Don’t Drink No Matter What!

Today, I am going to unwind by letting it all out, and maybe you had a rough week too and need to unwind also, huh? Well, grab your pen or keyboard, and lets get it all out! Writing out my frustrations has often proven to be a great tool against picking up that drink! Once all the crap is out of my head, I no longer have to dwell on it. I can let it all go, and move on!

So, here is the description of my crazy week – it was crazy! Crazy in my head, crazy at home, and crazy at work! Just all crazy, and I am not even PMSing! Ha! And guess what? I am still sober! How is this possible!?

I just don’t drink no matter what! Yep! No matter what! That means when my work gets nuts, and deadlines are fast approaching, and God forbid our #1 guy is on vacation, and people have attitudes, (or maybe I have the attitude ?), and the work is all piling-up and I don’t know what is coming next, and from where, and I can’t imagine how I’m going to get it all done, I don’t drink!

That means that when I spend three sleepless nights all because I have let my ego take control, and now I have all this swirling crap in my head about what I want to do when I grow up, and who am I really, and where is my life going, and why I haven’t done this and the other like my friends have, and how come I am not as far in life as they are!

That’s right! I don’t drink! I use my tools!

I had to pull out all my tools this week, especially the ones I picked up in the beginning, when I was counting the hours, and minutes till the stores closed so I could feel safe and not like I was just gonna run out at any second, to the nearest place that sold alcohol, and grab the biggest container of wine that I could find and poor myself a gigantic tumbler of wine! (because really, I didn’t use wine glasses!) Ha! That’s right! Oh, but I digress.

Tools! Sober tools are so important, because most of my life I had only one tool and I used it to deal with everything! But my tool broke long time ago and I have never been able to make it work again. So, I had to pick up new tools!

I often find myself singing this song that I found on YouTube, to help my five-year old with his frustration! It’s Elmo and Common in a video about breathing the monster out. (I known what you’re thinking, but give it a chance!) It’s really cool and easy to remember because it is so freaking catchy.

Watch “Sesame Street: Common and Colbie Caillat – “Belly…” on YouTube: http://youtu.be/_mZbzDOpylA

Here are some of my favorite tools:

Take lots of little breaks!

I take a walk, or a drive, or sit in the bathroom for a bit. Any time away from the given situation can ease my anxiety and frustrations.

Drink lots of water rather than lots of coffee!

I keep coffee intake to a minimum, because coffee will not help me stay awake when I am exhausted, instead it will drain me from the nutrients and the water that my body needs to deal with stress.

Repeat the Serenity Prayer, over, and over, and over!

Repeat a positive affirmation, a meditation or a prayer. It focuses me in a different direction and clears my head up from all the negative thinking.

Keep reminding myself that this is temporary!

No matter how I feel at a time, it does not last forever. I may feel like it does, right now, but it’s really does not, and nothing is ever the end of the world, and whatever uncomfortable, crazy period of time I am experiencing it does not have to be the entire day!

Whew! Well, those are few of my main tools! Here is a few more form the Helping Guide

Healthy ways to relax and recharge:

Go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Call a good friend. Sweat out tension with a good workout. Write in your journal. Take a long bath. Light scented candles.

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea. Play with a pet. Work in your garden. Get a massage. Curl up with a good book. Listen to music. Watch a comedy.

I hope you’re doing well, I hope you wrote out some of your frustrations, and I hope that you got a few more tools to add to your toolbox!

Have an awesome day, and remember: don’t drink no matter what!

---

Connect with Sober Courage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.