Take time to reflect on what you’re grateful for through a journal or by simply sharing moments of gratitude with loved ones. Harvard offers additional suggestions for gratitude practices. Here are some mindful strategies and practices to consider to remain engaged in our traditions without succumbing to triggers, temptations, and traps that no longer serve us. If you are committed to sober holidays one of the best ways to minimize stress in the moment is to practice your response ahead of time.

Practice self-care throughout the holidays

You may find yourself missing loved ones you have lost or who live far away. While you don’t owe anyone an explanation for your healthy choices, filling your glass with a nonalcoholic beverage is one way to avoid drink offers. It also gives you a way to occupy your hands, helping you side-step your alcohol cravings. The pressures and high expectations we place on the holiday season sometimes cause us to feel overwhelmed with stress and anxiety rather than merriment.

Make Self Care a Priority

Speaking of support systems, remember that someone just like you might be trying to navigate the holidays in a more healthful way. If you’re part of a mutual support program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or some other peer group, consider donating your time and expertise. During this time of year, these organizations always need extra volunteers to take phone calls, host a casual coffee shop or home get together, and help out at meetings. Enjoy the festivities while being mindful of your specific choices.

Create a List of Holiday Survival Tips

What situations could possibly set you on the road toward relapse? Make a plan now for how you will deal with these events; maybe you’ll go to some extra meetings before you travel, and plan to call your sponsor or a fellowship friend if anything does happen. Or maybe you’ll investigate online meetings now, before anything happens, so you can go to a meeting at a moment’s notice. Remember, it’s okay to retreat to an earlier Recovery Zone for a few weeks. For those that have been in recovery from substance use disorder for a while, some of the greatest joy and inner freedom has come to you from staying clean and sober.

• A mistake is not a relapse, and it’s not going to land you in rehab, but those secrets might.
• You don’t want to start thinking about your drinking or using days.

Recognizing that self-care is as important as the other tasks on your to-do list can help put yourself at the top, and stop you from succumbing to holiday temptations. They have the potential to convince us that we deserve whatever we want in the moment regardless of the outcomes. Other tried and true stress busters are taking a walk in nature, journaling, or sharing your feelings with a loved one. Remember, you have every right to decline these invitations or just stay for a short while. People may feel a bit disappointed but your true friends will respect and even applaud your sobriety efforts.

• If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed during the holidays, reach out to friends, family, or a support group.
• Mindfulness is one particularly helpful strategy to combat stress.
• Alcohol has been the central character in most of our cultural memories.
• Taking time to meditate, get some exercise, practice a favorite hobby, or even just catch your breath can go a long way.

If those thoughts begin to creep in—those rationalizations about your eminent capability to now handle your liquor—shut them down immediately. Your abstinence did not, in fact, teach you how to control your drinking, because abstinence didn’t rewire your brain to be non-addicted. Instead, talk it out with your sponsor or sober friends. A mistake is not a relapse, and it’s not going to land you in rehab, but those secrets might. Navigating the holidays sober can be a challenge – but it is very rewarding. This isn’t just any list—it is a personal blueprint for navigating the highs and lows of the season.

No matter how busy you get, don’t forget to work your program, whether that be a formal program such as AA or NA, or your own individualized sobriety plan. It is often a good idea to attend more, rather than fewer, meetings during this busy and hectic season. To make your social experience more enjoyable and aligned with your commitment to sobriety, consider bringing your own non-alcoholic beverages to holiday parties. This not only opens up the opportunity to sober holidays explore and savor new and exciting non-alcoholic concoctions, but it also serves as a statement about your dedication to a sober lifestyle. When it comes to tips to stay sober self-care is at the top of the list.

• You don’t have to let unfulfilled expectations, stressful family dynamics, or crazy in-laws threaten your recovery.
• You need to investigate and challenge the internal monologue about what you are owed and what you are lacking—some of which might be a carryover from addiction.
• Maintain focus on health and sobriety by scheduling self-care, just as you would any other critical appointment.
• Make your recovery meetings a priority, find time with friends who enrich you, and surround yourself with those who make you feel known and loved.
• Keep a positive expectation, opt for smaller gatherings, and don’t hesitate to give someone a call if you need to talk.

It is also crucial also to recognize that some conversations about recovery can be uncomfortable – especially around family who might not understand the journey. A sober companion can provide a buffer against the barrage of well-intentioned – yet risky – offers of a ‘holiday toast’. Together, we are a united front against the subtle cues that call for a drink (or drug).

• Afterward, you will feel one step freer from the destructive patterns that have dragged you down in the past.
• Get ebook versions of The Big Book, The Recovery Book, and other recovery literature on your phone or ebook reader before you leave town.
• At the core of this issue is the fact that many holiday traditions involve alcohol, creating pressure for people in recovery to join in, even if it jeopardizes their hard-won sobriety.
• It’s no wonder that this month-long stretch can be an especially challenging time for those in recovery.

This means always bringing my own https://ecosoberhouse.com/ vehicle to holiday events, ensuring I can leave when I need to without relying on others. Slippery scenarios are less daunting when I know there’s a way out. As we navigate the holiday season with sobriety in mind – realize the power of writing your own holiday narrative.