New member

[Sammer]

After many years of drinking and trying to justify my actions, I have been sober for 6 weeks. First holiday season without drinking and it was great. I have a wonderful wife (married two years) who is very supportive. I was pulled over before Thanksgiving and received a DUI which I thought had ended my marriage. While this is making life much harder (rides for kids, work etc.), it has been the moment that I needed to make a change in my life. Feel much better but get a little bored sometimes. Any suggestions?

[parentrecovers]

Do you attend AA or any other support group meetings? My daughter is in early recovery, and is finding a lot of support in AA. And it keeps her busy, attending daily meetings, meeting new people. Congrats on 6 weeks! Blessings - K

[Astro]

I agree with parentrecovers, when I'm bored I attend an AA meeting or support group to fill up my time and add to my program. AA has shown me how to live life to it's fullest extent, and I've become the parent I always hoped I would be. Congrats on your 6 weeks, I'm glad you're here.

[BrandiK]

Boredom is evil.

I read, try to study new things, look up and learn about different ideas, try some experiments...crafts...hobbies....ect.

[Mitochondria]

When I was first getting sober, I really wasn't into AA. So instead I wrote down a list of all the things - both very little and very big - that I wanted to do in my life. I didnt have much I remembered doing sober; I started drinking at 12 so I didn't take the time to learn hobbies, etc. But I did have a lot of things I wanted to do that I hadn't done before. I started on the little stuff first, and to be honest I am still mostly there. Little stuff like painting ceramic items and giving them to friends and family. Anyway, hang in there, and remember there are other options besides going to AA.

Mito

[CarolD]

100 things to do instead of drinking

1. Read a book
2. Take a walk
3. Play a musical instrument
4. Knit
5. Clean your closets
6. Research your genealogy
7. Cook a gourmet dinner
8. Write an article for your local newspaper
9. Go take some pictures
10. Cl ean the mildew in your bathroom
11. Start writing that book you've been planning
12. Plan a garden
13. Plant a garden
14. Play with a pet
15. Read to a child
16. Visit someone in an old folks' home
17. Watch a news special on TV
18. Set up a family budge
19. Make a web site
20. Take up archery
21. Exercise
22. Go to an online AA meeting
23. Surf the internet
24. Call your mom
25. Learn a foreign language
26. Write a poem
27. Play golf
28. Take a bubble bath
29. Draw
30. Teach a parakeet to whistle
31. Take a nap
32. Listen to music
33. Paint
34. Clean your desk
35. Start a stamp collection
36. Go window shopping
37. Browse in a book store
38. Go to an art gallery
39. Go for a drive
40. Paint a room
41. Watch the clouds go by
42. Play darts
43. Do target shooting
44. Do home repairs
45. Clean your garage
46. Sort your photographs
47. Make a scrapbook
48. Climb a tree
49. Plant a tree
50. Make marmalade
51. Make a list of things to do
52. Write a letter to the editor
53. Volunteer somewhere
54. Take a h ike
55. Take a college class
56. Try yoga
57. Meditate
58. Get a massage
59. Make fruit smoothies
60. Bake cookies
61. Do a crossword puzzle
62. Go to the gym
63. Plant a color bowl
64. Sharpen your pruning tools
65. Change your engine oil
66. Sew
67. Gro om your dog
68. Go see a play
69. Write a sonnet
70. Sort your recipes
71. Play solitaire
72. Go bird watching
73. Write a letter to a friend
74. Read poetry
75. Repot your house plants
76. Go to a movie
77. Mow your lawn
78. Take down your Christmas tree
79. Make pickles
80. Go jogging
81. Watch sitcoms
82. Plan menus for a diet
83. Do a jigsaw puzzle
84. Play chess
85. Write a country-western song
86. Watch a video
87. Go for a bike ride
88. Plant an herb garden
89. Start an online journal
90. Dye your hair
91. Go to a restaurant
92. Lift weights
93. Bake some bread
94. Learn a martial art
95. Polish the furniture
96. Make a flower arrangement
97. Read the newspaper
98. Start some seeds
99. Sort your magazines
100. Go to bed.

Welcome to SR and sobriety!

[Astro]

Thanks Carol! I do many of those, and you gave me some new ideas too!

[51anna]

I'm glad you turned things around Sammy!

What worked for me was volunteer work. I began this just as I stopped drinking and it really helped a lot. Look around your neighborhood and see what you can offer to make a difference.

[GlassPrisoner]

Congrats.

Another AA member here. I tried everything else my way, and nothing worked. It wasn't until I surrendered that I started to see changes and had my first taste of serenity. Oh, and I quit drinking, too

Good Luck and God Bless