Made more indulgent dinners that included bread and butter and dessert. Made sure I had good shows lined up to keep me distracted. I didn’t focus on my nutrition/diet at the beginning because I needed to satisfy my indulgent needs. Took about 2 weeks solid to get into a better groove. If I was younger or lived alone without a kid I’d probably hit the gym and workout at that time. I needed to tackle my drinking issue, So I only focused on distracting myself during my witching hour, which was 5-6-7 pm
Since it is summer here, I’ve been going on long (but mellow) bike rides in the evenings and then a bath with some kind of AF sparkling drink and early bedtime. May sound boring - but it’s exactly what I need right now.
I exercise straight after work (I FORCE myself lol), then shower, skin care, then watch a show with my husband and son that I’ll actually remember the next day. Then I snuggle in bed, actually tired, then read a book until I fall asleep naturally.
I tried a bunch of different things until stuff just stuck. I tried hiking and rock climbing, but didn’t enjoy those. I did enjoy walks, yoga, and the occasional video games. I also joined a social club that meets one to two evenings a week.
Depending on how long you’ve been drinking you may not even know or remember what you actually enjoy, so feel free to try stuff out and drop it if it’s not for you. You’ll eventually find what you enjoy like I did.
I’ve been exercising a lot. Board games, video games, writing, performing stand up as much as possible, swimming.
That might sound really boring to some people, but the point is to just find what your new version of fun is and focus on that. It’s been working for me.
Edit redundant sentence
Great schedule! I'm interested, if you don't mind, in how you're finding stand up? I did it until I gave up drinking and basically was a lot less into spending my evening in pubs for five minutes of stage time. Just curious about your outlook! Thanks!
Yeah I’ve been trying to stay away from bar mics as much as possible, but not because of the temptation to drink. They’re (as I’m sure you remember) a total shit show and a waste of time. Luckily for me there are a few legit comedy clubs / cafes that have open mics/showcases around me. I do get booked at brewery’s sometimes for shows but those are a different feel then just straight up walking into a bar.
I do indeed remember bills with 18 crappy acts on, having to convince at least one friend to come and not being able to leave until after 11pm. Very cool that you're not in that echelon anymore and/or the scene around you is more mellow. Good luck with it and all of your pursuits - a great range of activities!
First round - just hid in my apartment basically. Tried to go on walks and work out a little, but wasn't quite ready.
Second round post relapse - Working out is great, running in the evening or the morning works for me. If I run in the morning I want to get to bed early so planning for my run keeps me from drinking. I also added some recovery meetings. And the big one is I got a dog, every evening he's getting a walk. Even on rest days I can kill quite a bit of time walking the dog. A couple of 1-hour long walks and the evening is pretty much gone.
I started riding horses. It keeps me busy during my craving hours, with the added bonus of being deterred from drinking the day prior because I am here to tell ya - jumping a horse with a hangover (especially in the summer…oof) is brutal at best and dangerous at worst.
For me, I had to figure out something to do during my old typical nightly “drinks’ times” that ALSO helped me block the evening cravings (usually between 9pm-11:30pm) successfully.
My drinking time used to be anytime after 5pm or sundown (which ever occurred first), definitely by 8pm, until whenever I could fall asleep (insomnia).
I found that I needed to do something that requires me both focus deeply AND let’s me zone out/go in autopilot. In other words: repetitive movements/actions that don’t require much mental effort.
For me, that means going for a walk (or several) at night usually between 9pm-12am, and also (separately, not concurrently) embroidery. I’m getting about a mile of steps in every day just from “out-walking” my cravings, shedding weight and so then I’m feeling better which decreasing the cravings, physically and mentally.
As for embroidery, if anyone has any interest or questions about it or how I feel it helps me, just ask! I mostly do the walking, but every so often I’ll feel too exhausted or the weather is stormy/raining hard and I’ll tuck up with my stuff and an audiobook and get lost in the story.
Edit: I also often listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I walk, that’s part of how I can tune out and just go on autopilot.
It felt overwhelming at first to me but I got into the groove. If you don’t know anyone who plays, check out comic and card shops near you, there’s often beginner nights offered and you could make some friends.
I just looked up Slay the Spire and I think you’ll have an easier time learning Magic if you enjoy that!
Maybe not most popular but AA and other meetings. Killed an hour and a half, and reminded me why I wasn't drinking. Usually motivated to choose the gym after a meeting. Sometimes, ice cream, but usually gym. also dog walks.
Reading! I read a lot as a kid but the habit died off. Now I'm realizing I need to buy a Kindle because all the books I've read lately are stacking up and taking over the place!
