The New Year can be a time of great excitement and fanfare all around the world. As men in recovery, we, too can get in on the fun of the new year without worrying about drinks or drugs.
The key is to know the best places to go and the right activities to attend. If there aren’t any in our area, then we can always make our own!
Hosting a game night is a wonderful way to enjoy friends and fun safely this New Year’s. A competitive checkers or chess tournament with light hor d’oeuvres can satisfy the mind and body, and it doesn’t require the slightest sip of any substance. If you’re interested in a game for more people, whip out the card deck for hours of fun, or play homemade guesstures with little more than some notecards and a pen. Game nights can be as lively as you make them, and really can help the night pass right by.
Another genius, sober way to liven up the New Year is to attend a destination party. Sometime the best way to take our minds off of resisting temptations is to go where few temptations are. Renting a cabin with a few friends in recovery, camping, or even going on a road trip are great ways to get away from temptation while still having fun. At midnight, cap things off by listing your goals for the new year somewhere, sharing them with each other, or having a special midnight meal.
If you can’t get away from the party and there’s no one to go on a sober outing with, the best advice this new year is to stay true to yourself. If that means going to a gathering and leaving at 11:30pm because the temptation is too strong not to drink or use, then by all means, leave! Celebrate midnight by watching the fireworks, lighting a few of your own, or enjoying a slice of cake or pie.
Your New Year’s celebration doesn’t have to have substances in it in order to be exciting. The opportunities for fun are endless, as long as you stay true to yourself and your journey, and curb any possible temptations as much as possible. The new year can be a year that’s better than all the rest. It all starts with a good, clean, sober New Year’s Day.
Tree House Recovery of Costa Mesa, California is a men’s only addiction treatment center that offers eight different modalities designed to help our clients conquer addiction with confidence. We champion the power of community, sustainability, and a renewed mindset as the key to becoming the men we always knew we could be.
Call us at (855) 202-2138 to see what how we can help you today.
