By Hello Sunday Morning Ambassador Talitha Cummins
Do you know why you drink? For fun, to relieve stress, for self confidence or are you self medicating your mental illness?
These are all important questions in understanding your relationship with alcohol and whether or not it’s a healthy one.
The 30 day challenge is the perfect time to ponder all of these thoughts.
A couple of tips:
– Start a journal and write down five bad experiences you’ve had relating to alcohol. It can be something embarrassing you’ve said or done or even a killer hangover that kept you in bed for two days. Use it as a reference during 30 Days Clean – it’s a powerful tool if your resolve weakens.
– Socialise with your friends through exercise – I regularly catch up with girlfriends on walks, followed by a breakfast or lunch.
– Replace alcohol with something else – exercise is recommended!! Attach some goals to it. And extend it beyond the challenge.
How not to drink when all of your friends are??
– Don’t put yourself in that situation – recovering gamblers don’t hang out in Casinos!
– Arrive early, leave early. By 10pm people are usually talking Spanglish – cue to leave.
– Explain to friends what you’re trying to achieve prior a social engagement.
– But most of all, recognise this is something you’re doing for yourself and you don’t need to answer to anyone. Happy Challenge!