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Fun in sobriety?! Slowly, but surely, it’s possible



Even when you aren’t an alcoholic, it doesn’t take much to unearth a reason to drink. You can justify imbibing in nearly any circumstance. Many of us do. Our culture actively embraces and promotes the ideology that any event outside of working your 9-5 is enhanced with alcohol. Everything is better on the sauce.


A fine meal must be paired with the right wine or ale. Every sporting event or concert goes better after a few cocktails. A good, bad or ugly day at the office each equally deserves a few drinks to decompress. Gatherings with friends and social events are stocked with alcoholic beverages to fuel the conversation. A lake outing, trip to the beach or vacation mean it’s time to cut loose and start throwing back. A cold brew is mandatory after cutting the grass or tending the garden.


In sobriety, you are constantly reminded that there are few occasions where sobriety is encouraged. Alcohol is everywhere and it’s impossible to ignore. We don’t live in a sober world.


I had to redefine my perception of what it means to have fun when I got sober. It wasn’t easy – at least initially. It helped me to reflect on my youth. Some of my fondest memories attending concerts, going to movies, hanging out with friends, going on dates, being outdoors, golfing and celebrating life events were sober in my teens. In subsequent years, alcohol became mandatory in all those activities. In hindsight, recreation wasn’t better under the influence. At best, it was on par. In some cases, it was much worse. As a teenager, and now again as a sober adult, I enjoy the actual activity – not being under the influence.


I pay attention during a Timberwolves or Twins game. When I wake up in the morning, I can remember the entire plot of the movie I watched the night before and appreciate the cinematography and acting. I analyze the setlists bands have been playing on tour before I go and see them and make a playlist on Spotify weeks before, so I have every song memorized. I appreciate the intricate design of the golf course I am playing and I’m hitting the golf ball better and further than ever. At parties and social events, I listen more in conversations and don’t say things I probably shouldn’t in the first place. People who become overtly intoxicated annoy me – probably as I did to many people over time. Now, food is more than a means for sustenance or vehicle to sober up – I savor each bite at dinner and bask in the joy of ice cream each evening.


There are times when old instincts kick in and I feel like I should be drinking. Sometimes, I smell a beer and my mouth waters a bit – craving a lengthy swig. I know a mild buzz would be a great method to engage in conversation with a stranger. Twenty-plus years of habitual drinking will do that to you. Those moments are becoming more infrequent and pass quickly. It doesn’t take long to come back to earth and cherish being present for the moment in whatever activity is occurring.


I also strive to appreciate what I’m able to do the following day when I begin to envy those who are drinking. I know I’ll be able to rise early and appreciate the morning, hit the gym at full strength, remain consistently productive in my personal and professional life and enjoy each moment without a mask while remaining true to myself and others.


In the not-too-distant past, I couldn’t image having any fun without drinking. Now that I’m experiencing recreation with a clear mind, it’s hard for me to reconcile why I thought it was so much better while intoxicated.

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©2025 by Nick Hanson. 

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