Surviving St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17 and it’s time to make plans for a successful and happy holiday. There are things you just can’t miss when Chicago is celebrating St. Paddy’s Day. Enjoy traditions such as the parade and the dyeing of the Chicago river on the 14th. Be aware that with these events, might also come the temptation to drink. You might find excuses to want to drink. Maybe it’s the green beer, or “you only get green beer once a year, let’s have a drink”. Before you get to this point, call your Chicago recovery house friends.

If you start now, you can plan a great day while still living sober in Chicago on one of the biggest holidays known for its pub crawls. Visit www.choosechicago.com/st-patricks-day, to start your planning. Set up a planned day for a fresh start to a new way of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. If you must have the Irish pub food, find an Irish pub, but take your Chicago recovery house friends with you to give yourselves the extra strength you need.

I know I keep mentioning bringing your Chicago recovery house friends with you. I do this for a reason- we all need support in staying sober. If you have chosen to keep your friends who are not living sober, most times going out with them is difficult at best. They might not understand the battle that goes on day-in and day-out within yourself to stay sober. The group at the recovery house have gone through what you have. They have some of the same demons you have and have the know-how to battle them. It is hard to fight a battle on your own. Embrace the recovery buddies you have made. Learn that there is still a lot of fun to be had living a life in a recovery house.