Thanks for the post Niagara
I actually went to my sponsor early on and asked, "What do I do now that I'm not drinking?' Honestly, I felt like I had 36 hours in a day back then.
He told me I could do anything I wanted, as long as I didn't drink. So besides the belated growing up I had to do, I started learning. Not necessarily school(s), though. I would learn or hear about something new, something I never tried or was afraid to try while Behind the Drink in case I couldn't do it perfectly the first time, and just start trying/learning/doing.
I've seen furniture I liked and learned how to build it. I've seen photos taken or pictures painted by others and thought, "Maybe I could, too?" Seeing a dish on TV or at a restaurant, I'd internet search for recipes and give it a whirl (I actually have dish and a cake I haven't named yet). I bought a fly rod once and learned how to cast it in the desert of Iraq.
In essence, I've tried to learn something new each day, and while I can wrap a fly line around everything in sight or cook something the dog won't touch, I've been able to try without worry that I'm won't perfect the first time, or even the 100th sometime. I've become a Jack of all Trades and Master at None...and it's been great though like Tosh, I tend to hit the extremes until I burn out (or hurt myself), then I look for something else
It's a Freedom that is best prefaced with "Hey, y'all watch this" as I can jump head long into something new, and then halfway through the dive I'm wondering "Where did I put those instructions on this" or "what was I thinking"
Some 24 hours later, like a kid trying to get into everything (I, also, should have Adult Supervision). But what a wonderful life I got because of AA... Thanks
Tommy
Together, we don't have to cave in or wimp out to that Fatal First One, no matter what today!