Merry and bright? There are many wonderful things about this holiday season but for those of us who experience extra stressors, maybe more temptations, or challenging relationships, the holidays can be a real trigger back into our addictions.
We at newfocus want you to know you are not alone and there are some things you can do to make this more a season of joy! 1) Lower some of your expectations. What? Yes, you read that right. Our culture, perhaps our families, have conditioned us to expect a Hallmark kind of Christmas every year. But some of our expectations are unrealistic and can trigger strong emotions that might set up for a wrong choice. If we expect that we will have some unpleasant memories and difficult emotions, it will help us anticipate that and give ourselves a little grace. Make your expectation more about how you can bless others with a smile, a kind note, a thoughtful phone call or an inexpensive gift. 2) Be a “health nut” during the holidays. Try to keep up with your regularly schedule of sleep, diet, and exercise. 3) Try to surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you in your sobriety. When you feel you must meet with family, coworkers, or others who might trigger you, limit your time, go with a “sobriety buddy” who will help you, have an exit strategy. You can be kind and still maintain some healthy relational, emotional, physical, and time boundaries. 4) Let me quote my mother, “Be safe, but have fun!” Even if you don’t feel like singing Christmas Carols, going to a church service, or doing that special activity go ahead and try to do something crazy fun! And speaking of that, you are all welcome to join our newfocus family December 17th at 7:00 for games, singing, an encouraging talk, and some Christmas treats. We are meeting at Calvary Baptist, 792 Milford St. in Watertown. Merry Christmas and “God bless us, everyone!”
Newfocus meets every Friday night at 7:00 pm for a peer encouragement meeting that is held at Calvary Baptist in Watertown. The Facebook live time at 6:30 pm. Search for ANewFocus or for more information go to www.anewfocus.org
