Did you know that almost 1 in 10 adults in the United States have overcome a drug or alcohol problem? That’s about 22.3 million Americans who have done what you are working towards right now.
Your life may have felt like it once revolved around substances. Between planning on how and where to get your next kick and actually participating in the act, much of your time was devoted to your substance abuse. Now that you’ve kicked that to the curb, what do you do with your time?
One key to moving on from a bad habit is replacing it with something new and productive. This, of course, oversimplifies recovery. However, the point is valid.
Now that you’re sober, you may be looking for something to do with your time. There are so many activities out there for you to enjoy. And yes, they can even be fun when sober.
Keep reading for a list of different sober activities for you to try.
1. Give DIY a Try
For whatever reason, nothing quite beats the thrill of admiring something you’ve made with your own hands. With the wealth of tutorials available online, you can learn to build or fix just about anything. Some of the best sober activities may be sitting in your house right now in the form of a DIY project.
Take a look around your place. Is there anything that could use a refresh? Or maybe you have a project that you’ve been meaning to get around to for ages.
When you DIY, you can:
- Save money
- Create something exactly to your liking
- Learn new skills
- Feel a sense of achievement
2. Try a New Hobby…
Running along with DIYing is picking up new hobbies. Sober hobbies you can pick up from the comfort of your own home include:
- Calligraphy
- Cooking
- Meditation
- Sewing, knitting, or crocheting
- Learning an instrument
- Painting
- Soap making
- Make-up artistry
- Coding
- Photography
- …and more!
Again, you can learn basically anything on the internet these days. If you have even the slightest interest in something, why not give it a shot? Plus, many of these skills can be explored with a small budget. Bonus!
3. …Or Explore an Old Hobby
Were you on the swim team in high school? Or maybe trivia bowl and the academic decathlon was more your thing? Did you love the cooking section of your Home Economics class?
Why not revisit an old interest? What once filled your time can again provide enjoyment in your life. It doesn’t have to be something you can profit from, it just needs to be fun!
4. Work It!
Many people find exercising as a way to find clarity and reduce stress. Exercise can center around a gym, but it can also focus around home work-outs, organized sports teams, or walking with a friend.
Get up and get your mind and body focused on something other than your recovery. The best sober activities are the ones that you actually enjoy. Find some way of moving your body that you enjoy and then lose yourself in it.
5. Help a Furry Friend
One of the steps in the 12 step program is service. What better way to serve than to help out a furry friend? Many communities have local animal shelters that desperately need volunteers.
If you’re comfortable with the responsibility, you could even consider pet fostering! It’s nice to have someone or something to love you and count on you. A furry friend can bring companionship, love, and fun to your life.
6. Clear the Clutter
When you find sobriety, you clear out mental and emotional junk from your past. Why stop there? If you’re looking for sober things to do, take the opportunity to clear the physical junk from your space.
Decluttering comes with many mental health benefits including:
- Better focus
- Higher self-esteem
- Better relationships
- Lower risk of asthma and allergies
- Improved lifestyle and well-being
7. Explore the Great Outdoors
Many great sober group activities start outdoors. Hiking is the first and most obvious outdoor activity. But it is not the only thing you can try outside.
Stargazing, walking, scenic drives, body surfing, bouldering, nature scavenger hunts, bike riding, and swimming are all fun sober activities that you can try for free or super cheap.
If you’re willing to invest a little more, you can explore camping, fly fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, snow activities, and more.
8. Feed Your Inner Bookworm
How many books do you have on your “To Be Read” list? If the number is at least one, then you’ve arrived at a perfect sober activity. Because reading forces you to focus, it improves your self-discipline and consistency.
At the risk of sounding cliche, reading can transport you from your current life and show you new worlds. A good book may be just the thing you need to broaden your outlook on life and deepen your perspective.
9. Hit the Road
There must be at least one place within driving distance that you’ve always wanted to visit. So grab a friend and plan that road trip.
Even the act of planning your trip can give you something to do and something to look forward to. If you’re seeking connection, use your road trip as an excuse to reconnect with old friends and family.
Your new sober life should be full of people you love who support you. Your road trip can connect you with new friends and strengthen the bonds of old friends.
Give These Sober Activities a Go
This list is full of sober activities for you to try. And, as the last point hinted at, community is one key to your sobriety. You can find even more activities and a community that understands you through Lift Off Recovery.
