What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

[Nelz]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Im pretty open about my stance on drinking. I just tell people that I dont drink anymore. The quote I drank enough whiskey to float a battleship around(one of my favorite Lynrd Skynrd lyrics) usually comes up....we chuckle and move on.

Then I do the ODAT mantra.....or if need be OSAT(one second at a time). Then I get wrapped up in conversation or laughing and the thought of AL goes out the window one more time, and I can put a tally mark on the wall of my Me V AL fight.

Im not smart enough to lie or make up excuses so I just keep it real

[Cashregister]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Lucky if you don't have relatives like dobermans - in for the kill! I was always less drunk than the rest of them but whoa those buttons are hard sober or not. My best Xmas survival technique is to see them coming...

[Catbuddy]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Here's a thought: I'm going to enjoy sobriety with some plans that AL would have made harder.

My son and I were invited to join friends at a matinee show of "A Christmas Carol" in San Francisco, and to spend the day experiencing the season in that lovely city. Before, I would have seriously been worried about being sober past 12:00, and being able to drive and sit through a performance. I would have wanted to drink more than have the experience. So I'm buying the tickets, and will have a great memory with my son to celebrate.

Cat

[Byrdlady]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Bumping this up for Munro.....Byrdie

[RunningCourage]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Good one Byrdie - you know, when Cat first started this thread i honestly thought, "nah, not doing that, CAN'T do that. Too much like hard work. It'll be boring. What's the point?"

I'd only just begun to flirt with moderation then.

And we all know what happened there :H

But now? Now (having got through two parties I was trepidatious about) I am feeling a bit more relaxed about it. In fact what I am MOST looking forward to are long days with NO WORK. Not necessarily parties, or drinking.

I'm not saying it is easy. It's not. I've found it hard - at times a little agonising. But it's worth it.

Make plans and stick to yer guns... and Nelz's Lynard Skynard quote is a corker. Gonna use that one!

RC

[Overit44]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

This is awesome. For now, being on day 3 of AF, all I can plan for is my littlie white pill, Antabuse, and taking some walks. I have support so it's all good. Love the Rabbit Hole scenario from Byrd in the beginning.

[JingleJo]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Well, I had my first Xmas party so to speak last night. My works Xmas night out. I decided to just take the car to nip any pestering to have a drink or questions as to why I wasn't drinking in the bud. 3 others from my team weren't drinking either which was good. And, do you know what? I don't think I've laughed as much at a night out in a LONG time. Really enjoyed enjoyed myself, moreso than what I would have had I been guzzling wine and vodka and ended up in a drunken state.

This year I'm working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day which will help fend off any potential thoughts of AL. And then I'm going away for a couple of nights to a wee hotel in the Highlands of Scotland with my fiance over Hogmanay. I'm really fortunate that my other half isn't a drinker (very occasionally has a beer at a social event, goes months on end without even thinking of drinking and never drinks in the house) and he voluntarily said to me the other day that he won't be bothering with a drink over Xmas/New Year because firstly he's not that fussed and also to support me. So grateful for his understanding and support.

[Catbuddy]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Checking IN

Wow, great to see my little thread bumped up; hope it helps someone.

I posted this on the abbers thread - how the holiday party went:

The company dinner party was interesting. First, it was drinks at a bar beforehand; I skipped that. Then, cocktails in our private room. I discreetly asked for AF options - sodas. Pretty sad selection of options. I got them to bring some AF beer to our bar; you would have thought I asked for Artic Cloudberries from Norway. When we sat at our tables, the really indulgent wine flowed. I just skipped it. As the evening wore on, everyone's barriers came down. It was a fascinating show to watch, really. Then one table did shots. BAD BAD idea. They got totally hammered. Then came the embarrassing toasts, the slurred speech, etc. I was having a lot of fun in general, but rather appauled by the drunken displays, and knew full well that was me last year. Horrifying. Then, I was the designated driver for two of the "numpties." They couldn't navigate the sidewalks. Man, I barely got them safely to the car, which turned out to be 7 minutes too late, and we could not get it out of the garage. In the end and $80 later, got a cab to take us home (they live in my neighborhood). There is nothing new to this story, except for once, it was me who was sober. I am so glad to not be a numptie.

:l Cat

[Byrdlady]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

It's a real education, isn't it? And those people were me 2 years ago!!! I am so thankful for my sobriety! I just cringe at the thought of what I did! Ugg...well done to all of us for making these major changes for the better! B

[Mick]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Got to agree with Nelz.....the answer is ..I dont drink end of...no conversation if buts or whys..you will find if you come up with that answer....people will just leave...then comes the next line..."wish I could do that".......

[mario]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

Holiday seasons can be especially stressful for recovering people. One reason is we tend
to think of holidays as magical, mystical,times and set unrealistic expectations. Holidays may also bring to mind memories-pleasent or unplesent-of indulging.

For many people, facing holidays without drinking,drugging,or overeating may seem a dreary,unfulfilling prospect. Some advance planing can help, We can log on here and go into chat as well as posting your feelings, or if you prefare go to AA or likewise meetings or spend your time with good friends. We,ll need to be more aware of slogans like, easy does it and one day at a time,and use H>A>L>T to remind ourselfs not to get too hungry,angry,lonely or tired.We can plan to do some things we enjoy and take time to be good to ourselfs.

Or ask others how they manage holidays safely as were doing here now Above all we can make a point of finding the beauty,joy and love in the festive season,and ask for help if we need it,Whatever methods we use sobriety or abstinence should be our first priority.


As holidays approach, help me not to expect to much of myself or others.:goodjob:

[moni]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

This Christmas is the first without my parents. I always spent Christmas with them and for the past few years we were a bit like the three muskateers, had our own routine, knew who was in charge of what. It will be very difficult. I got one invite for Christmas day which I have accepted, more to keep other people happy than myself. I would sooner spend it alone but I know that would upset others. It's going to be tough staying on the right path especially being in their home without them. I don't mind being there alone, I'd just prefer they were there with me.

[JingleJo]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

moni;1427702 wrote: This Christmas is the first without my parents. I always spent Christmas with them and for the past few years we were a bit like the three muskateers, had our own routine, knew who was in charge of what. It will be very difficult. I got one invite for Christmas day which I have accepted, more to keep other people happy than myself. I would sooner spend it alone but I know that would upset others. It's going to be tough staying on the right path especially being in their home without them. I don't mind being there alone, I'd just prefer they were there with me.

Sending hugs Moni. :l I can kinda empathise with you. My mum passed away 2 hours after the bells at New Year when I was 19. After that me, my younger sister and Dad have never spent Christmas or New Year all together. It was just too painful, so we have all just done our own thing. Up until this year "my thing" was to get paraletic drunk, ending up in an awful state to try to blank things out I guess.

I've been reflecting a lot recently and have identified that it is actually after my mum passed away that my drinking went completely OTT, although I was a drinker prior to that too, but just not so chaotic and destructive.

I'll definitely be visiting this site over the festive period often. It's comforting to know that there is a place to come where people understand what it's like.

xxxx

[NewOne]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

My plan for sobriety is not to drink. That, and to remove myself from the presence of anyone who goes into the silly...'oh, one is not going to hurt you' routine.

I can end a conversation pretty quickly. ;-D

[NewOne]

What is your Holiday Plan for Sobriety?

I just realized the hilarity of the workforce concerning alcohol. Speaking of alcohol as being problematic is a career killer. Drinking yourself into oblivion and all that it entails, is not. I think the term 'ass backwards' is applicable ;-D