I love all of the secret agent gadgets that keep secret agent 007 from ruin, and death. I want to have all of those same gadgets at my disposal when I'm feeling the ruin of over drinking and close to deadening my life with booze - at the end of my rope. When you decide to take a proper break from drinking it is so smart to be prepared and have your favorite things nearby for your success.
Early in my journey toward stopping over drinking I heard the idea of a toolbox to keep handy to keep me on track.
Imagine yourself building a new home. You will need a well stocked toolbox to do this. You are creating a new home figuratively for yourself while learning how to stop over drinking. You need to be equipped for success.
There are "tools" internally and externally that are to be used as coping mechanisms to shift or relieve our current state. Healthy tools (purposeful thought work, exercise, meditation, deep breathing) and unhealthy tools (watching too much T.V., over shopping, binge watching Netflix, alcohol, drugs, etc). We have them to soften life's blows...
The goal is to load up on healthy tools while you explore taking a break from alcohol or stopping your over drinking.
The best tool you have is your brain. Your thoughts. You can do anything if you set you mind to it.
Here are the tools that I use to keep me motivated, strong, empowered.
Thought Work-
Practicing my life coach skills and doing a thought download (in a nut shell, it's like writing a journal of thoughts in a 5 minute period of time everyday) to truly be aware of the thoughts in my head that are giving me the results in my life. If my results aren't where they should be I need to take a deep look at what I saying to myself. If my thoughts are keeping me stuck I create a stream of thoughts that get me to where I want to be. For example, "I'll never change", "this is too hard". Those thoughts keep me unchanged. If I say "I'm working on change", "I'm in the process of learning new things" changes my trajectory. It's a commitment to do this, but truthfully, that shift in thoughts changed everything for me.
Long Walks-
I let my brain wander and find gratitude on nearly an everyday basis. I let my thoughts come to the surface, both negative and positive (remember life is 50-50 with both positive and negative. You don't know happy without knowing sad). I don't want to shut out my thoughts by tuning into music or podcasts all of the time. I made a "rule" for myself that I don't listen to anything but nature for half of the walk and on the way back I allow myself to listen to a motivating podcast if I'm in the mood. Sometimes I just end up listening to nature the entire time.
Tea-
All the time tea! Yummy- I have it in my purse. I take it on vacation so I always have my favorite flavors.
Tazo Chai Tea
Tazo Passion Tea
English Breakfast Tea
Sparking Mocktails-
Pelengrino with lemon or lime
Berkshire Blend
La Croix
Treats-
I was never a big sweet eater, but of course I'd never turn down an offer for one. I noticed my ritual for a treat at the end of the day helped me to not reach for a glass of wine...I wonder if there is some connection to not craving sweets when you're a wine drinker. Perhaps the sugar level in alcohol was satisfying my sugar cravings because I rarely had sweets until I stopped drinking. I rationalized to myself that I'd rather have a sugary treat than a glass of wine. I'm starting to explore removing sugar from my diet- YIKES!
Essential Oils-
Lavender
Synergy Blends
Eucalyptus
Baths-
Nearly everyday with Epsom Salt and a delicious smelling candle
Massages-
As many times as I can afford
Podcasts-
This Naked Mind
Home Podcast
The Bubble Hour
Edit Our Drinking and Our Lives
The Life Coach School-Brooke Castillo
Rachel Hart Coaching- Take a Break
Meditation-
I need to be more dedicated to this, but at the beginning I did a lot of it.
Insight Timer
Headspace
Chopra Mediation Center
Dancing/Having Fun-
Blasting some favorite music and dancing when no one is around. Or, dancing around with my kids and husband until they decide to join in with me.
Going for walks
Bike riding
Walks on beach trail with friends
Lunches with friends and loved ones
Books-
This Naked Mind by Annie Grace
30 Day Sobriety Solution by Jack Canfield and Dave Andrews
Simple Abundance Sarah Ban Breathnach
Carry on, Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton
FB groups-
She Recovers
Retreats & Finding a Community of Like Minded People-
She Recovers retreats
Instagram-
This Naked Mind
Positively Present
Sober Mom Tribe
You Are Not Stuck
No More Alcohol for Me
Research and Learning-
Our minds get a big dopamine hit when we learn. Our prefrontal cortex wants to grow and we want to do better naturally. Look for information out there that stimulates you to be the best you can be.
This is just a start and I will continue to add to this blog as I find more gems!
You will need to create your own tools/database. Start a spreadsheet. Keep some of these items near your and in your purse so you are able to have them in a moments notice and at your fingertips.
You've got this!
✅ P.S. Need a simple to follow step-by-step process to drink less? Check out my signature programs HERE.