Sober Is Not a Synonym for Boring: Enjoying Long Term Recovery
Life in active recovery can feel like you are constantly working towards something, but what you’re working towards isn’t clear. Once you have crafted a stable, sober routine, it can be difficult to avoid feelings of boredom in the monotony of daily life. While routine is a key tool to have in your journey, it doesn’t have to be boring. There is still plenty of excitement in a healthy, substance and alcohol-free life.
Spend Time with Animals
One way to have fun is to get a pet or volunteer to work with animals. If you’re volunteering, your local animal shelter or Animal Protective League (APL) are great places to start.
Developing relationships with animals, whether it’s your own pet or animals you encounter while volunteering, can create a strong sense of purpose and empathy. Connecting with animals can also give you insight into aspects of your life that you may not have thought about as you care for something that depends on you. Caring for animals can bring routine, meaning, and excitement to your life!
Recreational Leagues are Classic Fun
Another good way to have fun is to join a recreational sports league or activity club. Competitive recreational leagues exist, and they’re often free and looking for new members! A dose of competitive gameplay is healthy and can be a good way to channel your inner child. Whether it’s a book club, tabletop gaming, or a more artistic outlet like pottery, regular participation in a club or league allows you to develop a hobby with other people who have the same interest. This can lead to friendships and a sense of community, which are good and healthy things that are essential in avoiding boredom, alienation, and loneliness.
See Your City in a New Light as a Tourist
Reconnect with Nature
Contemplative time in nature might not sound “fun” right off the bat, but it’s important to participate in the world around us. The outdoors is a great place to take your daily activities, such as meditating and journaling, and can often be a welcome change of pace. Going for regular walks outside can be refreshing if you work or spend most of your time indoors. Hearing birds sing, seeing the sky, and even just examining the soil can remind you that you’re a part of the world.
Most people, in recovery or not, don’t spend enough time outdoors. Setting aside some time to spend outdoors every week will refresh you and give you a chance to reconnect to the environment around you.
Use Roots Recovery’s Alumni Network
At Roots Recovery, our robust alumni network can connect you with a community of individuals who have completed our programming. The alumni network can help connect our clients with people in similar situations for both support and for recreation. Our alumni community invests in their peers: helping others can make things easier for yourself, as well as fostering personal goals and objectives that benefit you as well as the wider community.
Reach out and you’ll find people who’ve been on similar journeys. Our alumni network is especially helpful for when you find that it’s hard for other people to understand your journey, as it is a built-in network of people who can understand and empathize with your journey.
Find Resources to Help You Enjoy Your Sober Life at Roots Recovery
Adding new things to your routine, fostering healthy social interaction, and developing meaning in your life are all part of your unique journey. At Roots Recovery, our clients learn the techniques they need to succeed in the outside world, and we equip each of them with the resources to feel empowered on their journey. We’re here for you every step of the way, and our clients know that reaching out to us for support and guidance is always encouraged.