wa alaykum us-Salaam
a sister once here mentioned that she had to give up her art and took up photography instead and found that she was better at a photography and found it to be more enjoyable.
here's her post:
http://www.islamicboard.com/advice-s...t1161027...the whole thread maybe beneficial to you aswell =)
Sometimes we never really know that we enjoy or are good at something until we have experienced it so we just need to let ourselves think outside the square and explore other things.
There is a third very bad thing, but I won't directly say what it is. It does take up a portion of my life and I think it's the hardest thing to quit. No it's not cigarettes. I'm not sure how anybody can help with this but if you think you have any general advice I'd like to try it.
You have to implement/let go of something according to your level of capability. you know yourself and weaknesses and strengths and you have to go by that.
Of course if it is haram, then you should quit it cold turkey. the best way to do this, is not concentrate on actually giving up that thing primarily, but increase your love for Allah and get closer to Him and this doesn't require much effort at all.
There are a few ways you can get closer to Allah such as getting yourself informed about paradise (this will make you love it and thus strive for it) and hell (this will make you despise it and strive away from it).
When you read about paradise, etc don't just skim over the words, really contemplate over it and what it is. Allow your very pores to feel it and your very eyes to see it. Read as if it is right in front of you.
Once you increase your knowledge/faith in the above 2, then you find that you naturally incline towards giving up that bad thing or implementing that good deed. The more you love Allah, the more you love what Allah loves as well.
As people who struggle with our iman, sometimes it’s just a matter of getting back in touch with that the faith side of things, as opposed to merely trying to give up that forbidden thing....i feel this is the foundation of all things ---> what’s in our hearts, and our actions are just the fruit of whatever is in our heart...so yes, trying to refine and rectify our faith is really all we need.
You don’t see a fruit tree or plant growing healthy unless it is planted well and given the right nutrients...once that happens it will bear fruits.