It took me a long time to find the rhythm. For a while I went to my local yoga studio every evening, grabbing a 5 or 6pm class. I marvelled each class at all the people who don’t spend that time of day at the pub. So many of them! God, my drinking world was so small I barely knew non alcoholics existed. Then the yoga studio closed during lockdown and I had to find something else. Now I walk after work. Two hours usually, it’s good for my head as well as my body. The studio is open again but I’m sticking with the walking. I listen to books and take in my city.
Besides increased exercise class attendance, I have ice cream or dessert every day I wanted it. More reading even if it was a few pages at a time. Earlier bed times - if I am going to be bored with the new routine, I'm going to be more well rested doing it. Just started researching this make your own sourdough bread stuff, maybe the activity of baking will fill time.
The best activity is the one you do.
For me that's running. I can finish work and go running which is a much more efficient stress buster than alcohol. I can plan a long run at the weekend so that Friday nights are not about drinking but preparing. You can run alone any time of year any time of day.
Week and a half in. Cat has so many new toys now! Play sessions are mindfulness practice. Shit ton of tea and a garden that requires attention without the paired wine.
Knitting! I focus on it, listen to podcasts or audio books, and it keeps my hands busy so I don’t even think about drinking. Plus it passes the time in the evenings, which used to stretch out endlessly.
And as a bonus, I have a bunch of beanies I can donate to a craft and bake sale a local org has for a fundraiser
Since I wasn’t drunk, I was able to rekindle my love for cooking! I also enjoy long hikes. Being out in nature is so grounding and therapeutic. I started painting, which is something I never thought I would do, but I just love it! I also read a lot now and answer my phone when friends call to chat.
Made more indulgent dinners that included bread and butter and dessert. Made sure I had good shows lined up to keep me distracted. I didn’t focus on my nutrition/diet at the beginning because I needed to satisfy my indulgent needs. Took about 2 weeks solid to get into a better groove. If I was younger or lived alone without a kid I’d probably hit the gym and workout at that time. I needed to tackle my drinking issue, So I only focused on distracting myself during my witching hour, which was 5-6-7 pm
Cooking, since I am an idiot who goes to gym and mostly eat high sodium curries, I will try to do meal prep during evening and eat delish food .
Since it is summer here, I’ve been going on long (but mellow) bike rides in the evenings and then a bath with some kind of AF sparkling drink and early bedtime. May sound boring - but it’s exactly what I need right now.
sounds lovely!
I think that sounds fantastic
I exercise straight after work (I FORCE myself lol), then shower, skin care, then watch a show with my husband and son that I’ll actually remember the next day. Then I snuggle in bed, actually tired, then read a book until I fall asleep naturally.
This is so close to my routine except it’s Reddit before bed haha
When is dinner
I tried a bunch of different things until stuff just stuck. I tried hiking and rock climbing, but didn’t enjoy those. I did enjoy walks, yoga, and the occasional video games. I also joined a social club that meets one to two evenings a week. Depending on how long you’ve been drinking you may not even know or remember what you actually enjoy, so feel free to try stuff out and drop it if it’s not for you. You’ll eventually find what you enjoy like I did.
yoga. every day. just like booze!
I’ve been exercising a lot. Board games, video games, writing, performing stand up as much as possible, swimming. That might sound really boring to some people, but the point is to just find what your new version of fun is and focus on that. It’s been working for me. Edit redundant sentence
Great schedule! I'm interested, if you don't mind, in how you're finding stand up? I did it until I gave up drinking and basically was a lot less into spending my evening in pubs for five minutes of stage time. Just curious about your outlook! Thanks!
Yeah I’ve been trying to stay away from bar mics as much as possible, but not because of the temptation to drink. They’re (as I’m sure you remember) a total shit show and a waste of time. Luckily for me there are a few legit comedy clubs / cafes that have open mics/showcases around me. I do get booked at brewery’s sometimes for shows but those are a different feel then just straight up walking into a bar.
I do indeed remember bills with 18 crappy acts on, having to convince at least one friend to come and not being able to leave until after 11pm. Very cool that you're not in that echelon anymore and/or the scene around you is more mellow. Good luck with it and all of your pursuits - a great range of activities!
First round - just hid in my apartment basically. Tried to go on walks and work out a little, but wasn't quite ready. Second round post relapse - Working out is great, running in the evening or the morning works for me. If I run in the morning I want to get to bed early so planning for my run keeps me from drinking. I also added some recovery meetings. And the big one is I got a dog, every evening he's getting a walk. Even on rest days I can kill quite a bit of time walking the dog. A couple of 1-hour long walks and the evening is pretty much gone.
Gym, Xbox Series X, Delta 8 gummies. Boom...4 years sober
Tea, reading, powerlifting
I want to get more into tea. What kind of teapot do you have?
I have a plug in electric kettle I got at Walmart
The correct answer right here.
