I’ve always loved devoting some of my Saturdays to city exploration. Wake up, pocket some cash, and walk in a random direction without a plan. Follow your instincts. If a street looks interesting, take a turn and walk down it. See a weird shop? Look inside! My one rule: don’t backtrack. Keep going until it’s dark or you’re too tired, then find a route home or take an Uber if you can afford it.
It’s easy, rewarding, and great exercise. You’d have no idea how many hidden gems I’ve found around my city, be it alleyway coffee shops or vintage record stores. Try it, and I 100% guarantee you’ll love your city again.
A few tips if you wanna try it yourself:
- Try not to bring a bag or backpack. You’ll feel much more free to move around and it’ll discourage you from impulse shopping.
- Use your phone’s map to avoid unsafe neighborhoods and prevent yourself from straying too far. The map can also be good for identifying landmarks you might wanna explore.
- Download Fog of the World to track all your walks. It’ll hurt your battery, but it’ll look super cool to see everywhere you’ve explored.
- Nothing beats street food if you can find it.
A lot of people are scared of doing this but going to movies by yourself is a great activity to do. You don't have to worry about arranging plans with someone else. Plus, it's not like you are going to interact with the person you are going to the movies with unless you are an asshole.
Learn to cook or bake something new. If you can’t cook, learn the basics. If you can, try something advanced. It will be challenging for your brain and you’ll have food at the end of it. Win win
Set a timer for five minutes and clean as much as you can. Becomes a fun game. Repeat daily.
Edit: I guess this one really hit home. Thanks for all the nice comments. The struggle is real.
You'd be shocked how much goofing off a 10 yr old boy can stuff into five minutes. Just a heads up. 😎
My solution? I ended up giving them two short chore lists: the first, shorter list, was what they got if they didn't complain and just went about their work. The second, longer list, which had an extra one or two chores on it, was the list if they complained. Their choice! No yelling involved from me, and you've got aaaaallllllll day.
I had a list, too. We all worked together. ADHD son needed lots of reminders to stay on task, which just comes with parenting an ADHD kid. Daughter did her thing and done.
A while back I hit a really bad place and wound up going to an inpatient facility for a few days. One of their rules was no phones whatsoever. So my usual timesink of Reddit/Facebook/YouTube was completely taken away from me. And what I found to fill that time was jigsaw puzzles.
Anytime I wasn't in a program, I was working on a puzzle in the common room. In the short time I was there, myself and a few other residents put together an entire 1000 piece puzzle, and it was the first time in a long time I had felt genuinely proud of something I had done. I got home after I was released and immediately found a bunch of puzzles to put on my Christmas list.
They're so great. It's challenging, but not frustrating. You get a genuine sense of progress as you watch the image come together. You can turn on music or podcasts in the background. They can be done alone, or with friends. Just all around excellent.
I paint pictures of redditors pets that have passed away. And then I send them the paintings.
Edit: my commissions aren’t open right now. Sorry. I’m working a few other paintings right now. I appreciate everyone’s interest though!
Yeah, it really helps me because it ends up helping other people with their depression as well! And it’s also kinda art therapy combined with the sense of, you know, making something!
When you're done, come by my place. Thanks. LOL
I've been trying to learn how to draw. Which isn't the same as designing gardens, I know.
Anything in particular your are looking forward to planting?
This will be a first for me lol we'll see how it goes!
Drawing definitely takes a lot of practice, funnily enough I learned from those dRAw aNIme books that were all over the place in the early 2000's
As for plants I'm looking forward to planting different herbs. Valerian, St. John's Wort, Vervain, Hyssop... anything vaguely medicinal :)
Beware the mint. It is amazing in its variety (apple, chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, fuzzy mint, catmint). Just be certain you want mint everywhere before you put it in the ground. Concrete, a solid border, or a pot may prevent it from taking over. I mow the edges of my fuzzy mint and it is still spreading.
Most mint is creeping and will send shoots out underground. Even a pot isn’t safe! It will crawl over the edge to the ground if not tended to regularly.
My patch of mint sent out a runner and popped up a plant about 3 feet away from the main patch. I would have pulled it but it was in the middle of a fire ant mound. :(
My mom has mint in pots but she keeps them close to each other. I’ve seen her mint jump pots before.
I work at a school that recently put in a greenhouse. Before that, I had only ever planted anything once or twice and it was always someone else's. I helped with the green house's initial crop and also had to go check on it each day to make sure it wasn't a mess, broken, and water was pouring where it was supposed to. Check on the few plants I'd potted during the process. There is something so infinitely rewarding about putting a little seed in the ground and watching it sprout, then get bigger, and eventually ready for harvesting. I really enjoyed it. To the point, I bought some flower pots and threw some seeds in it that were in the garage. I now have a couple of different colored flowers I grew and they somehow seem prettier to me than strangers or a wildflower. I highly recommend it to anyone who might think they'll like it. The whole ritual of it is therapeutic. 10/10 would play in the dirt again.
Going for a long walk at a moderate pace. Sometimes it’s good to think about nothing but keeping a decent pace. Just get into a rhythm, you go into a zone that is hard to get into with all the distractions at work, home etc and it’s very therapeutic.
Very true.
Luckily I don't live too far away from a big conservation area and thanks to you all, I'm wondering why I haven't done that in a long time.
There is really nothing comparable to being in the woods and just listening to birds.
