Hobbies and Interests

Carpet diem

What do ye guys do now to fill the time freed up from going out drinkning and spending all day in bed hungover or lazying about?

stefan idiot jones

I don't know if it what I do to fill the time/void that drink used to steal from me is the right way to look at it.

Myself, I have a partner and a child and work five days a week. I'm up at half five, cycle to work, multitask like a magician alll day then home at half three. By the time I've showered, made tea, checked the homework etc etc, caught up with the OH it's time for bed.
I'm like most people just busy with 'normal life'.

When I gave up the drink, I too was concerned about this. But rather than looking for something new to fill your time, why not just do more of the things you already like doing and maybe make a better fist of them too ?

If you like movies, watch more of them. If you like walks then go for more adventurous/ exerting walks. Just do things better/faster/louder rather than looking for a substitute.

Good luck.

xzanti

I have a 3 year old keeping me on my toes.. but I also like to keep fit.. I go to Zumba whenever I have the chance..

I'm taking a certificate level course in NIUM in Counselling Skills with a view to one day getting my degree in counselling (light years away but I'm on the road)

I'm also looking at getting into Amateur Drama, I've always had an interest in acting so why not.

I also love to just get out at the weekends if I can at all.. cinema, meals out and dancing.. I love dancing now more than ever! I'm always the last off the dance floor at Weddings and Parties..

Just basically living in high definition :pac:

Carpet diem

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

I don't know if it what I do to fill the time/void that drink used to steal from me is the right way to look at it.

Myself, I have a partner and a child and work five days a week. I'm up at half five, cycle to work, multitask like a magician alll day then home at half three. By the time I've showered, made tea, checked the homework etc etc, caught up with the OH it's time for bed.
I'm like most people just busy with 'normal life'.

When I gave up the drink, I too was concerned about this. But rather than looking for something new to fill your time, why not just do more of the things you already like doing and maybe make a better fist of them too ?

If you like movies, watch more of them. If you like walks then go for more adventurous/ exerting walks. Just do things better/faster/louder rather than looking for a substitute.

Good luck.

That's actual an interesting way to look at things and worth thinking about. Lots of things I dont do well and should

Daveysil15

I take photos of fine art nudes and sell them in art galleries. Well ok, I haven't actually sold any yet, but I'm working on it.

Sober living is amazing but you need to put the effort in with whatever you start gaining or regaining(in most cases) an interest in. The days need to be filled to kept the craving of alcohol at bay. When I first gave up drink I needed to go to 2-3 meetings a day at the weekend as they were the days I would have gone mental. That's eased off in a huge way since and I might go to one at the weekend while replacing the time with numerous activities such as ;

- Playing football with the lads or with my team
- Running, I got very in to running as doing the Dublin Marathon was always a goal of mine which I achieved 3 weeks ago with a lot of hard work. Now I still enjoy going for a run 2-3 times a week it really clears the head can't recommend it enough. I find while running it's very hard to think negatively so that's a huge help for someone like me.
- Watch movies or tv shows, both at home & at the cinema with my girlfriend/family. This was something I totally lost interest in during my drinking. I wouldn't go anywhere unless there was a session guaranteed by the end. I'm really enjoying getting back in to it and I don't think I've missed a highly recommend movie in the cinema in the last year!
- I go out for dinner so much more now with either the girlfriend or friends or both. This wouldn't appeal to me before as I couldn't drink the way I would have liked to at a dinner table.
- Reading, I read so much more then I ever did even before I drank as a child. A good book can fill necessary voids with in the day. I only started reading the ASOIF(Game of Thrones books)in my first year off the drink and they were a brilliant time filler.
- I go to concerts,gigs & stand up comedians a lot more now while when I was drinking I'd generally avoid them as it was always hassle getting up and going to the bar.
- I spend a lot more time with my family now. I actually like dropping in for a chat with them and spending time with my niece. While before when I was drinking I absolutely despised both my parents and blamed them for my drinking.

Overall these days I find myself almost too busy, I don't know how I had all that time to drink to be honest! . It also helps that I work full time Monday - Friday.

Carpet diem

Deleted User wrote: »

Sober living is amazing but you need to put the effort in with whatever you start gaining or regaining(in most cases) an interest in. The days need to be filled to kept the craving of alcohol at bay. When I first gave up drink I needed to go to 2-3 meetings a day at the weekend as they were the days I would have gone mental. That's eased off in a huge way since and I might go to one at the weekend while replacing the time with numerous activities such as ;

- Playing football with the lads or with my team
- Running, I got very in to running as doing the Dublin Marathon was always a goal of mine which I achieved 3 weeks ago with a lot of hard work. Now I still enjoy going for a run 2-3 times a week it really clears the head can't recommend it enough. I find while running it's very hard to think negatively so that's a huge help for someone like me.
- Watch movies or tv shows, both at home & at the cinema with my girlfriend/family. This was something I totally lost interest in during my drinking. I wouldn't go anywhere unless there was a session guaranteed by the end. I'm really enjoying getting back in to it and I don't think I've missed a highly recommend movie in the cinema in the last year!
- I go out for dinner so much more now with either the girlfriend or friends or both. This wouldn't appeal to me before as I couldn't drink the way I would have liked to at a dinner table.
- Reading, I read so much more then I ever did even before I drank as a child. A good book can fill necessary voids with in the day. I only started reading the ASOIF(Game of Thrones books)in my first year off the drink and they were a brilliant time filler.
- I go to concerts,gigs & stand up comedians a lot more now while when I was drinking I'd generally avoid them as it was always hassle getting up and going to the bar.
- I spend a lot more time with my family now. I actually like dropping in for a chat with them and spending time with my niece. While before when I was drinking I absolutely despised both my parents and blamed them for my drinking.

Overall these days I find myself almost too busy, I don't know how I had all that time to drink to be honest! . It also helps that I work full time Monday - Friday.

Your a busy person

Carpet diem

Carpet diem wrote: »

Your a busy person

It's worked wonders for me, the less time I have to think the better.

iusedtoknow

I didn't replace drinking time with anything, i just got on with life without drinking. It was part of the Carr book, about not replacing drinking with anything, as it serves as a distraction rather than just not drinking.

It worked for me, but a fringe benefit of the whole thing was that I ended up feeling more engergetic so I took up playing soccer twice a week, not as a replacement, but more as a way to get rid of some energy.

xzanti

iusedtoknow wrote: »

I didn't replace drinking time with anything, i just got on with life without drinking. It was part of the Carr book, a.

Brilliant isn't it best thing I ever did, reading that book!

iusedtoknow

xzanti wrote: »

Brilliant isn't it best thing I ever did, reading that book!

it is -completely changed my life. When I thought about not drinking, it used to fill me with dread - that book showed me that the only thing that really needed to change was the type of drink in my hand.

Not a lot changed for me - i still went to bars and had NA beer sometimes, mostly just a coke or something else. I could keep on dancing till 5 AM, and my friends had the added the bonus of me driving them home

My wife says I still talk the same amount of ****e on a night out, now it's understandable

xzanti

iusedtoknow wrote: »

it is -completely changed my life. When I thought about not drinking, it used to fill me with dread

Yep, I never thought I'd be free of those feelings of deprivation when I decided to kick the habit.. how wrong I was.

Amazing.

Here's to Allen

peter bermingham

For me to keep the mind active i do some Archery Knife Making Woodturning also make wooden toys and have a motorcycle restoration project on the go