The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I love this topic. It will be cool to see what others say
I like to: go thrifty shopping (finding hidden gems is a talent of mine) hula hoop go for long walks with my mp3 player (grateful for that gizmo) take photos on my walks travel (loooove to travel but financially cannot right now... have been to quite a few places and the photos Ive taken along the way are pretty cool) write- journal and poetry read- al-anon literature and spiritual readings pray and meditate watch youtube videos (bands, concerts, spiritual videos, funny videos) go to al-anon meetings go to lead aa meetings with my husband paint relax with my cat and husband on the couch with netflix (right now modern family hahhaahha) Im with you on the coffee shop.. one of my favorite things to do is walk to the coffee shop, life is perfect with a coffee in hand in my world look up lyrics to songs and interpret them murder mystery shows game nights with friends dinner with girlfriends talk with people in depth, on a spiritual level.. though it is hard to find people interested sometimes i enjoy cleaning the house, doing the dishes, and shoveling the snow, i know that sounds weird. editing photos and keeping up with my flickr account getting on pinterest museums playing with my nieces putting cute outfits together hahha long walks with coffee in hand with friends or my husband.
cool thread.. its like a gratitude list.. i love gratitude lists.
-- Edited by Michelle814 on Friday 20th of January 2012 08:20:16 PM
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Michelle!
No one can take away your peace of mind unless you let them.
I thought I'd ask everyone what they do for FUN? (Remember that?!)
Early in my recovery, my sponsor told me to stop my obsessive thinking... stop doing that squirrel cage thing-y, round and round in my head.... and do something "fun" instead. At the time, I was so clueless, growing up and living in an alcoholic home... life was serious. Life was too painful to "feel."
Thanks to al-anon, today I know how to have fun, but it took some time to give myself permission. Life doesn't have to be so hard and serious anymore. Thank God.
Here's what I like to do:
Bake. (mostly Bread Pudding, banana bread, pumpkin bread, brownies and that Hot Fudge Pudding dessert during the winter months!)
Make greeting cards.
Walk at the city park, it's different every time.
Look through my coffee table books, mostly art.
Look through my cookbooks.
Look at my old textbooks.
Go to the Bookstore. I love rummaging in used bookstores.
Go to a coffee shop (Starbucks Caramel Macchiato and I got no problems, lol)
Walk at the Botanical Garden.
Watch a movie, wrapped in a blanket with my dogs.
Play piano...
That's all I can think of. I'd love to hear what everyone else enjoys....
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The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
ON TH iNTERNET, I LOVE TO WATCH AN EAGLE CAMERA ON AN EAGLES NEST. BABIES HAVE JUST AHTCHED AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH THE PARENTS CARE FOR THE LITTLE ONES
ATTEND MY ALANON MEETING
MOVIES TV SHOWS (ESPECIALLY NCIS AND CRIMINAL MINDS)
For fun? I like to sit in my garden and watch and listen to the birds. Visit friends in town, often for a meal - breakfast or lunch. Cook, and bake - I am always looking for new recipes to try. Read- I admit that its an escape, but don't we all need that sometimes? Work in my garden. Fortunately, living in Guatemala I can do this year round. Play with my dogs- they are so full of unconditional love! I love to play with them and take them for walks. I truly can't imagine my life without dogs as a part of it. Peoplewatch in the central park of the nearby village.
Fun.... umm.. I don't have much of that still. I guess I need a definition of fun and if you mean just doing stuff I like to do then this is it. I like to read. Watch movies look around facebook, play singstar or the Wii, I like to walk slowly but I hate the exercise walk I have to do, but I am trying to make that fun by looking around and taking in nature as I walk. Ijust love spending time wiht my animals. Last night we went out for dinner with a group of friends and I had fun. I like to listen to my husband play guitar, he doesn't do that much lately. We look at song lyrics and try to work out who played certain songs. Ilike to much about on my iphone I find parts of my job fun. I like standing and teaching in front of a class of people. I like to go to sushi with my husband and then just wander around the shops. I love to travel and plan holidays. We are off to Asia for three weeks in April so that has been fun. I also think it is fun to have intimate times with my husband. After my past of sexual abuse, I cherish the fun time I have with him. Not sure if that is appropriate for this thread,, but hey.. its what I like to do and it makes me smile!!!!
I like to read .. play video games with the kids .. go for walks .. going to the movies .. spend time with friends and family .. spend time with the cats .. garden .. take afternoon naps .. during bad weather we watch our favorite tv shows and put puzzles together. I also like to just be alone in the silence .. lol .. I don't get much of that at times.
Hugs P :)
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Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.- Maya Angelo
Umm, those of you who bake: I am totally jealous. I enjoy cooking, but I loathe baking, LOL! Last night my 13 year old son made cookies for us and served them up on a nice plate while we were sitting on the couch. He's a great kid and I was jealous of his zeal for baking!
