topic Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down in Staying well

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 03:08:21 GMT

I am starting this thread in the hope people will share ideas of things to do which they enjoy or help take their mind off their problems or just help them feel better. Since becoming stressed & depressed things which I used to enjoy are no longer available, are too hard or no longer fun and I suspect their are others like me who need to do things to feel good again but have trouble thinking of ideas.

Everyone is different so what suits one person won't suit another but each person's ideas will suit someone else.

When you are tired, depressed, stressed or just need a break what do you like to do?

I like to visit a friend who I can trust. We can complain & vent to each other without it being taken out of context or shared with anyone else. Unfortunately she lives 2 hrs away so I can't visit often

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

blondguy — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 03:47:25 GMT

What a great topic for a post Elizabeth!

One of the first topics I learned studying psychology was the art of 'doing absolutely nothing' at least a couple of times a week...staring at the trees...clouds...just being able to 'float' and lose myself.

* Turning off the cellphone when possible....it brings peace...(it can be an electronic dog collar sometimes)

* Making my life less 'busy'.....Facebook...found myself always checking it...ugh....Thats gone...ahhh Yes!

* Enabling a good REM sleep by turning off ipads.. phones before bed. They only increase brain activity..and thought processes..last thing a sufferer needs before sleep

* Talk to people about the anxiety/problem....I told my postie the other day when he asked me what I was doing at home during a weekday....I just said.."have this depression thing happening at the moment" It felt good

* Landscaping/gardening...Tending to mother earth is a natural healer....we can 'float' past anxiety there..

* Music...One of 'The Keys' to the soul...

* Cuddles with someone special.They actually weaken and dissipate anxiety & depression at the core...(If there is someone to cuddle of course..I dont..but I have my Burmese Mountain Dog German Shep Cross...Yay!)

Nice post Elizabeth....Hugs

Paul.....Woof!

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

white knight — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 04:49:02 GMT

Hi Elizabeth,

A good thread. Thankyou.

Poetry. Some can do it others cant, some like it some loathe it. I started writing it in 1992 following the passing of my dad, such was how deep my emotions were. Poetry for me covers many bases. It is therapeutic, allows you to vent, it can help others and it can be funny. You can even turn negatives into positive. An example- When down in the dumps one day I sat under my verandah and saw a daisy...

PROBLEM FLOWER

One day, one to forget

I picked a daisy flower

Counted the petal for each of my woes

and counted them by the hour

When I've finished

and my problems as big as a city tower

I thought I had some issues

by not as many as that flower.....

Poems can be anything. They can be one line like quotes etc in fact that's what I like to do, be original and different. It takes paper and a pen, that's all. And if you get good at it you can put them in a binder for coffee table reading. You can send them to others in times of grief to comfort them.

Therapy. It can be an amazing thing to help you in times of grief. This one helped me overcome a lot and it displays the power of poetry.

TO KISS HIS TEMPLE

There were some things I knew as taboo

to express my love but to question who?

to touch the pale face of my dad back then

when touching taboo...when "men were men"

For boys were male and "you cant do that"

jealous of my sister and that is that

that man couldnt hug his son for how he was seen

nowadays if you hugged your son- well, you'd be relieved.

And so my dad the salt of the land

wouldnt touch me even by hand

he knew he loved me and I him

with a wink of an eye from under his brim

Then that day we all regret came along

where watery eyes was met by song

and there he lie with an eerie smile

I be alone with him for just a while.

As I stroked his forehead cool to touch

I raised my head automatically as such

to kiss his temple of which I dare

I knew his mind was well aware.

Of all the kisses I missed

they gathered together in just one kiss

finally as his spirit rose and went

he left his love and hugs were spent

I never craved again heart be blessed

that tradition of males their love expressed

a kiss on his forehead way back then

ended an era when "men were men"....

Cheers

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 08:01:32 GMT

Thank you Tony.

