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21 July 2017

Five Fun Things To Do Sober

1. Competitive sports
Exercising is a great stress reliever whether or not you have been through recovery. For all people, exercise is celebrated as the best way to keep your body healthy and your mind sharp. Gym memberships can be expensive and they have a reputation of being boring. Chicago still has a few warm months left so get out and enjoy the city’s lush parks. Join a kickball or touch football team that meets on the weekends, set jog dates with a friend, just get moving outside. If you’re worried about celebratory beers after the game and the temptation of that situation, then start your own team with new friends that you have made in recovery.

2. Baking
Baking is chemistry that is pretty and tastes good. Get your hands dirty with flour and eggs, focus on precise measurements, and create something that you can enjoy. Baking will distract your mind from urges and refocus it on something productive and enjoyable. In addition to teaching you a new skill, you will be the most popular person at the meetings with your tray of muffins!

3. Movies
Movie theaters are generally family friendly places that don’t carry pressures to drink or do drugs. Going to the movies allows you to be surrounded by sober people, eat some fresh popcorn, and get lost in the collective imagination of the film.

4. Hobbies
Do you always notice a new bird in the tree outside? Have you always enjoyed working with your hands? Do you know every song released by a particular label from 1980 to 1986, in order? There are a lot of ideas and passions brewing inside of you, but addiction has been distracting you and pulling you away from who you really are inside. Celebrate your passions and interests by developing a hobby. Bird watching, whittling, pottery, music remixes - work with whatever gets you excited and continues to develop you as a person.

5. Game night
Living sober doesn’t mean getting rid of everything you once enjoyed, but rather tweaking it to fit into your new lifestyle. If you enjoyed game nights before, from poker with the guys to Clue with the group, this is something you can still do. Take the drinks out of the equation and what you have is a group of people you enjoy coming together to play games, get a little (friendly) competitive, and laugh.


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