But we also need to make the new choice as easy as possible for our brains to accept.
Each individual's daily or weekly routine will be very different. So in mentoring we will explore those situations when your habit is to reach for alcohol. You can do this for yourself by thinking through a typical week and identifying when "choosing boozing" is simply a normal part of what you currently do.
The specifics of each situation will help us identify alternative choices. Ideally we will also make those choices in advance, because decision-making on the hoof often results in sub-optimal choices (ie ones when the brain will ensure you revert to doing what you always do).
Some of these ideas may be relevant, others not so much. Think through what could work and ditch what won't. And also accept that there can be some trial and error involved (just like it was involved when we learned to drink alcohol and decided preferred red over white, or dry over sweet) so if something doesn't work we can try something different next time. So:
- remove alcohol from your home, or at least keep it out of sight
- have your chosen substitute drink in the house
- keep cold alcohol-free beer or tonic or soda (or whatever) in the fridge
- shop online if it makes it easier to ignore the 'alcohol' tab on the website
- keep your substitute drink on the counter top where you can see it
- do not walk down the alcohol aisle in your supermarket
- if you drink as a reward, think about other ways you can reward yourself
- discover a different route home from the station that doesn't take you past the pub
- think what other drink you might have in your glass while you're cooking dinner
- put a glass jar on a visible shelf and put aside in cash the money you save each time you don't buy a drink
- ask your friends help you break the habit by not asking you to join them in sharing a bottle
- get your gym kit and trainers ready so when you walk in from work its easy to change and go for a walk or run
- volunteer to organise the next family or work event so you can select a venue that supports your alcohol free choices
- go shopping at a time when you'd normally not drink and stick to your shopping list
- consider using prepared meals, or asking other people to cook, if you're used to opening a bottle while you're in the kitchen
- check the alcohol free options for the pub or restaurant you're going to, either online or phone them to ask, and decide what you will order before you walk through the door
- always buy your own drinks at the bar and don't join the drinks kitty with your colleagues
- ask the server to move the alcohol glasses from your table setting
- write a list of things you can do instead of drinking
- phone up for the takeaway so you just collect, instead of having a drink while you wait
- meet your friends at a coffee shop instead of the pub
- write a list of things you can do to relax instead of drinking
- get together with family at a time where you wouldn't normally drink and/or somewhere that doesn't sell alcohol eg breakfast at the garden centre
- write a list of activities you can do instead of collapsing in front of the telly with your favourite drink
- volunteer as designated driver
- ask your partner to refuse to buy alcohol for you, even if they're still going to buy their own
- if you have a stressful job and drink to relax, think of other ways that would help you decompress at the end of a bad day or a long week
- if you need some emergency supplies from the corner shop take just enough money in cash to buy what you need so you simply cannot pay if you're tempted to add an extra bottle to your basket
- sign up for an activity or a gym class that's on at the same time as you normally have a drink
- ask your partner or a friend to go shopping instead of you
Or anything elsse that works! The trick here is to help your brain to find it easy to choose the new, alcohol-free way of acting in a given situation. Go for it!
Comments
Post a Comment