With the end of December comes New Year’s Eve. For those of us in recovery coming up on our first sober New Years, it’s important to focus on the right things. Otherwise, we might find ourselves romanticizing the past and making unhealthy choices. Here are 6 things you can do to protect your sobriety while enjoying New Year’s Eve.
Find Your Tribe Or Like-Minded People:
You are not the only person who celebrates New Year’s Eve sober. And being in recovery does not mean you are confined to your home tonight. Reframe that impulse to isolate, and reach out to other people by:
-
- Attending a meeting. Even if you aren’t struggling with your sobriety tonight, you might be able to help someone who is.
- Going to an event where drugs and alcohol aren’t the focus. For instance, go out to dinner, see a movie, or host your own gathering.
- Using meetup.com (free to join). There are groups for sober people and others who routinely do non-drinking activities.
- Choosing two people that were instrumental in helping you to get well and give them a call or text them on New Year’s Eve to thank them for being a part of your life. This makes you feel good for taking time to think of those that supported you in your success. It also makes someone else feel good knowing that they were a part of ending unnecessary suffering in the world
Get in a Good Workout:
Starting tomorrow there will be tons of new people at your gym. You know, the New Year’s resolution crowd… So grab a good workout while you don’t have to wait for the equipment. Who knows, you might meet someone there who had the same idea as you.
Treat Yo’ Self:
You know that thing you’ve wanted to do for a while? That place you’ve wanted to visit, that restaurant you’ve wanted to try, that trip you’ve wanted to take, that thing you’ve wanted to buy … Do it. Celebrate your accomplishments this year by ticking something off your bucket list.
Stay Home & Reflect:
New Year’s Eve, especially this one marking the end of a decade, is a great time for reflection. What have you accomplished/overcome this year? This decade? What can you start/stop/maintain to make sure you thrive in 2020? Create a vision board to go along with your goals or accomplishments. If you don’t know how to do this google it, they are fun and very effective
Make Some Goals:
Either for yourself or with someone else. Either way, looking back and ahead so that you can chart some realistic goals is one of the healthiest things you can do for your recovery and for yourself in general. It gives you things to be excited about, sets challenges that will boost your self-esteem when you overcome them, and encourages positive self-praise for your past accomplishments. Fun Fact: Studies show that people who speak better to/about themselves, feel better overall.
Forget About New Year’s Eve & Focus on New Year’s Day:
Go do something physically challenging to exhaust yourself. Afterward, eat a huge carbohydrate-heavy meal and then crash out early. Before you fall asleep, make sure to set your alarm for 5:00 A.M. Wake up the next day and start your new year off right. When you wake up others will be hungover and stepping into the new year tired and sick. Not you…
Tree House Recovery provides sustainable addiction treatment using action-based techniques. We teach our men things they can do every day to optimize their mind, body, and social lives. At the end of our program, you will be your best possible self. For more information call 855-202-2138.
