Author: Alysse Bryson

Here’s the thing about kindness: it doesn’t require a Pinterest board, matching t-shirts, or a dramatic reveal set to an emotional piano soundtrack. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is just… be a decent human in small, unglamorous ways. February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day, and before you roll your eyes at another made-up holiday sandwiched between Valentine’s Day chocolates and Presidents’ Day mattress sales, hear me out. In a world that can feel like a dumpster fire scrolling through your phone, intentional kindness is basically a radical act. So here are 17 ideas—one for…

Are you searching for honest, entertaining and thought-provoking sober lifestyle content? Welcome to the Sober Curator Podcast, where each episode offers fresh takes on sobriety as an empowering lifestyle, not just abstaining from alcohol. In episode 22, hosts Alysse Bryson and Tamar Routly, alongside contributors Dr. Sarah Michaud, Tony Harte, Megan Swan, Amy Liz Harrison and Carolyn Bunn, take a deep dive into Mel Robbins’ widely-discussed book, “The Let Them Theory.” But this isn’t just another book review — it’s an exploration into the philosophies, challenges and realities of setting boundaries in sobriety and life. Why Are We So Drawn…

For decades, April 20 has had a cultural chokehold. Merch. Memes. Smoke clouds drifting through popular culture like it owns the place. Meanwhile, sobriety — the thing that has quietly saved lives, rebuilt families, sparked art, launched businesses, and kept people here — has mostly been relegated to side rooms and whispered acknowledgments. Enter April 24. A date with a mission. A movement with momentum. A global invitation to celebrate sobriety out loud. Welcome to SOBER 4/24. What Is Sober 4/24? Sober 4/24 is a global movement designed to do one radical thing:celebrate sobriety as something joyful, powerful, and deeply…

Because February 13th Deserves a Zero-Proof Toast to Friendship Move over, Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day is where it’s at. Thanks to the legendary Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation”, February 13th has become the unofficial holiday dedicated to celebrating the incredible women in our lives. And guess what? You absolutely do not need a drop of alcohol to make it one of the best days of the year. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just looking for ways to connect that don’t involve a corkscrew, we’ve got you covered. Grab your besties, mix up some delicious NA drinks, and get ready…

Let me take you back to a simpler time. A time when a trip to the mall meant one thing: the Hallmark store. Specifically, the sticker wall. You know the one—that glorious floor-to-ceiling display of Sandylion fuzzy stickers, scratch-and-sniffs, and those holographic beauties that cost way more than your allowance could justify but you bought anyway because look at how it sparkles when you tilt it. We kept our treasures in photo albums—the kind with the peel-back sticky pages covered in that crinkly plastic film. Some pages were maximalist fever dreams, stickers layered on stickers in a chaotic celebration of…

“I thought if I stopped drinking, I wouldn’t be able to write songs.” Meredith Moon It’s a fear whispered in green rooms, art studios, and late-night kitchens everywhere — especially among creatives. Alcohol has long been sold as the muse, the courage, the spark. For singer-songwriter Meredith Moon, that belief lingered for years. Until sobriety proved it wrong. On The Sober Curator Podcast, Meredith opens up about what actually happened when she put the bottle down — and why her first fully sober album became her most honest, powerful work yet. Meredith’s story doesn’t begin in polished studios or industry pipelines. She left school at fourteen. Left home at fifteen. She hitchhiked, rode the rails, and…

The Sober Curious Activity Book doesn’t arrive with a wagging finger or a life sentence. It shows up like a friendly sidekick with a tote bag full of Sharpies, habit trackers, and permission slips. Niesha Davis famously says, “I didn’t know I wanted to write this,” and that quiet origin story matters. This isn’t #QUITLIT forged in crisis. It’s curiosity made tangible. A book for people who aren’t imploding but are noticing. The bloating. The anxiety. The bad sleep. The tiny internal nudge that says, hmm… what if? ✨ What makes this book stand out in the sober curious universe…

