Keep trying again.

Because change rarely arrives on January 1st.
Sometimes it shows up quietly on a random Tuesday in June.
And that can be the day everything starts to shift.

The post You’ll probably break your resolution and that’s exactly how change happens appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

Can being ‘kind’ to yourself actually make a difference to how people drink alcohol, or is it just a comforting message? To find out how self-compassion and self-forgiveness influence how people drink, researchers looked at findings from multiple studies that explored this important issue.

What was the study?

Researchers reviewed 37 studies to examine how self-compassion and self-forgiveness influence how people drink alcohol:

• 18 were about self-compassion
• 18 were about self-forgiveness
• 1 was about both

Self-compassion involved:

• Being gentle with yourself
• Accepting that everyone struggles in some way (shared humanity)
• Not dwelling on negative feelings.

Self-forgiveness involved:

• Letting go of self-blame
• Moving forward after making mistakes.

The goals of the study were to understand if:

 1) these practices protect people from drinking excessively, and

2) if they help people move on from alcohol-related problems.

What were the results?

Here’s what the study found:

1. Self-compassion and drinking
   People who were kinder to themselves:

• Drank less often
• Experienced fewer alcohol problems (like blackouts or regrets)

Why?

• Self-compassion helps people cope with stress, anxiety, and negative emotions in healthier ways, reducing the urge to drink for relief.
• It may also reduce feelings of regret or shame, which are major drivers of drinking heavily.

2. Self-forgiveness and drinking
   People who forgave themselves:

• Drank less excessively (though not necessarily less drinking overall). 
• Felt less depressed and guilty

Why?

• Guilt often makes people drink more alcohol
• Self-forgiveness breaks this cycle 

3. Self-kindness in alcohol treatment

• People in treatment learned to forgive themselves more, which led to:
  • Fewer heavy drinking days
  • Less alcohol-related harm
• One self-forgiveness program (3 weeks long) helped people:
  • Say ‘no’ to alcohol
  • Feel less shame
• Some studies found that practicing self-compassion helped reduce drinking after treatment was finished.

Why does this matter?

This research is important because it’s the first analysis of the collective findings from many studies looking at what happens to people’s drinking patterns when they practice self-compassion and self-forgiveness. Here’s why the findings matter:

1. Potential for prevention

• Self-compassion training (e.g., mindfulness and other cognitive behaviour therapy approaches) could help people to avoid drinking to cope with uncomfortable feelings.

2. Improving alcohol treatment

• Self-forgiveness interventions could help people in treatment (such as our Hello Change program) to overcome negative self-talk, self-criticism and feelings of shame, which are major triggers to relapse.

In a nutshell

So, can being kind to yourself really help to reduce problems with drinking? This review of results from multiple studies over the past 15 years showed that yes, practicing self-compassion (treating yourself with kindness) and self-forgiveness (letting go of self-blame) may play crucial roles in preventing, and moving on from, drinking too much.

At Hello Sunday Morning, all of our programs are designed to support you at any time of your choosing, and in whatever your goals are for drinking – either cutting down, taking a break or quitting altogether. Try out our Hello Change program that will help you to learn specific ways to manage uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, and our supportive and anonymous Daybreak community who will cheer you on, every step of the way.

The post Sobering Science: Can being kind to yourself help with drinking concerns? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

One promising, yet often overlooked, add-on is exercise. We know physical activity is good for us, but can it actually help people drink less?

A recent study set out to see if lacing up our sneakers could be a legitimate part of an effective plan to change our relationship with alcohol.

What was the study?

This research was a meta-analysis, a powerful type of study that doesn't conduct new experiments but instead pools data from existing high-quality research to find an overall trend. The team was specifically interested in Randomized Controlled Trials, the gold standard in medical research.

They scoured scientific databases to find every relevant trial that met strict criteria:

• Included adults formally diagnosed with an alcohol problem (including dependence).
• One group received their usual treatment (like therapy or medication) plus an exercise program.
• The other group received only the usual treatment.
• The study had to measure outcomes like the number of drinks consumed per week or binge drinking episodes.

After reviewing over 2,500 studies, they found seven that fit the bill perfectly. These studies included 492 people and used various forms of exercise, from running and gym workouts to yoga, typically for 12 to 24 weeks.

