Using the Holidays to Celebrate Sobriety

The holidays are a time of celebration; a time to look back on the year while also looking forward to what is to come. However, for those navigating their continued sobriety as alumni, the holidays can also be a difficult time filled with anxiety, depression, and stress. For some, difficult memories can be tied to the holiday season, while others may still hold expectations of substance use during this time of year. Actively changing the holidays to accommodate sobriety is paramount. Thankfully, it is always possible to utilize the holidays to not just distance oneself from past use but to celebrate sobriety as well, ensuring a transformed way to celebrate the season. 

Celebrating sobriety as an alumnus is incredibly important. Even after graduating from Hawaii Island Recovery’s substance abuse treatment in Hawaii and transitioning to daily life outside of a treatment facility, there is still a deluge of challenges for alumni to overcome. A person’s journey with addiction and recovery doesn’t end at the walls of a treatment facility. Rather, genuine recovery is a continuous journey of change and evolution. 

While important, this kind of journey is exhausting. It is common for many alumni to feel overwhelmed, or as if they have plateaued at some point in their recovery. Learning to celebrate sobriety is a crucial part of overcoming these feelings, as well as other common challenges in each person’s journey. 

Not only does finding new ways to celebrate sobriety help to reinforce each person’s sober transformations throughout their journey but doing so is also important for maintaining motivation. Unfortunately, words like “addiction” and “recovery” are still all too often stigmatized, and those navigating their sober journey may be surrounded by others who are not as educated about the challenges and need for change therein, especially when there are unsupportive social groups or difficult coworkers to navigate. 

Celebrating sobriety this holiday draws attention to the importance of each person’s sobriety and the various challenges they have overcome. The holidays are an excellent opportunity to celebrate with those that matter most. However, alumni must still approach the holiday season with new intentions, expectations, and plans, and Hawaii Island Recovery can help change how each alumnus celebrates the holiday season through a newfound perspective. 

The holiday season is already a time when friends and families come together to engage in festivities. However, making these festivities around a person’s year of sober accomplishments can be a wholly new event. Working with friends, family, and Hawaii Island Recovery professionals to approach the holiday season with effective ways to celebrate sobriety can be a transformative experience. 

The holidays can hold many expectations, and for some, this may include the use of drugs or alcohol. However, hosting each person’s own sober holiday celebration can challenge these expectations and create a new way to celebrate sobriety this holiday season. Curating the guest list and planning out an evening of holiday festivities can be a transformative experience as people come together not only in solidarity with a person’s sober goals and progress but also to continue to enjoy the holiday season for all it has to offer. 

Setting up games and activities, having a holiday movie night, or cooking a special meal can all be ways to make the holiday feel new and fresh while continuing to acknowledge each alumnus’s sober change. Meanwhile, alumni can even use the opportunity to cook themselves or showcase new life skills embraced in sobriety to highlight their change and celebrate these skills and efforts.

Having the most important people in a person’s life around for the holidays presents an amazing opportunity to take time and reflect on the changes made and how far each alumnus has come in their journey. Those continuing to navigate daily sober life can use this opportunity to embrace gratitude in their recovery journey, giving personal thanks for specific supportive actions taken by friends, family, and loved ones, or sharing from a gratitude journal to let supports know how much their efforts have meant during the most trying times. 

Moreover, having time to reflect on change can add a new feeling and atmosphere to the holiday season, helping further transform this time from one that used to be associated with drugs or alcohol to a time that celebrates reaching each difficult milestone in sobriety.

Volunteering is a powerful act of service for those continuing to navigate their newfound sober lives, and the holiday season is ripe with opportunities to volunteer and give back to local communities or people. Those who have established a consistent daily sober life can even choose to give back to local recovery facilities, or even commit to becoming a sponsor to further a cycle of healing and recovery in daily life. 

Giving the gift of support, experience, and understanding this holiday season and reaching out to others navigating the challenges of addiction and recovery themselves can be a great way to embrace the holiday spirit while maintaining a focus and commitment to sober change. 

The holidays are a complicated time for alumni continuing to navigate their best sober lives. However, the holidays can also be a time to celebrate sobriety, and Hawaii Island Recovery’s substance abuse treatment in Hawaii is committed to helping each alumnus celebrate their accomplishments throughout the sober journey. Whether you are celebrating your first sober holiday as an alumnus or are celebrating another fulfilling year in sobriety, finding ways to celebrate and draw attention to the accomplishments of each year is part of a genuinely transformative experience. If you are looking for more ideas on how you can approach the holiday season with your friends and family, or looking for a community to celebrate your sobriety, call (866) 390-5070.