The Holidays are in full swing and for some, this is the first holiday season to be sober. On my first holiday, I was 8 months sober and it was scary and overwhelming and if I am being honest very humbling. I was 28 years old, living in a sober living house, working at Bath and Body Works in the Mall of America.
I couldn’t afford Christmas gifts and I didn’t have extra money to buy supplies to do any baking (nor did I have my own kitchen). There was no tree to decorate. I was embarrassed and angry when I logged onto social media and saw all my friends putting up lavish trees, baking beautiful desserts, and wrapping lots of gifts. To make matters worse (so I thought) I was alone, no significant other to share in the joy of the season.
Here’s where this week’s song comes in…LET IT GO.
NONE of these things mattered, what mattered was that I was ALIVE and able to share in the holiday with my family. I had to let go all the resentment, shame, and “keeping up with the Jones’” because if I let those things bother me, I was destined to go headfirst into the spiked egg nog bowl and ruin what I had worked hard for over the last couple of months.
Today, I have all of the things (and more) that I lusted after that first holiday.
So for today, LET IT GO!
*I got this picture for my office recently and it helps me to remember that things do get better.
TUESDAY TUNES with Lauren McLaughlin:
- Welcome to Tuesday Tunes With Sober Curator Lauren McLaughlin, AKA @JoyfullySober, Your New Weekly Sober Dance Party
- Tuesday Tunes With Sober Curator Lauren McLaughlin AKA @Joyfullysober – The Holiday Edition
PLAY IT AGAIN: Music can instantly transport you to another state of mind and alter your mood in a heartbeat. So, of course, we’re curating the greatest recovery tunes for our The Ultimate Sober Playlist. This section features select songs that represent some part of our journey and serve as sobriety anthems in reminding us to stay the course. These are the ones that have us saying “Play It Again” and always end up on repeat. No decade or genre is off-limits. Happy listening!
What’s your sobriety theme song? If there is a song you think should be on our playlist, we want to hear about it. Send your requests to thesobercurator@gmail.com
SOBERSCRIBE NOW!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
Resources are available
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
