10 Things I’d Do to Prepare for Sober October

It’s October, and that means we’re emptying out the liquor cabinet and opening ourselves up to all the things we’ve been avoiding from November to September. 

That’s right, it’s Sober October. 

And you (my beloved reader) are curious about what your mind and body will feel like when they are unchanged and unchained. Even extremely high-functioning people use substances to alter their mood or elevate their energy. But when we rely on these state changes too much, it is easy to forget how to access every other tool we have. 

And so, it is our privilege to witness all the moments where we wanted to reach for that drink, that puff, or that little extra something, and to remember what we did to feel better when we really had to think about it.

How To Set The Right Intentions For Sobriety 

When you’re starting out, it serves you immensely to set intentions, know what your goals are, and make a plan for how you’re going to do it. 

In this early stage, you don’t have to take actions you feel unprepared for. This is your opportunity to boldly (and bravely) take inventory of your situation, and put what you want into words. 

These questions will help to guide your personal intentions for sobriety:

• What does it really mean to be sober for us? Different people have different addictions, and what might be a mind-consuming temptation for some can be a well-appointed medicine for others. Which substances are you abstaining from, and what makes you suspect that you’d be better off without them?
• What are we really agreeing to when we decide to be sober? What are the behaviors that we want to cut out of our life? Our patterns of self-sabotage and self-destruction go far beyond just the act of consuming a substance. This is not to make us feel guilty, or to instill fear in our hearts. This is the mechanism we need to motivate and guide us into the behaviors that best serve us and the people around us. 
• What is the goal we travel towards? When it’s all said and done, how will it look different? What is the dream where it all goes perfectly, and what could it look like if we just tried something new? 

How Can I Practice Acceptance When I’m Sober? 

“God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.”

— Reinhold Niebuhr

Radical acceptance is not just a tool we learn about in therapy. It is a tool that human beings have developed to cope with the uncomfortable reality of being alive. 

We have always needed it. In our entire recorded history, we have practiced it in one way or another. So just as your ancestors needed to accept the famine of the crops, the leopards in the jungle, and the oncoming storm, you too must accept. 

You do not need to approve. You do not need to endorse. You do not need to ignore anymore.

If you want to be sober, whether you want it to stick, or you want to walk away from this with a different relationship to substance use, then you need to accept your world as it is right now with no excuses and no bargaining.

Practicing acceptance can be forgiving:

“I accept things as they are. I can’t change the past, so I don’t have to try anymore.” 

Practicing acceptance can also feel like tough love:

“I accept where I have failed in the past. I will stop acting like an expert in areas where I need to do some learning.”

How Can We Use Ritual And Tradition To Stay Sober? 

Addiction can be so challenging because it rewires our brain to pursue those high highs, and reshapes the rest of our daily life into an unending valley of low lows, only interrupted by the occasional normalcy of the thing we’re dependent on. 

But, if we provide a new structure for our lives that isn’t centered around acquiring and consuming state-changing substances like drugs and alcohol, then sobriety won’t feel impossible anymore. 

We use these substances to fill the gaps in our lives. These are unmet needs that your mind and body are subconsciously desperate for. When our needs are met, our schedule is full of things we want to do, and there’s good food in the fridge, we will not want the same things we wanted when we were desperate.

• Rely On Your Systems. Sobriety becomes easier when you don’t have to make the decision to take care of yourself from scratch every day. Simple rituals—going to the gym at the same time, making dinner at home, attending a meeting, or taking a walk after work—can give your day a predictable structure that doesn’t leave as much room for old patterns to take over.

• Become A Self-Care Expert. Self-care can become a daily ritual that teaches you to meet your own needs before they become emergencies. Learning when you are hungry, lonely, exhausted, overwhelmed, or in need of connection gives you something practical to turn toward when the urge to use appears.

• Embrace Your Authentic Self. Part of the reason people embrace drugs and alcohol is to escape the perceptions of others. We fear our true self, and use substances to help us mask up. And so, sobriety is also an invitation to be your authentic self each and every day. Rituals can help make that authenticity tangible: cooking the food you actually like, spending time with people who know you, practicing your hobbies, or creating traditions that belong to you. Over time, these ordinary repetitions can become reminders that your life is something you participate in, rather than something you need to escape. Who are we living our life for, if not our authentic selves? 

How Can Loved Ones Offer Recovery Support? 

It’s not just a therapeutic specialty, recovery support is something that can be offered by anyone who cares. People in recovery deserve and need support, and we want to make that as easy as possible. 

There are concrete ways to support your loved ones with addiction, especially if you are also on a sobriety journey. 

• Be A Good Friend. Continue to nurture your relationship with them. Whatever is nourishing and good in your friendship is worth keeping and cultivating. Reach out to your friends on a recovery journey and make an effort to socialize with them in an environment where they won’t feel pressured to drink/use. 

