Hitekredneck

I wanted to ask if you all could share your stories with what you did with the time NOT spent drinking - or drunk. Did you find something new, did you get that degree, finish or start that lifelong dream project..... let us all know.

Thanks !!!

Kjell

Hi HR-

You'll probably get more responses if you post this in the "newcomers" forum.

The step 1 forum is designed for step 1 of AA.

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and our lives had become unmanageable.

Just some friendly advice.

Kjell

aasharon90

Finish raising my 2 awesome
kids. Relocated back to my
hometown here in Baton Rouge.
Remarried after 25 yrs. Found
a terrfic man that I can ride
passanger with on our Harley.
Love tattoos, new adventures
and most of all sharing my
own experiences, strengths
and hopes to those still suffering
with alcohol.

Enjoying life and living happy
joyous and free for 20 yrs. of
continuous sobriety.

len

finally started my piano lessons.sober for 2 yrs.sevice work and comittments,working with others.and behaving.hot damn.

BadCompany

Lessee.......... At first I had no money and no life. I started out buying and building models. Tons of them. After a while I got involved in community theater. Found a wife there. I highly recommend that one. She came with a step daughter. That was a lot of time and money. Got into skeet shooting and then competition handgun shooting. That was even more expensive than the daughter. Next and currently is dual sport motorcycles. Through all this I have been involved in AA service work of one sort or another. Add in all the hunting and fishing through the years and I have been one busy beaver.

lostsheep

lol. I started doing everything happily, that I had done before I became a drinker.

teresac8

I want to spend time jogging & doing 5k. I also want to meditate and talk to my higher power more.

teresac8

I am powerless over alcohol and my life is a mess. I am happy I get a second chance. I don't want to screw it up.

EricL

God.

GrahamP

I think those are good things. Once you get into running and realize how good IT can make you feel with all of the endorphins that are released, IT can become addicting, and you might not even want to drink, because you feel good AND healthy.

Latte

Parenting my children effectively. Keeping a house, being a wife, helping out in my community and many other things.

sugarbear1

Meetings, reading the Big Book, establishing a network, service work for me at home (disorganization became organized), service work in AA, working the steps with a sponsor...

PhiBetaLeta

I repleace the drinking with meetings. The meetings are like medicine. It's amazing how I have no craving to drink after the meetings. There's like some sort of pixie dust that was sprinkled. I think that God works through the people in the rooms.

LiveLikeGold6

I'm pregnant so without meetings and other people in AA I would still be sober but I would spend a lot of my time angry and fighting with myself and everyone else.

I go to and participate in meetings, picked up a service commitment, read the big book, come on SR, go to work, hang out with my cat, and recently I am getting into smoothies!

muffin1707

Thank you for the responses. It is only 2 days for me. I can't figure out how to even start a tread. Foggy mind.

How long does it take to feel normal? Actually feel like doing something. I am still just sitting here on the computer. No drink and I quit smoking too after 40 years.

sugarbear1

Addressing old bills
taking care of state taxes
taking care of federal taxes
repairing credit rating
obtained work in the field I am passionate about (haven't been in it for 11 years)
repairing relationships both friends and family members
organized apartment I have only been in for a year
losing the weight gained in early recovery through exercising
keep my fingernails manicured
meet with my elderly friend regularly (she just had a double mastectomy)
continue to volunteer
read several books
babysit for friends
meet with my sponsor for discussion and textbook study
attend meetings
bake once a week for home group
continue to be passionate about cooking, especially new meals
have friends I go out and do sober activities with
call people on the phone to say "hi"
started painting again
simplified my life
just started saving for a car, still have time to find the witness to the accident to take the other driver to court (time is running out in 2 months)
staying stopped from drinking
(I'm sure I've missed something here)
all in the past 10 months~

muffin, by 6 months the sugar cravings reduced, by 8 almost gone and I felt much better, at 10 months, almost totally normal, but still have my "forgetful moments," but I also smoked weed until about 4 or more days before I stopped drinking. I"ll be 51 in about 39 days. Stay stopped! You are worth it!

shaun00

Joined society ...re-trained and got a job
Cultivated a relationship with god .
Worked with newcomers and looked for other areas where I could be useful .
Got obsessed with fishing ..
Attended big book meeting and got mildly addicted to caffeine .
Got into photography and wildlife .

strawberrygirl

Lots of working out, helps me burn off a lot of the energy and anxiety that usually leads me to drink.

Adding more structure and routine to my life, I started volunteering on a weekly basis at the food bank and it was amazing how much better that helped me feel about myself.

Really just overcoming my fear of doing all the things I have always wanted to do whether taking a knitting class or asking my drinking buddies to do non-drinking things with me.

Still working on it

FlyerFan

Books, puzzles, crafts. Whatever took my mind off booze. I still have to stick to these things. Puzzles are most helpful because they keep your brain busy.

mick3580

Recovery through 12 steps, service work in and outside of the fellowship, and unity through contact with people of varying lengths of sobriety in aa.