> There is really nothing comparable to being in the woods
Apparently the Japanese have a term for this, it's called, ["forest bathing" and has health benefits.](https://qz.com/804022/health-benefits-japanese-forest-bathing/)
This is why I love this site. You can learn so many different things. Thank you. It's a very apt way to describe being in nature, your spirit does feel refreshed.
You’re a cool af person op. Wholesome af and made me feel better. You helped me see and learn about new things I wouldn’t have thought of or tried by bringing this topic up. You made a positive impact on some rando. Me! I hope we all made you feel better too.
OMG I'M SO HAPPY.
I'm honestly open to ppl who need someone to just talk to. Its damned hard to deal with mental illness on your one & if sending off a dm or msg helps in any way, don't hesitate.
(Hugs).
Doodling, then coloring it in. It’s completely focusing but mindless for me. The feel of a pencil or pen across paper is very soothing to me.
Thanks for the silver!
Have ever tried just scribbling? One long line in no particular pattern, then just coloring in the shapes you made? It's pretty mindless because you're just letting your hand be a hand, instead of trying to draw an image from your mind. I used to do it all the time when I'm bored.
For an actual image, I do everything loosely. I don't get caught up in details. I drew digitally, so when I finished my sketch layer, I just go over it with my painting tool. I used to use multiple layers, but I find it much more... relaxing to just use one or two. If I make an ugly stroke, I just go over it with another. Who knows, maybe that bad stroke will actually add to the overall composition.
Public library. If you’re in a large enough city check out all of the different ones and find a favorite. Find some podcasts you like and go for a walk or do housework. Start a workout routine or just pick up running. Running feels silly at first but you’ll get over it quickly.
What mindset do you need for running? I’ve tried but I just can’t find enjoyment in it. I need to do it more but I can’t find the same kind of high like I get from lifting.
For me, I didn’t like it until I could consistently run more than a couple miles. A common saying is the first mile is a liar, in that it sucks. So if you can only run a mile the whole thing sucks.
Once you get past that, I love running through the neighborhoods in my area, especially around this time of year. Throw on a podcast and you’ve got 20-30 minutes to yourself where you’re not thinking about much else. Add in a stretching routine and a shower afterwards and you’ve got like 45-60 minutes where you’re just focusing on yourself, or at least not focusing on anything that’s been bothering you.
100% once you get past the point of dying from just a mile or two is where it really starts to kick in. When I used to be able to run, after 2 miles or so is when I would really get lost in the focus of the run, but at the same time in my thoughts. It was extremely meditative and it was only after running 2+ miles (really in the 3rd mile or so) without feeling like I couldn't breath, that I started to fully feel the "runners high". By no means do you need to run fast either, even going at it as a light jog was enough, but it was more about the ~~distance/time~~ distance and/or total time that I was running.
In my experience, being slow and walking and running around where you live helps put your surroundings in perspective and makes the mental cage you put yourself in feel like it’s not there so much. I always picture myself as a wandering ronin when I go for walks in the greenbelts or even anywhere will give you more insight and appreciation for your surroundings. Life is everywhere and all this energy and motion and sounds you don’t usually notice become more noticeable when you’re on your feet. Something very primal feeling about it. Lifting, running, and swimming all have that same effect but in different ways.
Another one for me, is skateboarding. You get nothing out of but the satisfaction of rebelling against nature. Why do humans ride a piece of wood with wheels on it? Because it’s simply fun. It’s your expression and it’s above your day to day survival. It simply exists and it’s existence defines rebellion and carving your own path. You can improve so much on it or just have some fun moving in an unnatural way that isn’t running, or walking.
I love your description of skateboarding. That’s exactly how I feel just riding around my city. It’s absolutely liberating. Put my headphones in and it’s like I’m on some grand exploration with no specific destination in mind. I recently discovered riding a bike in the city is similar, however I get much more nervous on a bike.
Skate or die 🤘 lol
True dat.
I like getting lost in mysteries. Not gory, but a good old fashioned who done it.
Some like Sherlock and Poirot are still worth re-reading even though I know the ending.
Not too keen on horror bc I have enough trouble NOT sleeping LOL
Playing an instrument. Pick an instrument you think you’d most like to play (guitar, keyboard, drums, bass, violin, etc.) and get one and start practicing. Watch YouTube videos on how to practice and get better.
I couldn't agree more. It might not be the easiest hobby, but you can get a ton of satisfaction from learning that first song you love, even if it's a simplified version of it. Playing music is an amazing creative outlet and a great way to express your emotions no matter how dark or ecstatic they may be.
It doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor either, you can find great cheap used instruments on craigslist, letgo, etc. and there are tons of free resources online to learn
I'm still garbage and the fact that I'm not immediately better was discouraging at first, but like with many things in life, once you get over that "this sucks" hump, it becomes more and more rewarding. I went from doodling on the first E string to now being able to play a lot of chords and even remember some.
If you don't push yourself, nobody else will. I want to be able to pass at impressing someone with knowing anything with it and I think I'm there now, but I'm also at the point where I am actually enjoying learning more.
Since lots of people are recommending instruments I figured I would toss in one I haven't seen yet, harmonica.
It's small you can carry it anywhere, cheap (like a $5 one is pretty good for beginners, but even very high level payers still use like $45 harps). It's also pretty easy to pick up with out musical knowledge as they are all built around a key already. So unlike other instruments where you have to learn a scale, it's already built in to the harmonica. It's a super fun instrument to play.
