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The holidays can test even the strongest intentions — parties, family, travel, and constant pressure to drink or “let loose.” In this 10-Minute Monday, Mike shares 9 ways to stay balanced, protect your peace, and actually enjoy the season. You’ll learn how to plan ahead, handle tough moments, and start the new year proud of how you showed up — clear, confident, and in control.
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Creators and Guests
What is Journey to the Sunnyside?
Journey to the Sunnyside is a top 1% podcast, reaching over 500,000 listeners every week. It’s your guide to exploring mindful living with alcohol—whether you're cutting back, moderating, or thinking about quitting.
While Sunnyside helps you reduce your drinking, this podcast goes further, diving into topics like mindful drinking, sober curiosity, moderation, and full sobriety. Through real stories, expert insights, and science-backed strategies, we help you find what actually works for your journey.
Hosted by Mike Hardenbrook, a #1 best-selling author and neuroscience enthusiast, the show is dedicated to helping people transform their relationship with alcohol—without shame, judgment, or rigid rules.
This podcast is brought to you by Sunnyside, the leading platform for mindful drinking. Want to take the next step in your journey? Head over to sunnyside.co for a free 15-day trial.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in our episodes do not necessarily represent those of Sunnyside. We’re committed to sharing diverse perspectives on health and wellness. If you’re concerned about your drinking, please consult a medical professional. Sunnyside, this podcast, and its guests are not necessarily medical providers and the content is not medical advice. We do not endorse drinking in any amount.
Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another one of these ten minute Mondays. And with Halloween behind us and sober October as well, we're now in full swing heading into the holidays or what I'd like to call the season of decisions. It's when all the progress and the habits that we've built get tested. We have family, travel, parties, and of course, stress, and it's all mixed in there.
Speaker 1:In this episode, I'm not going to get into the tactics, but more about the mindset. Setting yourself up to enjoy the holidays, stay grounded, and start the new year proud of how you showed up. So I'm gonna cover nine mindsets to set you up for success in the holidays. And number one is decide what you want this season to feel like. Before the calendar fills up, take a moment and ask yourself, what do I want my holidays to feel like this year?
Speaker 1:Maybe you want to make a change to stay healthy and rested and clear headed going into January and we have 2026 all ahead of us. Or maybe you've been doing well and you want to enjoy the holidays with a few extra social events while still keeping balance. And to be honest, there is no right answer. What matters most is that your choices feel intentional and leave you feeling good about yourself. So the holidays, of course, they come with pressure to say yes to everything.
Speaker 1:But remember, just because you did something in past years doesn't mean that you owe it to anybody else to keep doing that. You get to decide what feels right this year. Number two is reflect before you plan. So before looking ahead, think back. What moments from past holidays stand out for the right reasons, where you felt connected and happy, and which ones left you drained, maybe anxious, or wishing you've done something differently?
Speaker 1:Remember, this isn't about guilt. It's about setting yourself up with awareness. So for me, one rule every single year that I started many years ago is that I stopped drinking on Christmas Eve and also on New Year's Eve. And this, of course, started with an experiment, but I liked how it felt to wake up early to make breakfast and to actually enjoy those mornings feeling confident and good about myself. And just because you have drinks the day before doesn't mean that you shouldn't feel good about yourself, but in my case, this one was the better option.
Speaker 1:And I like starting the new year clear and focused, and it became something that I actually looked forward to that I felt it was setting up the tone for the rest of the year. Now Thanksgiving, that changes every single year for me. Sometimes I have a drink, sometimes I don't. It really depends on how I wanna feel the next day and if I think that it's going to make me feel good in the moment without regret the next day. And that's really what mindful planning looks like.
Speaker 1:It's not about rules, but it's about choices that match your priorities. Number three is look at each event with intention. You don't need to plan every single detail, but it helps to look at each of these events ahead of time. So as you think about the dinners, the parties, maybe the travel, ask yourself some questions. Do I want to be clear headed and fully present?
