Staying sober can be difficult over the holidays. Calendars are jam-packed, routines are disrupted, and a lot of old emotions and triggers can be stirred up. If you’re going through a difficult time or you’ve lost a loved one, the holidays can bring up feelings of loneliness and depression, anger, anxiety and stress, or even a mix of all of them. To make matters worse, many events with friends, like Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve celebrations, seem to revolve around alcohol. The holidays don’t have to be a time for you to return to addiction though. With the right plans and supports in place, you can get through any triggers the holidays bring up and stay sober. Read on for our most helpful tips for staying sober over the holidays.
Make a plan
The first step to staying sober over the holidays is to make a plan of action before you find yourself in the midst of a battle with temptation. Know how long you’ll stay at an event, and plan what you’ll say if someone asks if you want a drink. Rehearse the lines out loud at home so you’ll know exactly how to respond. Even something simple like, “No thanks, I’m not thirsty” or, “No thanks, I brought my own drink,” can help.
Prioritize self-care
Because the holidays can stir up so many negative emotions for people, remember to prioritize self-care and feeling good. What can you do to stay grounded and healthy, both physically and emotionally, over the holidays? Maybe you like to meditate or take a yoga class or write in your journal. Read an amazing book, spend time with your children, go for a walk.
Choose healthy foods that will make you feel good inside and out and make time for exercise. Taking care of yourself will not only help you feel good, but it will also help you feel confident and strong. You are someone worth taking care of, and that includes staying healthy and staying sober.
Be selective about events
The holidays can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re receiving invites left and right to parties that involve drinking. Don’t feel like you can’t go out and have fun, but you also don’t need to feel pressure to accept every invitation that comes your way. If you’re not feeling up to an event, be sure to set a boundary and say no without guilt. You’re doing the best you can to stay sober, and sometimes that means sitting out events that might trigger a craving.
Have a sober friend on-call
Having a sober friend on-call is a crucial part of staying sober over the holidays. This person can be someone like a friend or a family member, or they could be a coach or sponsor. If you’re at an event and you’re finding it very difficult to resist an urge, step outside and call or text your sober friend for support and accountability.
Bring your own drinks
If you’re worried about going to an event and being the only person not drinking, bring your own beverages along, like sparkling waters or sodas. Having something in your hand can stop people from constantly asking if you want a drink, and it can give you something to do with your hands so you don’t feel out of place. Don’t worry if it’s non-alcoholic. Most people will hardly notice, but you’ll be glad to have something to sip on.
Focus on other traditions
The holiday season can have a big focus on drinking, but what else can you do to celebrate? Decorate a tree, hang up Christmas lights, cook the turkey, go sledding. There are tons of ways to celebrate the holidays while maintaining your sobriety. The holiday season is a time of celebration that you can share with friends and family. You don’t have to drink to celebrate, and there are tons of options for activities you can do.
Bring a sober friend
If you’re going to an event that will have drinking, why not bring a sober companion to help you with accountability? The two of you can support each other, and if the atmosphere isn’t right, you can make the decision to leave together.
Give to others
Find joy in the holiday season by giving back to others. Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen or picking out the perfect gift for your loved one, the joy and magic of the holiday season comes from being generous. Maybe you’ve lost precious time with friends and families over the holidays before you were sober. One of the best parts of being sober is being able to have a clear mind and being able to put your time and talents towards benefiting others, and not just yourself.
Find a meeting
Travelling or not over the holidays, make time to go to a meeting.
Stay active
If the thought of staying sober is making you antsy, be sure to stay active. If you’re at a party, maybe you can play a game or offer to help with dishes. If you’re with family, bring everyone outside for a snowball fight or decorate cookies together. Keeping your hands busy will help you pass the time.
Be honest
Lastly, be honest if you’re struggling. The people who care about you want you to succeed and they want you to stay sober. Being honest about your struggles can help people understand why you don’t want a drink or why you’re declining their invitation to go out. Now, this doesn’t mean that everyone you meet deserves to hear your story, but if someone you trust is accidentally pressuring you, let them know so they can support you instead.
In a nutshell, it’s not always easy to stay sober over the holidays. But these tips will help you on your journey. It is possible to stay sober and to be able to celebrate in a way that doesn’t involve alcohol. Take care of yourself and remember how good it feels to be sober. You’ll be able to make amazing memories with your friends and loved ones, and you’ll be able to go back to normal life feeling proud and feeling healthy. You can do it!
AFFIRMATIONS
Affirmations are a reinforcement of our hopes, intentions and dreams. Affirmations are a redirection, a course correction, to bring us into the present moment and get us mentally back on track towards thinking and feeling better about life.
I wake up excited for each new day
Life is happening for me, not to me
Every moment presents opportunities for happiness
I am safe, I am healthy, I am well
My life is filled with magic
I am loved, I am honored, I am cherished
I am worthy of my deepest desires
I am grateful for everything that I have in this moment
I trust the timing of my life. Everything is unfolding for me as it should
The joy that I share always comes back to me
I am present, I am patient, I breathe through stressful moments
I release unnecessary expectations, I know that I am always enough
I find happiness in the smallest joys
I feel calm, centered, and grounded within myself
I trust myself, I love myself, all is well
May you and those you love be blessed this season and new year with love, joy and health!