You have just hit a recovery goal! Whether it is one week, one month, or ten years from now, you deserve to celebrate! It does not matter what you are abstaining from or why you chose to, you can still get your funk on without alcohol or drugs.
The best part about celebrating while sober is the fact that you get to be yourself. Be as zany or comical as you want! Embrace your inner self and have endless fun night after night. If your new go-to is hosting Disney sing-along parties all through the night with a group of friends, do it! You will get to remember the morning without any unwanted hangovers or adverse side effects.
Avoid Your Triggers
The first step into partying sober is knowing your triggers and taking steps to prevent relapse. You have worked very hard to sober up, and it is time to have a little fun, but know your limits (no, we are not referring to how many shots you can take before you pass out). This is about being able to say no and avoiding putting yourself in situations that would trigger you.
Meditate
If you are feeling anxious or nervous, you can always meditate before you go out. Our treatment facilities teach different types of meditation. You can use this new skill to relax and imagine yourself having a good time at the party before you go out. It is an excellent way to calm your nerves and have a moment with yourself to provide clarity about what you want out of this experience.
Make New Friends
Having a sober buddy can be crucial to your recovery. Making new friends is hard as an adult. When you enter recovery, you can often find new friends through group meetings or new hobbies. Find yourself a new friend that understands your need for sobriety that can be your wingman. If you do feel the need to go to a bar with friends, your sober buddy is there to laugh with you at your friend’s drunken states. They will dance with you and drink weird non-alcoholic beverages with you. They are there to help you feel more included. Best of all, they have your back when you need to say no.
The Party Games
Not everyone has a penchant or passion for party games. Still, there are some seriously hilarious games out there to play with a group of friends. Put the alcohol away and spend that money on a pack of Cards Against Humanity. Satire and sarcasm are a perfect way to have an alcohol-free night. A couple rounds in, and you will be laughing so hard your stomach hurts, and tears are coming out of your eyes.
Music And Dance
Music has been proven to connect with your emotions and help you relax. Dance is a form of self-expression. Some of us might look a little more ridiculous than others, but moving your hips to the beat can help to release the tension built up inside you. When you pair music with dance, you get an explosion (not literally) of relaxing fun. Going to the club, dancing with a couple friends, singing along to some hot new songs can be liberating. The best thing about this is you can get up and do it again the next day because there is no after effect.
Boozeless Bars:
I do not know what took so long, but they are here, and it is a thing. Boozeless bars, look it up! Boozeless bars maintain good clean social fun in a safe, sober environment. It is a great place to go when you want to have some good clean fun and meet new friends while you are at it. Reducing the amount of peer pressure to drink or drug, you are free to have as much fun dancing, laughing, and partying the night away.
New Hobbies
Time to find a new hobby. Fill your free time with something you have always wanted to try but never had the time or courage to start. Become a food connoisseur, go out to a different restaurant every time you go out with your friends. Enjoy yourself a paint night and laugh at how terrible your painting looks compared to your friend with the hidden talent. Partying does not have to be about throwing a huge shindig and dancing until your feet hurt, it can be about having the courage to try something new.
Exit Strategy
Most importantly, if you go somewhere or end up in a position you do not want to be in, have an exit strategy. You are out to have fun. When it stops being fun, it is time to move onto something else. If you are feeling pressured to drink or use, it is okay to say no and leave. “No.” is a complete sentence.
At Steps Recovery Centers, your road to recovery begins by imagining a life without addiction. We provide a continuum of care that aids in the transition back into your life. If that means helping you find a new way to have fun, we are there to provide the education and skills you need to navigate your life.
Life in sobriety can be much more fun than a life dominated by substance abuse. The key is to put your sobriety first, and Steps Recovery can help you with that. Unsure of what services would be the best fit for you? Call Steps Recovery Centers today – 385-250-1701– to talk with one of our trained clinicians. With levels of care from outpatient to residential, we can meet you where you are and help boost your journey to recovery.
