Hey! it is exactly one week before Thanksgiving here in the United States. Plus today is exactly 40 days until Christmas, yikes! Ever heard the phrase “Failing to plan is planning to fail?”
While we know this holds true for budgeting money, food, time, and work projects what about our emotions? Family gatherings around the holidays are difficult in most families whether active addiction is present or not.
Why?
It is a break from our routine. Everything changes during the holidays. Families travel, eat different foods, attend extra events, don’t get to bed on time, sleep in unfamiliar rooms (on the sofa beds with the rail in the middle of your back) share a bathroom, and try to accommodate multiple desires and time schedules into an already packed life.
Just getting me out of my sleep routine makes me a little cranky.
What the Heck is Emotional Sobriety?
When you stop numbing the pain of your emotions with any kind of substance or behavior they spring forth like a bunch of rowdy monkeys. Now what?
Emotional sobriety is creating an integrated balance of emotions the lets you feel and feel deeply without allowing them to hijack your whole life. All your emotions appear but without causing you to want a) jump off a bridge or b) try to sell the bridge to the highest bidder.
While traumatic events may have started us on a addictive path we can choose to step off. Stepping off that path my leave us feeling emotionally vulnerable. That is where emotional sobriety comes into play. An Emotionally Sober person can
- work through strong emotions
- regulate their moods
- maintain perspective on a situation
- live in the present moment
- adjust to change
- regulate their behavior
Dr. Allen Berger shares, that “in order to grow from these experiences, we need to learn how to claim our experience instead of letting our experience claim us. The good news is that regardless of what caused so much pain in our lives prior to our sobriety—we can always grow from the experience.” Find Dr. Berger’s full article here!
Emotional Sobriety Challenge
Before we walk into a week of crazy-making sugary food and family events I am inviting you to an Emotional Sobriety Challenge. Just like exercising your body you can exercise your mind to prepare for the Super Bowl of family gatherings.
Unlike exercise, you will not get all sweaty (yucky! who needs that anyway?). Even better this challenge will take exactly 7 minutes a day for 7 days. And you can do it all lying down. (Secret about me: my favorite part of pilates is when we walk through the doors the instructor says, “Ladies, get your mats and lie down.” Sweet!)
What?
Each day a short focus phrase will drop into your mailbox. With the focus phrase, you will do one small exercise to prepare you for next week’s Super Bowl of family get-togethers.
Want more support? We will do it together! I will post a New Challenge Exercise daily in the morning. I will be live on the private Facebook group each day in the evening to help you along. Join the challenge in the private facebook group here. This way we can support and learn from each other.
Not into Facebook? Click here to have the Emotional Sobriety Challenge emails dropped into your email box only.
Here is a sneak peek at the first Challenge!
Think you can do it? Seven minutes max a day for the next 7 days. If you want to bring on emotional sobriety for your Thanksgiving Feast, join either by email or by facebook group or both.
Don’t get gobbled up by failing to prepare for the Super Bowl of family gatherings. Get your mental muscles stretched out and ready to work for you.
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