Rituals
YOU CAN LISTEN TO ME INSTEAD OF READING
Creating new rituals to replace your old ones is essential.
Hopefully, your Sober Journaling has become a daily/weekly ritual that you enjoy doing.
Journaling is just one way to help with processing feelings and de-stressing.
We often use alcohol to wind down or to celebrate ‘getting through the day’.
I would drink mindlessly and whilst I thought I was treating myself to a glass of wine, I was actually choosing to numb my evenings and check out from my personal time.
I was using all my energy on my working day and leaving nothing for myself.
Here are some new rituals that you might enjoy…
The Perfect Serve.
Find your favourite Sober Sip and make sure that you still serve it in a way that feels special. I still like using a nice wine glass for my evening drink…unless I am drinking tea!
Shower or Bathtime.
Having a warm bath is my way of separating the day from the night.
I sometimes light candles and fill the tub with bubbles to make it special. I take my make-up off and wash away the day. I put my pj’s on afterwards and make myself comfy for the evening. Some people might prefer a cold shower, the point is that you find what works for you. You have to be open-minded to trying new things.
Use your time mindfully.
I love astrology, numerology and anything spiritual and ‘woo’.
I use oracle cards to inspire my Journaling sometimes, I meditate and use tapping and breath-work to wind down or energise.
When I am not coaching, I spend evenings doing courses and learning something new. I also binge on the odd mindless box set too - balance is key!
I don’t waste time drinking alcohol or recovering from drinking alcohol. If I want to have a day recharging in my PJs, then I can - but I no longer waste time feeling ill with fear and anxiety related to drinking alcohol.
Intention Setting.
Taking yourself out of autopilot and creating a life with intention every morning can shift the energy you bring into the day. You have to choose how you would like to feel.
‘Today is going to be a great day!’, said with conviction, is one of my favourites. It may sound cheesy as hell and like something Ned Flanders from the Simpsons would do, but it works. You just have to practice it and over time something will shift.
You have to believe it.
Once you have got yourself in the right frame of mind, THEN you create the to-do list. Working out what needs to be prioritised and what’s achievable in a day will be an easier task with the right mindset!
Special Occasions.
Christmas, Birthdays, and Holidays are all times when we have rituals, which may revolve around drinking alcohol.
You may have relied in the past on the obligatory glass of bubbles at the airport, the bucks fizz for breakfast Christmas morning or shots on your birthday.
We have to find new rituals to symbolise having fun to move past these.
Maybe it’s treating yourself to a new pair of shoes at the airport, finding a new book to read or going for a Christmas morning sea swim to get your natural high.
Or maybe it’s treating yourself to a moment of meditation, tapping or breath work - that’s the ultimate goal, not to need anything outside of ourselves, but it takes time. There is no overnight fix or wave of the magic wand for this. The firsts are the hardest because it feels like you are letting go of one life for a new one - which is true. The new one is free from the need to drink alcohol to celebrate a special occasion. The new one enjoys being present for special occasions.
Remember not to focus on what you are giving up from the old life, but to focus on what you are gaining in the new life you are creating for yourself.
Start thinking about ritual swaps, and write them on the RITUALS page in your Sober Journal. How do you want to spend your time? What rituals could you do that your future self will thank you for when you play it forward?
Start planning to do things more mindfully and invest time in yourself. You may need to block time out first thing in the morning, at the end of the day or during your lunch break.