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Boredom in early sobriety

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Old 03-31-2016, 04:22 PM
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Boredom in early sobriety

Hi guys,

I've only been sober for 8 days but my AV keeps chirping in my ear saying "being sober is sooooo boring! What do you have to look forward to now? Life is short KiKi!"

It's driving me nuts & I don't want to drink over it so I was hoping you guys could give me some tips on how you fill your time now that your not drinking/hungover etc?

Are your lives boring? Does it make you miss drinking?

Just trying to tell on my disease...thx in advance!

Kiki
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Old 03-31-2016, 04:27 PM
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I'm kind of a nerd that likes to read and play xbox, but a walk outdoors is really nice when I am bored.
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Old 03-31-2016, 04:28 PM
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And did I mention of have 3 kids, 2 pets & a husband? I can't imagine how bored I would be if it wasn't for them! I think my mind is just messing with me tonight. :-(
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Old 03-31-2016, 04:34 PM
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I found going for a walk was helpful when the av showed up.
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Old 03-31-2016, 04:38 PM
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When I have spare time l walk, go to gym, spend more time with children/ family.
I think it's really useful to have a weekly schedule written down although I admit am a bit lazy in doing so.
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Old 03-31-2016, 04:38 PM
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This is our Sticky of Things to Do:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ething-do.html
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Old 03-31-2016, 05:09 PM
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Bored is state of mind, self induced, not a lack of things to do.
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Old 03-31-2016, 05:29 PM
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Sometimes I am bored, and that's ok. I can always find something to do, and if I had my choice, I'd prefer being 'bored' to being deathly ill.
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Old 03-31-2016, 05:45 PM
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I think your AV is messing with you Kiki

D
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Old 03-31-2016, 05:46 PM
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Hi Kiki,

I am struggling with that too. I think, honestly, that I drank to help make the mundane more fun so I totally understand. I am trying to spice up the evening routine a little-I have an activity for each evening of the week that we are home planned (like date nights on Thursday nights, music on Tuesday nights- we have a lot of guitars handing around ...games on Saturday nights- have you tried "apples to apples"?). I've tried planning easy things that don't take a lot of thought for each day of the week that I and/or my family can enjoy together ... And if I have a better idea or just need to zone out with a little tv, I'm good with that too .

(Also made a bucket list of things I want to do with my family and trips I'd like to take ... things I didn't take the time to plan when I was doing a lot of drinking and that make my life seem a lot less boring and help me know that I'm enjoying my sobriety with my kiddos ...)
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:01 PM
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Hi Kiki,
Well you are doing something here and you have the lists from Anna above. I had a lot of the same thoughts in my early sobriety and her are few of the thoughts I wrote here in my posts as I discovered my sobriety unfolding before me. Here is how I felt.

Boredom is wanting to do something, anything, as long as you don’t have to actually do something to do it.

From about six months sober I realized that we indeed need to start with a clean slate, and here it is before us, and many times we look at the blank canvas we asked for, and we see the paints we can use and choose, and that the brushes are all cleaned and ready, but for some reason we say we can't, when won't is really the truth we need to face. I was afraid I would bung it up again.

I liked drinking when it was voluntary, not when it became mandatory.

It was the start of my second chance to live my life differently. No one could give it to me, I could only take it for myself. That was only the first step. Now I have to actually live that life I knew was possible.

Alcohol provides us an avenue to run away from all of our problems . . . except the results of using alcohol. <sigh>

I haven't lost drinking, I have gained sobriety.

Life doesn't get any easier with time, sobriety does.

I am grateful for you!
If you are reading this you are part of the reason I am sober and getting my life back. Newcomer trying, or ten years sober, the power of worldwide support saying that they "got my back," well just contemplate that for a moments meditation.

We CAN do this thing right called life, we have given ourselves that second chance that many wish for, and don't recognize it when it arrives. In our case, we made that second chance happen. Now all we have to do is use it. For me easier said than done, but I am working on it too.