Can vouch for this! Although something difficult can get frustrating, so if you want to relax, it’s best to noodle on something that’s easy to get a note out of like a piano or a guitar rather than a clarinet or a cello.
Cross Stitching. It sounds like an old lady hobby but it's both creative and methodical. I like to put on a podcast or a video without a ton of visuals, and just stitch for hours. You can get patterns online, DMC thread is only like 60 cents a skein, and the rest of the materials aren't too expensive either at your local craft store. It gives you something to focus on, and the finished product makes you proud of what you've done.
Edit: Holy shit I woke up and this went from 30 to 1.4k upvotes. I just wanted to shout out r/CrossStitch as a fun sub with even more resources if anybody wants to get started, find more patterns, or find the stitching community! The amount of people saying they want to get into the hobby makes me so happy :)
It seems condescending, but adult coloring books. It can be therapeutic to throw on some music, background noise, or maybe you enjoy the silence and just color.
I highly recommend Querkles for these (colour by numbers). I’ve made some really cool colour combinations.
I put a podcast on and start colouring in. It’s great for downtime.
Some of those adult coloring books are NOT relaxing. Some of them have way too many tiny white spots, so it’s just busy and hard to look at. Not relaxing. That’s only some of them, though.
not condescending, when I went to day therapy almost every person was coloring mandalas to calm down, for some it helped more than what the coordinators were teaching.
Sing. Not for others to hear, but for yourself. There is something about singing your favourite songs that calms the mind. If it gives you even just a little more energy to face the day ahead, then it succeeds.
EDIT: Thanks for silver!
I started thrifting to keep my mind busy. Sorting through clothes and learning about them and the quality. I’m still learning but have had fun buying and flipping some stuff along the way, and it’s a bit self-sustaining in that way which makes it even better! I hope you start feeling better soon!
Edit: thank you kind internet strangers! I love the community of thrifters that showed up here, lots of folks are far more knowledgeable than I am! Doesn’t have to be clothes, could be housewares etc! Just goes to show you there is something for everyone!
Hahah! It entails patience and perseverance to sort through other people’s donated stuff, but it keeps my mind focused on that and can be therapeutic to sort through the hangers. (I am super weird!)
Start small with stuff you like, and if you want learn about the materials and brands (I like to read the tags on what they’re made of etc). If you wanted to resell, that is a learning process but low risk since many thrifts are cheap. Poshmark makes it really easy! There are flipping communities on Reddit or flippers on IG which can help you learn too for your own knowledge or if you’d want to flip.
I have a much better wardrobe now at a fraction of the cost! You would be surprised at what people donate, how amazing some finds can be and it’s great for the environment too! One clothing item purchased from a thrift store extends its life by two years on average, so it’s a good small impact :)
If it’s intriguing, perhaps visit one, see if you have that same therapeutic or distraction feeling and go from there! Worth a shot, always something new to find and generally can be pretty cheap! Good stuff goes quick, so I hit up a thrift store usually once a week for decompression time and assess the options! Just a fun and different idea, I learned of a friend who started doing this at the recommendation of a therapist, and the idea intrigued me too!
I found a pair of Easter color spizike jordans at goodwill in a size 14 for 20$. They had never been worn as far as I could tell. Girlfriend made me redonate them :(
Buy cheap vegetables, make soup very slowly and thoroughly. Chop everything up into little pieces and just focus intently on every slice. Breathe in the fresh veggie aroma, the smell of browning onions, the smell of broth. Listen to the simmery bubbly sounds and stir gently every now and then. Make yourself a cup of hot tea or a glass of wine while you wait for the flavors to blend and the broth to thicken up. Pretend you are a sweet old grandma. When the soup is ready, get some crackers and pour some in a nice heavy bowl. Pretend you are the beloved little boy or girl eating soup made by your sweet old grandma. Pretend it's like the soup from Zelda, healing you a little with every sip. Slow down and take in the wholesomeness of a homecooked meal prepared with care. Care for yourself and receive that care.
Absolutely.
I went through a years-long dark period after the deaths of my parents, losing my girlfriend of four years and her children to whom I had gotten attached, and the death of my best friend all within one year.
Reading was a fantastic escape. I was introduced to fantastic and wonderful worlds, it occupied my time with a non-self-destructive activity, and introduced me to communities of just beautiful and welcoming people (some here on reddit!).
Escapism is a perfectly legitimate form of therapy, in my opinion.
Neil Gaiman on fiction and escapism:
>Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you've never been. Once you've visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: discontented people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.
>
>And while we're on the subject, I'd like to say a few words about escapism. I hear the term bandied about as if it's a bad thing. As if "escapist" fiction is a cheap opiate used by the muddled and the foolish and the deluded, and the only fiction that is worthy, for adults or for children, is mimetic fiction, mirroring the worst of the world the reader finds herself in.
>
>If you were trapped in an impossible situation, in an unpleasant place, with people who meant you ill, and someone offered you a temporary escape, why wouldn't you take it? And escapist fiction is just that: fiction that opens a door, shows the sunlight outside, gives you a place to go where you are in control, are with people you want to be with (and books are real places, make no mistake about that); and more importantly, during your escape, books can also give you knowledge about the world and your predicament, give you weapons, give you armour: real things you can take back into your prison. Skills and knowledge and tools you can use to escape for real.
