Comfort and Relaxation
Hello, Mindfulness Community!
I thought that today we could talk about comfort. Comforting things such as a bowl of hot soup, a special bracelet, a teddy bear or a picture can be super important things in our lives! They can be there to help us relax, take a deep breath and unwind from a hard day - sometimes they can be super simple like your favourite fluffy slippers that you can't wait to get into when you get home or an accessory you wear when you have an important event. It could be hearing the rain outside gives you comfort or maybe you love opening your windows and smelling the fresh air!
So here is my question to you: What gives you comfort/makes you feel relaxed?
My answer would be two things: I have a teddy that I've had since I was a baby which I always hug if I am feeling overwhelmed - just having something there that has been with me for my whole life makes me feel at comfort. My second thing would have to be a bracelet that my friend gave to me for my birthday that has an engraving on it about my anxiety - it reminds me that even though we don't go to the same school anymore she is still always there for me and I wear it a lot when I am in new environments or feel like I need a good luck charm! So, what's yours?
I find cooking to be really comforting...I'm not the greatest cook but I enjoy the process.. I slowly wash the vegetables, I chop them up, I cook what I want to cook... Then I eat in my room while watching a food channel.. There's something really calming about eating what you've made and spending time with yourself..it's so comforting and warm!
@maru99
Nice to see you here with us Maru! Yes cooking for yourself is and can be comforting and relaxing. What you shared here with us on washing and cutting veggies is being very mindful. I am glad this makes you comfortable and relaxed
@maru99
Yes, that can definitely be a comforting thing especially when you know that you took the time to cook it and now get to eat what you made! Thank you for sharing with us
@bookworm274
Bookworm thank you for this great thread!
So here is my question to you: What gives you comfort/makes you feel relaxed?
hmm. I guess many things give me comfort and feel relaxed. I think the most important thing for me would be not having my mind filled with trash. As then it stinks my brain up and it affects everything else that normally comforts and relaxes me
@RumpleSteeleSkin
Yes, definitely! If our mind is filled with rubbish then it can definitely bring us discomfort - thank you!
I am baking banana bread this morning. Just laying everything out, knowing I thawed the bananas on time, taking the calm and precise mindset to measure everything out, and knowing that in an hour I will have a tasty food, too. Baking in general is a calming activity for me, but banana bread and pecan pie hold a special place of honor in my heart.
@Tidymelon3906
That sounds like a great comfort! Banana bread is amazing, how did it go? And I've never actually had pecan pie 
but I am sure it tastes great! I am so glad you have this activity to help you keep relaxed and mindful - thank you for sharing with us
It actually went really well. Between my husband and I, we ate half the loaf for breakfast, and the other half for lunch. Banana bread is a really good, gentle kind of meal for an upset stomach. Pecan pie is my favorite kind of pie. It's hard to describe the taste, but I think it's similar to a real maple syrup. You know, not just pancake syrup but real maple, with the bright flavor hidden behind the sweet.
@Tidymelon3906
Yay, I am glad it went well and that you got to enjoy it with your husband! Yum, pecan pie sounds delicious, I'll have to give it a try one day!
@bookworm274 So, some of the things other than mindfulness that are comforting are
My old t-shirts - there's something about old t-shirts that makes you want to wear it more the older they get
Spongy slippers - no matter where I go, I prefer wearing spongy slippers over anything else. Ofc, for special occasions, classy shoes are a better fit.
My laptop table - it makes it easier to use the laptop for hours. especially helpful during binge-watching
@DonaldDraper
Old t-shirts can be a great source of comfort, definitely and spongy slippers are a must have for me! Yes, having a laptop table can definitely bring comfort especially when you're having to use the laptop for a long time at once! Thank you so much for sharing these three things with us
I find driving on empty streets/freeways/ highways very comforting (as long as it’s during the day lol)
@youxarexloved
Yes, that can be super comforting! Thank you for sharing
Hello everyone,
I'm still new to forums and posting. I'm working with a therapist, so my focus is there really.
I find baking comforting. I enjoy reading the recipe, gathering all the ingredients, improvising occasionally, the smell of whatever it is while it's baking, and then sharing.
I also fel comfort when I sit and pet one of my cats. Their purring is wonderful!
Have a great Sunday!
@orangeTangerine2093
Yes, baking can be super comforting, what's your favourite thing to bake? Sitting with cats is great, I often do that with mine too! Thank you for sharing with us
@bookworm274
I have a base muffin receip that I can use easily. Then I can just add differnet ingredients for differnt flavors. I like to bake cakes for other people.
@orangeTangerine2093
That sounds great and I'm sure the people you bake them for really appreciate it!
@bookworm274
What gives you comfort/makes you feel relaxed?
1. Ambience music on Youtube: Preferably fireplace or rain
2. Meditation
3. Travelling in a bus/train in the window seat
@alphav7
Ambience music can be super comforting as can meditation! I have never thought of travelling by bus/train in the window seat but it makes a lot of sense - seeing the scenery pass by can be super relaxing!
@bookworm274
Indeed. It's super relaxing.
I used it frequently before COVID and travelling was easy.
Playing with pets is also a stress buster.
@alphav7
Yes, it must be hard to do it now due to Covid but I am glad you can also play with pets to help you relax!
Spending time with family and friends-they have been there for me no matter and they always make me feel better
Traveling- It reminds me that the world is bigger and more than myself.
Mindfulness- It helps me calm down and recenter myself and learn to acknowledge and appreciate the things i can in the moment and not focus so much on the past and future. It helps me especially when I feel I lost my sense of self and the world around me.
@Ivy229
Spending time with family and friends can be amazing sources of comfort, especially when you know you can rely on them Travelling can be awesome, I never thought of it that way before! Mindfulness can be an excellent source of comfort and I am glad that you find it helps you be in the moment, it's important that you can have those moments of peace!
@bookworm274 Thank you for replying to my post, I really appreciate it. Thank you for agreeing with my thoughts and feelings that I shared. I am glad that I was able to give you another way to view the benefits of traveling.
