What to Do Instead: A Sober Go-To Guide for Cravings
5 Alcohol Triggers and Your New Mindful Alternatives
Cravings are part of the journey, but you don’t have to give in. They pass, if you allow them to. Here’s how to ride them out with self-compassion, confidence, a bit of humour, and a growing sense of being in control.
Cravings feel all-consuming in the moment—but science says they’re often just passing storms.
According to neuroanatomist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, the chemical process behind an emotional reaction or craving typically lasts just 90 seconds. If we don’t fuel it with thoughts or panic, it fades. That means if we can ride out that wave—just one and a half minutes—we often find it’s already behind us.
This doesn’t mean cravings aren’t real or challenging—especially if they’re tied to stress, hormone shifts, or deeper emotional patterns. But knowing they are temporary can shift everything. It puts you back in the driver’s seat.
“You can feel the emotion, let it surge… and let it pass. That’s the power of 90 seconds.”
1. Boredom
You’re home, the day’s over, kids are in bed or busy (if you have kids), and that glass of wine starts whispering your name…
Instead, try:
✅ Change your scenery — go outside, even for 5 minutes
✅ Start a project you’ve been putting off (pro tip: keep a list of little things you want to do when you have time)
✅ Try a “fun stuff menu” — a list of things that light you up (think arts, gardening, creating, reading, journaling, podcasting, making gifts for friends, scrapbooking, planning holidays, shopping (mindfully, haha!)...)
✅ Listen to music or a podcast while tidying, decluttering, or dancing it out
✅ Learn something new (like a short online class, or even just a YouTube tutorial)
Why it works:
Boredom is a lack of stimulation. Alcohol gives short-term novelty, but so does curiosity — and the latter actually builds energy over time.
"You have so much more control than you think!"
2. Work Stress
Big day. Frustrations. Seriously, you almost quit today!.. Or maybe you did 🙈 Now, you just want to shut your brain off.
Instead, try:
✅ Breathwork — even just box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)
✅ Go for a walk and talk it out with a friend (or to yourself - pretend to be on the phone!)
✅ Journal a brain dump of the anger and frustration, then write one thing you're grateful for
✅ Try an EFT tapping session or meditation for stress/anger (YouTube has great free ones)
✅ Do a workout or dance it out - transform your stress into energy to improve your health and wellbeing 💪🏼
Why it works:
Your body doesn’t want alcohol — it wants regulation. You’re chasing peace. These habits actually provide it.
And you will face the next day with a clearer, sharper mind.
3. Kids Driving You Crazy
You love them… but wow. 🤯
Instead, try:
✅ A 10-minute reset — park them with a show, and sit quietly with a cup of tea or flavoured sparkling water. Breathe.
✅ Share how you’re feeling with them (age-appropriate honesty teaches emotional intelligence)
✅ Call a friend who gets it
✅ Text a fellow sober friend or your coach and share your craving -get support!
✅ Hide in the bathroom with a mocktail and scroll on Pinterest, a zen app, or whatever helps you relax (no shame)
Why it works:
Alcohol doesn’t make parenting easier — it just numbs yourself. Calm kids start with a calm(ish) you.
4. Celebration / Excitement
You landed a deal, it’s your birthday, it’s Friday… Cheers? 🥂
Instead, try:
✅ Go on, celebrate!! Do whatever you would usually do, just don't drink alcohol!
✅ Share your news and let others cheer you on
✅ Buy something meaningful to mark the moment
✅ Get together with a sober friend and party your way
✅ Anchor the joy in your body — move, stretch, laugh, sing, go to the beach and walk in the sand - do something you love!
Why it works:
You do deserve to celebrate. But alcohol doesn’t add joy — it just dulls it. Do more of what amplifies your aliveness.
5. Sadness, Loneliness, or Anger
You’re overwhelmed. It hurts. It's too hard. You want a break from it all.
I'm with ya 💔 I've been there.
Instead, try:
✅ Speak the feeling out loud (to a friend, journal, or voice note)
✅ Cry, scream into a pillow, scream in water, or punch it out (movement moves emotion), dance like a mad person
✅ Use grounding techniques: play with ice in your hands, smell something strong, walk in grass, or count backwards
✅ Put on a song that matches your emotion 🤘🏼 then shift to something lighter when you feel ready.
✅ Say to yourself: “This won’t last forever. I’m allowed to feel this.” Perhaps find a supportive meditation or mantra.
Why it works:
Alcohol delays pain, but doesn’t dissolve it. Feeling your way through it — safely, gently — is true self-care.
So what now?
The truth is, cravings often aren’t about alcohol at all.
They’re signals. Messages from your mind or body, asking for connection, stimulation, calm, or release.
When you respond with presence instead of pouring a drink — that’s where your power is. Remember cravings only last for 90 seconds if you allow them to be there, and to go away.
And inside The Mindfully Sober Program, you’ll learn how to:
💛 Spot your triggers
💛 Respond with compassion
💛 Build a toolkit that’s actually yours
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being equipped.
Mindfully Sober is not about perfection — it’s about possibility.
It's a coaching program built for the high-functioning, sober-curious people who want to live on purpose — aligned with their values, not society’s expectations.
I believe you deserve to feel good in your life, proud of your choices, and clear about your future.
Every time you choose to listen to your inner voice, you come back to yourself.
And that’s where real freedom begins.
Be on your own side,
Sophie 🌿
Sophie Anderson is an ICF-certified coach, wellness expert, and founder of Mindfully Sober. Completely alcohol-free since 2020, she empowers others to step into their potential by creating a life they don’t need to escape from. With a compassionate, practical approach, Sophie helps clients break free from drinking culture and live with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
