Back in my past, before xW came into my life, I used to be a lot more social, used to be open to meeting friends at pubs, bars, etc., used to regularly partake of a beer or a glass of wine at home or at friends' places. I used to do a lot of harmless and sometimes not-so-harmless things prior to dating my now ex. I began cleaning up my act as I got more serious about my career, and then it was about that time I met xW -- after which I eventually began to give up a lot of things I associated with my "youth", as an effort to improve myself and act like a mature, responsible adult.
By the time we got married, I had also given up a lot of innocent but costly hobbies too. Not just alcohol and carousing. I tried to replace them with healthier stuff and tried to involve my young bride in those too. Things like sea kayaking and other paddle-sports. But when I became a father, I gave up the riskier ones too.
I say all this because it appears to me, in retrospect, that I consciously let go of a lot of my old habits, hobbies and activities for the sake of pleasing my W and for the sake of my children.
Some would say I allowed my W to tame me. In that, I'd have to say that she got what she demanded -- only problem is that is not what she really wanted, not really, or so it now would appear. She thought she wanted me tamed and domesticated, but achieving that was likely what led her to lose interest in me, ...and to seek some of the "old me" in someone else.
