The Surprising Joys of a Sober Life

By: Tasha Truchel

When I first got sober, I thought I was signing up for a life of less. Less fun. Less freedom. Less excitement. I imagined sobriety as white-knuckling through Friday nights with seltzer water while everyone else lived their “best lives”.

What I didn’t expect? That sobriety would actually give me more.

• More peace

• More clarity

• More laughter

I actually remember the next morning. More mornings where I wake up without shame glued to my chest. Sobriety hasn’t been punishment—it’s been permission. Permission to really live, without constantly dragging the weight of yesterday’s choices around.

I didn’t expect the quiet joys either:

• Being present. Not half-in, half-out of a conversation, but actually listening and connecting.

• Real rest. The kind where I wake up energized instead of piecing myself together like a crime scene.

• Rediscovering hobbies. Turns out I like reading, walking, cooking, and—shocker—being alone with my own thoughts (most days).

• Genuine fun. Laughing until it hurts, not until my drink spills all over you.

And here’s the kicker: I also didn’t expect to like myself. For so long, I thought alcohol was the glue that held me together socially. Without it, I was terrified of being “too much” or “not enough.” But sobriety has given me confidence that isn’t borrowed from a bottle. It’s quieter, steadier, real.

Sobriety has surprised me in ways I never saw coming. It’s not about a life of restriction—it’s about abundance. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I used to think “full life” meant chasing highs. Now I see it in the ordinary moments that feel extraordinary simply because I’m awake for them.

So yes, sobriety is hard work. But it’s also full of unexpected joys—little gifts that remind me this path isn’t about losing anything. It’s about gaining everything I didn’t know I was missing.