Hi, Missy. Exercise works wonders for me. Reading helps me relax a lot, too. Even just watching a movie can help me get out of my own head, so thoughts of the day's work just sort of drift away.
Maybe it also might be helpful to spend some time reading old posts or writing down recollections of alcohol's impact on your life. Did it really help you let off steam—or did it cause you far more stress in the long-run? Does going to the tavern for a beer or two resemble your actual drinking patterns, or is it a romanticized fantasy conjured by addiction?
Alcohol took up a lot of my time in the evening, so I definitely had a four- or five-hour void to fill. But that hole was not previously occupied by something enjoyable or relaxing. I gave up something miserable, not something fun....