While there are many common triggers that people experience, two that stick out for the upcoming holiday are Driving and Celebrations for 4th of July (If you’re outside of the US I hope you can pick another upcoming holiday to replace 4th of July with).
We'll all likely spend some time in the car this coming weekend. It will be stressful, especially to those in high traffic areas. If I am traveling by myself, I like to use my time in the car catching up via phone with family I haven't talked to in a while. If I am with others, we sometimes make up games that require little thought but keep us from zoning out on an electronic device. Just keep it simple and fun. If you can't come up with a game, then telling your favorite story about something along your route may be a great way to pass time. You'll be there in no time.
And then you get there... What's next? Time with family and friends, especially with the incorporation of alcohol, will be a trigger to many as we near the holiday weekend. Each weekend, Nancy (@YoungAtheart) posts a blog to remind people not to lose their quit over a drink. I think that is especially true with the upcoming weekend. Be ready with a plan if you are confronted by one of your triggers. Tell someone about it, so you're accountable and stick to it.
Whether you have just quit or you have quit a long time ago, share with us how you avoided or plan to avoid driving and holiday celebrations being triggers to get you to light up again over the holiday. If you tried something that didn’t work, share that as well. We can learn together from our mistakes and our successes.