Anyway, I play tennis in leagues with ladies both in the evening and during the AM. I love to garden, hike, and mountain bike. I do puzzles, read, and love to go for walks outdoors. I am pretty active and take a lot of opportunities to get in my hiking, even if I feel the need to drive 2 hours to get to a specific hiking spot. I keep telling AH that I want a 4 wheel drive vehicle so I can access those hidden trails on the dirt roads!
Fun,hmmm not much of that going on, but in my down time I like to watch Criminal Minds and NCIS and spend time online playing scrabble and on MIP. I always love my weekly sponsor step meeting and ladies Bible study. Saturday night my 13 year old sings with the Church band. I love to read. I guess I do have fun! Its hard to remember with 3 part time jobs and 2 kids to breath sometimes, but I am getting better. Great topic.
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Sending you love and support on your journey always! BreakingFree
Al-Anon/Alateen Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 800-344-2666
" Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."
"Serenity is when your body and mind are in the same place."
Fun? What is that? Seems it is in short supply for me these days - unless you count shoveling snow - something about looking behind you at what you've accomplished that satisfies me. (I think that's why I like baking, taking all those raw ingredients and making something nummy with them) (is nummy a word?) (and I only bake if I have someone to eat them because I just can't resist my own baking and my caboose is big enuf) I know I need to get back to having some kind of fun times, but right now, fun seems wrong - work is about the only thing that makes me feel like I'm doing SOMETHING about my situation.
I do have siblings who, when I get with them to play pinochle we end up laughing so hard and so much I wish I didn't live so far away. And its fun throwing shovels of snow at Betsy the wonder dog for whom I also throw tennis balls with my "chuckit" at the park. I"m sorta hooked on Fishdom, a dumb computer game that I can play while watching something on Netflix (two fun things at one time, gasp, how can I stand it?). I used to go where there were line dancing lessons, THOSE were fun! and I have always really wanted to learn country couples dancing. Sigh, but the guy who taught them doesn't anymore and its at the place where mr ex goes a lot so I don't enjoy as much; and I'm so darned broke its hard to find cheap fun (hmmm, personal joke inserted here, since according to mr ex I'm cheap so I should be having lots of fun...... snicker). I am really hoping this year brings more fun into my life - I love the beach, love fireworks, can enjoy a day filled with little pleasures (like before-posted snow day), I find peace from rocking in the chair I constructed on a long summer's eve with small town noises floating in the breeze. I sure would like to try a few years with enough money to do all the things I think look like fun; like - parasailing, hang-gliding, marlin fishing, cruising to Alaska, - those who say money don't buy happiness never lived broke, man I could really have fun with lottery money!
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I am strong in the broken places. ~ Unknown
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another! ~ Anatole France
I like to: Spend time with friends. Journal. Tell jokes and watch people laugh. (I hope) Go to flea markets, garage sales and auctions. Read about vintage electronics. Spend time with my church activities. Be with my children. Play with kids. Drive in the snow. Eat pineapple upside down cake. Design and build things. Help willing others. Drive like its a sport, not transportation. People watch. Share my enthusiasm with others.
swim in the ocean look for unusual rocks on the beach walk on the beach play board games with my children listen to meditations smile laugh listen to music and sing in the car drive long distances go to second hand shops talk with open people learn Be in nature
I'm just getting started on this BUT I do like my ZUMBA dance classes and yoga, I like my girlfriends from church ( I'm only learning how to do this, it's oddly wonderful,,, not building my life around a Man) Holding my grandson and watch him grow and being "PRESENT" when with my adult daughters and my parents,,, I still strugle some but at least now I know the difference... this is less than everyone else but this is alot for me... and I sometimes throw in a little bit of taking better care of my home and buying me new clothes and getting my nails done!!
LOVE PEDICURES and I"m totally with ya on the Carmel Machiottos (sp?) from Starbucks!! yummy yummy yummy!!!
I know when I'm with my new girlfriends- the toughts that run across my mind are "hey I do deserve friends" and "wow,,, they act like they like me and did I just say something funny and oh my gosh they laughed!! it's okay to be me just as I am... I always felt like such a looser with my alcoholic BF... huh? he drank a case a night and I WAS THE LOOSER?? I"m so funny... gosh ya just gotta shake your head and love me....
Great question! And my new years resolution is to have more fun, so it's a question that has been on my mind.
I love to: Go for walks in the park Read books to my daughter Take photographs Listen to music -and sing along! Drink strong delicious coffee Massages Laugh with my friends Write in my journal (hardly ever have time with two very young children) Get lost in a great book Walk on the beach Feel the sun on my face Breathe.......
How about what I was doing when I made the video at the top of this board? Riding my motorcycle, shooting pool, travelling through the most beautiful mountains of Virginia, and pretending I was a amature film producer?
Cook Knit Read Enjoy music (either on my iPod, or by going to a concert) Watch movies Play with the dogs Find new fun things to do with the kids (museums, parks, etc.) Email/talk on the phone with friends who live far away
Go line dancing Read books on my kindle Skype with my daughter and her family in Dallas Walk in my beautiful city Cook, especially baking Window shop Catch up with friends by phone or email Go to church activities Go out to dinner Get pedicures Travel (when I have the time and the $$$)