Last year some of the long-term members of our Boom Rethink the Drink Community shared their “Posts of Sober Christmas Past” or more simply said, their alcohol-free holiday season experience. Those posts were moved to our Boozemusings blog archive. Here is a selection of 12. It’s a gift pack of inspiration and ideas to keep you going no matter what your traditions may be. And if you’re looking for support to stop drinking and stay sober come join us at www.boomrethinkthedrink.com. The quotes in this post are from some of our members who’ll welcome you there if you join. There is no place like BOOM – 24/7 around the world

It’s like having friends in your pocket to support you, all you need to do is get out your phone and send a post and the odds are someone will be awake in the world ready to help or at least listen and that can sometimes mean everything x

Why I Chose Sobriety – The Magic of my First Sober Christmas ( post in blue link)

So many temptations, rituals, habits, triggers. Take the everyday challenge of staying contentedly AF and add extra family members, busy schedules, high-stakes cooking, loneliness, money drain, dark cold weather, social events, childcare challenges, missing people or places. Oh wait, and a Global Pandemic. Forget about staying alcohol-free, how do we even stay sane???

“The Boozemusings Community Boom is a door I stumbled through to a completely new life.  Lights are shined in corners I didn’t know existed–it’s like being an explorer in a new world.   It’s my first open in the morning when I wake up.  It introduced me to quit-lit which helped save me in the early going.  It’s the ONE place I can be 100% honest. It’s close, it’s personal, it’s perfect for me.  It’s saving me.”

5 Thoughts to Help You Stay Sober from Christmas to New Year’s Eve ( post in blue link)

* Have a plan! Do not go into any situation assuming it’ll be fine. Have an exit strategy, have my own AF beverages, have someone I can call or text (or contact the Boom “loo club”)

“Joining this community has in no doubt been the single most important aspect of my getting through the trials and tribulations of sobriety. I had no idea when I joined the impact it would have.”

When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired – How to Say No to Alcohol in The Party Season ( post in blue link)

* Accountability: Make sure I’m clear with myself and open with those I trust that I have an intention not to drink, that I might need support in sticking to my goal. In turn, help my AF friends stay connected and accountable.

“I love that BOOM is smaller and I feel listened too, and I fell since I can keep track of people and what is going on with them, I can comment better and more thoughtfully. I feel accountable and supported.”

 The Key to Alcohol-Free Holiday Serenity ( post in blue link)

* Challenging my beliefs. They are not all true! My mom asking if that spot on the rug is new is NOT her way of telling me I’m a terrible housekeeper, a failure, and a terrible person. I am not transformed into the bratty younger sister no one likes just because my brother is in the room. My family and friends love me, and when I jump to conclusions or assume the worst, I waste that gift.

“Accountability, caring, and the resources are amazing, quit lit recommendations and omg the mindset change from reading the experiences and stories and victories of people on here, so uplifting, amazing, hopeful and proof sober can be done and can be fun!”

A Sober Girls Guide to the Festive Season and Christmas Freedom! ( post in blue link)

* Treat myself! Dessert, here I come! I’ve also laid in a supply of bottled mocktails and fancy grownup sodas, plus all the fizzy water my fridge can hold.  Will make time for a haircut, getting my nails done, something to make things feel just as special as a champagne toast might have… before I realized it was poisoning my brain!

“Other sobriety forums can be quite judgemental and critical. This site definitely isn’t like that. It’s like having friends in your pocket to support you, all you need to do is get out your phone and send a post and the odds are someone will be awake in the world ready to help or at least listen and that can sometimes mean everything x”

Creating New Holiday Traditions Joyfully Sober ( post in blue link)

* Community. I have two sober buddies who I video chat with frequently (thru Marco Polo,  not live). I can say anything to them about how I’m struggling, what I’m afraid of, etc. I have our private Boom community and public Boozemusings blog for reading inspiring and educational posts (and now I can listen too!) and for a Sunday Zoom I so look forward to. And I have so many sober podcasts lined up in my Stitcher feed. No, that part’s not interactive, but in addition to providing helpful tips and info, they remind me that I’m not alone. There are so many of us out there fighting the good fight against the insidious beast of alcohol.

“BOOM is my lifeline to a new Alcohol-Free life, to be supported in a safe, respectful space where I can truly open up. I’m so grateful for this wonderful platform and it’s much, much more than I can put into words. It’s a huge part of my day/life now.” 

From Resentment to Joy – Reaching Out as I Begin my 3rd Alcohol-Free Holiday Season ( post in blue link)

* Look outward. The world doesn’t revolve around me, so I’ll be doing some volunteering and donating to my favorite charities. I’ll be helping friends by watching their kids. I might adopt a new kitty! And I’ll be trying to help my kid make an elaborate Gingerbread Jurassic World, since he’s been talking about it for half a year, even though it’s beyond my skill level. These things remind me to stop being so self-focused.

