5 Proven Strategies for Maintaining Long-Term Sobriety
The Road to Long-Term Sobriety: What Actually Works
Sobriety is not just about quitting alcohol or avoiding triggers; it’s about rebuilding your life from the ground up; it’s about recognizing that there was a life before alcohol, and when you return to that state, your mind will thank you.
I know this all too well.
I had my first drink before I was 13, got suspended from middle school for drinking at school, went to “Scared Straight” (it didn’t work), and became a full-blown binge drinker before I entered the alcohol-fueled culture that comes with serving on Active Duty in the U.S. Navy.
Sobriety wasn’t a straight path for me.
I tried and failed multiple times before finally putting the bottle down on 7-7-2020, and for four years, I didn’t touch alcohol—until 7-2-2024, when I decided to have a few drinks with my wife.
While I didn’t drink the way I had before, I was still pretty anti-alcohol as I’ve seen the damage it has done to so many lives.
On Feb 10, 2025 I was celebrating my 38th birthday and my first sobriety day.
I’ve had some fun dates, deep laughs, and let loose with the numbing nature of the liquid poison, but it wasn’t as cool or as fun as I’d romanticized it to be, and to be blunt, I was bored with it.
I’d rather commit to sobriety and work with people looking to do things with their lives and get the satisfaction of being a part of that growth than continue to drink alcohol at random.
If you’re on this journey, whether you’re thinking about quitting, struggling to stay sober, or wondering if you can do it without rehab or AA, I want to share what worked for me, is working for me—and what can work for you.
1. Sobriety Starts with a Choice—Every Damn Day
Long-term sobriety isn’t about saying, “I’ll never drink again.” as that’s too overwhelming.
It’s about waking up every morning and deciding, “Today, I’m not drinking because I don’t want to.”
When I finally got serious about quitting, I had to break it down into smaller steps.
Here’s what helped:
Make a Commitment to Yourself: Write down why you want to quit. Is it for your health? Your family? Your future? When cravings hit, read that list.
Take it One Day at a Time: Don’t worry about next week, year, or forever. Just focus on today. You can do anything for a few hours, so break it into chunks and “eat the elephant one milestone at a time”.
Remove the Stigma: Sobriety doesn’t suck, and you don’t need to make it out to be this shameful aspect of who you are; you don’t drink, so what? You also don’t believe in Santa; it’s the same thing.
The key to getting started is not letting one slip-up turn into a full relapse. If you drink out of habit or weakness out the gate, that’s fine; don’t let that be an excuse to spiral. You had some booze; you’re an adult, and that’s okay, but don’t let it derail your dedication. Get up and find out what caused the slip, then put controls in place to prevent that from happening again.
Mistakes are okay; repeat mistakes are not.
2. You Don’t Need Rehab—But You Do Need a Plan
Not everyone can or wants to go to rehab; I didn’t use rehab or AA, I just stopped.
White-knuckling it without a plan is a recipe for failure.
If You’re Going Solo, Here’s What Works:
• Structure Your Days: Boredom is the enemy of sobriety.
Create a routine that keeps you occupied, and when you want a drink, replace it with something else. For me, holding a drink was replaced with sipping seltzer. I drink seltzers daily; they alleviate the desire for something other than water.
• Change Your Environment: If drinking is part of your daily routine, switch it up.
Drive a different route home, find new places to hang out, or pick up a new hobby.
• Find Healthy Outlets: Exercise, journaling, reading…
Anything to keep your hands and mind busy. Alcohol
If You Want Support Without Rehab:
• Join a Support Group (But It Doesn’t Have to Be AA) – SMART Recovery, online sober communities, or even a therapist can give you accountability without the 12-step model.
• Talk to Someone Who’s Been There – A sober friend, a mentor, or even a podcast that resonates with you can be a lifeline. “This Naked Mind” was that book for me.
• Consider Professional Help (Without Checking In). A therapist or counselor specializing in addiction can help you work through the deeper issues that made alcohol your go-to in the first place.
The bottom line?
You don’t have to do this alone, but you do need a plan for long-term success.
I’VE REOPENED MY PRIVATE SOBER COMMUNITY
I almost made it to 4 years of sobriety from alcohol, but I decided to change things and bring alcohol back into my life 5 days before that 4 yr milestone.
On Feb 10, 2025, I started day #1 of a lifetime without booze. Nothing major happened to get me to quit; it wasn’t worth it.
It’s normally $365 for LIFETIME access, but you can get 38% off in celebration of my 38th birthday. This will be my new starting point for sobriety.
LINK: 365 Days of Sobriety
USE CODE 38BDAY to get your discount (There are 38 uses total)
3. Learn How to Handle Cravings Before They Hit
Cravings will happen. But cravings are temporary. If you don't give in, they peak and fade in about 20 minutes.
What Works to Beat Cravings:
• The 5-Minute Rule: When you want a drink, wait five minutes. Then wait five more. Do something—anything—until the craving passes.
• The HALT Method: Ask yourself, Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired? Most cravings come from these states, not actual desire for alcohol. Fix the real issue instead.
• Find a Distraction: Call a friend, walk, do pushups, clean something— just go do something else until the craving fades.
4. Build a Life You Don’t Want to Escape From
One of the biggest reasons people relapse?
They quit drinking, but they don’t replace it with something better.
Sobriety isn’t just about stopping alcohol—it’s about building a life you don’t want to numb. Sobriety is not supposed to make you miserable, it’s meant to break you out of an addictive spiral. Regardless of what movies, tv, and sports tell you, life can be social and fun without alcohol.
5. Prepare for Slip-Ups—Because They Might Happen
Here’s the truth: Most people don’t quit perfectly. I didn’t.
But a slip-up doesn’t mean failure.
What matters is how you respond.
If You Drink Again, Here’s What to Do:
• Don’t Beat Yourself Up: Guilt and shame only worsen it. Accept it, learn from it, and move forward. Things your mistakes them
• Figure Out What Triggered It: Stress? Social pressure? An old habit? Identify the problem so you can prevent it next time.
• Get Back on Track Immediately: Don’t let one drink become a full relapse. Reset and refocus.
The goal isn’t never drinking again—it’s building a life where alcohol no longer controls you.
You Get to Decide Who You Want to Be
For years, alcohol ran my life; it dictated my choices, ruined my health, and made me a version of myself I didn’t respect.
When I quit, I didn’t just stop drinking—I took control and found new parts of myself I’d forgotten about.
I started to dream again, and I mean that in the literal sense, I didn’t realize I’d stopped dreaming at night. Now, they’re intense as hell, and I wake up rested.
And you can do all of that, too.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You don’t need to swear off alcohol forever.
You need to wake up each day and make the choice:
Today, I choose me.
Because at the end of the day, sobriety isn’t about alcohol—it’s about freedom. And that’s something worth fighting for, so pick yourself up, and join our ranks of sober-minded folks getting after life.
- Zac Small
PS: If you’re looking for overall development as a man, join me inside the Fraternity of Excellence, where I’m working on sobriety, health, wealth, relationships, and fatherhood.