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Lately, I’ve been trying to get back into the things I love—scrapbooking, reading, watching TV shows, and even taking care of my health.

I got a walking pad and started walking yesterday. It was only 15 minutes, and I know I should be doing 30 minutes a day because of my cholesterol, but I’m trying to focus on the fact that I started. That matters. My goal is to build up to 30 minutes while watching my shows, making it something I can realistically stick with.

At the same time, life has changed financially. I now have not just one, but two car payments and two car insurance bills. Because of that, I had to cancel a scrapbook weekend I was really excited about—one I had never been to before. That was hard. Those weekends help me get so much done. There’s something about being there, away from distractions, where I feel a real sense of purpose.

Instead of giving it up completely, I’ve decided to adjust. I’m focusing on one-day scrapbook events or ones close to home where I don’t have to pay for a hotel. I have one coming up next weekend, and I’m hoping to get my supplies organized ahead of time. Normally, it takes me an hour just to get set up when I get there, so doing that beforehand will help me use my time better.

I have an entire small bedroom closet filled with pictures and memorabilia that need to be put into scrapbooks. My goal is to have that closet cleared out before my lease ends in January. I’m no longer printing photos—everything is digital now—so what I have feels even more important to preserve.

So far, I’ve completed my dad’s childhood and his army albums. My next project is my second oldest daughter. I’ve done most of my oldest daughter’s albums, but then life happened. My son was born just 16 months later, and before I knew it, I was raising three kids, then four. I stayed organized—everything is sorted into bins by person, event, holiday, and travel—but I stopped actually putting it all together.

Getting back into scrapbooking now isn’t about being overly creative. I use the scraps I already have before opening new paper. My focus is simple: showcase the pictures in a way that makes sense. It’s about getting things done. Finishing something. That feeling of accomplishment is something I’ve missed.

For a long time, I couldn’t do any of this. Being away from my children and dealing with emotional trauma made it too hard. Coming back to it now feels like reclaiming a part of myself.

Reading is another thing I love. I usually check out a lot of books at once—sometimes up to ten—from a few different libraries, then narrow them down. I’ve always loved physical books. I don’t do Kindles or audiobooks. I like turning the pages, the feel of the book, even the smell of the ink.

I tend to read alone, but I’m trying to be around people more and make new connections. I don’t want to spend my time in recovery groups anymore, and I don’t go to bars or clubs. That’s not what I’m looking for.

What I do want is something quieter.

I found a few in-person book groups. One is a silent reading group at a local library where everyone just brings their own book and reads together for a few hours. Another is at a cat café, which I found through a former co-worker. And I found one group where they’re actually reading a book I like, which makes a big difference.

Sometimes that’s the challenge with book clubs—I don’t always like the book they’ve chosen. And I already have a long list of books I want to read—probably around 150 in a folder labeled “Novels.” When I’m close to finishing one in a series, I already check for the next one and add it to my list. I’ve learned to avoid browsing too long because I’ll just find even more.

I’ve also been thinking about getting back into bowling. I have my own colorful bowling ball. My bag was in rough shape—dirty, and one of the zippers broke—but I cleaned it gently and I’m hoping it still works. I had to throw away my bowling shoes because they were dry-rotted. Most leagues are finishing up right now, so I might look into summer leagues instead. I’m not a great bowler, so I usually look for more relaxed leagues.

Another thing I miss—more than I expected—is card games, dice games, and board games.

The simple kind.

The kind where you sit around a table, laugh, take turns, and don’t need a screen.

Games like euchre. Board games. Dice games. Just being around people in a relaxed way.

But here’s where I’ve been getting frustrated.

It feels like everything now is centered around video games. And that’s just not me. I’ve looked around, and it’s surprisingly hard to find groups that just want to sit down and play cards or board games without it turning into something digital or overly complicated.

And I’ve found myself wondering:

Is there anyone out there who still enjoys this?

Is it just considered old-school now?

From what I’ve started to realize, those people do exist—they’re just harder to find. They’re not always loud or obvious. They’re often in smaller groups, local meetups, libraries, or even game cafés where people gather to play in person. There are entire communities built around tabletop gaming, where people bring games, teach each other, and just enjoy being together for a few hours.

The challenge isn’t that it doesn’t exist.

It’s knowing where to look—and being willing to walk into something new.

And maybe that’s part of where I am right now in life.

Trying to find my way back not just to activities I love, but to people who enjoy them too.

At the same time, I have to be realistic about my energy. With my current job, by the time I get home, I need time to decompress—eat, shower, spend time with my cat Boo Boo, watch a show, and get ready for the next day. I don’t have the energy to do a lot during the week.

That’s why things like a local bowling league might work—it’s structured, close to home, and doesn’t take up the whole night.

I’m learning that getting back into the things I love doesn’t have to be all at once.

It can be slow.

It can be practical.

It can fit into the life I have now—not the life I used to have.

Right now, it looks like:

• Walking for 15 minutes and building up
• Preparing for a one-day scrapbook event
• Reading books I love
• Exploring quiet ways to be around people again
• Searching for simple, real-life connection through games and shared interests

It may not be perfect, but it’s something.

And for the first time in a long time, something feels like enough.