A drastic lifestyle shift like the changes we embrace in LRD Academy will, without question, have a lasting impact on your social life. However, it’s important we recognize how to balance and maintain a healthy lifestyle and a social life because having a supportive community is one of the core necessities to creating sustainable change.

When it comes to being social in modern times (let’s think pre-pandemic here), how many of these activities or events prompt the thought of over indulging in food or alcohol?

• Holiday parties
• sports or tailgating events
• celebrating life events
• date nights
• office meetings
• hangovers
• girl nights or weekend events
• work meetings and work events

 

Hear me out, a healthy lifestyle shift is not saying no to all of these things, but rather learning balance and moderation in them.

Read: 5 Tips to Avoid Over-Consuming Alcohol this Holiday Season

Before diving into some of these practical tips, it’s important to keep in mind that true friends will appreciate being invited into this journey with you. They’ll cheer you on and see the positive changes happening in your life and will want to be a part of that. They will come around. Those who don’t or who don’t support you making positive changes for yourself are probably not the kind of people you need around you as you move forward in this new journey.

Try these practical tips to balance a healthy lifestyle and a social life:

Offer to cook friends or coworkers a plant-based meal.

 

Be open and honest. Communication is key. Talk through why you are choosing not to attend events or parties you normally would have.

 

Invite friends or coworkers on a hike, walk or workout with you. Social activities can also be opportunities to move your body and exercise.

 

Don’t be scared to say no or do your own thing for awhile.

 

Don’t let the need for external validation or approval outweigh the need for your own approval.

 

Find community with others who are making similar life changes. Join our Free Facebook group: Plant Based Lifestyle & Natural Weight Loss For Women

 

Give yourself space to reset. If for a short period of time you need to say no to Happy Hours, it’s okay to give yourself that.

 

If an event or social activity begins to trigger you, don’t be afraid to leave early.

 

I’m not saying you can’t enjoy social activities and maintain moderation, but if you notice that you don’t know how to participate in them without heavily relying on indulging in food or alcohol as your sole entertainment, than you need to take some time to detach and separate yourself from these environments and reset. Taking space and power away from problematic influences allows you to regain that power and control over choice. And, that’s how you build self-discipline. The harder that is for you to do that, the more you need to do it.

Remember, you even have an opportunity to a beacon of positive influence in this. Allow yourself to radiate the positive energy that is flowing through you to those people around you.

Listen to my IG TV all about social life and making changes

As the Holiday season approaches, I encourage you to start challenging your boundaries with self-sabotaging associations.

Read: Powerful Journal Prompts to Stop Self-Sabotage

If you need accountability or group support, check out our online LRD courses.