It’s the beginning of the Holiday season. A season that rambles along through November and December with school projects and work events. Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve. Parties, dinners, family, friends, and work colleagues. Fun and joy and genuine connection, but also the stress to be happy and festive and ON with a capital “O” capital “N” all of the time. The season of magic! A season where staying sober can be a challenge.

I’m almost 5 years sober and happily so but the Holiday Season is still treacherous for me. Everywhere I turn there seems to be an offering of something ruby red and inviting in a cut crystal goblet. Bottles are wrapped in red and tied with a gold ribbon and classes are handed to you from a silver tray as you walk in the door. There is no time of year with more pressure to drink than the marathon between October 31st and January 1st. There is no time of year when community support is more essential to my staying sober.

Come join us for support to get sober, stay sober, or start getting your drinking under control, through the holiday season and into the new year. We’re talking about what you’re thinking about.

An inspiring invitation from one of our members.

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My Technique to Stay Sober This Holiday Season

Write Your Own Sober Script

There are 66 days left until the new year !

Now is a good time before we write the ending of –
“the movie of your life: title ( insert name/2024. )

I spent the first 3 months of 2019 mostly sober. I started out with resolve and willpower but in hindsight, that only goes so far and I did not do “the work to change the plot”. 

So I reviewed the tape to see why I went back to the same movie I’ve been living for 10 years. I ignored the fact that there are steps to sobriety. There is a root cause as to why we over-drink. Sobriety isn’t just about willpower or determination it’s about removing the blocks to a better life. 

I used rationalization a lot in March-July. It’s the devil’s advocate, it’s Wolfie, the wine witch, the asshole. So okay -alright, you’re a smart person, so you weigh the odds. 

But like any other form of gambling, eventually, the odds beat you, and you walk away from the table broke and depressed. At this point, everyone leaves the movie theater cuz it’s a dull, worn-out plot with no interesting twists. 

So back to day 1. This is why it’s so important to reset back to day 1. How many day 1s do you need before it sinks in and you get disgusted with yourself? It’s like Groundhog Day, same shit again. 

This is where the movie gets interesting. Finally, by August, I knew I had to face myself and do the work. 

I imagined my life as a movie, and I was someone else watching it.

What advice would I give that character, where did she fall down?

How did I want to direct this movie to end?

How can I direct this movie to a better ending?

How would The movie look with both outcomes? 

I knew then how to work the steps to sobriety. An ah-ha moment. I looked reality in the face and manned up to the truth: emotional sobriety is a long process involving the ability to confront and cope with ignored emotions that lead us it drink.

Deal with that shit and see how the movie ends. 

There are 61 days left until the end of the year.

My movie is going to be a blockbuster, how ’bout yours?

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More Reading to help you stay sober this Holiday Season

No More Deadly Drinking Games – Enjoying My First Sober Halloween

Skipping Drunksgiving – Start Celebrating Your Holiday Season Happily Alcohol-Free

What if You Only Get One Chance?

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Rethink the Drink!

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WHO ARE WE?

Online Community Support to Stop Drinking – BOOM!