Interview: Author and Podcaster Suzanne Warye Shares Her Best Tips for a Sober Shift

It’s pub day for influencer turned podcaster and author, Suzanne Warye. Her first book The Sober Shift (HarperOne) comes out today. In the book Warye shares her advice on transforming your life through sobriety, not because of illness or addiction, but because it makes you feel better and creates a life of freedom. Alcohol is so engrained in our social interactions and coping mechanisms that it can feel initially hard to choose a life without alcohol, but Warye broke through the expected standard and made a lifestyle that fit her needs and her health, mental and physical. Below, I spoke with Warye about perspective changes we can make, anxiety, and, of course, her favorite mocktails at home and out.

Alcohol-free living is easier than it was in prior years and yet the holidays are the hardest time of the year to avoid the push of alcohol. What mental shifts can people take to maintain their choices but not feel like they are missing out?

Get curious. Have you ever experienced the holidays without alcohol before (as an adult, not counting pregnancy)? Use your first sober holiday as an experiment, rather than a punishment, and take note of how it feels different than it does when you’re drinking.

Don’t wait to see how you’ll feel – make the decision beforehand that you won’t drink, and open yourself up to the possibility that you will still have fun and enjoy the holidays.

Expect to feel uncomfortable. That’s OK! You’re trying something new. You won’t always feel this way.

Focus on how you want to feel in the morning.

Sometimes the biggest barriers for change are worrying what others will think. How do you combat the judgement that an alcohol free life is a restrictive diet instead of a simple lifestyle choice?

When you realize the cost of putting other’s thoughts and judgments ahead of your own peace, energy and mental health, everything can change.

Don’t have both sides of the conversation. Oftentimes, we can assume they’re judging us for not drinking, while they could be secretly envious because they’re not yet ready to tackle their relationship with alcohol. When you realize that someone’s reaction to your sobriety is all about how they feel about their drinking, you can shift your perspective.

And remember, you aren’t the starring role in anyone else’s story. They aren’t thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are. So, you might as well do what feels right for you.

What are your favorite mocktails this time of year to enjoy at home?

I love an easy mocktail with ginger beer, a splash of apple cider and a cinnamon stick for fall.

What are your favorite places in Chicago to go enjoy a festive alcohol free cocktail?

I love the selection of mocktails and alcohol-removed wine at The Publican at Fulton Market. I’ve also been wanting to go to The Aviary to try their mocktails – maybe this fall I’ll make it happen!