This rigorous approach allowed the researchers to see if adding exercise consistently made a difference in two key areas: the total number of drinks consumed per week and how often people were binge drinking.

What were the results?

The analysis revealed two clear and one less clear outcome:

1. Reduced weekly drinking: The most significant finding was that the group who exercised in addition to their usual treatment drank significantly less each week compared to the group that only had usual treatment. The effect, while modest, was consistent across the studies. So, adding exercise helped people reduce their drinking overall.
2. No clear impact on binge drinking: Interestingly, the same positive effect was not seen for binge drinking. Both groups (those who exercised and those who didn't) saw a reduction in binge episodes, but exercise didn't provide an extra benefit. This suggests that binge drinking might be driven by different psychological or social factors that aren't influenced by exercise.
3. Improved fitness: As you might expect, the group that exercised saw a significant improvement in their cardiovascular fitness. This confirms that the participants were really doing the exercise programs and getting the physical benefits.

Why is this important?

These findings are important for several reasons:

• A new tool in the toolkit: Because there's no one-size-fits-all solution for problem drinking, this research provides solid evidence that exercise can be a valuable add-on treatment. It’s not about replacing evidence based therapies or medication, but about enhancing them with a low-cost, accessible strategy.
• Addressing the whole person: problem drinking often co-occurs with other issues like depression and anxiety. We know exercise is a powerful mood booster. It’s possible that by improving mental health and reducing stress, exercise indirectly reduces the desire to use alcohol to cope. This can make the journey of cutting back feel more manageable.
• Broadening the treatment horizon: this study adds to a growing body of evidence that holistic approaches, which include physical wellness, can play a critical role in change.
• A call for more research: While promising, the results also highlight what we still don't know. What type of exercise is best? How much is needed? Future studies can build on this foundation to create specific "exercise prescriptions" for people who want to change their relationship with alcohol.

In a nutshell

This rigorous analysis of the best available science offers a clear and hopeful message: incorporating regular exercise into a treatment plan can help individuals with problem drinking reduce the total amount of alcohol they consume each week.

Exercise may not be a silver bullet for stopping binge drinking, but its effect on lowering overall consumption makes it a practical and positive strategy. For anyone on their own journey of change, or for loved ones and healthcare providers supporting them, this is compelling evidence to seriously consider making movement a regular step on the path to wellness.

The post Can exercise really help people drink less? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

If you’re cutting back, taking a break, or simply trying to drink a little more mindfully, this time of year can feel like a social pressure cooker. How do you join in without feeling awkward, judged, or like you owe everyone an explanation?

From my own experience, there are a few ways to make it through and each works at different times.

When I first started rethinking my drinking, I leaned hard on the “fake it till you make it” approach. Sometimes I’d accept a top-up and just… not drink it. Other times I’d go the old apple-juice-in-a-wine-glass route or grab a non-alcoholic beer so it looked like I was drinking.

It wasn’t deception it was self-preservation. A small shield that made social moments less intense and bought me space to figure out what I actually wanted.

But eventually, another option opened up: showing up exactly as I am.

Recently, at an event, a waiter was making the rounds with champagne. When I said, “No thanks,” he looked genuinely baffled maybe even a little offended.
“But it’s MOËT,” he insisted, as if declining it violated the laws of physics. (Look, Moët was never my favourite… overrated IMO.)

Reactions like this are normal. People get awkward. They project. They joke. And yes — it can feel uncomfortable, especially if you’ve been a “yes” person in the past.

But here’s what surprised me: when I said no and still had fun, it cracked something open.
I stayed longer. I danced harder. I actually talked to people. And somewhere along the way, I chipped away at the myth in my own head that alcohol = connection.

It didn’t happen overnight. It took practice. But now? I actually enjoy flipping that script.

So as the silly season kicks off, remember this:
There’s no one right way to navigate it.

Some nights, blending in with a NA drink or a half-full glass makes everything easier.
Other nights, you might feel ready to show up as you are no explanations, no performance, no pressure.

Both choices are valid. Both count. Both are wins.

Because this season isn’t about whether you fake it, blend in, or flip the script.
It’s about finding what helps you enjoy the moment and waking up the next day feeling good about how you handled it (preferably with a clear head and zero regrets).

