1. Scene setter
Picture this:
It’s been a long day.
You’re tired, you’re wired, and reaching for a glass has become part of your end-of-working-day ritual (that includes all you parents putting children to bed!).
But what if there was a better reset? One that did not trigger further drinking in the evening?
What if a song could flip that switch and take you somewhere better instead?
2. The science behind it
Turns out, it is not just in your head.
Neuroscientists have shown that music lights up the brain’s reward system, the same dopamine pathways that drinking can trigger.
The difference?
Music gives you the hit without the crash. It lifts mood, lowers stress, and even boosts brain chemicals that help you feel good naturally.
Fun fact: Listening to a favourite track can raise dopamine levels by up to 9%, which is about the same as a glass of wine.
3. Try something new
Here’s the experiment.
Pick a week night.
Most people are good at the start of the week, but from what we have seen, “hump Wednesday” is often where the slippery slope begins.
So instead of reaching for a glass out of habit, reach for your headphones and hack the transition.
Sit down. Close your eyes. Let the music take you somewhere better.
Mastering just 3 nights a week without alcohol can have a huge impact. Better sleep, better mood, more energy. This is when the glow tends to start kicking in for most people, encouraging your body to want more.
It’s a hack upon a hack. By targeting Wednesday, you are not just saving the night, you are setting yourself up for a better end to your week.
4. The Shawshank reset
I will happily admit I outrageously lifted this idea from The Shawshank Redemption.
There is a scene where Andy Dufresne plays an opera duet over the prison loudspeakers.
For a few minutes, the prisoners forget where they are. The walls, the routine, the grind, it all falls away.
The music reminds them they are human. It sets them free, even if just for a moment.
Morgan Freeman’s character narrates that scene, saying he had no idea what those two Italian ladies were singing about, and that he did not want to know.
Because some things are so beautiful, they do not need explaining. They just lift you, remind you of a bigger world, and make your heart ache a little in the best possible way.
That moment set them free for a few minutes.
And that is the kind of reset we are chasing too.
If you want to feel it for yourself, here is the duet they hear:
🎶 Listen to “Sull’aria” from The Marriage of Figaro (YouTube)
And once you have felt that kind of freedom, you realise you do not always need the glass after all. Save it for another day when it’s choice, not habit, dictating.
5. My personal story
One of my favourite reset rituals?
Sitting in a quiet room with noise-cancelling headphones, listening to Casta Diva performed by Maria Callas.
For those few minutes, the day falls away and I remind myself it is not about saying no to every drink. It is about choosing not to let habit make the decision for me.
▸ Some nights, I will still pour a glass.
▸ Other nights, I will realise I did not need one after all.
And those nights are often the ones I am proudest of.
It is not about quitting. It is about making space for better choices, more often.
6. Community invitation
We are building a Reset Playlist, a living collection of songs that help us swap autopilot for something better.
No rules. No judgments. Just music that fills you up instead of draining you.
Got a track that resets your mood?
Drop it into the comments on our → Facebook page. We would love to add it to the list.
And if we create something special enough, who knows? Maybe the vibe will catch the ear of a radio DJ who gets it and help spread the idea even further.
If you’re looking for more simple ways to reset without reaching for a drink, check out: 3 easy wins to cut back this week
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