Or: If You’re Single, This Is Your Sign to Buy Yourself Everything Valentine’s Day has a way of showing up like an unsolicited group text. Loud. Pink. Slightly aggressive. And very invested in whether or not you have “someone special.” Here’s the thing: you are the someone special.No RSVP required. No last-minute reservations. No pretending you like prix fixe menus. This guide is for the lovers, the situationships, the happily single, the sober, the sober-curious, and anyone who believes self-gifting is a legitimate love language. Buy one thing. Buy five things. Buy all the things. Cupid can mind his business.…

The Super Bowl is more than just a game; it’s an experience filled with camaraderie, food, and celebration. If you’re hosting a Sober Bowl Party, you can create an inclusive, lively atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and has a blast—without the need for alcohol. Here’s how to plan an unforgettable Sober Bowl Party. Sober Bowl Party Decorations Set the scene with football-themed decor that channels game-day energy and the team that you’ll be rooting for: Sober Bowl Party Beverage Station Mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages can be just as exciting as cocktails. Stock up on a variety of options to cater…

I want to be a girls’ girl about this. I really do. When Chrissy Teigen announced she’s 52 days sober again(Read about it here on Page Six), I wanted to be nothing but supportive. That’s the right thing to do, right? Here’s a woman in the public eye being vulnerable about relapse, about the seductive lie of “mindful drinking,” about starting over. That takes guts. And I know there are women out there who will see her story and feel less alone. But I’m annoyed. And I’m being honest about that because honesty is kind of my whole thing as a…

“I didn’t know I wanted to write this.”Niesha Davis That’s how Niesha Davis describes the beginning of her journey with The Sober Curious Activity Book—and it’s exactly why her story resonates. Sober curiosity doesn’t arrive with sirens or ultimatums. Sometimes it shows up as bloating. Anxiety. Bad sleep. A quiet sense that something’s off. For Niesha, those whispers were impossible to ignore. Her body was asking questions long before she had language for the answers. In a culture that glorifies extremes—rock bottom or nothing—sober curiosity offers a third path. One rooted in noticing. Reflecting. Getting honest without making lifelong declarations. What makes Niesha’s approach refreshing is its creativity. Journaling, drawing,…

And Why I’m Partnering with Far Point Strategy to Help Sober Businesses Grow I’ve been dreaming about this page for a long time. Today, I’m officially introducing The Sober Curator Rolodex: a curated business directory designed to spotlight sober-owned and alcohol-free businesses across wellness, creativity, hospitality, professional services, and everything in between. Think of it as a sober main street. Or your go-to contact list when you want to hire, collaborate with, or support businesses that are building something meaningful without alcohol at the center. If you’re a business owner, consultant, creative, founder, or solopreneur and you’re sober or alcohol-free,…

“I wasn’t addicted to drugs. I was addicted to acceptance.” Jonathan Gildart That sentence lands like truth usually does — quietly, then all at once. In Episode 48 of The Sober Curator Podcast, Jonathan Gildart doesn’t tell a redemption story wrapped in shiny sobriety clichés. He tells a human one. A story about identity, incarceration, and what happens when recovery finally becomes more than just abstinence. For Jonathan, addiction wasn’t born from rebellion or recklessness — it was born from longing. The longing to belong. To not be the awkward kid. To be accepted without explanation. Substances didn’t just numb pain; they created instant connection. Until they didn’t. After relapse, federal prison, and facing…

(Plus: NA drink pairings because we’re classy like that.) Let’s retire the myth that you need alcohol to be interesting. If that were true, every airport bar would be filming a Netflix special. This list is my public love letter to comedians who are sober, in recovery, or who’ve publicly said: “I quit drinking.” Because comedy is already a high-wire act. Doing it without a chemical safety net? That’s next-level. Why the NA drink pairings? Because comedy and drinking have been glued together for decades, like a two-person improv team that refuses to break up. When you quit drinking, you…

Because not everyone can come with you… and that’s okay. One of the most unexpected parts of sobriety isn’t the not drinking.It’s the way your friendships rearrange themselves like your life is a new season of a show and the writers decided to switch the cast. Some friends surprise you with depth, loyalty, and a new kind of closeness.Others disappear quietly, like they were only here for the party version of you. And listen… that can hurt.But it can also be the beginning of something better. Because sober friendships are different.They’re built on actual connection, not shared hangovers and “remember…

