I hear this all the time from my 1:1 clients and 60 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge participants. They turn to alcohol when they're tired.
Have y'all heard of HALT? Hungry. Angry. Lonely. Tired. There's a reason why it's used in the recovery space. These are the four primary triggers. So if you have a craving, then ask yourself. Am I hungry? If yes, have a snack. Am I angry? Let that energy out. Punch a pillow. Scream. Take some deep breathes. Am I lonely? If yes, reach out to a friend or someone in the sober community. Am I tired? If yes, and you can take a nap, then do it. If not, then do something where you can relax without having to use much energy.
Give yourself a break and the real rest you deserve. Don't go to alcohol, which will only interrupt your REM sleep and may give you a boost of energy in the beginning but will make you even more tired in the end. And you're not going to recharge the way that you'd be able to without alcohol. Seriously try it. Compare the rest you'd get with alcohol and the rest you'd get without. The rest without alcohol beats with ANY DAY.
We discuss HALT and so much more in the Confidently Be Alcohol-Free - 60 Day Challenge. The next round of my (@sobermomcoach) signature 60 Day Alcohol-Free Challenge opens up for registration soon. To be the first to know when doors re-open so you can grab that extra bonus for the first few who sign up, then get on that waitlist by clicking here!
This week I'll be "resting" more than normal due to my son's Spring Break. Still doing work but at half capacity. For someone with the all-or-nothing mentality, this type of balance can still be challenging for me, but I'm a continual work in progress.
This is your permission slip to do the same. Rest. Recharge. Do whatever you need to. Don't feel pressured to be ON 24/7. And when I say ON, I mean on social media, on personality wise, and on as a mother. We all deserve a break. And that break doesn't include alcohol.
I hope everyone has an amazing alcohol-free day!