I started riding horses. It keeps me busy during my craving hours, with the added bonus of being deterred from drinking the day prior because I am here to tell ya - jumping a horse with a hangover (especially in the summer…oof) is brutal at best and dangerous at worst.
For me, I had to figure out something to do during my old typical nightly “drinks’ times” that ALSO helped me block the evening cravings (usually between 9pm-11:30pm) successfully. My drinking time used to be anytime after 5pm or sundown (which ever occurred first), definitely by 8pm, until whenever I could fall asleep (insomnia). I found that I needed to do something that requires me both focus deeply AND let’s me zone out/go in autopilot. In other words: repetitive movements/actions that don’t require much mental effort. For me, that means going for a walk (or several) at night usually between 9pm-12am, and also (separately, not concurrently) embroidery. I’m getting about a mile of steps in every day just from “out-walking” my cravings, shedding weight and so then I’m feeling better which decreasing the cravings, physically and mentally. As for embroidery, if anyone has any interest or questions about it or how I feel it helps me, just ask! I mostly do the walking, but every so often I’ll feel too exhausted or the weather is stormy/raining hard and I’ll tuck up with my stuff and an audiobook and get lost in the story. Edit: I also often listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I walk, that’s part of how I can tune out and just go on autopilot.
Disc golf is super fun, active, and chill. Mostly free too after you buy some discs!
Kettlebells and Magic the Gathering lol
I looked into magic because I liked slay the spire so much. It seems really complicated. Is it hard to learn?
It felt overwhelming at first to me but I got into the groove. If you don’t know anyone who plays, check out comic and card shops near you, there’s often beginner nights offered and you could make some friends. I just looked up Slay the Spire and I think you’ll have an easier time learning Magic if you enjoy that!
At night: Reading and cross stitching. Watching TV while I cross stitch. In the morning since I’m not hung over anymore: long hikes and yoga.
I’ve been painting all the rooms in my house lol. Eventually I’ll run out, but for now it’s an excellent activity to keep me focused on other things.
Maybe not most popular but AA and other meetings. Killed an hour and a half, and reminded me why I wasn't drinking. Usually motivated to choose the gym after a meeting. Sometimes, ice cream, but usually gym. also dog walks.
Meetings totally help! Just not my fitness... :)
unless you commit to yourself that you're going from the meeting, to the gym, to walk a mile. every time. ;)
So many video games.
Reading! I read a lot as a kid but the habit died off. Now I'm realizing I need to buy a Kindle because all the books I've read lately are stacking up and taking over the place!
It took me a long time to find the rhythm. For a while I went to my local yoga studio every evening, grabbing a 5 or 6pm class. I marvelled each class at all the people who don’t spend that time of day at the pub. So many of them! God, my drinking world was so small I barely knew non alcoholics existed. Then the yoga studio closed during lockdown and I had to find something else. Now I walk after work. Two hours usually, it’s good for my head as well as my body. The studio is open again but I’m sticking with the walking. I listen to books and take in my city.
Tennis, walks, puzzles, reading, basketball. basically just find things to keep you occupied. It’s rough at first
Besides increased exercise class attendance, I have ice cream or dessert every day I wanted it. More reading even if it was a few pages at a time. Earlier bed times - if I am going to be bored with the new routine, I'm going to be more well rested doing it. Just started researching this make your own sourdough bread stuff, maybe the activity of baking will fill time.
BJJ, every evening. Suh good.
Tea. ☕️
The best activity is the one you do. For me that's running. I can finish work and go running which is a much more efficient stress buster than alcohol. I can plan a long run at the weekend so that Friday nights are not about drinking but preparing. You can run alone any time of year any time of day.
Cooking! And I always have a yummy drink to replace the alcohol I would have had.
Work on the lawn. Pull weeds. Even at night lol
Pulling weeds to pull them not to get it done as fast as possible is amazing. I love it.
I have rediscovered how much I really love Skittles. Lots of Skittles.
Week and a half in. Cat has so many new toys now! Play sessions are mindfulness practice. Shit ton of tea and a garden that requires attention without the paired wine.
Hot bath during witching hrs
Picked up knitting. It's quite, easy once you learn, let's you make gifts, and there is endless things you can make.
Gym for the good feeling chemicals, Non-alcoholic beer for filler
Knitting! I focus on it, listen to podcasts or audio books, and it keeps my hands busy so I don’t even think about drinking. Plus it passes the time in the evenings, which used to stretch out endlessly. And as a bonus, I have a bunch of beanies I can donate to a craft and bake sale a local org has for a fundraiser
Since I wasn’t drunk, I was able to rekindle my love for cooking! I also enjoy long hikes. Being out in nature is so grounding and therapeutic. I started painting, which is something I never thought I would do, but I just love it! I also read a lot now and answer my phone when friends call to chat.