A New Kind of Thankful
Keeping alcohol out of your holiday plans allows space to express gratitude for your sobriety journey.
Thanksgiving is a few short weeks away — a whole holiday set aside for the purpose of expressing gratitude. Maybe your Thanksgiving will be a picturesque table filled with family, friends and laughter. Or, maybe you forget to turn the oven on for the turkey. Maybe this is the first Thanksgiving that you spend sober with your family and friends. Or, maybe you’ve been sober for a few holiday seasons already.
When it comes to practicing gratitude during the holidays, author Tish Harrison Warren wrote a mantra for all types of Thanksgivings: “Thanksgiving Day softly asks us to practice thanks for the lowly lovelinesses that make up each of our lives, to take time to notice the constant and sweetest relation offered by the giver of every good gift.”
Photo courtesy of Death to Stock Photography
Whether you’re experiencing the lovelinesses of being surrounded by supportive family and friends in your sobriety journey or you are celebrating the rekindled self-discovery you’ve been able to explore without alcohol — here are a few benefits to sobriety that you might be thankful for this season:
Better mornings:
Long gone are the mornings when you woke up with a dizzy head and a dry throat. You aren’t waking up with dread — afraid to check your phone to see who you texted the night before. Without a hangover, maybe you caught the sunrise or caught up on some extra ZZZ’s. Either way, waking up with a clear mind and rested body is worth appreciating and feeling proud of yourself for.
Connection with yourself and others:
Sobriety allows you to connect with yourself and with others in a more genuine way. According to Silver Linings Recovery Center, the process of sobriety leads to regaining the patience, time and empathy needed to create long-lasting friendships. You have a new perspective on life and that will give you insight into your relationships with yourself, and with other people.
Loving relationships:
This kind of connects to the last point, but we’re sure that when you reflect on your sobriety experience there have been people around you (maybe they’re old friends or maybe they’re new friends) who have supported your decision not to drink. Whether they made you feel welcome at a party without pressuring you to try a cocktail or talked you through your experience — this season is the perfect time to show gratitude to the people who have been there.
Improved Well-Being:
Giving up alcohol has saved you on money and more time to spend prioritizing your self-care. Cutting out alcohol also means you're probably more hydrated and sleeping better. According to research, Priory Group shows that giving up alcohol even for a month removes harmful contaminants from your body, leaving you feeling and looking happier. Avoiding alcohol for a month could even save you enough money to pay for Netflix for a whole year. You are truly reaping the benefits of a life focused on fueling your body and caring for what you need. That is a huge accomplishment to be thankful for.
Photo courtesy of Death to Stock Photography