Last Itchy thought for the day:

Stop getting ready and start getting to it.
Not the tomorrow that never comes. Not when everything is right and there is no stress, and not with conditions like as long as I don't have to whatever, and not waiting for it to fall from the sky or be instantly available through a drink or pill.
Stop getting ready and start getting to it.

Happy sobriety in life!
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:05 PM
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I remember feeling that way in the beginning. Like the song, "is that all there is?"
I was bored, so I found things to do. I kept busy in the beginning. Now I'm never bored, as a matter of fact, I love my down time.
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim1958 View Post
I found going for a walk was helpful when the av showed up.
Thx! I took our dog for a walk & it did help. :-)
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Anna View Post
This is our Sticky of Things to Do: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ething-do.html
Thanks Anna! I'm gonna read through this tonight!
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by doggonecarl View Post
Bored is state of mind, self induced, not a lack of things to do.
You think? Can you elaborate? :-)
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by least View Post
Sometimes I am bored, and that's ok. I can always find something to do, and if I had my choice, I'd prefer being 'bored' to being deathly ill.
Yes I guess I would rather be bored than deathly ill too.
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Dee74 View Post
I think your AV is messing with you Kiki D
I agree. :-(
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:15 PM
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I often walk my dogs when I want to do something. It gets me exercise, fresh air, and sunshine, and I love watching them just 'being dogs'.
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by izzy8 View Post
Hi Kiki, I am struggling with that too. I think, honestly, that I drank to help make the mundane more fun so I totally understand. I am trying to spice up the evening routine a little-I have an activity for each evening of the week that we are home planned (like date nights on Thursday nights, music on Tuesday nights- we have a lot of guitars handing around ...games on Saturday nights- have you tried "apples to apples"?). I've tried planning easy things that don't take a lot of thought for each day of the week that I and/or my family can enjoy together ... And if I have a better idea or just need to zone out with a little tv, I'm good with that too . (Also made a bucket list of things I want to do with my family and trips I'd like to take ... things I didn't take the time to plan when I was doing a lot of drinking and that make my life seem a lot less boring and help me know that I'm enjoying my sobriety with my kiddos ...)
Sounds like a great idea...planning things to do. Thank you!
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Old 03-31-2016, 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Itchy View Post
Hi Kiki, Well you are doing something here and you have the lists from Anna above. I had a lot of the same thoughts in my early sobriety and her are few of the thoughts I wrote here in my posts as I discovered my sobriety unfolding before me. Here is how I felt. Boredom is wanting to do something, anything, as long as you don&rsquo;t have to actually do something to do it. From about six months sober I realized that we indeed need to start with a clean slate, and here it is before us, and many times we look at the blank canvas we asked for, and we see the paints we can use and choose, and that the brushes are all cleaned and ready, but for some reason we say we can't, when won't is really the truth we need to face. I was afraid I would bung it up again. I liked drinking when it was voluntary, not when it became mandatory. It was the start of my second chance to live my life differently. No one could give it to me, I could only take it for myself. That was only the first step. Now I have to actually live that life I knew was possible. Alcohol provides us an avenue to run away from all of our problems . . . except the results of using alcohol. <sigh> I haven't lost drinking, I have gained sobriety. Life doesn't get any easier with time, sobriety does. I am grateful for you! If you are reading this you are part of the reason I am sober and getting my life back. Newcomer trying, or ten years sober, the power of worldwide support saying that they "got my back," well just contemplate that for a moments meditation. We CAN do this thing right called life, we have given ourselves that second chance that many wish for, and don't recognize it when it arrives. In our case, we made that second chance happen. Now all we have to do is use it. For me easier said than done, but I am working on it too. Last Itchy thought for the day: Stop getting ready and start getting to it. Not the tomorrow that never comes. Not when everything is right and there is no stress, and not with conditions like as long as I don't have to whatever, and not waiting for it to fall from the sky or be instantly available through a drink or pill. Stop getting ready and start getting to it. Happy sobriety in life!
This was a gift! ^^^ It Was exactly what I needed. Thank you so much. I am going to save it and read it everyday. :-)
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