I love this malcolm... For me it has so far been, "just try it"... and your wife's thoughts on trying something new at least once a month... priceless. I remember I couldn't even try anything new drinking. And as weird as it may seem, I get the joy of trying something new every day that I wake up now. It may be good, it may be hard... but it is new.
Originally Posted by
malcolmsloan 
I just want to jump in and add to the "let it take time" point. I like to think about it as allowing time to readjust to the world around us. One of the things years of alcohol abuse robs us of is a healthy view of "things." Alcohol makes us think things are "boring," or "unexciting." We have learned to think like this. Life and the world around us is so amazing, exciting, thrilling, and even sublime. And this includes the negative/hurtful parts of life too. My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. I am early on in my sobriety, and my first reaction was, "oh, sh!#, how am I going to handle this sober?" Well I did, it was sad, I went to her funeral, I cried-but I was alive and feeling, not running and inebriateing, not blocking what is real. I went to a birthday party for a 7 year old. I saw the faces of the kids, bright and happy, I heard the sounds of laughter and pure childhood joy-all I would have missed if I had been drinking (there was a cooler of beer for the adults). Keep an open mind and let time help you heal, help you get back a view and perception of what the theif stole from you.
Combine this philosphy with all the great advice about hobies, activities, and such, and eventually, the world can become a very different place.
Oh, something my wife likes to do: Every month, do one thing that you have never done before. Even if it's try a new salad dressing, do at least one thing out of the normal pattern/routine: You never know what you might find, and it feels great to branch out a little.