Outer Circle Activities

Ultimately, the purpose of SAA is to have a good life.  This is what the Outer Circle is all about.  Its scope is vast and touches every aspect of our lives.  Here, we focus on one aspect of the Outer Circle — developing healthy activities.

Our addiction often robbed us of simple pleasures.  Some of us were so bogged down in the gloom and doom of an addict’s life that we carried that same attitude into recovery.  We did not know how to do anything else.  Developing Outer Circle activities can help diffuse our impulses toward addictive behavior.  These might include:

1. cultivating hobbies such as art, music, cooking, or hiking;
2. attending sober activities like movies, plays and community events;
3. taking a class or learning a new skill;
4. gathering with friends to play sports or games, indoors or out; and
5. in time, dating and healthy sexuality.

All Outer Circle activities support our recovery process.  Do the things that sound fun and interesting to you.  We have spent years of our lives caught up in the insanity of sex addiction, and we can now begin to enjoy ourselves.  If it doesn’t feel right, there is no need to rush.  Plenty of rest is important too.  In other words, we balance new activities and interests with time to heal.