How I Plan On Staying Sober During the Holiday Season

Do you consider Halloween to be part of the "holiday season"? I sure do. And this year, Halloween was hard as fuck for me. I was consumed with FOMO and spent much of the night mourning my old drinking life. Halloween night made me realize how important it will be to have a plan in place for getting through the rest of the holiday season. It will be essential that I have coping mechanisms to distract myself on the nights I would usually be drinking. Of course, it's impossible to plan for every triggering situation that may occur over Thanksgiving and Christmas/Winter break, but I will try my best to be as prepared as possible.

Last December, I blacked out on Christmas Eve and woke up with horrible anxiety on Christmas morning. I decided that the best way to cope with my anxiety was to chug a bottle of gin at 8am. Needless to say, the rest of the day was a complete shit show (I will spare you the embarrassing details). This year, I am planning on spending the holiday season a little differently.

Here are a few things I am going to do to make sure I stay happy and sober during the holiday season:

1. Read 'Quit Lit' books to keep my sober motivation high.

My motivation to stay sober was at an all time high for months after reading This Naked Mind. I first read this book when I was still doubting my choice to get sober. This book really helped me become confident in my decision and stop desiring alcohol all together. I finished this book back in August, and I can slowly feel my motivation to stay sober wearing off. I know that one of the best ways to maintain this motivation is to continue reading 'Quit Lit'. I want to be inspired by stories of people who have overcome their own alcohol dependency and are now enjoying sober lifestyles. I just started The Sober Lush and I'm definitely going to purchase a few more 'Quit Lit' books to read over the holiday season! You can find a whole list of these books on my resources page!

2. Set boundaries with my family and friends.

I started going to counseling for my drinking problem last November. I vividly remember telling my therapist, "I'm not going to drink for the entire winter break." Long story short, I ended up drinking way more than I wanted to due to poor boundaries and lack of communication on my part. This holiday season, I will make sure to have open communication between my family and friends. I will make them aware of the activities I feel comfortable being involved in and the ones I do not. I know that by making my boundaries clear, I will have a stress free and booze free holiday season.

3. Keep my home stocked with non-alcoholic beverages!

The winter months can be triggering for many and I am no exception. Seasonal depression is real people! When I travel back home for the holidays, I know it will be cold, rainy, and dark by 5pm. Instead of reaching for a glass of wine to comfort me, I will make sure to keep plenty of kombucha in the fridge and tea in the pantry.

4. Talk about how I'm feeling with people I trust.

I am someone who feels more comfortable sharing my struggles with my Instagram followers than I do with my own friends and family. I've never wanted others to worry about me, so I tend to keep things bottled up inside. This year, I want to change that. If something is triggering, I will speak up. If I'm feeling uneasy or sad, I will confide in a friend or family member. I feel very grateful to have such supportive family and friends. Sobriety is not a journey meant to be walked alone. I want to work on feeling comfortable with sharing my struggles face to face.

5. Remember my "why".

Sometimes when I am experiencing FOMO or mourning my old drinking life, it's easy to lose sight of why I got sober in the first place. I convince myself that I am missing out something, when in reality, the alternative is not so great either. If I did choose to drink and go out with friends, I would most likely black out, damage my relationships, and wake up with horrible anxiety. This holiday season, I must remember why I am sober and how much happier I am without alcohol in my life.

I know that if I do all of these things, I will succeed in staying sober during the holiday season.

I am excited to connect with family members without the cloud of alcohol.

I am excited to remember every moment of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I am excited to end 2020 in the best way that I know possible: sober and surrounded by family and friends.