I've been doing 'Damp January' instead of 'Dry January.' It's a better way to change my drinking habits.

• I've done a sober month before, but I like "Damp January" more than "Dry January."
• Leading a "damp" lifestyle makes it easier to be consistent year-round.

Years ago, I went sober for a full month as an experiment. I experienced all the perks of not drinking: happier moods, higher energy levels, and more money in my bank account.

But as good as it felt to abstain from alcohol, it was hard to keep up in the long term when holidays, weddings, and other booze-centered events came up. After a few months, I found myself slipping back into old habits, and drinking more than I would have liked.

I'm not alone in feeling that abstaining in full can be hard. While Dry January has soared in popularity over the years and inspired some people to go sober beyond the month, many quit by day six.

So last year, after another tipsy holiday season, I tried "Damp January," where I would consciously curb my drinking rather than cut it out completely.

While not as drastic, it helped me become much more mindful of imbibing a lot less than I used to — and I've been able to keep it up all year round. Here are four things I do to keep up the habit.

1. Alternate cocktails with mocktails

I've learned through experience (college Mike's Hard Lemonade hangovers) that almost nothing good ever happens after the third drink. Science backs this up: alcohol has a biphasic effect, meaning you can feel euphoric after the first drink or two but start to get tired, cranky, or depressed as you keep going.

But when I'm out, my brain just wants that extra beer, even though I know the consequences. So, my workaround has been alternating real drinks with non-alcoholic ones when I go out.

Because more bars and breweries offer great alcohol alternatives now, I can easily have a Pilsner for my first beverage, then swap for a booze-free alternative like Athletic Brewing as my second. It's been a very handy trick for when I'm going out: I can join in on a round of shots or cocktails, then nurse a Phony Negroni for the rest of the night.

2. Stock up on non-alcoholic options at home

I've lost count of how many new non-alcoholic options there are on the market, from N/A beer and bottled mocktails to "hop water," which tastes like a mix between flavored seltzer and a hoppy IPA minus the booze.

I also have lots of the classic liquor-free staples, like regular seltzer, tea, and kombucha if I'm feeling fancy. I just try to avoid sweet drinks, as it's very common to crave sugar when cutting back on alcohol.

I make sure to keep these regularly stocked in my fridge so that when I feel like having a fun little treat to sip on (which is all the time if I'm honest), it's easy to reach for something that's not alcohol.

Plus, I have tasty alternatives on hand for my friends who are sober or aren't drinking that night.

3. Journal how many drinks I have every day

I've been journaling every day since 2017. In the past year, I also started tracking other things, like how many drinks I have in a day (and how off I feel during and after).

Because I have real data, I can get a broader snapshot of how much I cumulatively drink in a week or month. Otherwise, if I rely on my memory alone, I can assume I only had about two drinks in a week when it was really closer to six or eight.

My partner and I hail from two of the most alcohol-centric cultures in the world: Eastern Europe and Wisconsin. Whether we're doing vodka shots with my Ukrainian family or at a Packers game in someone's home, I know I'll be feeling rough once the holiday season ends — and my journal entries from our Christmas trip this year proved it.

After our trip, I felt even more motivated to continue my "damp" journey.

4. Prioritize activities that don't center drinking

Unsurprisingly, I drink more with people who insist on ordering another round. So I've started to lean into friendships and activities that don't center on getting smashed.

I might stop at a bar with my choir or running group, but usually I'm pretty beat after the main activity and feel no need to go beyond one drink. I've also been working out more than I ever have, which means I have more of an incentive to say no to that second martini.

But what makes it easiest is having people in my life who feel similarly about alcohol. At this point, at least half of my friends are either sober or even "damper" than myself, which makes it easy to hang out without feeling like we need a bottle of merlot to enjoy each other's company. (Just a decadent dessert.)