Let's find the JOY in life!

[Quercus]

Hi Everyone,

I've been mentioning to a few people lately keeping busy to keep the blues at bay and trying new things to keep me excited about and hopeful in life...

There is so much to enjoy in life but sometimes we are in a place that we can't see it. So here is a place for all of us to share practical joyful activities that are achieveable (or things that are adventurous) to inspire eachother 😊

Bring on the happiness 😊😊😊

My suggestions for today....

1) Check your library notice board for free courses being held. My local running a talk on introduction to beekeeping! And it's free!

2) For those in WA there are a series of books published by the Dept of Environment and Conservation called "Walks in Perth Outdoors" and "Bushwalks in the Southwest". They are amazing and include maps and grades of difficulty. I cannot recommend them enough.

3) Pour a bucket of hot water and epsom salts and soak your feet at the end of the day while you watch tv or read a book.

Hope to hear what ideas other people have 😊

[Quercus]

Ah damn... Got so excited the random apostrophe crept into the title out of nowhere! Where is spell check when I need it 😊

[topsy_]

Maybe - Let's could be "let us" then the apostrophe might be okay? Yes? No? I can't remember all those rules very well in my dotage. 😀

[CMF]

Great thread Quercus,

I have found gardening quite therapeutic. Community gardens are a great place to pick up and support your community at the same time. Local neighbourhood houses also offer free courses and things like yoga, meditation and walking groups for a small cost. Some around my area have free lunches and food swaps too.

What about hopping on a tram or train and visiting a visiting a museum or city gardens.

cmf

[Quercus]

Hi Yellowanna,

Hmm maybe they'll be an online course on english spelling and grammar I can take... Not sure if it suits the list though 😊

Quercus

[Quercus]

Awesome CMF! I'd completely forgotten about my local women's health care place! They sound similar and run art classes and therapy groups at low cost too

[gld]

Hi,

I have found volunteering uplifting if you can commit the time to an organisation and you are reliable.

Just sitting somewhere in the bush or near a creek relaxes me and it is free apart from petrol to get there.

Gen

[CJs_mum]

Hello fellow sandgroper!! Yes DPAW are wonderful and there's so many great spots to go around Perth or if you're up for a drive beyond.

no idea if these work for others but they work/have worked for me in the past:

right now I'm changing my mindset from "I'm ...hopeless. I'm nothing,.etc" to "I'm a beyonder!!"

Beyonders go beyond to shake off the "blue" part...so that means going for adventures or walks when possible..

its free and it works for me!

im exploring my neighbourhood/surrounds and I'm going beyond that feeling of doubt and finding out- even if it takes me half an hour longer than it should to get somewhere lol

I go to TAFE every day now, so when I'm down, I walk there

i go out of my way to help others as I once used to enjoy.

im looking at other people's gardens and parks and finding inspiration again. who knows I may again join my local garden club?

ideas that helped in the past:

jpin a community group or two: at least one you do something physical in or something fun/social. Volunteer.

go to a new cafe/somewhere new at least once a month. Get out and see/do/try something new. Treat yourself to something nice: an iced coffee or new bubble tea flavour, a different type of food, go to a museum, art gallery, a show, beach or to a fair! You deserve it---warning though it can get expensive so only do this if you can truly afford it.

Try to save money too. Seeing you are in control and paying bills and getting out a bit can make you feel you've got a (slightly) better grip on life. Try to set a small, "Smart" goal and make it happen each month/fortnight.

Call at least 1 friend or family a month...or fortnight, if that works and say 3 positive things to them or ask them to come with you to that new cafe!

learn something at least once a week or more! 🙂 practice a skill/hobby such as language, gardening, games, sewing/knitting, a musical instrument, tool, a dance move, watch "how-to" you tube vids such as how to use MYOB or a free touch typing website. check out a library, even sneak into local TAFE or uni ones

find a new park and do some nature spotting.:What birds are there? What are they doing this season? What trees bushes or flowers are there? What do their leaves look and feel like? What do they smell like?

do a history walk. Go around your city and see what happened in the past at certain cites. If there are free tours check them out.

Geocache or check out Groupon for ideas?

Write! And tell us us all about it!

[gld]

Yes catching up for a coffee with friends you have not seen for a while always makes me warm inside.

Planning an adventure for the weekend on a monday gives me great joy and give me sometime to look forward to all week.

[Quercus]

Hi Gen (gld) and CJs_mum and thanks for your thoughts 😊

You both have great ideas! Isn't it funny how getting out into nature just inherently relaxes us? And doing work that helps others makes us feel great about ourselves too.

I'm reading a book at the moment that said sometimes we realise that we're living a crap story. That sentence stuck with me. How many people get to the end of their lives and say I wish I'd spent more time at work or sitting in traffic getting angry ? Not many I'd guess. So I think it's a good thing to slow down and do more of what makes us happy. Being in nature seems to do that for a lot of us!

Hmm what do I do to feel joyful or to share joy?

I like to make plans in advance to force me out of the house. My friend and I have standing plans for a cuppa every week regardless of if the house is trashed or if one of us is still in pajamas. It's so nice to have someone to give you a lift and be non judgemental rather than brood.

When hubby has had a really crap day or looks tired I get him to lie down and give him a facial massage using a light moisturiser. The first time he looked at me like I was absolutely crazy, said it wasn't a bloke thing to do. I told him not to knock it till he tried it and funnily enough he was out like a light snoring after 5 minutes (haha). There is something so relaxing and gentle about face massage (think of how people rub their eyes or pinch the bridge of their nose when they are stressed). If you've never tried it seriously give it a shot!