Is anyone finding this a bit lonely?

[SnowShapes7]

I’m still very early on in this journey- about a month in. My aim is to cut back drastically, with the intention of pretty much giving up alcohol altogether in time. I’ve had some really good days, and some not-so-good ones.
One thing I’ve become very aware of is how lonely the process feels, and I’m not quite sure what to do about that. Looking back, I think I was probably lonely before but masking it with alcohol. Now that that prop has been knocked away, the feeling is much harder to ignore. A lot of my social life revolved around drinking, so for now I’m avoiding those situations until I feel a bit more steady in myself- especially as my slip-ups have tended to happen when I’m out with other people.
I don’t feel that AA meetings are the right fit for me; and maybe I’m being paranoid, but I’m also reluctant to join Facebook or Instagram support groups. I don’t trust them with my data, and this is a very private journey for me at the moment- I’m not ready for it to be visible to my wider social circle. That said, I know I can’t just do nothing.
Now that I'm no longer losing my evenings to the bottom of a wine glass I’ve recently started a few exercise classes, in part to build some healthier friendships. I am making an effort, but everyone there seems to already be in their own little cliques. I’ve even looked at healthy living retreats and sobriety retreats, but they all feel either a bit too hippy-dippy or a bit like school residential trips- not for me at all, I just want some good laughs, some good times, and some good company. I know I'll not be able to avoid social situations with alcohol forever, and I wouldn't want to, but at this early stage it feels like alcohol is almost everywhere you might want to make connection with others.
I can’t believe I’m the only one who’s felt like this at such an early stage, but I’m struggling to see what the answer is. Has anyone who’s a bit further along got any words of wisdom or advice?

I think you're being very sensible. It's tricky to just suddenly try and make new really good friends though I think - there's often a lot of luck involved. Would any of your old friends go to the exercise classes with you? Or would it end up in drinks afterwards?

Keep going with it! It’s a really positive lifestyle change that takes some getting used to

Podcasts are great motivators such as ‘Sober, Alcohol free stories’ on Spotify. Not preachy or horror stories, just people talking about their reasons for giving up, good for the sober curious and advice on how to change long drilled in habits

soberistas.com also helpful, and has opened up a new social element for my friend who struggled to do it on her own

stick with it x

Do you think you need new friends? Or would your current ones be up for different events with less of an alcohol focus some of the time? For instance, paint-along art classes, indoor crazy golf, afternoon tea etc.?
For support, there's a good 100 days sober thread going that's active and has some good ideas on.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply- I really do appreciate it. @situps76 with my old friends, I’m pretty sure it would end with wine afterwards… or honestly, just skipping the exercise and going straight to the wine!
Ironically, I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years one or two of them find themselves in the same place I am now, but I don’t think they’re quite ready to go there yet. I suspect that's why I'm finding it quite a lonely place to be, particularly as I've relied on Dutch courage for my confidence for years, when underneath it all I can actually be quite shy.

@socksandshoos Thank you so much for the podcast and website recommendations- that feels like a really good place to start. I’ve been floundering a little, and I think hearing other people’s stories could be really inspiring.

@Dablab I suspect I might need to make some new friends- not all of them, but there are definitely a few who are drinking just as much as I was, and are just as much in denial that its a problem. Weirdly, I think they might even feel judged if I suggested alcohol-free activities. Thanks for the thread suggestion too- I’ll head over there for a lurk!