• Offer Spiritual Support. Something about going sober triggers an intense spiritual/philosophical awakening, and this is a great opening for you as a friend to connect on that level. Pulling tarot cards for them, asking about their wellbeing, and checking in with your friends in recovery is one of the simplest and most accessible ways to offer them your help. 
• Ask What They Need. Sometimes, by the time your friend in recovery goes sober, they have reached absolute rock bottom. But assuming this as their friend often triggers a shame response that restricts their ability to really ask for help. So let’s make it easy for them. Tell them what you can provide, and ask them how you can really help.

Journal Prompts For People With Addiction

Okay, that’s all well and good, but if you’re anything like me, all this thought of self-improvement sends your attention to one place: the increasingly high and incredibly precarious pile of empty composition books you keep in the office. 

As we embark on a sobriety journey, writing is a great way to process the past, accept the present, and prepare for the future. We can keep track of important data, and remember how we felt in a moment we’ve moved past.

It’s also a great way to fill those composition books.

Here are some daily questions to ask yourself in your journal this Sober October: 

• How does my body feel right now? 
• What emotion do I feel right now? 
• What am I going to do to fill my cup today? 
• Why am I staying sober today? 
• How am I preparing for tomorrow? 

Where Can I Hang Out In St. Pete If I Don’t Drink?

Drinking is a social activity, and when we quit drinking, we might be losing access to our cherished third places, our enjoyable acquaintanceships, and our most prominent source of social joy. 

If we want to be sober successfully, then that means finding places where we can socialize without feeling the pressure to drink. Luckily, if you live in the St. Petersburg area, there are lots of healthy sober social venues for you to explore. 

And we’ve found some of them for you: 

• The Body Electric Yoga Company. Yoga is  where we go to integrate the mind, body, and spirit through movement and mindful breathing. We like to recommend The Body Electric because they are LGBT-friendly, locally-owned, and incorporate the principles of yogic philosophy and mindfulness into their classes.
• Play Games With Your Friends. Pick-up basketball. Rock-climbing. Tabletop role playing games. Don’t forget Pickleball! What do all these things have in common? They’re all games we play to find a sense of community, competition, and accomplishment, and they’re arguably more enjoyable when you are sober. 

• Local 12-Step Meetings. Whether or not you identify as an addict, going to a 12-step program in your area is a great way to find community, spirituality, and support on your sobriety journey.

How Does Therapy Help With Sobriety? 

Therapy can make sobriety easier because therapy  just generally gives you the tools to handle life and all its inadequacies. If you’re working on sobriety, and you start going to therapy, it’s going to help you find the tools you need.

But working with a recovery support therapist (that is, a therapist who specializes in guiding people through sobriety and recovery) is worth considering if finding a healthier relationship with substances is your focus. When you work with an expert, you’re getting access to someone who’s done this before, knows how to succeed, and can remember what you need to look out for.

Going to therapy can help you with your sobriety because it means…

• You are taking your sobriety seriously. The sunk-cost fallacy is real. We do not want to quit something that we’ve invested time, money, or effort into, and going to therapy requires all three. 

• You are learning from an expert. Getting recovery support from a counselor means that you’re working with someone who’s helped other people like you.

• You are getting the support you deserve. The right counselor can give you the validation and guidance you shouldn’t or couldn’t expect from your loved ones. 

DIY Therapeutic Activities For Sober October 2026

“But Integrative Counsel, I’ve tried all those things and I’m still crawling up the walls and overwhelmed by sobriety.” — Perhaps, You

If you can believe it, there’s even more work you can do when it comes to sober life. It’s one of those things that is simple to begin, but takes a lifetime to master. 

Everyday, we must work with ourselves and beyond ourselves to live our best life. That’s why one of the most effective ways to maintain your sobriety is through mastering the skill of habit.

These are the habits that will guide you towards happy sobriety:

• Take Care Of Your Body. The mind-body connection is real and we neglect it at our peril. Eat three meals a day, go to the doctor, build your strength through exercise, and drink copious amounts of water. A healthy body supports a healthy mind because the two are one and the same. You must take care of your body for it to take care of you.

• Learn How To Self Soothe And Do It Every Day. You cannot expect this world to soothe you. It is your responsibility to listen to your body and give it what it needs. Learn which methods of self-soothing work for you, and use them! Don’t be shy, give yourself what you need when you need it.
• Kindle The Fires Of Hope In Your Heart. Despair is not sustainable. The hearts of the long-lived and well-accomplished are almost uniformly enveloped with hope. And so, wherever possible, make hope your priority. Plan for a brighter tomorrow. Remember how many days it is until your birthday. Always consider that the future could be better than the past. Hope for more, and you might just get it.

How To Find Recovery Support In St. Petersburg, FL. 

We don’t have a cure for addiction yet. As of now, if you struggle with substances, it may be something that you have to manage the rest of your life. But with the right tools, compassionate support, and the willingness to learn a different way, sobriety can absolutely save your life. 

Even if it’s just for today.

We have therapists on our team who are trained to help you through your recovery. It is a journey that you do not have to embark alone.

Contact us and our intake specialist will take the time to understand your needs and connect you with a therapist who is the right fit.

 Schedule your free 15-minute consultation.

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.