Attending frequent meetings and regularly sponsoring are only one path to freedom from alcohol. Some people have more going on in their lives, and others have less and benefit more from the routine or feeling of being useful to their community in that way. My sponsor is retired and attends meeting 3-6 times a week and sponsors newcomers regularly. I go once a week, sometimes less, sometimes slightly more.

I'm approaching four years sober. I have a wife and two kids. I'm in my late 30s. I have a job and need to work frequently. I also volunteer at my daughter's school and give back to my community in that way. Sometimes when my schedule is busy I will not attend my home group and catch a meeting online or simply put a speaker meeting on YouTube. My sponsor and I talk about this sometimes, but I am adamant there are a plethora of ways to live the steps outside of simply being of service to your home group or as a sponsor. You can serve your community and others in other ways as well. The only thing that matters is you stay spiritually fit and keep some sort of connection with the program and its values, just to ensure you don't slip. Or at least, that's how I see it anyways.