NOTE!
There is a DAY 8 entry under this one... this one was just an update to the first one I posted. :)
Success!
I made it through tonight without touching any alcohol or brownies (or sugar corn or carmel corn)! And other than a fleeting urge to have a brownie, it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I was busy playing cards & did not care about the food. In fact, it was kind of nice not to have the snack plate & wine glass taking up space around me. I didn't have to keep worrying about trying not to elbow my wine glass onto the floor.
Tomorrow is still looming...
Tomorrow's gathering will have a bunch of people I don't know (in addition to the couple of friends I haven't seen in a long time), and I've got social anxiety out the wazoo, so I'm really nervous about the gathering. Normally, I'd think, "I'll just have a couple glasses of wine when I get there to take the edge off of my nerves" but I can't rely on that tomorrow. My other technique is to always have a little snack plate so that I can just sort of hang out near a group and chew and nod and blend in to the background, but that too--can't rely on that. (Gah! My crutches are gone!)
So, I'm really, really nervous. I'm really proud of myself for doing well tonight, but I'm already on pins & needles about tomorrow. Damn anxiety.
Marissa, you will do great!
ReplyDeleteIs it not great to walk without crutches?
Hi Marissa,
ReplyDeleteHow is your calf doing?
Through my PCP, I learned to counter anxiety with deep breaths and green tea. Now, I always have a bag in my purse.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your PCP -- you're doing great!
Marissa -
ReplyDeleteI'm on a 'roadtrip' of sorts to conferences and meeting heaps of people I don't know and I usually do what you do.... grab a glass or a plate and occupy myself with it when I feel awkward in the conversation. But just like last night when "it was kind of nice not to have the snack plate & wine glass taking up space around me" - you'd be surprised how much freer you feel not holding anything - and I was surprised how many people don't partake.... usually I only notice the eaters and drinkers... but the events I've been at the last couple of days - I noticed way more abstainers. New perspective, maybe?
Good luck! I don't think it'll be as hard as you think!
K
Or you could try a glass of water to keep your hands occupied - I use it so I can drink during awkward moments (and to go and refill it to exit a conversation gracefully ...)
ReplyDeleteHope your calf is feeling better!
It helps to take your fruit snack or save some of your meal portions so you can grab something off the veggie tray or bread and cheese plate...that way you don't have to feel like you can't have anything. I started showing up to parties with a bottle of seltzer. The other bit of it is that PCP makes for good conversation...people usually have a lot of questions.
ReplyDelete@Lili--It totally is, though I was speaking metaphorically (of alcohol & snacks being my "crutches" for social situations). I wasn't very clear on that, especially considering the hurt leg situation a few days ago!
ReplyDelete@Nickety--It's doing much better than I thought! I wrote a little more about it in the Day 8 post that's underneath this one. But basically it's still really tight and tender, but capable of walking close to normal & even doing squats. No lunges or high-impact activity yet. But doing well.
@Shelly--Thank you for the tip! I never thought of green tea as being an anxiety-helper. I will give that a try!
@Kelly--Thanks for the reassurance. Hopefully that will be my experience too, noticing all of the water-sippers and non-snackers around me. I imagine you're exactly right, that it's a difference in perspective (or difference in what we're focusing on). Will be a good experiment to see.
@Heather--Good call on the water glass. I will plan to do that, especially because that also seems to prevent people from constantly offering to get you a glass of wine/beer/etc. (and thus forcing me to say no).
@Emily--Good tip on taking along the fruit snack. I will be going straight to the get-together from dinner with my family, so I'll be able to fall back on the "No thanks, I just ate" excuse (which will be true). But having the fruit snack with me is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI was speaking metaphorically too.
ReplyDelete