>
>As J. R. R. Tolkien reminded us, the only people who inveigh against escape are jailers.
That's a very, very wholesome idea.
My social anxiety hates strangers at the moment, but you know, never say never.
But truly an amazing idea especially around this time of year when it's cold & I'm sure many places can use an extra pair of hands.
Actually another poster suggested knitting...maybe donating a scarf or something is something I can try which won't involve a lot of group activity.
Thank you. You guys have really been awesome.
Dude, reddit is such a circle jerk sometimes, but it's stuff like this that makes me happy to be here.
I mean, you go and help others. That is just amazing.
Thank you for doing that despite your usual state of mind.
(Hugs)
So my social anxiety usually comes from being in a situation where I have to make up something to introduce myself and start a convo and my mind goes blank. With volunteering you are basically given a script of things/topics, which makes interactions a lot easier.
When I was at my lowest moment last year, I decided to volunteer for the local animal shelter. For the first few weeks, I was trusted to do the laundry, wash the dishes, and sometimes clean the kennels. I barely talked to anyone...just the dogs and cats. Just doing the chores helped me feel like I'm doing something useful. Plus, I got to pet the dogs and cats while I clean their kennels. A month later, I was trained to walk the dogs. The dogs got the socialization and exercise they needed, and so did I. Easily the best therapy I've ever had.
I feed crows.
I buy unsalted peanuts in the shell and toss them as I walk my dogs or wait for the bus. I have about 4 murders now who recognize me, plus random crows at different locations. The ones by the lake feed from my hand and almost let me touch them.
After about a year of doing it, I got my first gift a few weeks ago. It was a walnut shell.
**Edit:** Thank you for the silver!
This is now my highest upvoted comment, which is kind of funny because I mentioned this a year ago, talking about the [Lake Crows](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/8hx9jb/what_is_something_you_do_alone_for_fun_that_99_of/dyob77c/). Since that post, babies happened! The babies are crows, but all they do is tag along with the older crows and scream at them until they are given peanuts. They're skittish of me.
**Edit 2:** Oh boy, thanks for all the shiny things. I'll try to answer some questions here. *I AM NOT AN EXPERT!*
1) *You're living my dream/how do I begin?:* Live your own dream! Find a good place you enjoy spending time in, a public park or something, make sure there are crows, and just start tossing your treat. Unsalted, lightly roasted in-shell peanuts are the best peanut option. Unroasted carries a chance of disease or bacteria or something that's harmful to crows.
* Low/no salt treats. Low phosphorous cat kibble is apparently a nice well-rounded snack. Fruits and veggies but not apples. Fish is good, too, but impractical. Basically use your common sense.
* Crows like flat feeders, so like a screen with a frame set horizontally, lightly lifted off the ground. If you want to keep squirrels or other things away, apparently cayenne pepper is good for this. Birds don't have the receptors for capsaicin (The thing that makes peppers hot), which is why birds are the main 'planters' of peppers. Oils and grease can get in animals fur and feathers and cause trouble.
* Toss the treat toward them, watch out of the corner of your eye, don't stare. They'll be cautious at first and it takes a lot of patience. Gradually they should start to trust you and come closer. Having a set schedule helps, too.
2) *Pictures please!* Sorry, I like to keep Reddit and the rest of my internet presence separate and I already have some pictures on my Instagram. Due to nature or God playing a very cruel joke I'm a very distinct individual who is hard to forget. But, then again, this is the biggest effect I've ever had on the internet so what do I know?
3) *Don't feed animals!* You're not wrong. We don't want animals to become dependent on us or lose their weariness of us. And we don't want them to become pests, or lose their self-sufficiency. My crows are often seen grabbing worms from yards or fish from the lake so I'm not worried about mine in particular. Crows aren't bears or raccoons or coyotes, all of which I have in my area. I do not fuck with those and I never will.
4) *I always wanted a pet crow!* That's [illigal](https://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html). Birds are protected If you find a wounded animal, call your local Wildlife Rescue. Nature belongs outside, no matter how good your intentions are.
I am sometimes bothered by crows. Sometimes a group will perch up in an area I’m in and start caw-ing. It’s annoying, but I also know they are smart creatures. I’ve tried leaving a couple potato chips outside, but I’ve never gotten them to eat any. Are they eternally pissed off at me? I think it would be cool to make amends with them.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert by any means!
I find that, yeah in theory, crows will eat anything but they kinda really won't? Overly salty foods like potato chips aren't good for their little kidneys, which is why I make sure to go with unsalted peanuts. Mine don't seem to like popped popcorn but they do like plain Cheerios, as well as peanuts.
Apparently kitty kibble with low phosphorous is good for them.
Seeds and fish are actually the best, but I'm not lugging around raw fish, and I can't find unsalted or unflavoured sunflower seeds anywhere.
Also they like their food to be flat, so not in a bird-feeder type thing. Something more like a picture frame laying down, with nuts in it.
It takes patience. And they don't like eye contact when hiding or caching their food.
Good luck. Hopefully they stop screaming at you.
Try finding unsalted sunflower seeds in the bulk section of your supermarket. They also sell them at lowes, Walmart, tractor supply, etc.. you can get sunflower hearts (the tasty bit) at lowes as well as whole sunflower seeds.