Let’s talk about one of my favorite things in the sober universe: a drink that looks like a whole vibe but doesn’t come with a side of anxiety, dehydration, or waking up at 3:17 a.m. to replay something I said at dinner. Enter: Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Ready-to-Drink Cocktails. These are premium premixed NA cocktails in cans, and honestly? They understood the assignment. Lyre’s doesn’t just do “a drink for people who don’t drink.” They do the drink… just without the giggle juice. Lyre’s built its entire brand on a quest to make the impossible possible: freedom to drink your drink, your…

We’re always curating sober pop culture with you in mind. But let’s be honest: “with you in mind” only works if we actually know what you want more of. (And less of. And never again. And immediately, please.) That’s why we created The Sober Curator 2026 Readership Study. It’s a quick survey that helps us understand what’s landing, what you’re craving, and how we can better serve this wildly smart, hilarious, resilient community we love so much. And yes… we made it worth your while. ✨ Take the Survey Here The survey is hosted on Typeform and takes about 7…

I’ve loved thrifting for as long as I can remember. Not in a casual, “let’s pop in and see what’s cute” kind of way. I thrift the way people train for marathons, study fantasy football stats, or hunt down Taylor Swift Easter eggs. I thrift as a sport. 🏁🛒 And if you’ve ever felt that electric jolt of spotting the perfect denim jacket, a vintage mug with exactly the right vibe, or a hardcover coffee table book that looks like it’s been patiently waiting for you since 1987, then you already know: thrifting is not just shopping. It’s a scavenger…

There’s a moment in this conversation when filmmaker Benjamin Flaherty describes parents walking out of his documentary screenings with tears in their eyes — not because the film retraumatized them, but because, for the first time, they realized what happened to their family wasn’t their fault. That moment says everything about why this episode matters. Benjamin’s work sits at the intersection of storytelling and systemic exposure. He’s not just making a film; he’s building a mirror large enough for families, loved ones, policymakers, and the entire recovery ecosystem to look into. And people are seeing truth — painful, freeing, clarifying truth. The Recovery Industry No One Wants to Talk About …

Because “just don’t drink” is not a plan. It’s a suggestion. Sober parties can feel like walking into a reunion where everyone speaks a language you used to be fluent in. And at first, your brain will do that thing where it whispers:“Maybe just one wouldn’t matter…” That’s not your truth talking. That’s your nervous system bargaining. So here’s your alphabet of tools, laughs, and reality checks for staying sober in a room full of “Cheers!” energy. A–Z: Sober Party Survival A — Arrive with a drink in your hand. It’s social armor. Walking in already sipping something keeps people…

Somewhere along the way, sobriety got mislabeled as boring. As if choosing not to drink automatically means choosing early bedtimes, beige personalities, and zero fun at parties. Anyone actually living sober knows that’s nonsense. What does happen is this: you become hyper-aware of social dynamics, weird rituals, and the exact moment a room tips from charming to chaotic. Sobriety doesn’t drain the color from life. It sharpens it. And when you start noticing those moments, you start needing words for them. You know the moment. Someone offers you a drink. You say no.They say WHY like they’re about to crack…

If you’ve been craving an evening that feels alive (not performatively polished, not painfully small-talky), TEDxPortland is starting 2026 with something special: a Salon event centered on addiction, recovery, and the kind of courage that doesn’t fit neatly into a 60-second Instagram caption. On Thursday, January 22, 2026, TEDxPortland is taking over Wieden+Kennedy for a night of three all-new talks, live music, and complimentary food and drinks. It’s a gathering designed to make you think, feel, and maybe even text your best friend mid-talk: “Okay, wow… I needed this.” And yes, you read that right: free Café Yumm. Portland is…

Dessert in a can, fermented with confidence. Some kombuchas taste like they’re trying to punish you for having organs. Han’s? Han’s is here to flirt with your taste buds, compliment your outfit, and leave your gut feeling like it just got a spa day. The flavor I tried, All Tied Up Cherry Pie, was a limited edition release in 2025, and I’m still thinking about it the way people think about summer romances or how I feel about perfect thrift-store finds. It’s one of those rare drinks that makes you pause mid-sip and go: Wait… why is this so good?…