The post Navigating the silly season: Fake it, blend in or flip the script? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

But what if you're not ready to stop entirely? What if you just want to get your drinking down to a manageable level? For many people, the "quit completely or you've failed" mind-set can be so discouraging that they don't try alcohol treatment at all.

So, researchers decided to try answering the question: when someone wants to get their drinking under control, is it better to aim for total abstinence (quitting completely) or for "controlled drinking" (a sustained pattern of lower-risk drinking within defined limits)?

What was the study?

Think of this study as the ultimate fact-checker. The researchers didn't run a new experiment. Instead, they opted for a systematic review and meta-analysis of decades of scientific papers to find every single study that compared:

• Group A: People aiming for total abstinence (zero alcohol).
• Group B: People aiming for controlled drinking (lower-risk set limits).

After screening over 6,000 articles, they narrowed it down to 22 studies published between 1973 and 2017, involving a total of 4,204 participants.

Of these, only five were randomised controlled trials (the highest quality research, where people are allocated to a specific treatment group) while the rest were observational studies where people had chosen their own treatment goal and were followed by researchers.

They ended up with 22 studies, involving over 4,200 people.

Their main question was simple: Which group was more successful at achieving a good outcome, which they defined as either total abstinence or staying within those safer drinking limits?

What were the results?

The results were surprisingly balanced and might challenge what you thought you knew.

• It's a tie (mostly): When they looked at the highest-quality studies, there was no clear winner. Whether people aimed for abstinence or cutting back, their chances of success (being either completely alcohol free or a lower-risk drinker) were pretty similar.
• Support is everything: Here’s a key detail. In observational studies where people had chosen their own treatment goal, those who chose controlled drinking were less likely to succeed if they did not receive specific therapy to help them do that. But, when people in both groups received goal-specific treatment (abstinence therapy for the abstinence group, controlled drinking therapy for the cut down group), the difference disappeared. The two approaches were found to be equally effective.
• Cutting back gets better with time: This was a fascinating finding. In studies that followed people for two years or more, the controlled drinking approach started to look even more promising. It seems like this might be a sustainable long-term strategy for many people.
• Other wins are equal: Both groups saw similar improvements in their lives such as better relationships, fewer legal problems, and overall drinking less. Of course, more people in the abstinence groups stayed completely alcohol free, but a good chunk of people in the controlled drinking group ended up abstinent too.

Why is this important?

Because it empowers people receiving alcohol treatment and the clinicians that provide it with more options and evidence.

1. More choices = more hope. The biggest takeaway is that there's more than one way to change your relationship with alcohol. If the idea of never drinking again feels impossible, a goal of drinking less is now a scientifically backed option. This could open the door to help for many who were too scared to walk through it before.
2. It challenges stigma and myths: The research showed that cutting back isn't just for "less serious" drinkers; it worked for people with severe dependence, too. It also showed that offering this goal doesn't make people complacent; many in the "cutting back" group voluntarily moved toward abstinence on their own.
3. It's okay to start where you are. Ultimately, this is about meeting people where they are along their journey of change. The best goal is one that a person can commit to. For some, that's abstinence. For others, it's controlled drinking. Both are valid paths to a healthier life.

In a nutshell

Evidence suggests you don't have to swear off alcohol forever to improve health and wellbeing. For a lot of people, successfully cutting back to a lower risk level is a totally achievable and legitimate goal, as long as they have the right support to do so.

The best path is the one that feels possible to the person walking it. And now, we have solid science showing there's more than one path to a better future.

At Hello Sunday Morning, we support our members to achieve their own goals. Our Hello Change program is designed to help people maintain controlled drinking when they choose to, and abstinence when they choose to. 

The post Cut down or stop? What does research tell us? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

For me, December was always the hardest month of the year when it came to alcohol. Parties, catch-ups, family events, office drinks, every date on the calendar piled high with triggers. That’s why what you choose in November matters. If you “let loose,” it’s very easy to slide straight into December on fumes, caught in a cycle of saying yes to everything.  But if you “lock in” now, you give yourself the chance to enter the season steady, clear-headed and actually able to enjoy it.

