Moderate the Holiday Spirits, NOT the Holiday Magic

Katie Tomaszewski, Creator of The DryNamics Method

You have a lot on your plate this holiday season. The hangovers are getting more hangover-y as the month goes on and the social obligations just keep on coming. You want to show up, but you just can’t afford to lose any magic to over-drinking.

How will you keep the drinking a bit more mellow this year at the holiday parties? 

First off, you HAVE to have a plan. 

And in order to be successful with moderation, I always start with a PLAN to abstain. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Follow my process below, and make sure to write it out (yes, it matters)

1. Take a some time to write about the event you’re attending. Think about who will be there, what kind of entertainment there will be, the attire, the food… get as detailed as possible. What are you most looking forward to about the experience, what are you NOT looking forward to?
2. Answer the following question : Alcohol will provide the feeling of : ?. Don’t say drunkenness! What’s BEHIND that? What feelings do you get more of when you are intoxicated? Get deeper with it. What do you really believe that alcohol provides?
3. Come up with a few new solutions for the feelings that you’re after. For example, the feeling of celebration could be satisfied by enjoying desserts that you might avoid if you were drinking and dieting (those two always seem to go together). If you’re looking to feel connected, could you plan some kind of simple party game or bring cookies to decorate? Do you want to feel relaxed? How could you set up support for yourself that day or that week so you don’t show up stressed out; an extra workout class, a relaxing bath before the event, an extra day off from work? Get there before you get there, you know what I mean? Do what you can to show up without a problem that needs a solution. 

Now, let’s say you can’t make any time to prep yourself for the event and you’re showing up basically raw...

Try these hacks to drink less at the event :

WHEN?

First, commit to NOT drinking for the first hour of the event. Show up with a non-alcoholic beverage in hand that you’re excited about. There are TONS, check out some of my alcohol-free favorites here. If after that first sober hour, you feel great - try going one more hour. Make a game of it and see how long you can say “not yet.” Don't be surprised at how effective this little tool is, you might end up skipping alcohol all together!

WHAT?

If you do start drinking, avoid sweet drinks that go down really easy. And try not to drink your favorite things. If you love white wine, choose a dry red. If you’re a pilsner drinker, switch to a more bitter beer. If you hate eggnog, you just found your beverage!

EXIT STRATEGY REQUIRED

Committing to an alcohol-free night is actually a lot easier than we imagine it will be. But sometimes- it’s actually really hard. And so if your priority is to be sober for the night, make sure you have an exit plan ready.

When I drank, I could easily spend 8 hours at a party. If the host was a drinker, I stayed until the wee hours- every time. As a nondrinker I still like to burn the midnight oil, but only IF I’m having a GREAT time. 

That's the cool thing about being sober, you can actually tell if you’re having a good time. If you are uncomfortable, bored or tired, don't blame yourself! Sometimes parties aren't good. And if the only solution you can think of to endure this lame event is to get intoxicated - consider leaving instead! Go home, wash your face, do the dishes and SLEEP. Save your energy for the fun parties, the ones that are great whether or not you’re intoxicated.  

No one, and I’m telling you NO ONE, has ever woke up regretting their choice NOT to drink. 

Or maybe you’ve tried abstaining in the past and it’s just miserable. I hear that all the time and the difference between feeling ick and feeling ease is just a little support.

You've been asking for YEARS and I was never ready to distill my signature DryNamics 90-day program into a 31-day SOBER SNACK…until NOW.

Finally, all the benefits of our shame-free, whole-person approach in a low-commitment offering.

Yes, some of us can probably do a sober month in isolation - but why? Welcome the ease and joy when you feel supported by our DryNamics community. Learn more about DryNamic January