The culture of our society today places alcohol at the center of many activities and events that are associated with fun. Concerts, holiday gatherings, birthday celebrations, weddings, all of these are pastimes that are commonly considered to require drinking in order to enjoy.
In contrast, in times of sadness or grief, alcohol is also a frequent component. Suffering from heartbreak, losing a job, or the death of someone close to you are all typically acceptable excuses to drink.
Those who can drink normally may have a difficult time understanding how you can have fun without beer or liquor during these occasions. Since alcohol has become such a standard in the entertainment industry, film, television, and everyday life, you might be wondering the same thing.
How can I go camping without a case of beer? What if I want to have champagne at my wedding? You will come to learn, with or without the approval of others, that drinking is not the foundation for having a good time.
What Are We Hiding?
The secret to having fun in a life of recovery is very simple. Every event and activity that you can do, or have done while drinking, you can do without it.
Concerts are still entertaining, and you can recall them in more vivid detail. Birthdays and weddings remain fulfilling, and you can celebrate them with friends and family to create wonderful memories, being present in every moment. Camping trips, the fourth of July, and vacations can still be enjoyable and enrich your life with beautiful memories and experiences.
Even moments of sadness or grief can be overcome without the need for a drink. Instead of numbing negative emotions with alcohol, you can work through your thoughts and feelings in a healthy way. Healing revolves around processing your emotions.
Letting your friends and family give you strength and talking about your pain can lead to a more satisfying way out of challenging times, and you may find that you get through them faster. Life is still a beautiful thing to celebrate, but that doesn’t mean that alcohol is an essential component.
When someone asks you how you still have fun in sobriety, it may be hard to come up with an answer. Entering recovery with reservations around missing out is completely normal.
As you get farther in your sobriety, you find that drinking isn’t necessary for you to get all the experience and enjoy all of the aspects of your life. Showing up, getting to be present for every moment, and having fun are all realities of living without alcohol.
There are no limitations to what you can do. Give yourself a chance to relish in all that life has to offer. Fun is easy to find, in so many ways, possibly even more so in sobriety. Just think, you certainly won’t be kicked out of your favorite band’s concert, unless you are acting unruly!
Guest House provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. We teach people how to live a sober life through programs, therapeutic support, and evidence-based therapies. Our recovery program is staffed by people who understand the power of addiction. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call 855-372-1079.