Everywhere you go in the holiday time, people are plying you with drinks.
5 All the DRINKS Festive Holiday Horror
The festivities are synonymous with DRINKS, ‘Come on, have a drink’ rings out as much as the Salvation Army bell. ‘No!’ you say, ‘Awww go on, just a small one!’ ‘Everyone else is – don’t spoil the party!’ So feeling the pressure and not wanting to be thought of as a spoilsport, you acquiesce and have ‘a small one’.
There is an interesting phenomenon about your brain, once you initially lower a thresh-hold, the pathway to repeat the behaviour is ‘oiled’ and so before you know it, you are repeating the behaviour. Are you able to have just ONE chocolate???!!! How about ‘I’ll just have A bite?’ And ‘just a small sip’, all mean that it is the top of the slippery slope down to repeating the behaviour. It happens without your even giving it a thought and that is the problem.
And it is not only all those friendly offices, neighbours, relatives, religious groups, sports groups, ANY group or friends, it is also YOURSELF!!!
To be sure you can be ‘hospitable’ should anyone drop by, you went out and filled up your booze cupboard, so-and-so drinks vodka, and he likes gin, better get a couple of bottles they are low, oh and scotch for her, now red wine and white, beer for the TV games and BBQs and better get some bubbly as well.
While it is sitting in your house, it is so easy to have just one extra drink of an evening and then you are so tired from all you have done, a drink will cheer you up and get you going… except it doesn’t, does it?
You can probably add some more DRINKS Horrors as well. So, what to do?
Mind Chi Happiness – BREATHE – grab your reins of control
Remember who has the POWER to decide?
YOU do and this is a time when you particularly need to pull on your own power to be able to take only the DRINKS that you do want and when you want them.
And how to do that? Use the power assist of the BREATH.
Taking a slow BREATH before you respond to any request will enable you to check in to your body and emotions and then make an appropriate decision for you at that moment.
A considered BREATH is a short cut through all the automatic functions to allow YOU to regain control of YOU! It pulls you back into yourself, so you do not respond automatically. It allows you to ACT rather than RE-ACT. The BREATH encourages you to be RESPONSIBLE (the ability to respond correctly for you).
Before you start any day in the Festive season, consider what drink opportunities there may be and how YOU choose to handle them. PLAN ahead so you may leave the car at the office and take a taxi home. Carpool with a non-drinker and offer to pay for a drink for the car!
Or decide whose turn it is to be the driver that day.
Start SLOWLY and build up, if that is what you wish. Or if you are staying in one place for the evening, then START with a glass of wine and then taper off (as long as you have the POWER to do this!) Remember to do your reins grabbing BREATH before you take any drink.
Maybe arrive with a container of a non-alcoholic drink, so you can say ‘Thanks, I am OK for a bit!’ Your hosts do not usually notice what you drink after they have got you started, so have a quick look to see if there are some fruit juices or cranberry juice (looks like red wine and everyone leaves you alone!) If there aren’t any of these options, SIP your drink slowly; drink a glass of water between each alcoholic drink. Perform your BREATH before you fill up up your glass.
In your own home, do NOT buy all the alcohols, it is OK to say, ‘We can offer you beer, red wine or cranberry juice?’ Always offer a non-alcoholic option with equal enthusiasm. You do NOT have to be as a bar and provide every drink there is. Hide your DRINKS in a cupboard so they do not act as a constant reminder; make them a little difficult to get to!
Make a punch, this can be light on the alcohol and served in little cups, so people can have several and are still able to drive safely. Do not pressure your guests to have more to DRINK.
Be a responsible host. If a guest has somehow still managed to drink too much, either have a non-drinking friend drive them home, or call a taxi. DO NOT LET THEM DRIVE HOME.
To recap, the 8 positive actions for Mind Chi Holiday Happiness to overcome all the DRINKS Horrors are:
- Use your deep, full BREATH to let you check in with what drink you might actually want.
- Use your POWER to act and be responsible, you are no-one’s puppet.
- Beware the ‘Just one small one’ as your brain makes it hard for you to stop.
- Team with a non-drinker or take turns. Do NOT drink and drive.
- Plan ahead your DRINKING for the day – consider how you will organise it.
- Sip your DRINK slowly and have a glass of water for each alcoholic beverage.
- Conservatively buy DRINKS for your own home, hide them so they do not temp you.
- Make a punch, do not push DRINKS and never let a drunk friend drive home.
For more Festive Holiday Horrors and the Mind Chi Happinesses, please chick here.
© Mind Chi 2011
