Practising for a life of empowered sobriety
How do you create a sober life?
With practice!
When you've got the habit of drinking embedded in your life, you need to create a new habit of not drinking. It needs to become your default, like brushing your teeth in the morning.
And to do that, you need to practice...
...or rather, you need to develop the practices that make this easier.
You can 'white knuckle' it, and stay sober through willpower and self-discipline...
But what happens when life is too challenging, and your willpower and self-discipline crumble?
What keeps you sober then?
PRACTICE!
When I stopped drinking, I began a practice of reflecting on the fact that I was *staying sober* that day (as opposed to *not drinking*... a BIG difference!)
I took a moment to celebrate as I put my pyjamas on each night. "I'm going to remember doing this in the morning".
Every morning when I woke up, I made a point of remembering going to bed, and noting how much nicer my morning mouth was when it didn't taste of wine and stale cigarettes.
I delighted in the fact that I *could* get up easily, and was able to go straight to my morning yoga practice without needing three coffees and an hour to come around before I could function.
After a few weeks of these practices, sobriety was a joy. And celebrating it was a practice, a habit. It wasn't long before I was able to fully embrace the idea of a sober future and actually enjoy the idea, rather than be scared of it.
Creating practices that support your well-being, growth and recovery is vital for an empowered, sustainable sobriety.
When you put these practices into your life, you don't need to turn to a higher power. Because you are giving yourself the power with your practices.
So what could these sobriety practices include?
Some ideas for you....
💪 movement practice. Find a way to move your body that you enjoy and that makes you feel good. If you hate the gym, maybe try walking instead?
💪 hydration and nutrition practice. Drinking depletes your body of nutrients and hydration. How can you put strategies in place to ensure that you eat well, and give your body the water it needs?
💪 journaling practice. Reflecting on your day, the ups and downs of sober life, and the things you learn about yourself each day is a great way to embed the lessons, spot patterns you might need to work on, and see your growth
💪 appreciation practice. My daily celebration of another sober day was fundamental to my empowered sobriety. What can you find to appreciate in each day?
💪 connection practice. We often use alcohol as a social lubricant, but the reality is that it disconnects us from ourselves, from each other, from our emotions and from the world. Taking time to connect with the people in your life, nature, yourself, your feelings is a powerful way to rebuild those vital connections.
💪 meditation practice. Learning to sit with the uncomfortable is vital if you are to make your sobriety sustainable. Meditation is a powerful way to do this. There are many ways to meditate, you don't have to sit cross legged on the floor and 'empty your mind'.
There are many other practices you can create in your life. It's your life, the practices you employ have to work for, and nourish you. This is the beauty of empowered sobriety, you create your own path to it, you don't have to follow anyone else's.
What practices will support you in your sobriety?
I have created a quiz to help you explore what you need to find peace in sobriety. Take the quiz here and start your journey to peace in sobriety today