Season 2 • Episode 2

Dry January, Messy Resolutions & the Art of the Reset

January 16, 2026 21 min

Dry January, failed resolutions, habit formation and a more forgiving way to reset routines without confusing perfection with progress.

About This Episode

January arrives with plans, intentions and a suspicious amount of confidence. Then real life intervenes. Jennifer and Julie check in on their own resolutions, unpack the origins of Dry January and talk about why habit replacement and mindfulness can work better than rigid all-or-nothing rules.

In This Episode

  • Why resolutions often feel easier on January 1 than January 16
  • Where Dry January came from and why it was not designed as punishment
  • How social habits can shape drinking without deliberate choices
  • Why simply removing a habit can leave a vacuum
  • How replacement behaviors can make change easier to sustain
  • Why a reset can still count even when the original plan gets messy

Cocktail of the Episode

The Nanus

The Nanus is the non-alcoholic reset: either pomegranate juice with a touch of simple syrup, ice, lemon and optional club soda, or the radically minimalist tap-water edition.

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Money Well Studio is for educational and entertainment purposes and does not provide individualized financial, tax, investment or legal advice.