You have a real talent with words

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

blondguy — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 08:40:47 GMT

Hi Elizabeth and great post by the way 🙂

I tried to respond just after you posted this great topic...but it hasnt gone through....so 'Take 2'

When (and especially now after being taught about it at uni) I am stressed and depressed...I helped myself by;

* Turning off the cellphone....even just when I can...Its an "electronic dog collar" Being 'on call' is stressful

* Landscaping/Gardening...Turning to 'Mother Earth' can enable 'floating past' the cycle of depression

* Music...a wonderful 'key' to the soul....:-)

* Cuddling 'someone special' can kill depression even though temporarily

* At Uni we were taught that 'Most people don't do enough of nothing' ....Interesting

* Being kind and useful to others as well as yourself of course

* Downloading/listening to 'To Sleep' by Sia....doesnt get any more peaceful..

* By yourself a present....you deserve it...

Great post Elizabeth...and TonyWK...Nice1...You wordsmith you!

Kind Thoughts & Hugs

Paul

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

lard — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 21:29:38 GMT

I was thinking of posting something similar.

One of the ways I vent is online gaming

best one is I do a fitness class and mauy thai kick boxing. Releases stress by kicking/punching pads while burning energy.

it take me a while to get the courage up to get out and do it and still hard to continue but I force myself as it helps

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:42:39 GMT

Thank you for your replies. It illustrates how different we all are and what works for one person doesn't suit someone else.

Paul I think being kind or useful is a good one and it doesn't have to be big. I recently spoke to someone who was struggling with something and I suggested she rang me once she was clear what was happening so I can give specific advice/contacts. (I have the expertise to know the contacts she will require) I felt humbled because she was so grateful knowing I was willing and able to assist.

I used to enjoy gardening /landscaping particularly when it is cool weather. I made rock retaining walls in my old house which was hard work but very satisfying.

I take photos when I go away and have framed & hung some. Having nice things (,in my case photos). around which bring back good memories &/or feelings is good.

Changing things at home to make it suit you better can be good. For example I recently fitted baskets to the doors of my pantry. It was satisfying doing it and everytime I open my pantry and can find things easier because of the new arrangements is positive. I didn't like my study/spare room so I repainted it. Bought wood and brackets and fitted shelves and built a desk which fitted the space perfectly made it brighter and better to work in and easier to find things.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

romantic_thi3f — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 22:49:39 GMT

Hi Elizabeth CP,

Great post and loving the ideas that are coming through.

For me I vary a bit; sometimes I just need to have a good cry where as other times I have to give myself a push to do what seems like 'normal things' like tidying up the kitchen.

For self-care and things that I enjoy -

- colouring. I love doing this when I have a lot of anxiety because it helps me try to stay present - especially if you get one of those colouring books where you have to focus (like an adult colour-by-numbers book).

- drawing and writing. I really love keeping journals and I find that they help me digest some of the stuff going on in my head that I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone about. I also find that it helps me think of strategies and ideas instead of feeling so stuck all the time.

- watching documentaries. I like learning things.

- podcasts. There are so many to choose from whether it's health, lifestyle, news, education, music or entertainment. Plus you can listen to them wherever.

- playing games. I have a couple on my phone that I like and a couple on my computer. I don't play it much but it does help me tune out a bit.

- studying. This sounds kind of odd but I feel like studying often gives me a sense of purpose when I'm learning new things and feeling 'accomplished'.

- exercise. I like walking my dog, dance and yoga.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 07:17:39 GMT

Great suggestions. Studying is not ideal if you are really down but when feeling better it is a good way to build extra confidence & learning new things is always good.

I don't draw or colour although good for many others. Missed the creative gene but writing can be helpful

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

blondguy — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 23:47:17 GMT

Hi Elizabeth (and Romantic)

Great post Elizabeth! With depression I have the concentration span of a 'Red Setter' (very very little) so studying would be a tough one...but a great post with more great ideas Romantic.