The Let Loose Loop

When I was drinking, I was a total binge drinker. Never a glass of wine a night kind of person, I’d get caught in what I now call the Let Loose Loop.  It went like this:

• Friday: Big night out. You feel like you’ve earned it after a long week.
• Saturday: Still in the vibe, so you keep it rolling. Another big night.
• Sunday: Foggy, anxious, depleted. The day is wasted, along with your energy.
• Monday: The guilt sets in. “I’m never drinking again.”
• Tuesday: The fog starts to lift. You start bargaining with yourself: “Maybe I’ll drink, maybe I won’t.”
• Wednesday: Feeling good again. “Actually, I’m fine now.”
• Thursday: The itch returns you just want that Friday feeling back.
• Friday: And the loop begins again.

The Let Loose Loop wasn’t just about one weekend for me. It becomes a cycle that could stretch across weeks and months. And in November, with endless events and excuses to drink, the loop spins even faster. By the time December hits, it's so much easier to keep going and slide into the most triggering month of the year without the strength to stop.

The Power of Locking In

Locking in is how you break the loop. It’s about choosing now to back yourself, even in small ways.

For me, one of the most powerful tools was playing it forward (thanks Dani Carr) imagining what my Sunday would look like without a hangover.  A coffee in the sun.  Time with my kids.  The calm of planning outfits for the week ahead (a new passion I found once my mind wasn’t crowded with regret).   Sometimes it was even just the pride of showing up to a Sunday gym class I’d booked, no matter how dusty I felt.

Every time I kept a promise to myself, I built trust.  Every clear Sunday made me more confident.  And every step I took to lock in gave me back more space, space for family, space for creativity, space for all the holiday traditions I actually loved, like baking cookies or buying gifts.

November Is the Pivot

That’s why November matters so much.  It’s the decision point.  Locking in now gives you the best shot at walking into December strong.  It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. You might still stumble. But you can always choose to lock back in.

Every Sunday that’s clear builds momentum. Every promise kept builds resilience.  And every week you step out of the Let Loose Loop, you step closer to the life you actually want.

So as the year winds down, ask yourself:  will you let loose and slide into December on autopilot or lock in and walk into the season with clarity, confidence, and energy?

Next month, we’ll share practical ways to handle December’s office parties, family gatherings, and holiday triggers. But for now, November is your chance to choose.  Don’t just let loose.  Lock in.

The post Let loose or lock In? Why November sets the tone for your year appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

This is especially important because while most Australians are drinking less, one group is bucking the trend: women aged 40 to 65. A recent study dived into the lives of these women to understand why.

What was the study?

Researchers from La Trobe University gathered 39 women aged 40 to 65 from Melbourne and Canberra. All of them drank alcohol at least weekly. The goal wasn’t to judge or lecture them, but to listen. The researchers wanted to understand the role of alcohol in their lives—the motivations, the social settings, and their knowledge of the risks.

Through a series of workshop activities, the women mapped out their daily routines and discussed the reasons behind their drinking. They used techniques like creating timelines of a typical day, placing icons representing activities (like work, cooking, socialising) and where a glass of wine or two might fit in. This approach helped uncover the natural rhythms and rituals of their alcohol use, painting a rich picture of when, how, and why they drink.

What were the results?

The study found that drinking isn’t a one-size-fits-all behaviour. Instead, it clusters into distinct social practices, each with its own set of rules and meanings. The researchers identified three key scenarios:

1. ‘Wine O’Clock’: the ritual of relaxation
For many women, the first drink of the evening is a powerful symbol. It’s a deliberate act that marks the transition from the demands of the day—whether a paid job, childcare, or other duties—to “me time.”

• The meaning: This isn’t about getting drunk. It’s about relaxation, reward, and relief. That first sip is a conscious pause, a way to signal that the time for focusing on others is over.
• The routine: The timing is specific, often as soon as they walk in the door or the clock strikes 5 or 6 pm. It’s usually one or two glasses of wine, consumed at home, and seen as a “civilised” way to unwind.
• The drink: Overwhelmingly, the drink of choice was wine. Other options like beer or spirits were rarely mentioned, highlighting a strong cultural connection between women of this age and wine.

2. ‘Weekend Wines’: the social glue
When the weekend arrives, the role of alcohol shifts. It becomes central to socialising. “Catching up for a wine” is a common phrase, and alcohol is a default feature at lunches, dinners, and gatherings.

