Tempted to drink during the holidays? Try these 5 practical steps to stay sober.
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ (for accountability purposes).
It might be awkward, but necessary if you’re serious about it. It’s easy to plan on not drinking when we’re not yet in the situation, but much harder while in the moment.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ง-๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. You will actively be drinking something and feel less self-conscious around others.
Heck, drink beverages in fancy cups. “I’ll have a Shirley Temple in a wine glass, please.”
๐. ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐. The bathroom works. Lock that door, throw water on your face, look in the mirror, and say, “You can do this, God, please help me do this.”
๐. ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌโ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฒ. It will help curb those other fixations that go along with the habit.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ฏ๐.
It’s not the most convenient thing to do, and you might get crap for it, but your true family and friends will understand. Hit a 12-step meeting, call your sponsor (if you have one), or someone else who gets it.
And remember, be gentle with yourself. After all, you ARE your own worst enemy. Take it one moment at a time.