You did it: You made a decision to pursue a life of sobriety, immersed yourself into a quality recovery program, and followed by transitioning into a sober living environment. However, the road ahead is likely to be paved with some difficulty †no matter how sincere your intentions. You will need continued support; and, a well thought out plan to maintain this exciting new chapter in your life. That’s right! Sobriety is exciting; it’s only as pleasurable, interesting, and remarkable as you want it to be. All you need is the right outlook, and a few ideas for making sobriety permanent †and permanently enjoyable. To start, you will need to maintain a support circle throughout and beyond your transition. Yes, this can include the same individuals you identified during your recovery program; however, as you move forward with life and form new relationships, chances are some of the initial circle will move on as well. It’s a fact of life: People move out of state, change jobs, switch churches. And while it is possible to communicate at a distance or online, this type of marginal contact does not adequately substitute for the relationships you once shared. In other words: At times, it may be appropriate to expand your support circle, particularly when the original members are no longer present. Of course, you will need to choose carefully, following the guidelines you learned during your recovery program for sober living . The bottom line, of course, is to choose people who have fun in their own lives, and enhance the quality of your life †without substances. The next step to making sobriety permanent is to engage in new, low-stress activities. Sure, you’ll want to choose something that interests you, perhaps something you have always wanted to try; but, more importantly, not something that is too challenging. As you probably know, maintaining a low stress level is key to your sober lifestyle; but in addition, stress and excessive challenge make it difficult to have fun! Remember, your aim is to design routines that are enjoyable. These are not only practical guidelines for lasting sobriety; they are nuggets of wisdom for anyone who desires a new, more positive direction in life. You can refer back to these common sense principles whenever you feel inclined; however, at times you may be in need of some quick inspiration. That said, a couple of easy ideas for sober activities follow: Relationship Building: Engage in a friendly phone chat (set a goal to laugh, at least once!) Introduce someone to a restaurant they’ve never been to †and dare them to let you order for both of you Invite someone to a movie, and let them choose which one Solo Activities: Pop in a movie that makes you laugh out loud Put on music that inspires you to dance Write (and cook!) a new recipe, read a new book, or play the online game that everyone at work is talking about Above all, enjoy yourself †and relish your new way of living.
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