• The meaning: Here, drinking is about connection, pleasure, and friendship. For some, especially those who are retired, exploring wine had even become a hobby—a sophisticated interest in different vineyards and vintages.
• The setting: These social gatherings often happen in homes or at wineries. While women felt they could drink more than on a weekday, they still largely avoided public intoxication, sticking to perceived social expectations of their age and gender.
• The social rules: The study found subtle but powerful social pressures. Topping up a friend’s glass without asking, the obligation to “buy a round,” and the simple ubiquity of alcohol at events made it difficult to opt out. Not drinking could feel like breaking an unwritten rule.

3. ‘Dry July’: the need for a permission slip
This finding was particularly telling. The women insisted they were immune to “peer pressure,” which they associated with teenagers. However, they openly discussed the challenge of not drinking in social situations.

They revealed that the only socially acceptable reasons to refuse alcohol were a concrete excuse like being the designated driver or participating in a charity-based non-drinking month like Dry July or FebFast. These campaigns provide a kind of “permission slip” that friends and family understand and won’t challenge. Without such an excuse, choosing not to drink could be met with suspicion or questions like, “What’s wrong?”

Why is this important?

This research is important because it shows that telling midlife women to “just drink less” is too simplistic. Alcohol isn’t just a substance; it’s a tool for relaxation and a ticket to social connection. The researchers argued that:

• Public health campaigns that only focus on the health risks (like cancer and heart disease) miss the mark and fail to address the real-life meanings for women.
• To be effective, interventions need to offer alternatives that fulfil the same needs. This means creating new, alcohol-free rituals for relaxation and fostering social spaces and hobbies that don’t revolve around drinking.
• It also highlights the need to change the conversation. The study showed women have a binary view of risk: they see “responsible” drinkers (like themselves) and “problem” drinkers (those who are dependent or get drunk). The reality that regular, moderate drinking carries health risks is often lost. Empowering women means giving them the confidence to opt out of drinking without needing an excuse.

In a nutshell

For some women aged 40-65, drinking is less about alcohol and more about ritual and connection. The “wine o’clock” habit provides to them a sense of reward and pause, while “weekend wines” are fundamental to friendship. The challenge of refusing a drink, even temporarily, shows how deeply embedded these practices are. Understanding this complex picture is the first step toward supporting women in making changes that are not about giving something up, but about finding new, healthier ways to relax and connect without drinking.

Our mission at Hello Sunday Morning is to help our members, many of whom are midlife women, to explore their relationship with alcohol and help them make changes if they choose. Our brilliant Daybreak community offers meaningful connection and support along their journey of change. 

The post Not just a glass of wine: What’s really driving midlife women’s drinking? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be boring, and it’s definitely not about what you’re missing out on.  Think of it as a spring reset, a chance to try new things, save a bit of money, and actually enjoy your Sunday mornings!  Here are ten ideas to make it fun, practical, and maybe even a little surprising.

1. Find your signature alcohol-free drink

Skip the sad soda water.  Try kombucha, protein water, fancy cola or even sparkling water with fresh herbs and fruits.   Think back to your favourite childhood drinks for inspiration and try some new ones at home and out. Stock your fridge like you’re expecting guests!

2. Try a bath house or sauna

Bath houses are everywhere right now and for good reason.  They’re basically a wellness party for your body, hot pools, saunas, cold plunges. It’s the perfect alternative to a Saturday night out.

3. Get outside! Spring is here!

After winter, October is prime time to stretch your legs.  Go for a hike, hit the beach, or even just walk around your suburb.  Movement feels a whole lot better when you’re not dragging a hangover around.

4. Halloween prep (kids or not)

Pumpkin carving, spooky playlists, or going all-in on a ridiculous costume, Halloween is more fun when you can actually remember it.  Lean into the silly.

5. Write down one thing you’re grateful for

Don’t overcomplicate it. Open your Notes app and jot one thing each day you’re grateful for, even if it’s just “coffee.”  It’s a simple way to see how this month shifts your perspective.

6. Buy yourself a new book 

We all have that book gathering dust on the bedside table.  Make this the month you actually open it. Pair it with your favourite alcohol-free drink and call it your new ritual.

7. Plan one night out that’s not about drinking

Movie marathon, trivia night, board game night, including a late night uber eats ice cream order.  Amplify your sober nights with some fun inclusions.