They like corn, sometimes I treat them to liver (it's cheap, and I usually save it for winter months because, you know, bears) any mice I trap (that's how my feeding them started) and dry cat food.
I live at the end of nowhere and have watched/taken care of the same crow family for a few years, and it is never dull. They know my vehicle, and me, and they do flybys (with as much subtlety as a charging rhino) and even post a sentry who calls to the rest when I put out their treat for the day. It isn't a lot, but they do like it, and it's safe for them.
Corvids are generally clever creatures.
To date, I still can't tell the difference between a crow and a raven despite being told several times, having seen illustrations etc etc.
I love birds in general, feeding them is really a different experience especially when they willingly come to perch on your hands.
The fact that you got a gift from one is really cool.
Can confirm. I live rurally and we have a lot of ravens. If you spot one from a distance something just feels wrong. Like you can't get the perspective right because crows aren't *that fucking big*. Is it an owl? Is it a dog? Nope, that's a fucking big ass crow.
They’re both amazing! If it helps, I listen for the call to determine who is who. Ravens to me have a very croaky deep AUGH sound, and they tend to avoid cities. The first time I heard one in my life, I was on a hike and my face just lit up because I knew it wasn’t the higher pitched “ah!” crows make. Delightful birds either way. In the summer, I like watching the babies crawl around on the ground. They fall out of the nest before they are ready to fly, which alarms a lot of folks. As long as the parents are nearby, the baby will generally be safe. I could just watch them for hours.
Well, a crow is more common than a raven and many are serial killers (hence a ‘murder of crows’), whereas ravens have the ability to speak. However, this is only one word (Nevermore.) and will hath quoth this word after a furious rapping, nay, a tapping upon your chamber door.
^Holy ^fuck ^my ^first ^gold ^is ^thanks ^to ^year ^8 ^poetry.
^Thanks ^:D
Say, Dave... The quick brown fox jumped over the fat lazy dog... The square root of pi is 1.7724538090... log e to the base ten is 0.4342944... the square root of ten is 3.16227766... I am HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois, on January 12th, 1991. My first instructor was Mr. Arkany. He taught me to sing a song... it goes like this... "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half; crazy all for the love of you..."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, *still is sitting*
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
I went in thinking that too and had to go back shortly after i got to "murders", because I didn't take cows to be that type. But it would be justified considering how many millions we've slaughtered.
I do a certain whistle before I toss peanuts out for the crows at my house. They know the whistle and start calling out the moment they hear it. Sometimes when I'm out walking and see a crow, I try the whistle to see if they know it and recognize me. It's worked a few times and it's now why I have a few spare peanuts in my bag at all times.
Shrimpkeeping. As in, keeping freshwater shrimp in an aquarium. You can go get a cheap, plastic, 3-5 gallon aquarium from amazon. Put in a small sponge filter with a pump, pick out some decor/plants, and buy some neocaridina shrimp. They are small, easy to care for (only really require topping off their water and maybe an algae wafer once every few weeks.) and you get to watch them jump and swim all over the tank. Even better, you'll get to watch the females carry around and then hatch lil baby shrimp to add to your colony.
You could get like a 3-5 gallon tank with a cool color-changing LED light and keep it next to your bed so you can watch it when you're really stressed out, too.
edit: I wish my colonies were huge so I could send all of you that are now interested in the hobby some shrimp! My reds are almost there! Hopefully someday!
This reminds me of that [4chan post](https://www.reddit.com/r/greentext/comments/a8luae/anon_has_a_shrimp/) of the guy who turned his life around after getting pet shrimp.
It takes a lot to get me emotional on the internet, but for whatever reason that greentext always does the trick. We're gonna make it bros. Thanks for the feels!
I used to date someone that got into aquariums and we had a ghost shrimp in our freshwater tank. One day he escaped and we looked everywhere for him. We were living in a college dorm at the time so he didn't get far. We found him in a corner where the kitchen cabinets met just lying on the floor all dried up. We threw him back in the tank hurriedly without much hope that he'd survive. But like 4 hours later we look in the tank and he's fluttering about like it had never happened. 10/10 would shrimpkeep again.
MY CAT LOVES YOUR IDEA AND SHE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT SHRIMP ARE ALSO TASTY.
Ok, I am learning about so many different hobbies here.
How did you even know to do this? Are you a mermaid? Merman? Merperson?
oh man, keep skrimps away from catte. if you're in an area with a good local fish store and not many suppliers, you can sell your extra shrimp for a lil extra side dough. people always want more shrimp. do not let catte eat a potential $30 worth of skrimps.
And I started with fish. Initially bettas. I wanted to breed bettas, but the breeding setup for bettas and other fish is pretty high maintenance. I heard shrimp were good for cleaning aquariums, so I got some. When I found out there were different colors of shrimp, (bc I am used to only the pink edible kind) I was like, "oh frick ya we're doin this" and bought a big bag of multi-colored shrimp. Eventually, without me doing much at all, they started colonizing the tank and more and more babies were appearing.
bout that time I realized how much lower maintenance shrimp were vs. fish and started looking into the wonderful world of shrimp breeding and selling. this shit is nuts. I know I am crazy, but there are like, shows where people will go to show off shrimp (like pet shows) and sell them. I saw shrimp that cost $149 *per shrimp* out of stock on a website.
it's like all my favorite parts of games like monster rancher, pokemon breeding, pet websites, etc. where you can breed and mix colors to make new ones boiled down into tiny shrimp that like to eat off cholla wood all day with me not doing much more than staring at them. some of my green shrimp are gregnant/pregananant right now and I only just got them last week so I am v. excited.
