4 Hobbies That Will Help You During And After Addiction Recovery

Life after addiction will never be the same as what it was when you were consuming. This doesn't mean that you will never have fun again, or that it all has to be boring and depressing.

Leaving alcohol or drugs behind will allow you to get a completely new outlook on life. Whether it is by investing your time in something that makes you grow as a person or a professional, or if you're wanting to work on your relationships to take them to the next level. Recovery is the closing chapter of a book you were not meant to live in, and at the same time, it's the first one of the one that will give you purpose, love, and happiness.

After recovery, it's important for you to find other ways to spend your free time. This is not only to avoid a possible relapse, or to stop you from falling into depression, but to make you grow as the best possible version of yourself. In other words, to allow you to be happy, healthy and have a long life full of love while being surrounded by those you hold dear.

Here are 4 hobbies that will help you to grow and stay happily sober:

Exercise

Taking on a healthy lifestyle has many benefits, which are far greater than anything alcohol and drugs could ever offer. Besides doing your body a big favor, exercising on a regular basis will have positive effects on your life, from feeling motivated and happier with who you are and how you look like, to embracing life from a totally different perspective, it will also allow you to  meet new people and develop healthy, stable relations with like-minded friends that will encourage you to stay sober and fit.

When you exercise your brain releases endorphins, which are the hormones that make you feel joy and happiness. This will give you a natural “high” that has health benefits on your mind, body, and soul, unlike addictive substances or alcohol; it will also help as a way to focus and concentrate on a healthy habit, both extremely important qualities when recovering from addiction

Taking on a regular workout routine will allow you to set healthy, attainable goals. You can start by wanting to do more reps next week, or endure a couple minutes more on a specific set; to actually achieving a body that becomes a testament to the hard work, determination, and motivation you put into your routine. It will allow you to see the real noticeable progress that comes out strictly of what you do. This will boost your self-confidence and self-esteem as you realize you are achieving real goals, by yourself.

Meditation

Most of the problems everyone has in life can be harder or easier to deal with depending on how you approach them. Meditation is like a gym for your mind, and in that sense, it will grant you the strength and willpower to choose how you feel about everything around you and about yourself.

Being aware of the good things going on in your life, or to forgive your own past and those who have caused you harm, become steps in the ladder of self-improvement that meditation can help you to build throughout life. Fear and doubt won't rule your thoughts any longer, once you learn to control your own mind, which will help you to step away from tempting situations in which you might relapse. Meditation is all about self-control and mindfulness through drug rehabilitation, providing you with a powerful tool to cope with anxiousness, sadness or stress.

Reading

Being able to take a look at an infinite number of worlds and universes will grant you a wider and better outlook on life. Books will teach you an endless amount of lessons that cannot be learned anywhere else in this world. You will see stories where the truth and good always win and realize that even if it's not like that in real life, happiness and love are always worth fighting for. You can also venture on romantic novels, or nonfiction books, where you the raw taste of reality will give you more perspective in regards to your problems and those of others.

Reading is the best tool that we have to focus and learn. It might also allow you to meet people who think like you, or who have similar views on a certain topic, opening the door to new nurturing relationships that will grant support in one way or another. It will also give you the gift of empathy, by showing you how other people also have to go through really tough times in life, and how a helping hand is always welcome in the face of despair.

You can also join a book club to discuss your views on a book, which will also allow you to see how even if you don't agree with someone there's always something to learn from them.

Even by just going to a local bookstore, you will be in an environment where all sorts of stories are told, not only by the books but by the customers themselves.

Learning a new skill

Whether it is for your own personal gain, or to improve your professional profile, learning a new skill will always prove helpful. From being able to create something from scratch, as it is in the case of woodcraft, where you will see the beauty of making something completely new on your own with your hands and hard work; to learning a new software tool or professional skill which will grant you the chance to improve your own life financially and personally.

The wonder of learning as humans lie in the fact that you realize that no matter who you are or what you think you're capable of, it all becomes possible and enjoyable if you just take the time to learn, explore, and discover what the universe has to offer.

Life after addiction doesn't have to be hard, gloomy or lonely. Take the time to explore everything else in the world and you will find that there's a lot more to it than just partying, drinking or getting high. Even better, you will see that compared to what’s out there, those were just obstacles you ran into that were stopping you from embracing the true beauty of life.

Did you find this article helpful? Tell us what other hobbies you think are helpful after recovery, or tell us which hobbies you have that made a difference in your life.