DisplacedGRITS

Just wondering what little everyday changes or habits people have adopted to help maintain sobriety.

Me for example. I just got done with a grocery trip. In my drinking days, my trips would begin with me parking on the liquor side of the store and end with me leaving the liquor side, booze and groceries firmly in hand. Now i park on the opposite side of the lot even if it means a worse parking spot and a longer walk. I figure i can't learn better habits until i break the old bad ones.

sugarbear1

Walking is good for us!

Good job on changing up your routine!

EternalQ

I used to drink to relax at night. Instead, I now meditate every evening after work. And sip club soda and cranberry juice with a lime when I want to feel festive.

Sapling

When I'm in the parking lot at that grocery store...Done putting my stuff in the car. I put the shopping cart back in that little area where shopping carts go. I never did that when I drank.

EternalQ

I sit at the table when I eat a meal now. I never did that when I drank. Heck, I hardly ever even cooked when I drank!

Sapling

That's another one EternalQ...

Gottalife

I tried to get in a routine, going to work, ring sponsor, got to meeting, stay on bus as it passed pub. Bought a little boat and spent weekends messing about on it with AA friends.
Bought the book Living Sober and tried some of those ideas.

least

The biggest change, and reward for staying sober, is waking up feeling good most mornings. That in itself is reason enough to stay sober. I don't want to go back to the awful days of waking up sicker than hell and hating myself.

EternalQ

Everyday changes with sobriety? For some reason i noticed alot today. I am caught up on my laundry. My bed is made with fresh sheets. My dishwasher is emptied and dishes put away. I have my bills paid on time. I have structured plans for the weekend. I am getting ready to set out my clothes for work tomorrow... and none of this feels particularly stressful even.

When my drinking was really bad, i concievably could have run out of clean dishes, not even opened my mail for weeks, not had clean sheets to put on the bed, would have no energy to even make a dent in all that, and still would be refusing offers for weekend plans because it interfered with my drinking...

Unbelievable. Now sober, the choice is SO clear..

Sapling

I think what it comes down to is just doing the next right thing...It becomes habit. If you're walking down the sidewalk and you see a wrapper on the ground. Pick it up and throw it out. Something as simple as that can make you feel better about yourself....Isn't that what its all about?....Feeling better without alcohol or drugs to do it?

Weasel1966

I had a rule. Never... Ever... Drink at home. Very rare I broke it. I live across the street from my drinking spot. I would always walk over and stumble back. I figured if I was going to drink make it out. I could easily over drink... LOL... At home.

Now at those key times I try to go get TCBY yogurt. Take a walk on my treadmill. Call a friend. Or when depressed just sleep.

As you know I have had some failures so now I will include a few meetings on the weekends when the time alone with my thoughts is longest.

Ken

Livinday2day

I think the key is to have a set schedule to keep busy. I've only been sober for 7 days so for me this is quite important as I think about having a drink quite a bit. I get home from work at 5 o'clock and take the dog for a half hour walk. 5:30 to 6:30 involves preparing and having dinner. Then it's time to clean up the dishes and have a shower to get ready for my 8 o'clock AA meeting. By the time I get home it's 9:30 and an hour of reading. I was never a big reader but I'm finding this very relaxing and I'm amazed how quickly the time flies by. Simple schedule but it's working for me. Just stay busy!

m1k3

I now get up at 5:45 AM and go for a run pretty much every morning. On the days when I don't run I ride my stationary bike.

I have switched my diet to much more veggies and whole grains as well.

I think my biggest every day change is that I will never drink again and I will never change my mind.

LoftyIdeals

I wish I could say one or two things. I mean, I see daily incremental improvements in everything. Such as, I keep my desk cleaner than ever; same with the house. I don't have clothes strewn everywhere, as much. The landscaping stays in better shape.

None of this is tip-top, but much better than it was before.

The biggest change is that I have conversations with my kids and family. I'm actually more approachable, but still not perfectly so.

hypochondriac

Everyday changes make a big difference to me, and I try to change them everyday too

I walk more instead of getting the bus.
Go somewhere different every day to buy food.
Cook meals.
Change what I eat more often (I used to eat the same food all week).

I find changing my routine often stops me from getting complacent, don't know why but it feels that way.

england

Lots of good ideas in the posts above.

For me it has been trying to have a routine as this will prevent me from straying and ending up in the company of the wrong people.

Jeni26

The first change I noticed was first thing in the morning my initial feeling isn't one of total anxiety about what I may have done or said the night before. I no longer routinely check my text messages to see what crap I sent and to whom and then spend hours apologising.
I wake up clear headed and log onto SR to find out how all my friends are!! X

eh1988

One big everyday change for me is exercise. I think a lot of alcoholics turn to exercise to keep busy once they get sober. Ive been jogging everyday after work, then I cook dinner. It's almost like the same excitement I would get before I would get off work to be able to go pick up my beers and sit on the couch watching tv all night, now I can't wait to get home to take my dogs running around the neighborhood. Its funny I barely met a few neighbors who live just a few houses down from me, I've lived here for years. It's a whole new world for me.

eh1988

One other thing is lunch. I used to take my lunch by myself, I would usually go to the liquor store a couple streets over. Pick up a couple tall cans and then eat lunch in my car. Fridays I would get fancy and stop by a restaurant that had a bar of course, and knock a few back there. Now I meet my good friend or fiancé for lunch, or just eat my lunch here in my office, no need to do research for restaurants with bars before I go eat anymore. Boy I was pretty ridiculous.