Experiment with new recipes and cuisines to nourish your body and sharpen your culinary skills. Create care packages to send to seniors or folks in need in your community. Have some spare shipping boxes that haven’t gone out to recycling yet?
Try a New Video Game
Fishing invites you to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with the natural one. Calligraphy is a meditative hobby that requires focus and precision, inviting you to slow down and create each letter with intention. Take up dancing as a hobby to stay active, express yourself, and have fun.
Treat yourself to that special dessert or your favorite appetizer instead of indulging in an alcoholic beverage. This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for support, sharing our experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit. Please post only when sober; you’re welcome to read in the meanwhile. Participating in cooking classes can transform the way you think about food and cooking, turning meal preparation into a creative and enjoyable process. This hobby encourages creativity, as you’ll often need to personalize and adapt tricks to suit your style.
Best Hobbies to Replace Drinking – Sobriety and Socializing
The Daily Good is an award-winning, 30-second daily read with soothing playlists, sustainable recipes, inspiring articles, and more. Join a sober group on Reddit or Facebook, if that’s your jam. This may take some careful vetting to find one that works best for you.
Join a Community
Whether you have a dog, cat, bird, or even a rodent, spending time with your pet is good for the soul. With the money you save from cutting back on alcohol, take some time for a self-care day, and get a massage at a spa. Try a workout class like kickboxing, CrossFit, or other aerobic fitness activity at your local gym. You could even try dipping into some quit lit—books about sobriety by people who have been through the same thing. If you love wine, you can skip the alcohol without skipping the wine thanks to Surely!
- Pets can reduce feelings of loneliness, lower stress levels, and encourage physical activity, especially with pets that require regular walks or playtime.
- It makes everyday local errands much more fun and fruitful, plus it’ll cut down on your gas usage.
- Woodworking is a deeply satisfying hobby that combines creativity with manual skill, allowing you to bring your ideas to life in a tangible form.
- During the pandemic, we were able to explore some hobbies solo, and our curiosity has led to classes related to specialized hobbies popping up all over.
- Each drop of sweat during a workout serves as a powerful reminder that you can find joy and satisfaction outside of a bar setting.
The key ingredient to most of these recipes for contentment is doing something different with the people you love. If you’re still struggling to avoid alcohol, get in touch with us at the Walker Center. We know it isn’t easy to get and stay clean, but with our expert guidance, we can help you start your recovery journey. Creative hobbies such as painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, crafting, or photography can provide a productive way to channel your energy and express yourself. These activities offer an outlet for stress and can boost creativity and emotional well-being.
More Topics to Read
Giving yourself something to do with your hands is a helpful deterrent for habitual sipping. Brush up on your basic survival skills and create preparedness plans for any emergencies in your area. Get inspired to live minimally by joining me in my love for the Never Too Small channel on YouTube. Go to a playground and rediscover your favorite youthful pastimes like swinging and hanging on the monkey bars (just don’t steal the slide from the kiddos, okay?). You can make simple syrups (here is a simple one to start with), use your soda maker, and add beautiful garnishes for the full treatment.
- Try breathing, llight yoga, or some aromatherapy.
- You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
- Ask for contributions to a Spotify playlist and spend an evening listening and sharing what’s on your heavy rotation.
- This hobby attracts those who appreciate the combination of physical effort, creativity, and technical skill.
- This hobby provides a unique sense of connection to the past and a better understanding of one’s place within the broader tapestry of history.
- Fishing is a hobby that offers a serene escape into nature, where the only goal is to be present in the moment.
Participate in a community cleanup and meet your neighbors. Here is a resource for our Los Hobbies to replace drinking Angeles friends, but here is a handy guide to planning a cleanup no matter where you’re at. Or, an innocuous “let’s grab a drink” text with a friend I haven’t seen in years. And of course, there’s the third space that has become so beautiful and rare.
Hobbies to Replace Drinking FAQs
This section is for those who have a tough time falling asleep at night. Taking a pause from alcohol may be the start of breaking bad habits, like that extra glass or two before bed. If you want to try a new game, there are tons of board game review channels on YouTube, and sites dedicated to rating games.
Reach Out to Friends and Loved Ones
Volunteering is about stepping out of your routine to lend a hand, share your skills, and connect with others who share a common goal of making the world a little brighter. All you need to start writing is something to write with and something to write on. It’s a hobby that’s as portable as your phone or notebook, meaning you can do it anywhere—on a park bench, in a café, or snuggled up in bed.
Gyms aren’t for everyone, but there are plenty of exercise options out there. Try a new martial art like boxing or jiu jitsu, or join a running club and be social while you get your sweat on. Making a difference in the lives of others is not only a social activity, but a rewarding and soul-enriching activity too. Try helping out at your local soup kitchen, walking dogs at the animal shelter, or organizing the shelves at the food bank.
However, excessive drinking can have detrimental effects on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Take a creative writing workshop, or organize a writing group of your own. Communicating about each other’s work and facilitating feedback are excellent skills to practice. If you’re not sure where to start, check out these writing prompts. Your interests and circumstances may evolve over time. Stay open to changing hobbies if something no longer brings you joy or if you discover a new passion.
Finding alternatives to drinking can open up a world of new experiences, and one of the most enjoyable avenues is exploring new hobbies. From painting to gardening, engaging in creative activities can provide a significant outlet for stress and boredom. For example, taking up painting not only allows for a burst of creativity but also leads to a sense of accomplishment as you see your skills evolve. Gardening, on the other hand, connects you to nature, offering both physical activity and the joy of nurturing something from seed to blossom. The key is to choose something that captivates your interest, as this will keep you motivated and make the transition from drinking to a fulfilling activity effortless.
Invite Friends Over for Sports Events
Surrounding yourself with live music creates a euphoric ambiance that can be just as intoxicating as a night out at a bar. Explore music-related activities, like learning an instrument, to channel that passion into creative energy. Establishing a new connection to music enables you to enjoy the atmosphere without feeling the pressure to drink. Utilizing your free time to attend workshops or classes can be an exhilarating way to meet like-minded individuals while learning something new. Whether it’s a writing workshop, photography class, or technology seminar, immersing yourself in this enriching environment opens doors to personal development.