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Is it just me or have the last couple of weeks felt like the longest year ever?

Woman sitting at her window with tea and a journal

Getty / MundusImages

Its all many of us can think about, talk about, wonder about.

These in-person interactions are often the foundational backbone to our sobriety.

Establish consistent, healthy routines.

We have been forced out of our normal routines and into circumstances we were not prepared for.

In sobriety, having consistent routines is key, so establishing them under these new conditions is super important.

Some excellent meditation apps to try areInsight Timer,Calm App, orHeadspace.

Stay connected virtually with the recovery community and your sober friends.

Many in the sober community rely on 12-step meetings to maintain their recovery.

Luckily, we are living in a digital age where Zoom calls and online meetings are readily available.

In-person meetings had to adapt quickly once the news started to surface about the importance of avoiding in-person gatherings.

In the Roomsis a great resource for people looking for 12-step meetings with multiple online meetings per day.

No matter what style you fancy, there are plenty of ways tostay connectedwith sober support.

Physical distance doesnt have to mean complete separation.

Practice media distancing in addition to social distancing.

Stay active and get outside.

Daybreaker is known for its epic early-morning sober raves and has taken their movement online during this time.

It was such a blast and a great way to stay connected and active.

(Here are a bunch of other ways toexercise at home, if you need more ideas.)

Its also nice to see local gyms and studios of all kinds offering virtual classes for their community.

The good news is that outside is not canceled and neither is our ability to stay active.

Be curious and mindful about how you feel and what youre grateful for.

Its interesting to have a lot of our go-to modern conveniences stripped away as we are in isolation.

Pay attention to what you miss, and what you dont, for that matter.

There can be a sense of curiousness through it all, and it can point you in new directions.

Practice self-care and boundarieshard.

We talk about self-care a lot in the sober community.

Self-care is not just bubble baths and face masks.

It is also expressing your needs and communicating how you feel to those around you.

ensure you are taking breaks and communicating when you have too much on your plate.

Asking for help and implementing routines for your children can save you from feeling overwhelmed and triggered to drink.

Focus on what you are gainingnot what youre missing.

Be gentle with yourself.

Remember that youve likely already learned that alcohol is the fastest way to make a bad situation worse.

And just think of all the toilet paper you might buy with the money youll have saved fromnotdrinking.

(But, you know, only what you need.

Dont hoard the TP, guys.)