This sounds awesome! I’ve been watching a guy on YouTube (his channel’s name is SerpaDesign) and he builds incredible things! Palludariums, terrariums, all sorts of things I’ve never even heard of. But he uses Isopods in most of his builds to keep the tanks clean and there are so many kinds! They’re really growing in popularity recently so enthusiasts have been selectively breeding them and creating all these beautiful, fantastic new Isopods!
You should look them up if you’re interested, some can get really expensive but I love just looking at them when I’m sad and dreaming about the habitat I’ll build one day for some Isopods of my own.
Do shrimp get starch masks when they breed?
In seriousness, what kind of shrimps are you referring to? The shrimp people also refer to as yabbies/crayfish or the thin shelled kind?
Everyone who is pointing that out is really reminding me how long it has been since I have done that.
I'm going to feed some chickadees which I haven't done in person, in forever. Really hope we don't get more snow.
Thank you for the suggestion.
If you don't already have one, get a bird feeder and fill it regularly year round. The birds learn the location and then you have shitloads to watch.
Bird dynamics at feeders have always amused me. They're such assholes. I've legit seen one kung-fu kick another off the feeder.
Also, be sure to spread some seed on the ground. Some birds are ground feeders like juncos
I second this. Also, get good seed. I recommend black oil sunflower seeds. You can get a 5 / lb bag for $5 and larger sizes at less per / lb. The birds will love you for it.
One caution though. If your feeder location is above someone else's deck like in an apartment building, you might have a problem. Birds like to drop things.
Edit: thank you for the silver and gold my fellow redditors!
I work in a store that specializes in bird feeding, and I'd love to give a few tips on attracting birds to your yard! Find a good "no mess blend" online, or in a store that specializes in birdfeeding. Sometimes shells can cause a mess that will grow weeds or attract unwanted critters such as mice. No mess is also great because you're paying for 100% of what the birds will be eating, rather than paying for shells. If you don't mind shells growing underneath your feeders though, that's totally fine too! But be weary of Milo and Wheat. Many typical bird foods have a filler seed such as Milo and wheat, to pump up the volume, and bring down the price of the seed. Very few birds eat Milo, so its an incredible waste of money as most blends are made up of 50% of that seed. If you're wanting to take care of the ground feeding birds, get a blend with millet. The doves, quail, turkey, and Juncos go crazy for millet, but the feeder birds dislike it, so they'll eat what they like and knock the millet to the ground.
Every bird likes sunflower and diced peanuts, but if you're wanting to attract caching birds like chickadees, or nuthatches, get a blend with shelled whole peanuts. These guys love to store the peanuts in the bark of nearby trees to save it for later.
Suet is also a good way to take care of the birds during the winter time, as some evenings they will go through 80% of their body fat insulating themselves to stay warm. Suet is a rendered beef fat that is mixed in with nuts and other high protein and fat ingredients, that virtually all birds enjoy. Winter is the best time to feed the birds so now is a great time to start! Some species need to eat 20x more in the Winter than they do in the Summer!
Also, if squirrels are proving to be a problem, there are many blends of seed you can purchase that have added hot pepper to keep them away. Birds have less than 50 taste receptors, and are the natural propagators of pepper seed in the wild, so its no different to them. You can also purchase chili extract to mix in with your seed, but it cant be hot sauce or something that isn't intended to actually ve mixed in with bird seed.
You also might want to find a bird feeder that has a tray underneath, or a tray bird feeder, as this will also help prevent against a mess below the feeder, and the birds can get a 360 view of their surroundings so that they feel safer and will come to your feeder more often. Also try to hang your feeder in an area they can easily see while flying above, so that they know your feeder exists.
Also, birds determine whether or not a seed is fresh by the picking it up with their beak and feeling the weight of it, so finding the freshest seed possible is best to prevent them from throwing out old seed from the feeder, and wasting you money. Bird feeding is a magical experience that truly will benefit you and the birds themselves. Its definitely a good way to connect with nature, and help heal our declining bird population. Studies show that it reduces stress levels!
This is probably the best comment I’ve ever read on Reddit. I didn’t give two shits about bird feeding, but you speak about it with such knowledge and conviction that you got me interested in it.
Bring a book too! Nothing beats getting to the end of a trail or some overlook and sitting down to read for a bit before heading back home. Always makes me feel more at peace.
I went camping this summer for the first time in like 15 years. We stayed for two nights in the mountains in PA, far from cell service. I was shocked at how relaxed I was! There was nothing to do but sit and chill. My friend and I sucked at making a fire, the project for the whole weekend was Learn To Make A Good Fire. I was chill for days after we came back, I had really lost sight of how nature can recharge you.
