Finding joy when times are dark

[Stitch]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in hearing about the things people do to cope when times are rough.  Not the self-destructive things.  I'm pretty sure we're all familiar with those.  I'd really like to hear about the "little" things people do to try & bring a little joy to their lives.

Below is a list of some of the things I like to do - mood permitting.

Eat cheezels. Dipped in sour cream.  With chopsticks.

Watch old Jerry Lewis movies.  Never fails to crack me up.

Volunteer at the local Blue Light Disco.  Watching 200 kids runing around & dancing with joy just makes me smile.  My face actually hurts the next day. 

Yell at politicians on the telly.  This is excellent for venting one's spleen & always leaves one feeling refreshed.

Go to the local shopping centre and just window shop.  I like to fantasise about all the nice things I'll be able to buy when I win tattslotto.  It also makes me feel less alone if I'm just around other people, even if I don't know them.

Bake a cake.

Use "Google Translate" to translate song lyrics from English to Japanese & back to English again.  Try it - it's a hoot.

Eat a cake.

Sing along to Hootie & the Blowfish.  (Umm, can we keep this one between ourselves?)

Make something on the sewing machine.  Current project - making pouches out of old woollen blankets for injured wildlife.

Have a crack at making my own fudge.

Find a spot in the sun and just sit for a while.

Regards

[JessF]

Maybe a strange one but I love being out in the rain on a winter's day. Makes me feel very alive.

[Stitch]

Hi JessF,

I love being out in the rain too.  Especially when I'm digging in the garden.

Chocolate makes me delirious with joy too, especially the good stuff.  Don't know how I forgot to put that one in . . . .

My other joys include:

"Scrubs" - bl**dy hilarious

Giving my cats a good belly rub

The smell of baking bread

Burnt fig, honeycomb & caramel icecream - heaven

Giving someone a helping hand

Op-shopping - great for the "financially challenged"

Garage sales too

Sunday morning pancakes

Learning to make something new.  This week I learned to make "Gyoza".               4 ingredients, dead simple.  Who knew?

Seeing other people liking my thread - I'm chuffed 🙂

BenD,  Thanks for the suggestion.  I've been meaning to check out Eddie Vedder's 'Into the Wild' Soundtrack.

Stitch

[mini75]

This is a great idea! everyone has some very unique things that make them feel good. You all sound amazing.

Here are a few things I like to do......

Love taking my dog for a walk and seeing his excitement

Reading a good mystery book,

To feel the sun on your face is amazing and makes you feel alive

I have also learnt not to wait for a rainy day to use something special, like wear a fancy dress, use the good cups and saucers. I use them now because they make me feel good.

Keep the list going guy's,

mini75

[white knight]

Watching my favourite movies

-The legend of 1900 (in my view the best movie ever made) a tale of a baby brought up on a ocean liner in the early 1900's)

-The good the bad and the ugly

- Titanic

Tinkering in the shed.

Inventions- love thinking up inventions only to find leter its all been done before lol

Poetry.

[AGrace]

Having a bubble bath with strawberry scented shower gel

(ok, maybe not one for the guys)

Sunbaking with a really good novel/magazine

(now that Spring is here, it's even easier)

A movie night with a group of friends

(Often when you don't feel like socialising, inviting friends over to watch a movie can be an easy way to stay connected, without having to spend the night worrying about conversation)

[EclecticMagpie]

Talking to my cats

My back fence goes onto a paddock so I talk the those animals as well, horses, a cute young cow; she's so pretty.. it even looks like she has mascara and eyeliner on. There is a ram and an ewe that comes into our yard to mow the grass lol.

I go on a site called stumpleupon - It is full of weird stuff you don't find on Google searches and matches your tastes by category 

I listen to self guided hypnosis relaxation mp3s

Lay in the sun

Our property has a creek so I go for a little walk down there and self reflect

Jot down ideas for future goals

Wow I could go on and on lol