8. Cook a spooky Halloween recipe

Ditch the boring dinner and make something ridiculous and on-theme: pumpkin soup, skeleton cookies, or even a “blood red” pasta. It’s festive, it’s fun, and it gives you an excuse to post it.

9. Do a “Hello Sunday Morning” flex

This is the underrated perk.  Wake up early on a Sunday, clear-headed, and do something you’d never normally do: farmers’ market, sunrise swim, even just having coffee in silence. Nothing feels more rebellious than enjoying a Sunday morning hot girl walk while everyone else is hungover.

10. Reward yourself with the savings

Alcohol isn’t cheap.  Track what you would’ve spent this month and redirect it, new shoes, concert tickets, a night at a nice hotel. Make the benefits visible, not abstract. Celebrate your achievements.

Sober October doesn’t have to feel like punishment.  Think of it as trading one kind of fun for another, the kind you actually remember.  Whether it’s journaling in your Notes app, hosting a Trivia night, or finally reading that book, pick a couple of ideas from this list and make them your own.

Who knows? By the time November rolls around, you might find a few of these habits stick.

The post 10 ways to get through Sober October (Ocsober) and actually enjoy It appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

As the days get warmer and the invites start rolling in for the BBQs, picnics or catchups with friends, it’s easy to feel like alcohol has to be part of the picture. But we don’t always need a drink in our hands to enjoy ourselves. Spring seems like the perfect time to reset, build resilience in changing our relationship with alcohol, and discover how fun social events can be without the booze.

Resilience is built together

Choosing not to drink, or to drink less, isn’t always easy to stick to in social settings. Drinking is often the default activity at gatherings and it can feel hard to say “no thanks”. That’s where resilience comes in - not as something you have to figure out alone, but as something we build through support and community.

Surround yourself with people who get it, whether it’s friends who also skip the booze, or online communities like Daybreak where thousands of people are sharing their wins, setbacks and encouragement every day. Every small choice you make builds your confidence, and every bit of support reminds you that you’re not in this alone.

Peer support matters

It’s easier to hold your ground when you’ve got someone in your corner. Peer support makes all the difference by turning “the odd one out” into part of a team. That might look like checking in with a mate before a big event or sending someone a quick text when you need a morale boost. These little connections add up, helping everyone feel seen, respected and supported.

Finding the joy in socialising without alcohol

Spring is about fresh air, longer days and making memories. When you’re not focused on drinking, there’s so much more to enjoy:

Dive into the food: Fresh fruit, salads and non-alcoholic drinks can be just as exciting as any cocktail!

Embrace the outdoors: Parks, beaches, or backyard games shift the focus to fun, not drinks.

Enjoy real conversations: Without alcohol, you’ll notice how much more present and connected you feel.

Bring the fun: Board games, music or activities can make any gathering more memorable.

By leading the way, you give others permission to join in. Your choice not only supports your own wellbeing, it helps reshape what socialising can look like for everyone.

A fresh perspective on fun

Spring is a season of renewal and it’s your chance to redefine what fun means. By focusing on connection, laughter and the moment itself, you’ll find joy that goes way beyond the glass.

Even if you find yourself struggling along the way, remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own. Our Daybreak app is a safe, supportive space where thousands of people share their stories, give encouragement and remind each other that change is possible. For something a little extra, our Hello Change program offers short, practical modules designed by psychologists to help you manage cravings, boost confidence and build habits that last.

So as you step into spring, remember that resilience grows stronger with community, and support is always there when you need it. Here’s to a season full of fresh starts, deeper connections and celebrations that feel genuinely good - no booze required!

The post Spring without the booze: Connection, resilience and real fun! appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.

So, what really happens to our brains when drinking has become a problem? To better understand this issue and highlight recent findings, researchers looked at multiple studies that used various brain imaging tools.

What was the study?

This paper reviewed research that used advanced brain scanning technology, and compiled over decades, to understand how alcohol problems can change the structure and function of the brain. Think of it as a current snapshot of what science has learned by looking inside the brains of people trying to cut down or stop drinking.

The researchers looked at findings from every major type of brain scan:

• Structural MRI: Takes detailed pictures of the brain's anatomy, showing its size and shape.
• fMRI: Shows which areas of the brain are active during tasks or at rest.
• Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI): Maps out the brain's ‘wiring’ (white matter), showing how well different regions are connected.
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS): Acts like a molecular sensor, measuring the levels of key brain chemicals.
• PET Scans: Uses radioactive tracers to measure brain chemical messengers (neurotransmitter systems) and how the brain breaks them down.