Speaker 1:Do I want to enjoy a drink or two but plan for it? Or do I know that this might be a tough one and I'll need to really have a clear limit or maybe an exit plan? Now, if you're really into planning and being organized, you can take this a step further. You can give each event a simple mental rating from a one to three. So one would mean that it's a low temptation or no drinking plan.
Speaker 1:Two would mean it's moderate. You know, you're going to stay mindful, but you feel comfortable with this event. And then three means it's a high risk. And usually you know this just by knowing yourself or maybe past years. And you're going to want to plan and have clear boundaries in place.
Speaker 1:Now you don't need to write this down. It's just a quick way to stay conscious of where you might need to be more focused. And That small check-in before each event replaces the impulse with choice. Most regrets come with walking in on autopilot. You know, automatic drinking versus mindful drinking.
Speaker 1:And just a minute of reflection helps you stay grounded with what you actually want. Number four is give yourself permission to protect your peace. So if you're in the early stages of changing your drinking habits, the holidays often can be extremely challenging. So give yourself permission to make decisions that support you, even if that means skipping an event or leaving early. You know what situations are best for you and which ones aren't.
Speaker 1:And you also know when being there would come at a cost of how you feel about yourself afterwards. One important point that I want people to be aware of is that taking care of yourself isn't selfish. It allows you to show up as your best self, calm and present and genuine. And if you need to say no or head home early, then do it. And you shouldn't feel guilty about it, and you don't need to give an explanation.
Speaker 1:Number five is expect some ups and downs. Even with a plan, not every night will go perfectly, and that's fine. If things don't go how you wanted, reflect instead of react. Just ask, you know, what was going on for me in that moment? Was it pressure?
Speaker 1:Was it stress? Was it celebration? Maybe it was the people you were around. Understanding the reason helps you prepare differently for the next time. Awareness builds consistency.
Speaker 1:Alright. Number six is redefine what enjoyment means. Many of us grew up thinking that the holidays and drinking go hand in hand. But the best moments, the laughter, the connection, the calm, those come from being present enough to experience them. So remember, you don't need alcohol for that.
Speaker 1:For some that might be just having a drink or two, and for others, it means none. Ask yourself, will this choice make me feel good about myself now and also tomorrow? And if it's yes, then you're aligned. Number seven is build in recovery. The holidays, all these parties and events, they can blend together.
Speaker 1:Long days, late nights, travel, big meals. Boy, I'm looking forward to the stuffing. But try not to stack all these events without giving yourself time to rest. So plan a few quiet nights where you can recharge, you can hydrate, you can move your body, and, of course, reset and sleep. So those pauses, they're gonna keep you balanced and help you to enjoy the next event even more.
Speaker 1:Number eight is keep your why visible. So behind every single plan, there's gotta be a reason. Why are you being intentional this season? Maybe it's for energy. Maybe it's for presence with family.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's wanting to start the new year proud of how you handle yourself. So when the pressure's on, come back to that reason. It's going to help guide your choices more than any other plan ever could. Because sometimes we forget the plan, but the easy thing to remember is the source of it all. Why?
Speaker 1:And then finally, number nine, stay flexible. Plans are here to guide you, but they're not here to box you in. And here at Sunnyside, we're all about flexibility. So if you go off your plan, if you change your mind, or you have some unexpected night, that's totally fine. Again, the goal isn't to be perfect.
Speaker 1:It's to finish the season feeling like you lived it on your terms. Just adjust and then move on. Okay. Final thoughts here to bring it all in. The holidays, they amplify everything.
Speaker 1:You know, you have joy and happiness and connection, but you also have stress and exhaustion and peer pressure too. And that's why this is the perfect time to practice awareness and balance. So take a few minutes this week to think ahead. What do I want this holiday season to look like? What moments do I really want to remember fully present?
Speaker 1:And what choices would make me proud when it's all over. And that's what success really looks like. It's not about what you skipped or restricted. It's about how you felt about your decisions. So go into this season with clarity and confidence.
Speaker 1:And when you do, you don't just get through the holidays, you actually enjoy them fully. Alright. Thanks for hanging out with me on this ten minute Monday. I hope you have a beautiful week and cheers to your mindful drinking journey.