When alcohol filled all of your free time, it's hard to find ways to fill that time up, once you remove alcohol from the equation. The result can be some loooong nights, watching the clock and waiting for time to pass, while that little voice in your head pipes up, "I know exactly what you can do to entertain yourself!" Ugh.

For our first episode of Season 3, we've invited some folks we've met in Facebook groups to join us to talk about how they filled their time, once they quit drinking alcohol. Meet Peggi, Ian, and Ben, and listen as they share what it was like for them in their early days and how they dealt with the inevitable boredom of early sobriety.

In this episode:

• Activities to help fill time, including books, podcasts, meetings, and journaling
• The value of time spent with family
• Permission to go to bed early!
• Helping and supporting others in their recovery
• Finding new hobbies
• What to do when you don't feel like doing anything
• Changing mindset and thinking patterns
• Finding purpose and finding yourself
• The feeling of chasing something

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Peggi Cooney is an author, speaker and sobriety advocate. She holds a MSW and has 26 years of experience in Child Welfare and Adult Protective Services. She is currently a social work instructor/coach for UC Davis: Professional and Continuing Education. In 2018, Peggi received an Outstanding instructor Award. Peggi published her first book, This Side of Alcohol: Random Thoughts and Candid Words of Pain, Hope, Humor and Love – and All that is Possible in Sobriety. She is also the Chief Connections Officer for award-winning Zero Proof Experiences/Sober in the City where she partners with founder Susie Streelman to provide alcohol free social experiences all over the world. Peggi is currently working on her next book about work-related stress in the helping and caregiving fields. She resides with her husband Paul in West Sacramento and Lake Almanor, California.

peggicooney@gmail.com

thissideofalcohol@gmail.com

thissideofalcohol.com

IG: @thissideofalcohol

Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/thissideofalcohol

zeroproofexperiences.com

This Side of Alcohol is available wherever books are sold.

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Ben is just a average dude trying to stay sober and help others along the way.

He is starting the process of writing his first book, trying to relaunch and grow FlipSockz with a mission to help support vets and first responders, and starting a sober hiking group. In addition, Ben created a Facebook group called Sober and Loving Life.

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