Having Fun And Being Sober
Many of us drink so we could be the life of the party. We can operate without fear, dance like no one is watching, and talk to just about anyone. When you take away the drugs and alcohol, what is to be left of our social life? This is an especially important topic when the holidays roll around. Work events and Christmas parties can make us feel awkward and out of place. Here are our tips to have a fun time at social events without having to get wasted to do so.
Tip #1: Allow Yourself to Have a Good Time
You’ve heard all of the advice about driving your own car and getting water to drink, leaving at the first sign of being uncomfortable. However, ask yourself, are you allowing yourself to have a good time? Of course, you do not want to stay in a situation that is unsafe, but think about it this way – you have an opportunity to have a redo of a lot of things in life. Were you really the life of the party when you were falling down drunk in the corner? Or better yet, what about the times you didn’t even go because you didn’t want to deal with seeing anyone? Now, you get a chance to be a part of life again.
Tip #2: Don't Be a Wallflower
Guess what: you can still dance sober, you can still laugh sober, and you can still talk to people sober. The only thing stopping you is fear. I heard a great thing once – this woman was saying she was embarrassed to dance in front of people sober. She was afraid of what she must look like. Her friend replied back, “Oh honey, you must not realize what you looked like dancing drunk!” I thought that was great. The truth is – who cares? Talk to people. Mix and mingle. You can even dance or play pool or sing karaoke. You may feel self-conscious at first, but you will get over that. And the best part? You’ll remember it all.
Tip #3: Realize You Are Not the Only Sober One There
While it may seem crazy to an alcoholic or addict, believe it or not, there are lots of people who do not drink at social events. Maybe they are driving home, maybe they do not like the taste of alcohol or maybe they want to have control of their faculties and do not like the control they lose when they drink. No matter the reason, you are most certainly not the only sober one in the room, although it may feel that way at first. That’s because you are still used to finding your comrades – those who drink like you. Those are the people you used to gravitate toward. Now, they are hard to be around and remind you of what you can’t do. Start looking for and noticing the people without a drink in their hand. These people who you didn’t give the time of day before will probably become your close friends.
Have fun at holiday events this season, and try something new. Put yourself out there and get through the fear, and you’ll see you can have fun at holiday events, even sober.