I wonder if many of us have gotten so used to the high drama and chaos that we've forgotten the art of appreciating the simple pleasures.
That might be true -- and as you can see, that art can be recovered!!! When my now-husband and I started moving from friendship to relationship, he laid down the law on what he expected: No bull****, no drama, no games. I agreed to those rules of engagement and told him that my dream was rainy November Tuesdays with fish sticks for dinner. He nodded emphatically. That's when we knew it was love.
For me, the stage after "OMG I AM FREE!" was "OMG what do I do with all this freedom?" I think anyone who's lived in an alcoholic relationship needs time to rediscover what they love -- or find that they've moved on to liking entirely new things. I was extremely social and outgoing before AXH, and when I tried to "become" that person again, it was just uncomfortable. I'm pretty introverted now; I have few friends but close ones; my idea of a fun Friday night doesn't include cocktails at an upscale bar with business associates anymore -- it's more like a big pot of tea and Netflix.
Give yourself time to figure out what you want, who you are, let your wounds heal, work on your recovery, and trust me, joy will return.
