Briar

Today some people have asked about how to have fun sober. That's understandable if you have always associated fun with drinking, I know I did. I couldn't go to the freakin' library without a buzz on. Sober and fun just didn't line up. But since I quit, I've actually had a lot of fun doing things I thought I could never enjoy sober, like dinner parties and holidays. I also found I have the freedom to pick up new activities because, for one thing, I can drive whenever I like.

So I thought maybe we could throw out some ideas of ways to have fun when you are sober. What do you do now that you don't get loaded?

Tonks

Eat!

SoberD

Exercise, go for walks, read books, take weekend trips, enjoy having extra money that would have gone to booze, etc. Even the little day to day things are more enjoyable sober. Yes, I don't get that "rush" of adrenaline that I used to get from drinking but I appreciate the overall peace of sobriety much more...

Great work Briar - keep up the positivity!

LiveLikeGold6

Cook, eat, go to movies, go to concerts and comedy shows. The best thing for me is I actually REMEMBER the sober concerts and comedy events. The drunken ones were just a waste of money and brain cells, no memories created there!

SDH73

Exercising, reading, and playing guitar are my big three.

Love the feeling of accomplishment of having gotten my workout in for the day, plus it helps me sleep soundly.

It's always cool when you meet someone and it turns out that you both read the same book recently, great ice-breaker!

Playing guitar is just fun for me, nothing more to that one, really. It's kind of like my version of meditation.

None of those three activities get any real attention when I'm actively drinking.

melki

^^^^^ this

I started to really enjoy little things. Cooking. Puzzles. Knitting. Time with kids. Games! We had the best time at one party playing adult board games.

trachemys

Hookers and blow.

(I'll pay for this tomorrow)

Briar

Nice, Trach.

Deckard

Just took my kids to the circus and we all had an absolute BLAST. (I would have been sullen and resentful of this outing during my drinking days.)

trachemys

Ok, I'll pay for this tonite!

SORRY

couldn't resist a bad joke

SoberLife90

The library sounds like a weird place to go buzzed to lol. Anyways I like hitting the gym. Hanging out with friends. Sometimes me and my friends play board games.

trachemys

Like Twister?

Briar

You're on a roll, my friend.

sthlondonab

Running is keeping me busy. I am going from couch to 5k using an NHS app. going from a huffing a puffing person to being able to string together some run / walks is surprisingly coming quite quickly!

Joining a YMCA gym has been great - always fellow fitness people around to chat to in the cafe afterwards and people are talking about fitness goals and healthy lifestyles rather than planning getting wasted.

trachemys

Guess sleep is it tonite...Dreeeeam, dream, dream, dream,

lillyknitting

Knit more clothes, for me, my daughter & husband
Have more inspiration & ideas
Love going out but instead of pubs with boozer mates I go restaurants with my family & friends who enjoy that sort of thing
More money to spend on shopping for the things I love: clothes, handbags, jewelry, etc
Looking after my dogs. Walking them more
Watching tv
Don't need so much sleep so more time to do things, or not, just chilling but not feeling terrible from the last nights binge
Pampering myself
Having the time & energy to make my house lovely, instead of just going through the motions
More money to spend on my home.
The list is endless but more important,y never ever having a hangover, so bad I can't get out of bed let alone think of or care about doing any of the above.
Always remembering the evening. Never showing myself up & not remember. Never having to feel paranoia, anxiety & shame.
Feeling really good that I can enjoy an evening out now without having to slurp down glass after glass of wine/vodka knowing I'm gonna feel dreadful the next day

When I do go out now with boozer mates, say to a restaurant, I think I wonder why they still do that & I can't believe I used to be twenty times worse.

mecanix

I go for a lot of walks by the seaside .. looking in rock pools can be interesting , smelling the fresh air of the shore .
I take photos occasionally , digital is so much more usable than film for this random snapper !

I take maybe 10 - 20 weekend breaks away in the year , not going far maybe 200 miles .. and stay in a hotel or self catering place, nice for the walking by the coast n'stuff .

I like to cook these day and make meals which are more than just salt, fat and starch requirement of the booze hound …

Saturday mornings exist and are bright and cheery saturday afternoons are not the long wait till the next drink waiting to sober up enough to drive to do the weekly shopping .

I play my synths more these days , i paint occasionally , i play the guitar ,

I work a 60 hour 5 day week so things are still not wonderful and i fight for any kind of spare time , but these days i am actually saving and investing for a better and more balanced work / life balance in the future .

m

Wholesome

lmfao!

yinzer

Gosh, I can go DO things in the evening, like see bands or movies or go to outdoor festivals without worrying about driving or being separated from my alcohol.

I think I might like to learn jookin' (dancing).

CAPTAINZING2000

I'm going try zip lining in 2 months never tried that before !
When ever possible, I ride my Harley. I do enjoy sailing, going to sporting events, concerts, traveling and I love a good movie