Ten Januarys ago, on the cusp of 2017, the author impulsively embarked on a challenge that would profoundly alter her life, particularly her relationships: Dry January. What began as a spontaneous bet with a platonic guy friend on New Year's Eve 2016 to abstain from alcohol for the entire month quickly became a transformative experience. Despite being an entertainment reporter who frequented Hollywood afterparties and a food & beverage writer specializing in wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails, activities that inherently involved open bars, she committed to the booze-free month.

Initially, the idea of Dry January, a concept that originated in the U.K. a few years prior and was not yet as popular, seemed like career suicide. However, after agreeing to the bet, she put down her glass at midnight on January 1st and went through the entire month without a drink, winning the bet and a fancy dinner. While her friendship with the bet-partner remained, the most significant revelation was the unexpected way abstaining from alcohol reshaped her other relationships, a change that proved beneficial over the subsequent nine years.

A common apprehension people face when considering sobriety, whether for a temporary dry month or indefinitely, is its potential impact on their relationships. The author confirms that relationships do change, but emphasizes that this is a positive development. Much like how friend groups evolve from high school to college, friendships built primarily on shared drinking habits can shift when the common routine is removed. This might lead to the realization of having less in common when alcohol is no longer involved, or it could open doors to exploring shared interests beyond drinking, such as working out, watching movies, or traveling, potentially strengthening those bonds. If bar friends lack other pastimes, there are many others with diverse hobbies waiting to be discovered, and old friendships may even be rekindled.

During her first Dry January, the author encountered resistance from close friends who struggled to understand her decision, especially as a social drinker without a dramatic reason for abstaining beyond personal challenge and winning a bet. Some friends dismissed it as a waste of time, calling her