Addiction has a tendency to infiltrate one’s life. If you’re going through addiction recovery, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of your activities in the past have revolved around drug and/or alcohol use. Now that you’re sober, it’s time to change your habits and learn to have fun and enjoy life without substance abuse. Fortunately, there are plenty of activities you can enjoy that are healthy and drug and alcohol-free.
Importance of Changing Your Habits
A common side effect of addiction is developing bad habits. These habits are often encouraged by the people around you who are also addicted to drugs or alcohol. Changing your old habits is a fundamental component to getting and staying sober. When you ditch the people who used to do drugs with you and shake loose of your bad habits, you can start focusing on how to have fun in sobriety.
Reevaluate Your Friendships
Consider the people you’ve been hanging out with. Are they people you would buy drugs from? Are they people who would try to outdrink you? Are they still calling you now that you’re sober? Most people who use drugs or alcohol surround themselves with like-minded individuals. Now that you’re sober you’ll probably want to think twice before hanging out with your old friends.
Support from others makes a world of difference in sobriety. If you have people in your life who you don’t think will support your decision to pursue recovery, you have every right to reevaluate the relationship and ultimately, end it.
Design Your Schedule to Avoid Temptation
In the early days of going sober, it’s important to create a schedule. If you’re busy, you’re less likely to think about drugs or alcohol. Routine will also give you a sense of purpose. By establishing a daily schedule, you will also help remove chaos from your life. Knowing what’s ahead of you for the day will give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning and something to look forward to.
Brainstorm Healthy New Activities
Look at the activities you’ve been taking part in regularly up until now. You might have many activities on your schedule – like after-work happy hours. Social situations like this can be triggering, especially in early sobriety. It’s totally OK to sit out of the company happy hour. Risking your sobriety isn’t worth getting 10 minutes of facetime in with the boss.
Ideas for Sober Fun
There are so many possibilities for having fun without drugs or alcohol. Going sober doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun anymore. Below are four different ideas for having fun:
Exercise
Exercising is one of the best things you can start doing in recovery. Exercising helps you to relieve stress in a healthy way. Find an option for exercising that you enjoy. You don’t necessarily have to run on a treadmill or lift weights, you can take a weekly yoga class with a friend.
You can also consider playing a sport you used to play. Join a local sports league like a soccer or tennis club to make your healthy exercise activities social.
Volunteer
Another great idea is to volunteer in your community. This will allow you to meet new people with similar interests. Animal shelters, local gardens, and hospitals are just a few examples of places that always need volunteers. You’ll have fun and also get to help people or animals.
Take up a Creative Hobby
If you’re interested in the arts, you can get creative with a new activity like writing or drawing classes. Taking lessons in art or creative writing can provide you with an outlet to express yourself. This can help relieve stress and provide you with a healthy and productive way to overcome problems in your life.
Read
Reading is an easy way to pass the time when you are readjusting your schedule to sober living. Head to your local library and browse the shelves. You’re likely to find some great reading ideas that will keep you occupied while expanding your knowledge. The best part about the library: it’s more cost-effective than purchasing books on Amazon.
We Can Help You!
Are you ready to overcome addiction and live a happy, sober life? Lake Arrowhead Recovery Center is here to help. We’re a free resource for anyone struggling with addiction. Our staff is available 24/7 and can help you find the right addiction treatment for you. Reach out to us today to get your life back from addiction.