ExWinoMom

Ok need some tips on having fun without alcohol.

I guess looking back to my childhood I could have fun without alcohol then!
What were my passions? Singing, dancing, hanging out with friends, riding my bike, watching movies with friends, roller skating,
My inner child could do with a listen and a hug that will make everything ok. Gonna do stuff that I love again. Alcohol free.

james872

Great attitude! You can have more fun without alcohol. When you're drunk, you have access to a very limited set of feelings, all within the daze of being drunk. Sober, you have access to all your good feelings. And fun becomes real fun again.

George3334

You nailed it, rebeccaperth. It's finding things you love to do that don't involve alcohol. For me, some of these activities include bicycling, walking the dog, and non-alcohol social gatherings like going out to breakfast/lunch at the local diner with friends.

ExWinoMom

That's right hey.

There's a reason I drink, mostly anxiety. I'm gonna deal with that and keep praying to My HP about it all. I live in Australia and we have such a huge drinking culture here. I'm also Irish so I'm screwed! Haha. My friends mostly all drink heavily. Old friends, the ones from my childhood. I'll be catching up with them in the daytime for coffees and lunch instead of nights on the ****.
My children need me sober.

Dee74

I'm an Australian too

While we do have a robust drinking culture I think it's true to say I surrounded myself with drinkers.

I had other friends who did not drink, or did not drink heavily - I sought those people out, I made new sober friends - I tried to do things that did not involve alcohol and places where alcohol was the main focus - going for coffee, pizza, seeing a movie, sports, hobbies.


Outside of drinking, we can do anything we like - the only limit is our imagination really Bec

D

longbeachone

RebeccaPerth...Your list of fun things you did as a child could be my list of things I do every day (with the exception of roller skating!). I used to watch people doing things like this with so much envy it almost felt like physical pain, but like the miserable wretch that I was, made fun of them so I could seem superior. In the 4+ years I've been sober, I've done some really amazing things, stuff I never thought I could do.

- Joined two choirs (I love to sing too). I never, even before drinking took over my life, had the nerve to sing in front of anyone. The one thing alcoholism did for me was take away my fear of embarrassing myself...I did it so thoroughly already that my attitude now is "who cares!". I have performed the Mozart Requiem, The Messiah, the Vivaldi Magnificat. Attended a conference and sang the Lux Aeterna under the direction of composer Morton Lauridsen. Nothing has ever fed my soul so much.
-Started acting with local small theaters. Another once impossible daydream. I'm in a musical now that opens this Friday (Man of La Mancha...The Impossible Dream-How appropriate!)
-Started taking classes at local Jr. College, including ceramics, watercolor painting, voice, French, Creative Writing, Photography, Madrigal singing...whatever catches my interest. I'm the perennial student.
-I'm going into my 4th season in a Dickens Caroling group that performs all through the holidays. I love dressing in the hoop skirts and velvet dresses. Love having kids treat us like we're Disney characters, love how it makes me feel like a part of Christmas (hard to do in SoCal). I especially love how it makes people light up and smile...never thought I'd be doing that!
-I'm in the process of writing my first book, a young adult story similar to the Harry Potter stories. I can only dream of that kind of success, but I'm still enjoying the process, although it's much harder than I expected and I'm constantly chucking the whole thing and starting over. I don't even think I'll ever get it published, but I've always wanted to do this, so I'm trying to keep at it. If I get a page a day done, it's a good day.
-I taught myself how to crochet from books. No way I could have done this, because my hands shook so much that I used to hold them tightly together so no one could see how bad it was. Sometimes I noticed other parts of me shaking too, my foot or leg, my head. People commented on it too, so embarrassing.

Gosh, I hope I don't sound like some kind of self satisfied prig who does nothing but gad about all day sprinkling fairy dust as she goes. I still do so much stuff I know I shouldn't, still hate housework (and believe me, it shows). I still get in silly arguments with my husband over dumb things like who gets to hold the remote, still spend too much money on things I don't need, gossip far too much, read the National Enquired instead of the daily news, eat things that I know are bad for me, waste enormous periods of time reading or watching television, don't call my parents near enough, even though they're both getting old and are so grateful when I call...I could go on for days.

Thanks for the thread. Sometimes even we need to be reminded of all of the wonderful things that a sober life can offer. When mired down in our disease, all we can think of are the things we'll miss if we stop drinking. "I won't get to have champagne when I go out to brunch" or "I'll miss out on all of the fun when my friends are out on the town". Believe me, the good things outweigh the bad. By A LOT.

FourSeasons

I discovered that I really like myself so much more when I am sober. I find myself entertaining...lol! I have a lot of energy and like to do things spontaneously. I could never be spontaneously while downing 2 bottles of wine every night. It just was not physically possible.

It is amazing how many new doors have opened up for me in the last 2 weeks. They were always open I guess. I just couldn't see them through the fog and drunken haze. Thank-you LongBeachOne for your post. That was awesome!!!

FeenixxRising

LongBeach posted an interesting activity: annex learning and non-credit classes at local colleges and universities.

These types of classes are offered in many cities here in the US. You can learn anything from welding, languages, crafts or classes in Excel or MS Word. The price is usually reasonable, and I finding learning something new to be emotionally beneficial. Learning helps exercise the brain, and can increases your self-esteem. And of course, you may learn something you can use for the rest of your life.

I'm not sure if this is an option in Perth, but I'm guessing it may be.

ChrissieB

Thank you Rebecca just starting to feel the joy in being alcohol free, loved your post longbeachone.

bblackbirdflyy

Funny, today I was at a labor day bbq and for a few hours I was off playing ball with the kids. Instead of drinking and socializing with the adults.

ExWinoMom

Thanks guys,

This is fantastic. Alcohol is a trick, it tricks us into thinking we need it to have fun.
I too want to take up acting again. And pottery! Maybe even join a choir for fun. I'm a professional singer but that's always around alcohol.
Thanks again xxxx

ChefWolverine

I beat the crap out my drunk buddies on the golf course now. Its pretty hilarious.