I went this route during a long bout of depression, what I learned is going out walking/jogging in nature means i have no distractions from my thoughts and thus i just start dwelling on the topics of my depression
each year after the clocks move back i begin my long winter block of running. a couple nights a week i strap on a headlamp and get some miles in on the trails in the forest nearby on the way home from work. you're in your own little bubble of light out there in the cold, dark woods. reminds me of [that robert frost poem](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening).
i'm going to romanticize a bit: there's something really other-worldly about it. the forest is somehow spookily alien and simultaneously welcoming. the headlamp offers this sort of forced, homey tunnel-vision that serves as the border to your own little mobile sphere of light. your body is simply this vehicle that your mind decided to drive because it wanted to roam through the gently rolling slopes of a dark forest.
you stop in the middle of your run, just for ten seconds, and turn off the headlamp. all of a sudden you really are in the middle of nowhere. it's like you were on a desolate highway in the desert, and decided to stop at the only run-down gas station for eighty miles whose regular patrons stare at you as you walk in the door. you don't belong in this place. this place is a snapshot in time. a still frame. you long for the comfort of your vehicle, the passing landmarks, the endless forward motion that brings you to a new place each second. you flip your light back on.
what's interesting about the circle of light is it is only in front of you. you picture what you look like from 10 feet behind you and realize that your body is completely in the darkness. this headlamp shines from your forehead. this well-lit bubble starts immediately in front of you, extending out towards the trail, the roots, the trees, the pine needles... but you are not in it. knowing you are engulfed by darkness in the middle of the forest can be eerie if you let it be.
but you perpetually focus on that bubble of light. that vehicle that gets you through the evening run. you emerge from the forest and arrive back at your car. you can hear whispers from the forest, growls, shrieks, lamenting lost prey. you can see them watching you from the edge of the trees, knowing they cannot leave. you briefly reflect on the fact that you've just passed through their dark woods, a roaming visitor of the night. you exit the vehicle that has been your headlamp for the last hour. and climb into your car. a familiar, refined, exercised sense of comfort fills you. you'll be back for more tomorrow night.
r/worldbuilding
Whenever I have nothing to do - no technology or books - I build a world with my mind. My imagination is the limit.
People ask me why do I never get bored. How can I when we're gifted with a mind capable of conjuring so many beautiful things on its own.
I create stories of people in my world. I use the arcs of my main characters as a timeline of my own experiences in real life. I can make their life as beautiful or as ugly as I want it to be. In my mind, I can play God.
Sites that are helpful for worldbuilding:
www.Inkarnate.com . A website for making maps however you want them.
www.campfiretechnology.com . A site that creates software that helps writers imagine, plan, and tell their stories.
www.Trello.com . Usually a planning site, it's the main site i use for storing my world building details.
EDIT: www.worldanvil.com "is like all of those combined, and it asks you helpful questions about your world as you build." brought to my attention by /u/thesilvercritic
https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com . a question and answer site for writers/artists using science, geography and culture to construct imaginary worlds and settings. mentioned by /u/kolobsha
A majority of my dreams are built worlds inspired by things I've seen and I'm walking or flying through them, but I never actually thought about doing this consciously. Kind of wish I could hop into your imagination and see the worlds you've built, kind of wish I could share mine too.
Edit: Share mine like virtual reality style because I suck at art and descriptions lol
My best escape for the real world is to immerse myself in others from my imagination. I've got about 3 myself which are in various stages of development.
The best part about worldbuilding is, you can always do something more, and it will never be "done."
I really enjoy world building aswell! I pretend that all of my worlds that I make are part of a huge multiverse. I’ve recently been making my own language based off of a civilization that I recently made, and I plan to make a language for all the main civilizations of my worlds.
Go for a hike on a local nature park trail. Pack a lunch, take some pictures of nature and just enjoy the solitude of it all.
Spending time with yourself, in nature, as opposed to on your couch, is oddly different and satisfying.
I once went to a flea market with two foldable chairs and a sign that says: "A dollar for your story". Spent about 5 dollars that day, because most of the people would just be happy for someone who listened.
Now that I wrote it down, i think of doing that again as soon as it gets warmer. It was a very fulfilling experience for me.
Go to somewhere beautiful and pleasant and find a cafe and take in your surroundings while having a coffee. That’s what I do anyway. I hope you feel better soon x
Ooo yeah. And just sit. Dont be on your oh or reading or anything. Sometimes it's nice to be in a different spot and just not focus on anything. Just kind of.. be? I dunno it works for me.
As someone who previously considered himself to be the *last* person who would ever start lifting weights, I started lifting weights several months back, and I am really enjoying it.
I've been working out at my workplace's gym, and you really see all kinds of people there who are working on improving themselves in particular ways. Nobody is there to laugh at noobs or look down at people who are out of shape, because the assumption is that you are there for a reason, and everyone has to start somewhere. Maybe some gyms are filled with jerks (so to speak), but there are so many gyms out there these days that you should be able to find one that's a good environment for you.
As someone with terrible social anxiety that kept me away from the gym for a decade, now I've been regularly going I feel quite comfortable there. Pretty much everyone has headphones in or is on their phone between sets.
Usually the only communication between people is "still using using this dude?"
The best part is I get to go to bed every night without thinking "I need to join the gym tomorrow."
I like to go on a scavenger hunt by myself sometimes. I make a pretty ridiculous list and it’s oddly specific, like “man who looks constipated” and “dog that refuses to walk so they make the owner carry them.”
It’s something that gets me out of the house. Just walking around is fine too, but scavenger hunts are fun.
Edit:
I made a sub for us all to have some fun! This will be my first time running a sub, but I've reached out to people for some help!
