If we’re going to get sober and stay sober, we need things to do instead of drinking alcohol where we usually would.
For most of us, going sober means lots of changes for our body, mind, and emotions, and it’s to be expected.
When we decide to take alcohol out of our lives it’s instinctive to lock ourselves away, more often than not left feeling bored, miserable, and just overall crap. Where we’d usually fill an evening with drinks and altered consciousness, there is now a void that wants to be filled.
Today I’m going to present a few ideas to do just that, some that I lean toward regularly, others that spring to mind and strike me as positive activities.
Every suggestion on this list will benefit your lifestyle, mood, and growth in more ways than one. It’s important to remember that while enjoyable for a time, alcohol is a detriment to our bodies. It’s a poison, that even physiologically is not welcomed by our systems. And that’s before we even begin to list the psychological, emotional, and personal impact alcohol has on our lives.
I recommend that you bookmark this post and come back whenever you’re feeling low from abstinence. Pick something from the list and have an awesome night!
1: Try an activity with friends or family.
Activities like bowling, ice skating, laser tag, and escape rooms, can be a great way to both spend an evening, and wear you out at the same time!
I always find that when my body is tired and I’ve done something fun, I’m less interested in drinking alcohol overall. And that’s before I committed to sobriety!
When we fill our time with fun and engaging activities like these we also tick off the social aspect at the same time. Win/win. And of course the possibilities are endless. Don’t be afraid to try the most obscure things!
Bowling, ice skating, cinema, climbing, escape room- the possibilities are endless!
2: Fancy Restaurant / Gourmet Cheffing
When going sober It’s important to remember we aren’t tied to our houses. As much as others can instantly label you as boring, a sober life is often quite the opposite!
You have better sleep, more energy, a healthier body and mind, and as such, spend less time groggy, foggy, and hungover.
I don’t know about you, but I like good food. Like I seriously fucking love food! So whether it’s going out for a decent meal, or better yet, putting some time aside to cook an ambitious meal, I’m all in!
For me there’s no better feeling than having friends and/or family trying a meal I’ve lovingly crafted and enjoying it! Well that’s a lie, it’s a slightly better feeling when I eat it myself 😉
It takes a huge chunk of time, you get to socialise and have a sense of achievement, you add a new recipe to your list of can-do’s, and have the comfort of your own familiar surroundings.
If you utterly despise cooking, go out for a meal at a swanky-ass restaurant, so long as you can trust yourself not to order the house red!
3: Work on a new hobby or skill
Ever wish you could draw? Play piano?Paint, write, carve skulls out of tiny pieces of wood? Sculpt naked bodies with clay? —No judgement here.
Well there’s never been a better time to start! Turning your hand to something new while going sober can be the absolute best way to stay that way.
You effectively switch one addiction for a new one. A better one. One that will offer deep fulfilment, rather than a body working overtime to clear out the poison we usually pour into it.
With websites like Skillshare and Youtube out there, picking up a new skill has never been more accessible. And none of that ‘can’t do it’ self-talk either. You can, and I know you can, because others have. So whatever is in your head right now, that’s the thing. Now go get learning 😊
4: Read a book
Now hear me out, reading is… good! Who’d have thought it? Whether it’s self-help, biographies, history, psychology, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, or whatever else, an author out there has written something you will enjoy.
Not a reader? You’ve just not discovered the right author or style of books, so please don’t give up on the search. Once you find what’s right for you I promise that you can lose hours to a good book, stimulating your imagination and tiring your mind gently. Cozied up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and a book, the perfect way to spend an alcohol free Friday night!
5: And…. relax! 😌
If you’re not in a socialising mood, and you’re feeling pretty down, how about treating yourself to a pamper evening? Spoil yourself! Turn a room of your house (or the whole house) into a health spa.
Play some nice music, get some incense going, run yourself a hot bubble bath with candles and break out those face masks! It’s time relax. Then curl up in bed and pop on a feel good movie. A chick flick or some rom-com, Rambo 🤷♂️ whatever tickles your pickle, so long as it makes you smile.
Doesn’t that sound nice? Check out of your mind for a while, chill out, and indulge in comfort for an evening. You deserve it!
6: Organise & Reorganize
We all have those jobs we’re gonna get round ti eventually right? You know the ones. The in five minutes, tomorrow, next weekend kinda jobs that just keep getting put off. You know you’re thinking of a few as you read this.
Paint the hallway, reorganise that old photo album, (the one with a photo of you as a naked baby in that your mum always shows your prospective partners on the first meet), sort the kitchen cupboards, get the bath re-siliconed. Those kinds jobs.
Well this is the perfect kind of thing to do instead of drink alcohol on those long, sober nights. Not only are you doing something productive, you’re ticking things off your ‘to-do’ list that have been there without attention for weeks, months, and sometimes even years.
Trust me you’ll feel amazing, and your quality of life will improve because of it.
Bonus Tip:
If you do something that costs little to no money, you can put the £20-£30-£40-£50 you’d usually spend on a night of drinks in a ‘treat yourself’ pot. This can go toward a holiday, tattoo, new furniture, Christmas, whatever you want!
You’d have moved mountains to find the money before, so you might as well find it now and be able to reward yourself!
And that’s the end of my TedTalk. Remember to bookmark this page for help in times of need. What’s your favourite idea in this list? Any to add? Let me know in the comments below!
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ARCTIC 