What do you do to feel better?
Thank you all for the book and talk recommendations here. We have cataloged them all and I'm working on an outreach plan to reach out to each person that you've recommended.
I'm wriring today with a different, but related, question that I think will also help us better help others that are having a hard time. We've all heard the term "coping skills". These are things that we can do to help ourselves feel better. Sometimes we do these things on purpose because we are struggling; sometimes we do them by accident and don't necessarily realize that they help us change our mindset or help us get unstuck.
When I did therapy (many years ago!), I used to ask people to think about 3-4 things that they do that help them feel better. Then, I'd ask clients to do those very specific things whenever they were having a hard time. This little intervention helps quite a bit because it allows people to tap into skills that they already have and enjoy using.
I'm guessing our community has one of the richest catalogs of coping skills on the planet. I would imagine we have identified hundreds of ways to help ourselves feel better when struggling. If comfortable, please share them here. My goal is to capture all of these and write them up as growth path steps once the playlist is live. If you can, please write them up as you would say them to a good friend.
Here are some quick coping skills from my life:
-talk with my wife or friends
-take a walk
-run
-watch a mindless movie
What works for you?
Thank you!
Update: If any of these look particularly good to you please comment and upvote to let me know which ones work best. Thank you!
Read through posts-
Make another cup of ginger tea
I read, draw, play guitar, sing, listen to music, or basically anything that doesn
For me it really depends on the emotion and what I have available to me at the time, but some examples include:
- Journaling
- Running
- Getting out for a walk
- Spending time / playing with the fur babies
- Taking a shower
- Trying to make sure I give myself time to get a good night's sleep
@GlenM I listen to some music, depending on my mood, or go for a walk. I'll read, but only if my concentration can stand it (sometimes it can't). Really anything to get me out of my own head and stop the cyclical thoughs from getting out of control.
I draw
listening to music, playing my instruments, drawing/making art, reading (anything Tolkien always cheers me up best), writing (fiction, poetry, and journaling), watching tv/movies, drinking tea, taking a hot shower, hugging someone, taking a nature walk :)
@GlenM
The things I would do that makes me feel better is...
1. Listening to music (obviously)
2. Write your own novel/book/stories
3. Find something to draw
4. Take a walk outside
5. Watch Youtube/Movies etc
6. Singing out loud
7. Talking to someone now and then
And there is a lot of things you can do. Avoid going on toxic social media for hours because it usually doesn't make us feel better. I guess that is about it. Thanks for sharing!
@GlenM
1. Garden or sew
2. Meditate
3. Dance or walk
4. Talk to a listener/therapist or friend
5. Pray
6. Study French
@purpleTree4652, I almost forgot, pet or play with an animal
Listen to music, sing my heart out, reading and writing.
Listening to music
Being out in nature
Napping
Colouring
@pluckyCranberry8097 I love being in nature. I have been planning on going on a nature walk. But havent gone yet. It would be really good for me. Thanks for the idea.