There is nothing more exciting than Christmas at this time of the year. The parties, the dressing up, the ugly jumper day at work – everyone loves the festive cheer – even if they don’t celebrate the Nativity.
You see, Christmas is the time of year that everyone comes together to eat, drink, and be merry, and everyone loves the chance to see all of the people they haven’t seen in a while. Christmas seems to be the time of year where families come together and friends find time to meet after a long time.
The problem is that all of the drinking and eating and being merry can be a catastrophic combination for those who are trying to give up bad habits. We’re not talking about biting your nails, we’re talking being in the presence of alcohol when you’re trying to cut back. Those who have just left sober living homes often find Christmas a challenge.
Those who have tried to stop smoking find the holiday season a worrying time because of all the chances to socially smoke outside with their colleagues and friends. You need to take the edge off of the holidays so that you can join in without being pressured into all of those bad habits you tried to let go of.
So, let’s check out some of the ways that you can stay away from bad habits this holiday season.
Reduce Your Stress.
Often, stress is a catalyst for falling back into old habits and before the party season comes around, you should work to reduce your stress so that you don’t go back to the wine, or the cigarettes. In some cases, stress can also lead to Christmas binge eating. That beautiful food can be eaten for days. You do not need to go overboard with your Christmas food just because it’s Christmas.
Exercise.
When you feel those cravings, take a time out. You can go out for a walk, to wherever it is that makes you feel safest and just use the mantras that have got you this far. Turn on some music and just breathe. You can do so much for yourself with relaxation and time for yourself to concentrate. You’ll feel so much better when you do this.
Say No.
It is very tempting to say yes to “just a sip”, or “just a drag”. It’s also very tempting to nose dive into the brownies. The thing is, you can very simply say no to the pressure around you. Cutting back on something doesn’t make you boring or not fun. In fact, saying no makes you pretty strong! You should think about the fact that you are much less likely to go overboard if you can just say no and keep your strength going.
Ask Friends To Help.
If you are headed to parties and are determined not to drink, ask your friends to help you. Ask them to support you by saying no and cutting back on the wine. They can order your drinks for you and bring you soft drinks in place of alcoholic ones.
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