Tips for the Holiday Season

1. Plan Each and Every Day of Your Holiday - Plan to spend the majority of your time with friends and family who are supportive of your recovery. If you are required to be present for a social gathering that could jeopardize your sobriety, bring a fellow CR member with you. Plan fun events and outings to replace your old drinking rituals.
2. Use downtime for quiet time praying, reading the Bible, and meditating on God's word
3. Ask for Support from Your Family and Friends - Those who are truly supportive of your recovery will be happy to help you throughout the holidays. Be up front and tell them your concerns.
4. Have a List of at Least Ten People you can call - Make a list and check it twice. Carry your cell phone and your list of names at all times.
5. Don’t Forget about Regular Exercise - Regular exercise is an essential component of any balanced recovery program. If you have extra time on your hands, it is a great idea to get out and exercise.
6. Stay Away from Slippery Places - There is absolutely no reason to ever check out your former favorite establishments. It is very likely that your old "friends" are still there and are still telling the same old stories.
7. Create New Traditions to replace your Old Drinking Patterns - Try something totally different during the holidays. Buy a new board game or take the family on a day trip. Use you imagination, be creative and have fun.
8. Write out a Daily Gratitude List - The quickest cure to get you out of the holiday blues is by counting your blessings. Be grateful for what you have by writing out a gratitude list every morning. Don’t stop writing until you have at least 10 items on your list.
9. Volunteer your Services to a Charitable Organization - There are many people in your community who are homeless and hungry. Why not volunteer to work at a soup kitchen or at a special Christmas dinner for those less fortunate than you? You will be helping not only the needy but yourself!
10. Write a Letter to yourself. How I Stayed Sober over Christmas. The act of writing your ideas on paper is very powerful. Write down all the activities and events that will help you have healthy happy Christmas. Now take action on them and make this letter come true!
11. Avoid H.A.L.T. - H.A.L.T. stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. There are very simple solutions for all of the above items. If you are hungry, get something to eat. If you are angry, talk to somebody about it. If you are lonely, go to a meeting or call a friend. If you are tired, get a good night’s sleep.
12. Live One Day at a time and Enjoy your Sobriety! - Stay in the moment. Have present time consciousness. Be in the now. These are all different ways of telling you to live 1 day at a time. Never mind about what happened or what could happen. Enjoy today. Live today. Celebrate your sobriety!