New Year Celebration Suggestions

By Kelly Krishna Dunn

I love to create and design, it is such a healthy outlet. Helpful and healing in every way.

New Year’s Eve! This is the one night of the year when society unites in a pro-drinking mentality that accepts and excuses all manner of drunken behavior (except, of course driving drunk). It is not just that excessive drinking is tolerated on this night; it is that it is encouraged and promoted. Ads on TV for sparkling wine and other assorted cocktails. Security guards and long lines appear at liquor stores and images of “happy” alcohol related celebrations decorate billboards. Bars and clubs vie for the attention of their patrons with promises of the “best” drinking environment for the most celebrated drunken spectacle of the year. What’s happening? The message is: the only way to enjoy yourself is to get drunk.

While this is in itself a disturbing suggestion that affects the whole spectrum of society – children included – it has a specific consequence for alcoholics. No one knows the dangers involved with excessive drinking better than those who suffer from alcohol addiction. The psychological motivation of the “good time” and alcohol is a driving force for many who struggle in recovery. Learning that what represents a real “good time” does not require the use of varieties of alcohol stimulants which can be a difficult lesson to absorb in sobriety. Attending parties, watching Saturday night sports, dinner with friends – these are all environments that usually involve the use of alcohol. The recovering alcoholic learns how to adjust to these environments (sometimes needing to avoid completely) and often comes to terms that life itself can still be enjoyed with a glass of sparkling water instead of wine.

But New Year's Eve is different. The aura of superfluousness of holiday indulgence. And herein lies the great danger for the alcoholic. In recovery, what estimates "unacceptable" is a drinking mentality that moves fast into self-destruction. It is not so much about how many drinks or if one drink can be "managed." It is a state of mind, in the mind, that is destructive to the individual who is suffering and is "triggered" by drinking alcohol to ease the pain inside. This state of mind that is"unacceptable" to the alcoholic and the encouragement at New Year's Eve to embrace the alcohol induced behavior has a very different effect on the individual associated with alcoholism that the "social" drinker. The illusion of New Year’s Eve is that it is the “exception." It is the one night where there are no rules. For the alcoholic, when she or he is not sober, every night is the “exception." The “exception” is the norm for the active alcoholic and the road to recovery involves a reprogramming and rethinking of what incorporates the norm. Remember to take it one day at a time. If you desire to keep the turning of the new year and celebrate in a way that is much different than before, you look to set an intention to invite the new year here are five New Year celebration suggestions.

Chill out with Yoga and Meditation
Shake the stress off and practice some meditation and yoga to ensure balance and center. Through the practice of meditation, you begin to peek at that goodness, the unconditional love, and ground of existence. It is a celebration of opening with appreciation and gentleness. Look for a weekend workshop or yoga-related event that includes meditation instruction, sitting, and perhaps walking meditation, discussion groups, talks and question and answer sessions. If you have never meditated before, and are interested, this can be a helpful start to find meditation in SF.

Laughter Yoga
Laugh some more each day with laughter yoga exercises. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine. Its true, humor lightens, inspires, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, aware, and focused. Check out Sphere- Mindful Tribe it’s a new mindfulness and meditation app. Mindful ways to ring in the year by laughter sessions this app offers, laughing exercises here on Sphere_App that will have you laughing for days.

New Year’s Eve Mindfulness and Meditation Retreat
Bring in the New Year consciously and intentionally, reflecting on the past year, lessons learned along the way, discoveries, and bring in a new beginning for 2017 that aligns with nature's course, your soul's calling. In the practice of mindfulness, meditation, group discussions and time in nature brings a peaceful and self-realization celebration to invite 2017.

Attend a late night yoga class
There are a couple of late night yoga classes that offer candle-lit yoga classes, Friday night midnight yoga classes, weekend night midnight meditation and yoga gatherings. If you are in the San Francisco area Laughing Lotus on 16th street SF and also on 16th street SF Yoga to the People has candle-lit yoga classes in the evening at its Berkeley location in Shattuck Sq.

Hotel Heaven
Check out apps like JetSetter for hot hotel deals or bid a hotel price of your choice on Priceline find deals and book a hotel near you, grab your loved one, and treat yourself and your loved one to a peaceful night. Taking a bubble bath, ordering room service, watching movies in a soft king-sized hotel bed, having a movie marathon and watching the ball drop live from New York right from your self-created oasis can be another way to invite New Year 2017.