We are in the holiday season which for some can be prime time for drinking. But it doesn't have to be.
Here are some quick tips to slay (or sleigh) your season:
Plan one event at a time. Seriously, envision your night. Plan out how you are getting there. What are you drinking? What are you eating? What are you saying? How are you feeling?
Make the decision to drink, or not drink, ahead of time with your prefrontal cortex. That way when you get to the event you've already decided, and your mullet brain won't take over. There's a saying that 99% is a bitch, 100% is bliss. Be fully committed to your decision.
Plan your exit. Know when to say goodbye (or not, you can do a classic Irish exit where you just leave). People understand and if they don't, they're not your people.
Play with kids and dogs. Find the non-drinkers (usually kids and dogs but also some super cool people).
Have an alcohol-free drink. Enjoy a mocktail or NA beer. Carry around a fancy glass. Enjoy it.
Make a “go to” statement for why you’re not drinking. People will ask, have an answer ready to go. Some things you can say, "I'm driving," "I'm on medication," "I'm doing a cleanse," or "I'm taking a break."
Focus on the food. Go ahead, indulge. Go hard on the apps and park yourself at the dessert table. You're saving a ton of calories not drinking so enjoy some treats.
Challenge yourself to have fun. Instead of dreading it or telling yourself it's going to suck ask yourself how you can make it more fun.
Just remember you get to not drink. You get to fully experience the joy of the holiday season. Kids don't need alcohol to feel all the warm fuzzies of Christmas and neither do you. And true, it's not all warm fuzzies. This time of year is EXTRA. Extra shopping, money, events, pressure, and family dynamics. However, it is so much easier to get all it done without adding a layer of hangover grayness. Rooting for you, Deb
Need help having a sober holiday?
Free Stuff from ATP: