A special Christmas gift (Guest Post)

The Silly Season is fast approaching and already there are rumblings in the Members Feed about what a difficult time of year it is for us sober people. It can be a real chore as there does seem to be such an emphasis on BOOZE over the next few months. End of year work parties, Christmas get-togethers, New Year’s shindigs – all swimming in alcohol – they seem to go on and on. And the advertisers get busy bombarding us with numerous messages telling us that their liquor is going to make everything MORE FUN and MORE SOCIAL (utter bollocks but they have free reign to say what they like it’s hard to avoid their marketing as it’s plastered everywhere).

Here at Living Sober this ain’t our first rodeo and we have in the archives many helpful posts full of practical tips which I will be re-posting over the next few months. And there will be some new ones coming as well. First up is this brilliant update recently posted in the Members Feed by member @jo14. I think it’s utterly brilliant and with her permission am featuring it here. I for one will be following her advice about the special Christmas gift to me. What a fabulous idea. Mrs D xxx

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@jo14: Day 460 here…into my 15 month sober. Still amazed, grateful, thankful, proud of myself.

It is such a revelation to me to go back and read my early journal entries. I was so dependent on this substance that was destroying my life. Alcohol is such a sneaky charmer that fills our heads with all these promises. We listen and accept these promises and think our lives are so much more fun with the alcohol.

Look at us out partying having the time of our lives! No cares or worries in the world. No, not us, we are free to let loose and enjoy our fabulous life Then it all comes crashing down. We see those promises for what they truly are…lies. We want to say goodbye to our charmer who really isn’t so charming anymore. Our heads and hearts are filled with those empty promises and we are left wondering how to kick this ugly charmer out of our lives.

How do we re-learn everything we thought or believed about alcohol? How do we see it as the poison it really is? How do we live our life alcohol free and still have fun? We are so bombarded with messages that alcohol is the thing for a fun time. And as the holidays approach, it will only get more and more in our faces…wanna have a good time? Make sure you invite your little charmer to the festivities. Stock up so you can make it through all those family get-togethers and the extra stresses of the holidays. Drink up! You earned it.

This is a vicious merry-go-round that was my life for way too many years. But, I found the courage, the strength, the resolve to say no more. I knew deep in my soul that there had to be a better way to live. And there is.

This sober life is a gift we all give to ourselves.

I think this year I am going to wrap up a box with some festive paper, add a little something inside, put a shiny bow on the top, then address it to me from my sober self. I will place it under the tree and as I go about my days filled with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I can see it, take the time to reflect on how far I have come.

I am not believing all the false promises of how alcohol makes the season more festive. This is a big lie! I now know better so I am doing better. I am looking forward to my 2nd sober holiday season, I will be fully present and engaged in enjoying this special season filled with hope, peace, love & joy.

@jo14