It’s a very good idea to have a gameplan in place before you head out to holiday parties. Even if you’ve been sober for awhile, there will always be moments where alcohol can still be tempting, and it can happen out of the blue.
1. Make a commitment to staying sober.
Tell yourself that you won’t be drinking tonight. It sounds silly, but it’s a good strategy for cementing into place your intention for the evening. Cravings or triggers can surface at any given moment – there’s no telling what person or situation will bring up the craving to drink alcohol.
When you make a verbal or written statement about not drinking, you are helping to solidify into your subconscious your true intention. This means it’ll be easier to recall in the future.
Open a blank Word document, and type in a few times, “I will not drink tonight.” You may wish to erase the statement and type it over and over. It sounds really silly, but it’s actually helping to strengthen your willpower, and help you to make the right decision in the face of temptation. Or you can even say this into a mirror, in the car, in the bathroom. However you choose to state your intention, it’s one small, but powerful tool.
2. Enjoy the Food!
You’re not consuming empty calories, so take the time to treat yourself to whatever holiday treats you want. Pat yourself on the back – you’re making a positive decision that is only impacting your life for the better.
3. Have Lots of Drinks
Have a drink in your hand as often as you can, if it helps. There’s no shame in drinking as much H2O as you want, so go ahead and guzzle those cans of sparkling water.
4. Listen to Yourself
If you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmingly tempted to drink, make your exit. There’s no sense in putting yourself into a tricky situation if you think it’ll impact your sobriety. Make a plan ahead of time and get out of there.
5. Have Your Toolkit Ready
Last week we talked about how to create a sobriety toolkit – you can also check out those tips for more strategies on how to attack potential cravings with a vengeance. Having even more strategies in place, beyond those that are specific to attending a party, will help you to be extra prepared to tackle the temptations and triggers that come with the booze-filled holiday season.