Wellness travel has officially entered its “main character era.” Gone are the days when a resort could toss a cucumber water station in the lobby and call it transformation. Today’s travelers want meaning with their massage, purpose with their pool time, and a reason to come home feeling different. And that’s exactly why this announcement from Wellness Marketing Ltd. matters: the boutique agency (known for helping resorts speak fluent “wellness traveler”) is expanding its Resort Wellness Programming for 2026 and launching a refreshed platform: Evolve Retreats. Wellness isn’t an amenity anymore. It’s the whole plot. Founder Tammy Petersen put it…

There’s a moment early in the episode when pop artist Ella Collier says something so deeply Gen Z, so emotionally fluent, and so unintentionally poetic that you can practically hear the internet quietly nodding in recognition. “I think I’ve always been addicted to a problem,” she tells Alysse. “Survival mode was my baseline.” And there it is: the thesis statement for an artist who builds sparkling, hyperpop worlds while writing lyrics that feel like torn-out diary pages. Ella exists at the intersection of glitter and grit—pop fantasy and radical self-awareness—which makes her sobriety not just a lifestyle choice, but an artistic catalyst. Because for Ella,…

If you’ve ever sipped a non-alcoholic drink that felt like it was auditioning for the role of “real alcohol,” you know the experience. It’s giving: Look at me! I’m basically a craft beer! Thanks, but no thanks. But the NA drinks I keep coming back to, the ones worth writing about, are the ones that don’t want to be alcohol. They want to be delicious. That was the consensus at our recent Good Day Sauna x The Sober Curator New Year Cold Plunge event: STEM Zero NA Ciders are the real deal. This wasn’t a massive crowd. It was 15…

Because flirting is hard enough without a hangover. Sober dating is its own genre.A romantic comedy where you’re also the director, the lead actor, and the person reminding everyone that sparkling water is not a cry for help. It’s a brave new world: you’re showing up fully yourself, fully aware, and fully capable of noticing red flags instead of mistaking them for “chemistry.” So let’s alphabetize the chaos. A–Z: Sober Dating A — Attraction hits different when you’re not squinting through tequila. Attraction in sobriety is wild because you can actually see what you’re falling for and it’s not just…

A sassy (but spiritually grounded) Step 4–5 workbook for anyone who wants freedom in 2026. If you’re starting the New Year with “I want to be better,” I have excellent news: you don’t need a personality transplant. You need a plan. And maybe… a place to put your emotional receipts besides your nervous system. That’s why I created Receipts & Recovery, a printable + fillable Step 4–5 inventory workbook supplement designed for anyone working a 12-step program and craving structure, clarity, and momentum. Because let’s be honest.New Year’s resolutions are cute.But freedom is a better goal. Why Step 4 &…

If you’ve ever walked into a bar and felt that awkward thud in your chest—the one that says you don’t belong here just because you’re not drinking—you’re not alone. In fact, that exact experience planted the seed for one of the most joyful, colorful, and wildly inclusive brands in today’s beverage scene: Cheeky Cocktails, created by bartender-turned-educator-turned-founder April Wachtel. But this isn’t just a story about mixers. It’s a story about belonging. Because while the world debates whether alcohol culture is dying, evolving, or simply being rebranded, April is quietly (and cheekily) building something that transcends all of it—a product line designed for connection first, and consumption second. The Spark: When a Bar Becomes a Gatekeeper …

Because recovery doesn’t mean you lose your personality. It means you get it back. If you’re new to sobriety (or just sober-curious and cautiously sniffing the lifestyle like it’s a suspicious leftover in the fridge), you might have one big fear: “If I stop drinking… will I become boring?” First of all: rude.Second of all: absolutely not. Sobriety doesn’t take away your sparkle. It just removes the part where your sparkle spills red wine on someone’s white couch and then cries in an Uber. The truth is, living alcohol-free can be hilariously human, wildly freeing, and surprisingly fun, especially when…