Q&A with a Sober Twenty Something

What It’s Like to Be Sober in Your Twenties

Oh that’s cool that you’re sober. So, do you want a drink?

Nah dude, like, sober means that you don't drink.

What’s it like being sober in your twenties?

That’s kind of like asking a gay couple what it’s like to be married. I’m just like you.

Is it weird for you to be around me (drunk person)?

Is it weird for you to be around me (sober person)?

How do you, like, have fun?

Paddleboarding, cooking, dancing, podcasts, reading, painting, driving, singing, designing, business building, workshops, writing, learning, meditating, manifesting, yoga, running, sweating, drawing, longboarding, flirting, connecting, exploring.What kind of a question is that?

What do you do at night?

Sleep.

How do you meet people?

With my social skills.

How do you face your fears?

I look them dead in the fucking eye.

It’s such a cultural norm all over the world to drink. How do you fit in?

Fuck fitting in.

How do you escape?

I don’t live a life I need to escape from.

Do you go to bars?

Do you go to yoga?

What do you do on weekends?

Wake up early. Sweat. Eat healthy. Hit the beach. Work. Write. Not make an ass of myself or lay in bed for two days with a headache.

How do you bond with guys?

With words. And feelings. And experiences. Duh.

How do you deal with social insecurities?

Without alcohol.

How do you relax?

Sit still. Go outside. Breathe.

Are you still crazy, wild and free?

More than ever.

Are you sensitive to being around alcohol?

Nope. Are you sensitive to me kicking ass and crushing my goals?

I don’t drink because I’m tired of living a sloppy life. I don’t drink because I’m tired of unfulfilled potential. I don’t drink because I’m not boring. I don’t drink because I can think of a thousand better things to do than getting drunk. I don’t drink because I don’t have time to waste. I don’t drink because life is so. much. bigger. than alcohol. I don’t drink because life is glorious, just as it is.

Society, stop making it weird for people to be sober. Sober people, stop thinking it’s weird. Peers, stop being douche bags and insisting that everyone always have a drink in their hand. Everyone, stop associating sobriety with deprival. And stop glamorizing alcohol.

I’m sick of hearing all of this “epic night” bullshit. “You missed out on an epic night, man.” Ya? I missed out on superficial bonding with strangers in bathrooms, people spilling drinks on my feet, sloppy sex, the illusion of freedom and boring people having really dumb versions of fun. Fuck.

I’ll tell you what an epic life is.

An epic life is getting totally turned on without relying on external circumstances or chemical aids. An epic life is being more than okay. An epic life is more than a temporary high. An epic life is sustainable. An epic life is daily consistent progress towards your goals. An epic life is sitting quietly in a room by yourself, and not feeling uncomfortable. An epic life is laughing your face off for no fucking reason. An epic life is seeing beauty in every tiny little thing.

An epic life is being completely vulnerable, wildly open, and authentically yourself in your purest form.

Sobriety is liberating. Without alcohol and drugs, you’re stripped naked. Butt ass naked. You think about stuff. Emotions surface. Memories surface. Insecurities surface. And you deal with it. You grow from it. You discover yourself, authentically, without veils. Your senses are heightened. You’re more aware of your body rhythm. You think more about your health. You’re completely alive.

Kick out the crutches.