You don’t need a drink. Just the ritual.
There’s power in habit.
For years, I thought having a drink in hand was part of the ritual—something automatic. Fly somewhere? Bloody Mary at the airport. Go to a game? Beer in the stands. Family dinner? Wine on the table. It felt natural, normal, expected.
But when I started the Club Soda Club experiment by quietly swapping in club sodas instead, I realized something surprising: people did notice… just not in the way I expected. I thought I’d get pushback or teasing. Instead, some people were encouraging. Others just shrugged, like it was no big deal. And that was the real shift. I didn’t need to explain or justify it. I was still out. Still laughing. Still vibing. The drink wasn’t the thing holding it all together—I was.
It wasn’t about the drink. It was about the energy. The clarity that came with showing up fully. And once I saw that, the habit lost its hold.
This week’s feature is all about that 5 PM moment and what happens when you don’t default to a drink, and instead reach for something that gives back.