Mrrryah1

I'm having a boring weekend, and I know in order to want to stay sober I need a balance and some fun in my life. Any suggestions for sober fun things to do? All I've been doing is meetings and exercise and I'm bored/lonely. Day 5 for me.

Soberwolf

Badminton/tennis
Cinema/picture house
Pizza parlor w/trusted friends
Boat trip/ferry
Hospital volunteer
Amusement park

I could write a massive list what kind of things do you like to do ?

Notmyrealname

Go rent a kayak on a lake and go paddle-paddling all around.

It's a nice day for it, or at least it is here. Hmm maybe I will go and take my own advice.

Thepatman

It's hard in early recovery to find things to enjoy that doesn't cost money.

New hobbies usually do the trick for me. A

MariahGayle

Went for a bike ride last night - Great way to relax

LBrain

get yourself a birds of north america book or a similar bird identification book, a cheap pair of binoculars and go for a walk, see how many birds you can identify. take a pen too

the hummingbirds are in my backyard looking for the trumpet vines I tore out last year, had a small gathering of orioles a week ago - must be heading to baltimore

FreeOwl

Trail running
Take a guitar lesson
Buy a ukelele and jump on the internet and google 'ukulele tutorials'
Bike riding
Call a friend and play frisbee in the park
Go to a playground and swing. Swinging is therapy.
Enroll in a martial art
Go swimming
Take in a movie
Go to the library and look up a topic you've always wanted to learn more about
Buy magnetic chalkboard paint and turn a wall in your kitchen into a cool chalk-and-magnets command center
Go to a paint-your-own pottery place and paint a set of cool coffee mugs. Bring a friend or go on your own.
Go fishing
Write poetry
Get a new book and read that sucker
Fly a kite
volunteer at an animal shelter
take a kid to the playground - maybe a friend or relative could use a couple hours of childcare
Make a list of friends you've not spoken with in a long while. Call them all, just because.
Make someone special in your life a photo book online
Teach yourself to knit
Go to a bead store and make a new bracelet
Get a tattoo
Make ten new playlists and then share them with your friends
Get a few colors of paint, a large canvas, find yourself an open space in a field or the woods and go all Jackson Pollack on that bad-daddy
Call your parents and just see how they're doing
Write several short stories - one paragraph each - on small pieces of cardstock, then go to cafes and coffee shops and bookstores and surreptitiously leave them for a stranger to find. Bonus points if you hand-paint a design on them.
Research a topic you've wondered about online
Spend a couple hours posting on SR
Sign up for archery lessons
see how long it takes to do 250 pushups, 250 situps and 250 squats
Bake
Try out a new recipe for dinner
Call someone you know who might like a nice dinner.... share the dinner with them
get water balloons. Fill a bunch of them up. Stand on the street in your swimming suit with your water balloons and a sign that reads "having a bad day? Water balloon me and cheer right up!" Let strangers throw water balloons at you.

The list goes on... and on... and on....

sc277

Hi! I am on my first week of sobriety as well, and this is one of my main concerns. Always wondering "what do instead of drink." I'm always afraid I'm going to be lonely or bored (all my friends are heavy drinkers.) I'm not sure about you, but I used alcohol when I was lonely or bored (or to avoid that.) If I HAD to be alone, alcohol had to be around (can't do chores or have a movie night in without alcohol right?) At this point we are relearning how to do everything. I have to recognize that sometimes in life, we ARE going to be bored and alone. And although I am desperate to stay busy in the early days of my second shot in recovery, at some point days are going to consist for me of mostly work and meetings. I'm not sure if it's the same for you, but if you're anything like I am, there isn't anything at this point that is "more fun sober".... so I have to make myself uncomfortable with sobriety before I can successfully be comfortable with it. Does that make sense? Doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to stay busy, but figured I'd post a thought I was having about it. Much luck to you.

NorMar

One of my favorite things to do is to find some kind of festival, flea markets, fairs, etc. to go to. I don't know what part of Canada you're in, but get on google, and you might find something going on. Usually free around here, and usually not a huge amount of drinking going on. Always good to be around a lot of people.

aasharon90

I learned how to ride a motorcycle and
get my endorsement at the age of 50.
Got many lovely tattoos also beginning
at 50.

My husband and I take trips on our bike
together which is totally exhillerating to
Sturgis, Daytona, Grande Canyon.

I sooooo love my garden of paradise in
my backyard. I have many pretty flowers
that attract butterflies, birds, bumble bees.
Feeders to feed all our beautiful feathered
friends.

It's rewarding to plant something and watch
it produce a flower so beautiful to admire.

Ive always enjoyed many kinds of music.
Plug it in an sit back and relax, or crank it
up to dance. Music fills my soul just like my
Sobriety and Faith does.

Wastinglife

I hear you Mrryah. I am bored out of my mind. For so many years, Labour Day weekend was the end of summer celebration where I would go away to cottage country and get wasted for 3 days straight. I am alone in the city this time round as my sobriety is the priority now.

I think I may take up crocheting or origami....

Soberwolf

Calligraphy ?

LBrain

lot's of suggestions, BUT I wouldn't get a tattoo until you have a lot more sober time.

I wouldn't get a tattoo anyway myself.

FreeOwl

all depends.... if one has been considering a tattoo for a long time, has something really meaningful in mind, knows of a good artist....

never get a tattoo on a whim though.

Mrrryah1

Nothing sounds fun I think my endorphins need to balance out again because all I feel like doing is curling under the covers n shutting the world off.

NorMar

Well, if that's the only thing that sound good to you do it. Probably not the best or most therapeutic thing to do, but, it is what it is. But put some music that you really like on first. And brew a pot of whatever kind of tea is your fav, and let those smells be in the air.

Jupiters

I'm always amazed at what even a 20-30min walk can do for my mood.

Leeloo

bwaaahahahahhahaaha... thank you for that mental image, FreeOwl!
and for the other great suggestions on your list.

Sulu1

I walk like a crazed man, love the feeling of the fresh air and countryside.

Also has nobody suggested Netflix? Gotten me through MANY a crappy time.

sprout50

My first 5 days, I just went on a tv watching binge. Give yourself a little time. One thing that gave me something to look forward to was putting aside all the money I would have spent on beer and wine and then I took myself shopping.

After I got off the couch, I was able to enjoy things that I have always liked. It just takes time.