The goal was to paint a complete picture of how alcohol can damage the brain, how it might recover when people stop drinking, what this means for understanding drinking problems, and what people can expect if they change their relationship with alcohol.

What were the results?

The results reveal that problem drinking can have profound effects on the brain's structure, chemistry, and function.

1. The brain shrinks.
Brain scans consistently show that people with problem drinking have a loss of grey matter (the brain's processing centres) and white matter (the connecting cables). This shrinkage affects areas critical for:

• memory and learning
• decision-making and impulse control
• feelings of reward and pleasure
• movement and coordination

2. The brain's wiring ‘frays’.
DTI scans show that the white matter connections between brain regions become damaged and less efficient. This disrupts communication within the brain's networks, which helps explain common issues among people with problem drinking such as poor memory, slow processing speed, and impaired judgment.

3. Brain chemistry gets thrown off balance.
MRS studies have shown significant changes in key neurotransmitters:

• Glutamate, which has a stimulating effect on the body, often surges during alcohol withdrawal, contributing to being jumpy and jittery, anxious, and potentially brain cell damage.
• Dopamine, which is the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemical, is hijacked by alcohol causing an unnatural excess. Over time, the dopamine system becomes unbalanced, reducing the pleasure people usually feel from everyday activities, and potentially increasing craving for alcohol to feel good again.

4. Brain activity becomes rewired.
fMRI scans show that the brains of people with problem drinking become hyper-sensitive to cues that remind them of alcohol (like the sight of a bottle) while becoming less responsive to natural rewards (like money or enjoyable hobbies). The brain's ‘default mode network’ (active when we daydream) and ‘salience network’ (which decides what's important) also become disrupted, leading people to seek alcohol as a priority.

The good news: the brain can heal.
Perhaps the most encouraging finding is that many of these changes are reversible when people stop drinking entirely.

Studies show that white matter volume can increase, brain chemistry can rebalance, and cognitive function can improve after stopping drinking. However, the extent of recovery can depend on age, genetics, and how long the person has been drinking excessively.

Why is this important?

This review of findings is important for several reasons:

1. It removes stigma from people with problem drinking by showing that changes occur in the brain, and that drinking is not a moral failing or a simple lack of willpower.
2. It explains many of the behaviours evident among people who struggle with alcohol, showing the biological basis for things like poor impulse control and intense cravings.This helps people, their families and significant others understand that the difficulties are real and based in actual changes to the brain.
3. It guides better treatment through improving ourunderstanding of the specific brain systems involved (like the glutamate system during withdrawal or the dopamine/opioid system in craving) and may help scientists develop targeted medications to help manage these processes and support healing.
4. It offers people hope for future recovery by showing the evidence for the brain's ability to heal with abstinence. It shows that the goal of treatment is not just stopping drinking but actively healing the brain.

In a nutshell

So, what does science tell us about alcohol and the brain? This review of multiple studies spanning decades of brain scan research tells us that problem drinking can cause widespread and measurable damage to the brain's structure, wiring, and chemistry.

Excessive drinking can shrink the brain, fray its neural connections, disrupt crucial chemical systems, and rewire brain activity to prioritise drinking alcohol above all else.

The good news is that it also tells us the brain possesses a remarkable ability to heal itself. With ongoing abstinence, brain volume can return, chemistry can rebalance, and brain function can improve.

While we’ve learned a considerable amount from past research on living people, there is still a lot to uncover. One important way to make progress is to check what these imaging changes look like in the tissue itself.  The University of Sydney through the 'Using our Brains' donor program encourages community members to consider brain donation, to offer future generations the possibility of improved health. 

For people considering changing their relationship with alcohol, all of our programs at Hello Sunday Morning are designed to support you at any time of your choosing, and in whatever your goals are for drinking – either cutting down, taking a break or quitting altogether. Try out our Hello Change program that will help you to learn specific ways to manage uncomfortable thoughts and feelings (including how to manage cravings and impulses to drink), and our supportive and anonymous Daybreak community who will cheer you on, every step of the way.

The post Sobering Science: What does science tell us about alcohol and the brain? appeared first on Hello Sunday Morning.