It’s Party Season!
10 Top Tips to Enjoy the Festive Season without FOMO
There are many different stages to living a sober life. You could still be settling into your new sober identity.
You may have worn your sober shoes into a comfy fit, or you might be wondering if changing your relationship with alcohol is something you'd like to explore further.
Regardless of where you are in your sobriety journey, party navigating the festive season can bring up some challenges in our alcohol-centric society.
The holiday season is usually synonymous with family gatherings, office parties, social events, and many more opportunities than usual for drinking. Usually, booze is the focal point for many people. This can be daunting, especially if you're new to an alcohol-free lifestyle.
We often associate certain events with familiar rituals and ways of celebrating the tradition. Perhaps it's having a glass of bubbly while putting up the Chrissy tree, or having Eggnog, Baileys, or Prosecco as a tradition on Christmas morning while opening presents.
"I can't celebrate sober!" thoughts are driven by a fear of what other people will think or a belief that you must celebrate things a certain way. We get caught up in the external stuff of what other people expect. But when you think about it, most celebrations (big or small) are really about celebrating you and the company you're with.
Romantic fantasies about alcohol are just that – fantasies! They come from beliefs that have been ingrained into us to believe that we need alcohol to have a good time. However, we can challenge these beliefs and realise we can have a better time sans booze!
Remember when you were a child and all the fun you had - without alcohol?
Now, imagine how much more present you can be to enjoy this year's celebrations. You'll be able to remember the conversations, not offend anyone or make a (insert own word) of yourself in front of work colleagues or your boss! Imagine waking up the next morning without any guilt or shame, wondering what you may have said or done that you can't remember. Imagine not having to painfully piece together lost moments from the night before. Ouch! Not to mention the hangover and poisonous effects on your body.
To confidently resist the buzz of the booze, it can help to have an incentive or compelling alternative that feels more inspiring and aligned with your health and wellness goals. So, challenge those old beliefs and create new feelings for a brighter way of living.
As I'm approaching my fifth sober Christmas and festive season, I'm sharing 10 of my top tips to enjoy the parties without feeling like you're missing out:
"Keep the ritual, change the ingredients" (tagline credit Janey Lee Grace – The Sober Club). Enjoy an alcohol-free drink in a nice glass, wine, or champagne glass. There are a lot of choices these days. Many places are now getting on board by serving various alcohol-free (AF) drinks. So make your AF drink feel special!
Plan ahead: Call ahead to the venue to ask what selection of AF drinks they stock. If nothing takes your fancy or isn't available, ask if you can BYO.
Be prepared: If you're going to a friend's place or a family member's home, take your own drinks. Be sure to take extra, as others will want to try your AF drink!
Have an exit strategy: Plan to be the designated driver or let people know they must find their way home after a certain time. Drunk people can become really boring, and nothing good happens after midnight (10pm in my case!)
Have an accountability buddy: If you're newly sober, or feeling very raw, having someone to text or call if you feel like you're about to hit the f… it button and cave is helpful.
Be ready to change the conversation: There's no need to explain why you're not drinking. Instead, just change the topic and ask a question about them. People love to talk about themselves!
Have an excuse at the ready (fibbing is permitted!): When a well-meaning person says, "Go on, just have one! You can get back on the wagon tomorrow," some acceptable replies are:
"Yes, I could have one, but…
a) I choose not to
b) I have to run a marathon tomorrow!
c) I'm taking medication/antibiotics
d) I'm driving
e) I'd rather have a root canal!
Accept the drink offer on your terms: When offered a drink on arrival, instead of feeling awkward, enthusiastically say, "Yes, please, I'll have an alcohol-free drink. What do you have on the menu?" Or ask for your choice of drink, e.g., "Yes, please, I'll have a soda and lime."
Have something to look forward to the next morning: Plan a nice walk in nature, a trip to the beach, a hair appointment, a pedicure, or brunch with friends. Waking up feeling refreshed never gets old or tiring!
Check your attitude: If you tell yourself you're going to have a miserable time and be bored or boring, guess what? YOU WILL!
What you think about, you bring about!
Remind yourself of just how good you'll feel without alcohol.
Play the movie forward and imagine how awful it would be and how revolting you'd feel after drinking all night... Now, imagine how you'd feel the next day after NO alcohol – amazing! Plus, you might just feel a bit smug too!
But most of all, HAVE FUN!
Let the parties begin!
Anytime is a good time to start taking better care of your health to live a better life.
If you’d like to learn more about how you could Find your Freedom and achieve success like many of my coaching clients, check out my Coaching Services.
Maybe, you need to get away from it all with like-minded women who are travelling the same journey as you? Explore my next Serenity Escape Retreat - it’s just what you need!
I look forward to helping you find your freedom and live a life you love - without alcohol.
Namaste,
Cindy
