STRATEGIES TO QUIT
12 Party Survival Tips
If you’ve been working hard to cut down or even ditch the drink all year then it’s possible you are facing the festive season with some trepidation — and a concern that you are going to undo all the progress you’ve made.
So let’s make a plan…here are 12 top tips to get you through
1.Party like a celebrity
Do you think those guys accept every single invite they get? Of course not! They pick and choose and so must you. Just pick the events you really really want to go to — then turn up late and leave early!
2. Don’t get overtired
Pace yourself. One or two parties/events a week is probably quite enough if you work full time. When exhaustion sets in, you could find yourself reaching for a drink to give you a “lift” so try to avoid getting to that stage.
3. Have your go-to-drinks
There are more and more alcohol-free alternatives coming on the market. You can phone the venue to see what alcohol-free drinks they have before you go. If you have something that looks vaguely alcoholic people will leave you alone and you won’t have to spend the night telling them your life story!
4. Remember, alcohol is not a magic potion
We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that alcohol has magic properties when of course it’s you, your friends, and the environment that provides the fun — not the contents of your glass!
5. Fake it till you make it
Slap a smile on your face and commit to an hour of making a real effort. Listen to what people are saying and you might learn something interesting. Act like you’re going to have a fabulous time and who knows, you just might
6. Be an anthropologist
Mingle and observe — catch those voices changing pitch, listen out for “those stories” being told once again, and look out for people wearing their sexy (drunk) faces. You’re not judging, you’re just entertaining yourself ;-)
7. Always have an escape plan
Make sure you can go home when you want to. This means that if you are giving people a lift to the party they should be prepared to make their own way back. You can leave whenever you want, it’s no big deal. You came — and now you are going.
8. Turn the event into a challenge
If you’ve been using alcohol to party hard for years then you are not going to get the hang of this overnight. You need to learn the art of sober small talk not to mention sober dancing and it takes time. But keep at it and gradually your social life will evolve from survival to enjoyment to awesome mode.
9. Make a firm decision that you’re not going to drink
Make sobriety a priority and don’t even think about “deciding when you get there,” we all know how that one will end. Be assertive when offered a drink, a firm “no thanks” is going to work better for you than “I really shouldn’t”.
10. Remember it’s just one night
The average night out lasts only about 5 hours. A good night depends on so many things; the mood you are in, the venue, the music, the people you are with — not just the contents of your glass. Cast your mind back and you will remember plenty of nights out that were decidedly average in spite of copious amounts of alcohol.
11. Prepare an explanation
Frankly, it’s nobody’s business but people are very nosy. In a shouty party, it’s usually easier to lie — “I’m on meds” is a quick and easy one.
12. Play the movie forward
You are going to feel so great tomorrow morning and many of these other people are not.
If you’d like some community and online support to get you through the festive season and/or a dry January then check out our annual fundraiser.
Janet Gourand
Founder of Tribe Sober
