452 How to Have Fun Without Alcohol with Alysse Bryson

452 How to Have Fun Without Alcohol with Alysse Bryson

How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This chat between host Arlina Allen and returning guest Alysse Bryson is all about proving that life without booze can still be packed with laughs, colour and genuine connection. Alysse, who has 20 years of sobriety, shares how early recovery can feel painfully flat because, as Arlina explains, "boredom is a sign that you have been flooding your brain with dopamine" and now your brain is simply trying to heal.

Instead of pretending alcohol isn’t everywhere, Alysse talks about a simple exercise her sponsor gave her: listing five places she saw alcohol each day until it "taught me to look at it and for it to not have power over me." That reframing runs through the whole conversation. You’ll get down-to-earth tactics for handling parties, work events and even Vegas trips without drinking.

Alysse keeps it practical: always have a drink in your hand (like a cranberry soda with lime), watch it being poured, have a clear reason for going, look for ways to add value (taking photos, helping out, talking to the awkward person in the corner), and always have an exit plan for when "the crowd in general starts to get drunk" and you’re done. There’s also a big dose of play.

From inflatable walkers and Golden Girls costumes to bedazzled Mickey Mouse figures and a "curator cottage" stuffed with oddities, Alysse shows how hobbies, travel, costumes and sober pop culture can keep recovery light-hearted. Her project, The Sober Curator, reflects this spirit with book reviews, travel pieces, mocktails, fashion and what she jokingly calls "Max whimsy". At its heart, this conversation is aimed at anyone worried that being alcohol-free means the fun is over.

As Arlina says, "Getting sober matters, but staying sober matters more" – so why not make staying sober feel joyful, playful and full of your own kind of magic?