If you’ve recently gotten sober, you might be worried that life isn’t going to be fun anymore, that everything is boring when you’re sober.
There are plenty of fun things to do sober. Sober fun isn’t impossible. You just have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone.
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Here are some fun things to do sober.
1. Play Sports
No matter what 12-step group you go to, you’ll probably find a group of people who play volleyball in the summer and go bowling at any time of the year.
But that’s not the only sport available — there are tons of other options out there. You can join a pickup basketball game or an adult sports league.
Of course, you need to be the kind of person who’s into exercising to do these kinds of things, and it’s okay if you’re not. If that’s the case, play a sport that’s less intensive, like golf.
2. Go to a Meeting and Go Eat Afterwards
Another really common activity that you’ll see in 12-step groups is that people will go eat after the meeting, usually in a large group.
This is a great way to meet people at your home group and get to know them. It’s also a good reminder that you can socialize in public without having to drink or use.
3. Go Hiking or Mountain Biking
Getting outside is important in sobriety. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in your mental health. A supplement is insufficient — sunlight is critical to get the full effect.
Hiking or mountain biking lets you explore and see new parts of the world and is something you can do with friends.
Hiking also doesn’t cost anything, though mountain biking can be expensive. Still, if you’re sober, you probably have more money than you did while you were using and drinking, so why not use it to buy something fun and good for your body?
4. Go on a Boat Ride or Go Fishing
This depends on where you live and how much money you have, but going boating can be some good sober fun. Whether it’s on a lake or in the ocean, you don’t have to drink to enjoy yourself on a boat.
There are plenty of places where you can rent a boat or have someone take you out for a fee, so don’t let the idea of buying a boat deter you from this sober activity.
Fishing — whether on a boat or not — is also a great sober activity. While it’s normally associated with drinking, going fishing with friends who are also sober is a good way to stay accountable.
5. Create Art
Creating art might mean painting, or it might mean making music or just doing some journaling. Maybe you like to create pottery or write short stories or draw. Maybe you like to knit or sew. Think about the kinds of creative things you did before you ever started drinking or using drugs — that’s the place to start.
Creating art can let you channel all that extra energy you have when you get sober into something productive that makes you feel great when you finish it.
6. Go on a Road Trip
Road trips allow you to explore the area you live in and see things you wouldn’t get to see otherwise if you went on a plane trip. When you were using and drinking, road trips were dangerous at best.
Now that you’re sober, you can take a road trip with friends or family, something you’ll appreciate a lot more and be able to clearly remember. Your friends and family will appreciate being able to spend time with the new sober you.
If you go to 12-step meetings, what’s really cool about sober road trips is that you can go to new meetings in new places and meet new sober people.
7. Go to an Escape Room
The idea behind an escape room is that you’re “locked” in a room with a series of puzzles, and you have to solve the puzzles if you want to escape. There are escape rooms all over the country, and you’re usually only there for an hour or two.
You can go with a group of friends, or even with people from your sober house (if you live in one) or your home group.
8. Go 4-Wheeling or Motorcycling
Just like with boating, there are plenty of places where you can rent a 4-wheeler or a motorcycle and go along with instructors to make sure you’re doing it safely, but if you’ve got a friend with either of these vehicles, consider asking them to go with you.
For many sober people, this is an activity that they used to engage in before they started drinking and using, something they couldn’t do while under the influence. Now that you’re sober and can get back into life, it’s possible to enjoy motorsports again.
9. Go to the Beach or the Lake
There are many places across the country that have either a beach or a lake where you can hang out, get some sun, maybe do a little fishing, and relax.
Relaxing is really important in sobriety, especially when the only way you used to relax was through substances. It’s good to learn new ways to relax so that you don’t immediately want to return to drugs and alcohol when you’re stressed.
Beaches and lakes are perfect for that, and even when they’re crowded, they at least get you outside.
They’re also great for a BBQ, which you can definitely do with a group of sober friends from your 12-step group.
IOP at ASIC Recovery
Are you looking for substance abuse treatment in Texas?
At ASIC Recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is dedicated to helping individuals develop healthier coping skills and build a recovery supportive network in all aspects.
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