“It was a random day of internet searching that brought me to Boozemusings Blog and to Boom Community, and my life has been changed by it.  I needed some kind of “epiphany” for a mind change, and I have learned things about alcohol and its physical effects that have given me that kind of enlightenment.  I check in several times a day and it is like meeting with my family.  The resources here are incredible, and inexhaustible.  I have quit lit books, etc.  Will check out some of the other resources in others’ responses, but for me, Boom has been the answer.  I feel it has to do with the tireless work of Boom’s creators.  Thank you, Boom!!!!!!!”

Evolving From my First Sober Christmas – Anger, Nature & Miracles ( post in blue link)

I know I cannot control others and their feelings about me, but I can do a little something every day to brighten my life, and in turn, brighten the lives of others.  Whether it is at home, at work, at the grocery store, or on BOOM.  I know I have a lot to give, and a wonderful life to live sober.  I am appreciative of all that I have lived as it helps me to maintain my perspective and carry on in a positive way.  Life is too short to work all the time, to be mad or sad all the time.  I want to live a jubilant life every day, and I would love to share this day with you all alcohol free!!  Please join me!!  Peace, love and hugs to you all!!   

Boom is more than a web site……It is more than a form of recovery based social media. It is more than words in comment boxes on a computer screen….. Boom greets you with open arms and an open heart. The creator has woven warmth and life into its digital pixels. The love and dedication to this site can be felt whenever the Boom community lights up your screen. It is truly human…..A good friend on a dark night……

A Sober Girls Guide to the Festive Season and Christmas Freedom! ( post in blue link)

*Perspective is everything. Being sober is NOT a punishment for you. It is a GIFT that you are giving to yourself, the one you are trying to protect right now. There is no bigger gift that you can recive this Christmas than the one you give yourself by staying sober. There is no better way to start the New Year than alcohol-free.

I have recommended BOOM to others because this site seemed different. There was no hard sell approach to commit to anything. It is just a lovely non judgemental group of people committed to keeping the site that way. It’s very welcoming and friendly but you can post or not as you need to as often or as infrequently as you choose. There is no pressure.

Grateful for the Simple Gift of Sobriety in my Second Alcohol-Free Holiday Season ( post in blue link)

Breath and Allow. A lot of the stress we feel during the holiday time, well – it’s self induced. Yes, we try to do it all – maybe doubling down on family traditions, and perfecting the holiday meal, and decorating the tree in just the perfect way. Today is the day to let them go….. Christmas will come and go, and the memories will form, whether you make two kinds of cookies or they are store bought. Give yourself permission to let some of the stuff go. Relax the perfectionism in all things except one. Don’t relax you decision to stay sober this Christmas. And remember on New Year’s eve that the best of celebrations end with you cheering in new possibilities, not tied to regrets from the past.

This platform is cozy, relatable and has a strong fellowship feel. It’s as close to an AA meeting, without the stigma some people dislike, as you can get. Personally I don’t go to AA but I believe their principal that alcoholism is the dark night of the soul and the sober journey is about stepping into the light and wherever one or more of you are gathered in his name there is love.

Staying Sober? Tips to Help Celebrate the Holiday Season Alcohol-Free ( post in blue link)

People will be people. People around us LOVE us, okay? But like us, they are human, and if you are new to sobriety, they may not know how to act around you…. so it’s time for forgiving (in advance).

Understand that the abrasive a$$hole that’s in the shadows of your life will still be an a$$hole. The passive aggressive nitpicking relative will still nitpick, complimenting your recipe for the cranberries as she wonders out loud why you used so much cinnamon. Your child may sulk because he didn’t get the exact version of the game that he wanted, and you may have to pretend that life is GREAT when someone asks you if you want a glass of wine, and you say “not right now”.

Boom is everything I want and need, just like a family ought to be. Here with support and no judgement, no matter where you are on your journey. Couldn’t do without the people on here x

Tips and Tools and Great Alcohol-Free Drinks to Celebrate the Holidays Sober ( post in blue link)

Look Forward and let go of the Past. Finally, with the end of this crazy year, maybe it’s time for forgiveness and new traditions. Let’s grieve for those that we’ve lost this year, and honor their memories by putting down the bottle as we put our best foot forward into 2021. Sobriety is the gift of living each day fully. Sobriety is the best gift you can give yourself for Christmas, the New Year and every day beyond.

“Dear Boom Community:

We met on a night when I wasn’t really feeling my best, and to be honest, I didn’t think twice about our meeting. I think you might have known, though, before me that this would be something special. You saw that my kind was untrusting and prickly around the edges having been abused and beaten up one too many times. Thank you for sticking around. You make my life better. You’ve taught me what good relationships are and slowly built my trust up again. I appreciate the little things… like how silly you are in the morning when my eyes remain foggy and ears shudder at noise. You’re a breath of fresh air after too many bad experiences.”

RETHINK the DRINK

Come in and talk to us today and we’ll find solutions together 

Make This the Week That Your Sobriety Takes Off

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More for your Sober Tool Box :

HALT – 4 Triggers That Slip People Up When They Stop Drinking

The post 12 Posts for Your Pocket to Help You Celebrate the Holidays Alcohol- Free appeared first on Boozemusings.