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It’s not Thanksgiving if I don’t watch Plains, Trains and Automobiles — one of my favorites. RIP John Candy.

preparing for the holidays

The holidays are a beautiful time, but they can be incredibly stressful. If you’ve never seen Plains, Trains and Automobiles, it’s a hilarious movie, but it also really punctuates how the season can be as stressful as it is sentimental. This post isn’t about the movie, but like, it kinda is, because I love it so much.

Whether you are trying to quit drinking or not, it’s important for us to have positive coping mechanisms during a time when we might feel particularly unmoored. It’s equally important that we try to show ourselves grace during this possibly stressful time.

First, take a minute and pick 3 healing tools you can have at your disposal during the holidays. It can be anything from a meditation app on your phone, to stocking your refrigerator with delicious non-alcoholic beverages, to putting post-it note reminders with encouragement and grounding tools. Try not to overthink it — you’re just trying to have some tools to support you. If this is all you do to prepare for the holidays, you’ve done really well!

Here are more ways to prepare for the holidays, just from Gather the Inklings:

Write an affirmation to ground you during the holidays
Lower the bar — be gracious toward yourself in the process and honest about the realities of your life
Remember you can feel the feeling
Practice HALT if you begin to feel overwhelmed

If you’re wanting to stock the house with non-alcoholic beverages, check out my master list of favorite non-alcoholic beverages.

And now is the perfect time to explore my guide to caring for yourself & hosting during the holidays.

I am sending you all my love during this holiday season. Take care of yourself next week — and every week — and I look forward to sending another healing moment in December. <3

healing moment

This weekly post provides practical insight into recovery, sobriety, changing how we cope, connecting with our minds, bodies, and souls, and more. It could be any of the following: quote, podcast rec, coaching technique, or something else completely. This is a form of free support for you, dear friends! I hope this gives you even more care. <3

discerning sobriety course

Want even more healing tools? My course — Discerning Sobriety — guides you as you reflect on the role of alcohol in your life, through 20 lessons and 20 spiritual practices. Discerning Sobriety is for the sober curious, anyone who wants to bring mindfulness into their relationship with alcohol, and people in recovery. You will receive one email every day for 40 days, leading you through a spiritual listening (discernment!) process, as you connect with mind, body, and soul.

This is a great way to use continuing education funds before the end of the year. You will begin getting the emails the day you sign up, but they can be saved to access later if you want to return to the work at a different time. I’m happy to write an invoice for your church for this if that is helpful. <3

START DISCERNING SOBRIETY NOW

gather the inklings

healing moment: preparing for the holidays