Photography....nice1 Elizabeth (and your 'gentle occupation' around your home) I just purchased a Nikon P900 camera and yes...an excellent method of coping is 'capturing' a beautiful photo...:-)

I hope your day is good to you x

Paul

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Maureen — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 09:12:50 GMT

Whoa Tony! Beautiful poems. I've never appreciated poetry before but in my current state, and your way with words, they are really resonating with me.

I'll admit I'm becoming a stalker of your posts to see if they include any of your poetry.

Thank you for sharing.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Maureen — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 09:26:15 GMT

Hello Elizabeth, I have lost enjoyment of so many past activities. One remaining constant however is I love to read. During these days of depression and anxiety no matter what type of day I'm experiencing I will read. I can close off everything but the words on the page. Heaven!

I'm also lucky to have 2 dogs, who think I'm nuts. But they always stand by me. I make myself walk the dogs every day and can usually get in the moment checking out the neighbours gardens, noticing the birds landing in the trees, watching the way the muscles in the dog's bodies move as they walk/run ahead.

I've also started repainting the interior of the house. Lots of work but having fresh coats of paint on the walls, in colours I chose rather than what the previous owners left is very satisfying. Yes, having to go over areas not done well enough because the day I painted hadn't been a good one is a pain but the end result is wonderful.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 01:37:34 GMT

Thank you Maureen, I have been repainting as well. I found colour has an impact on mood. I had a bedroom once done in creams & browns & natural wood. Everything was nice but I felt depressed in the room. I put a blue carpet down & a blue bedspread & felt more relaxed in the room. Problem for me is getting the balance right of doing enough to progress without overdoing things & becoming exhausted with is bad for my mood.

romantic you are right sometimes pushing yourself to clean up the house is helpful. I was advised to think about why you are doing it. I was told avoid trying to please others or keeping up with what I thought others expect but cleaning & tidying etc to ensure the house suits me is beneficial. For example keeping it tidy & organised so I can find things easily is good or having it so it looks nice to me so it promotes good feelings is important.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Maureen — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 07:19:27 GMT

Elizabeth and romantic, I too clean the house to feel better. I have cream tiles which are constantly covered in stuff from the garden. I have started sweeping instead of vacuuming. I'm happy getting a clean floor, don't have the noise of the vacuum so can listen to music at the same time and get a bit of exercise. Win, win!

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 09:11:46 GMT

I struggled today to find anything to do. My husband was out so I had free time. I was tired so not up to anything productive but felt unable to find anything relaxing to do to take my mind off negative thoughts

Any ideas.

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

blondguy — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 09:29:17 GMT

Hi Elizabeth....i hope something here may help....

* DVD? Xanadu? Dances With Wolves? A really daggy movie you can laugh at?

* Anyone you can have a yak to on the phone...maybe? (I dont but I wish!)

* I forgot Elizabeth...sorry...do you have a dog?...or a cat?

I just met a girl at Coles this afternoon that had the most gorgeous blue heeler. The girl had a broken spine last year and is in recovery....she mentioned that her Blue Heeler was by her side the whole time.....

Sorry if these dont work for you Elizabeth....I tried and will keep trying too..

Paul

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 09:38:55 GMT

Thank you

I don't have any pets. Thanks for trying. I appreciate it

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

blondguy — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 09:51:28 GMT

Hey Elizabeth

I can feel your pain....here for you...

Paul

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Maureen — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 12:46:59 GMT

Hey Elizabeth, My main go to is reading. However I found some books on learning to draw, something I thought I couldn't do. So like you found myself trying to stop the negatives but not up for anything much. I grabbed some paper and started following the instructions. I actually found it fun. Drew some cartoonist owls, birds, snails, etc. Then just started doodling. Managed to focus for over an hour. Amazing. If this interests you check out 'zentangle'. It shows how to create some amazing drawings.

Hope this helps.

Maureen

Suggestions of enjoyable, relaxing &/or helpful activities for self-care when you are feeling down

Elizabeth CP — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 04:55:13 GMT

Yes I enjoy reading but stick to light reading at the moment. Not confident with drawing