Rediscovering What You Love in Recovery

Why the things you once loved can become anchors in sobriety

In 2014, when I first set out on my voyage to sobriety, I found myself adhering to anything that could keep my unsettled mind and body occupied. Netflix. Walks. Sleep. Lots of sleep. That first Christmas without alcohol was an ordeal of endurance. Anxiety pressed down hard at night, and in those hours when sleep refused to come, I found sanctuary in something unexpected: baking.

I'd steer into the kitchen while my external world was silent, hauling out butter, sugar, and flour to steady my hands and my heart. One December night, I produced an insane number of mini animal cookies, determined to create something joyful. Those cookies found their way into the hands of children at my fellowship's Christmas party. For me, it wasn't just baking something I loved—it was reclaiming a fragment of myself I thought I'd lost.

Addiction has a way of forcing everything else aside. Hobbies and desires that once brought calm or joy often vanish in the disorder. But recovery isn't just about putting down the bottle or the substance. It's about the rediscovery of the activities that create a bypassed aliveness—the rituals that remind you of who you are.

For me, baking became a form of restoration. For someone else, it might be painting, gardening, hiking, or playing an instrument. These aren't just hobbies; they are lifelines. They maintain busy hands, allowing focused minds and open hearts.

Of course, recovery demands more than hobbies. It's a lifelong expedition backed by community, by spiritual grounding, by tending to our bodies, and by ongoing emotional growth. But reviving the things you once enjoyed—or uncovering new passions—becomes an integral part of creating an endurable life in sobriety.

Today, I still bake when life feels heavy. It's not just about the cookies or cakes—it's about creating something pretty and delicious, something that reminds me I am capable of transformation and joy without alcohol. It's a meditative effort that keeps me where my feet are.

In early sobriety, it's a welcome endeavor, rediscovering what you love in recovery. I motivate you to look back at what once made you feel complete. Sometimes, it goes way back to childhood. Start there. Pick it up again. Because every little act of rekindling is evidence that your story is still unfolding, and that life beyond addiction can be both meaningful and beautifully mundane.