Houston, with a population of 2.3 million, is the most populous area in the state of Texas and has traditionally been at the heart of a culture centered on oil, cattle, and Texan pride. Yet it boasts an even larger cultural heritage today, home not only to a long and storied history, but to various ethnicities, achievements, a historic space center, and the largest medical center in the world.
Following the decline of the Texas oil boom, Houston slowly reinvented itself as an urban metropolis, borne from the cooperation of Texan natives and late 20th and early 21st century immigrants. Today, it is home to people from cultures all over the world, while retaining its roots as one of Texas’ largest cities.
It’s a great place to live for many reasons – and if you’re on the journey toward permanent sobriety and need the right location for your sober life, Houston may be a great fit. With countless museums, parks, and culinary adventures, there’s little not to love.
Cultural Diversity and Amazing Eats
The biggest indicator of a diverse populace is the number of amazing local restaurants. With Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Mexican populations among many other communities, Houston boasts some of the best restaurants in the country and has frequently been named among the top ten food cities of the nation.
Also known as the most exciting food city in America, Houston’s culinary strengths stem from its wide selection. From eateries and food trucks to luxury dining experiences, Houston has it all.
Why does this matter? Because when you’re going sober, one of your many goals should be to discover a way to enjoy some of life’s simpler, healthier pleasures. For most people, one of the best ways to discover another array of joyous sensations is through the taste buds. Instead of going bar hopping with friends, consider visiting various restaurants, ordering just a dish or two to try out, and moving on to something else.
An Arts Scene Unlike Any Other
You may not be the kind of person to particularly enjoy photorealistic artworks, paintings of squares, or strange nonsensical sculptures, but there’s bound to be a form of art that captivates you in Houston.
Home to over 150 museums in the Greater Houston area, this is the city for celebrating cultural heritage and experiencing art on a whole new level. The Houston Museum District can guide you through any of the city’s various different art centers, with museums ranging from showcasing history to automobiles, planes, cowboys, cattle farming, big oil, local art, and more.
Being sober isn’t about being as touristy as possible, but early sobriety should be taken as an opportunity to do things you’ve never done before and see things you’ve never seen before. Life can be a little aimless in early recovery, and inspiration strikes at the strangest moments – by taking an afternoon when you’ve got nothing else on the docket to go check out a new art location, you might find yourself having the time of your life.
A Great Place to Find Work
Arguably one of the tougher tasks when tackling a sober lifestyle is finding a fulfilling line of work. As one of the larger cities least affected by the recent housing bubble and still sporting an incredibly robust economy with countless opportunities, Houston is an amazing place to seek out a well-paying job. With the right qualifications and a vision, you can place yourself in any of the city’s many upcoming startups or find work in its established local industries.
Work is important for sober life, and life in general. A steady schedule gives us something to build our week around, while a fulfilling job can help us provide for our family and ourselves, finance our pastimes, and add yet another reason to say no to cravings and keep holding onto sobriety.
More Green Than Meets the Eye
You’d be surprised what a stroll in the park can do for you – and thankfully, Houston has lots of parks.
It’s been previously researched and confirmed that any amount of activity out in nature, even for as short a time as five minutes, was enough to boost a person’s mood and self-esteem, with the greatest boost coming from waterside habitats.
As humans, we’ve generally spent most of our time as a species in the great outdoors, and as much as we’ve since migrated to living our lives within buildings and plazas, being among trees, plains, and rivers in places like the Buffalo Bayou can be a great plus for overall mental wellbeing, especially in recovery.
Affordable Living
Jobs in Houston generally offer larger wages compared to other cities in America, when adjusting for cost of living. Because the cost of living – including food, utilities, and rent – is comparatively cheaper than in other large cities across the US, you get more bang for your buck, and get to spare more of your paycheck for activities that might interest you outside of paying your dues and making ends meet.
That’s a good thing, too, because there’s a lot to see and do in Houston. And that’s ultimately what makes it a great place for a sober living journey – you won’t get bored, no matter how much of Houston you think you’ve already seen.
A Lot to See and Even More to Do
Between the culinary adventures, parks, museums, and countless places to go spend the day or just the afternoon, Houston is a city full of variety and filled to the brim with surprises. When you’re freshly sober, looking for ways to have fun without alcohol can be a challenge.
You have to practically rediscover what it means to enjoy yourself and discover hobbies that you might never have suspected you’d enjoy. Houston gives you plenty opportunities to do just that, and much more – all while offering a variety of the country’s best medical centers and clinics, and excellent recovery programs, rehab facilities, and sober living communities.