I think that having rituals and activities set in place is a great way to keep yourself entertained so you’re not running out to grab drinks with friends.
After all, grabbing a drink seems to be more about the social experience than the alcohol itself.
And with wine bars or trendy breweries offering crave-worthy appetizers, it makes sense that these spots become regular hang outs. But if you’re trying to drink less or cut it out completely, that’s when things get difficult.
Your friend wants to do happy hour at your favorite cocktail bar, or maybe it’s just something you’re craving on the weekends. But you know that going out for drinks isn’t going to support your goals.
Thankfully, there are so many fun things to do instead of drinking.
So whether your goal is health related, you’re pregnant, or you just want better mental health, there is so much you can do instead of pouring yourself a glass.
These alternative activities will help you with getting rid of any drinking habits and make spending time with others (or yourself) revolve less around opening up a bottle of wine.
Giving up drinking altogether or for a period of time doesn’t have to be stressful when you can replace it with things that help you unwind or have fun with zero alcohol involved.
1. Walk to your favorite eatery, get take-away, and enjoy it at a pretty local nearby park.
2. Try a non-alcoholic drink like this tasty looking Honey Strawberry Basil Mocktail.
3. Try an old family recipe and see if you can master it.
4. Take up a new fun hobby with a friend.
5. Start up your own book club and set up times to meet. You can do this even if it’s just you and one other person at first!
6. Pack a meal and take a road trip to a scenic spot.
7. Watch your favorite movie and make a dinner that works with the theme of the movie.
8. Catch up on your to-do list so you can feel that incredible sense of relief!
9. Plan out a fun vacation you can do in the near future.
10. Have friends over for a boozeless brunch.
11. Create a relaxing nightly ritual and do things like taking a bath, lighting candles, using nice lotions, and face masks. It’s a great way to spend the evening instead of going out to a party.
12. Take a bike ride to a fun destination for the day.
13. Try making homemade bread or even your own sourdough starter!
14. Make a recipe that requires you to do certain things from scratch. So think of things like pierogis where you need to make your own dough.
15. Hang out with someone where you know you can have an incredible conversation with and enjoy a coffee together.
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.