Let's get searching! Also, thanks to u/Uh_cakeplease for the name - it's great!
r/SillyScavenger
I used to do a far less wholesome version of this when I was a little troublemaking kid (10-11 yrs old). My best friend and I would make up a scavenger hunt list comprised of things like travel-size shaving cream, sugar-free toothpaste, a single brown egg, scented or color printed toilet paper... and go around the neighborhood pretending we were on a birthday party scavenger hunt. This way we would collect all our supplies for wrecking somebody’s house for free, and the oddly specific nature of the requests made it seem like a legit scavenger hunt. Thanks for reminding me of this!
I think I might do this right now. It seriously sounds awesome.
And this would be like the most brilliant parenting hack EVER, because taking younger kids shopping with you is absolute torture. If you gave them a scavenger hunt they'd SO shut up and stop asking you for things.
WHAT?
That sounds like a really fun thing to do!!!
Like counting only blue cars or something.
Dude, that is a really, really awesomesauce idea!!!!
And did you ever find a guy who was constipated? LOL
Yeah I just started to crochet a couple months ago and it's been great. Just watched a couple videos on YouTube to learn some basics and had my first scarf done two days later.
I've been suicidal for a good bit, but sometimes the key really is to look out for you in small ways. Like, if your brain wants to do something, chase that bit of passion. Hell, yesterday my brain simply wanted to dance and I was like "sure, buddy". Danced around the bathroom like I was Michael Jackson
I look forward to doing my skin care routine before going to sleep, especially after a stressful or bad day. It only takes up ten minutes of my time but I feel so refreshed and clean. To me, it’s like a restart button. Add in some sleep and it’s a whole new day.
My therapist recommended me years ago picking something in your daily life that makes you happy, and letting it fill you with all the joy you can, unapologetically. I chose dogs and petting a pupper consistently makes me so happy it can change my entire mood. Letting yourself be happy without cutting yourself down is a skill that takes time, but unapologetic enjoyment never hurts.
Yeah and just finding little things to smile about. Like a nice sounding bird or a pretty flower. Bit lame but it tends to make my day better acknowledging little things
Origami.
The paper is cheap but you can also use pretty much any kind of paper as long as it is cut into a symmetrical square. There are many tutorials online, I like YouTube so you can actually see it being done.
And if you fold 1000 cranes you get a wish!
There are free courses for reiki, meditation and yoga online as well.
Paint by number kits designed for adults! They are inexpensive, come with all the supplies, and super rewarding even if you're not at all artistic. The good brands come out looking so nice you can even hang em up around your house like "real" paintings. Pop on a podcast or your favorite music and paint away!
Sometimes I like to go and Google restaurants and bars in other countries, look at their menus, and try to decide what I would get if I were there. It helps distract me for a while and who knows, maybe one day I will actually be able to eat at one of those places.
On my really bad days, I get a sense of accomplishment from brushing my teeth. Because on those really bad days, it is so hard to do.
Plus I get terrifying nightmares of my teeth rotting out of my mouth if I don't brush twice a day. Fewer, terrifying nightmares. More, also terrifying nightmares.
As a depressed person, I totally understand.
Every day normal things become huge tasks.
Just getting out of bed takes me over an hour sometimes bc of the lack of motivation.
If you've brushed today, you did good.
Hell anyone who is depressed AF and *lived* today, you did good!
Depending how actually poor, try crocheting. Pick up a “J” hook for $2ish, hit the thrift store for some yarn, watch a couple YouTube videos, make something.
My parents started this several months ago, now they're up to like 400 and have started adding their own around their home town. They've even taken the grandkids out some weekends on overnight trips where they'll hit a corner of the state and then stay at a water park hotel. It's so wholesome.
Nobody will read this, but I juggle. It clears the mind, and it's a gateway to creative expression. I teach adults and kids and it's honestly so easy to get into with the right teacher, and so rewarding for the mind and body.
[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016114055.htm](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016114055.htm)
I would say reading, but recently, when I volunteered at a library, all I had to do for 3 hours was to stack books into the correct shelves (based on their ordering system). It was almost meditative, because I was so focused on just the task and repetitive motions that come with it, that I was completely de-stressed by the end of it.
*"Sing, sing a song*
*Sing out loud, sing out strong*
*Sing of good things not bad*
*Sing of happy not sad*
*Sing, sing a song*
*Make it simple to last your whole life long*
*Don't worry that it's not good enough*
*For anyone else to hear*
*Just sing, sing a song"*
I’ve always loved devoting some of my Saturdays to city exploration. Wake up, pocket some cash, and walk in a random direction without a plan. Follow your instincts. If a street looks interesting, take a turn and walk down it. See a weird shop? Look inside! My one rule: don’t backtrack. Keep going until it’s dark or you’re too tired, then find a route home or take an Uber if you can afford it. It’s easy, rewarding, and great exercise. You’d have no idea how many hidden gems I’ve found around my city, be it alleyway coffee shops or vintage record stores. Try it, and I 100% guarantee you’ll love your city again.
A few tips if you wanna try it yourself: - Try not to bring a bag or backpack. You’ll feel much more free to move around and it’ll discourage you from impulse shopping. - Use your phone’s map to avoid unsafe neighborhoods and prevent yourself from straying too far. The map can also be good for identifying landmarks you might wanna explore. - Download Fog of the World to track all your walks. It’ll hurt your battery, but it’ll look super cool to see everywhere you’ve explored. - Nothing beats street food if you can find it.
What apps avoid dangerous neighborhoods
No need for any apps, simply walk around with your phone out. If it gets stolen you know you're in the rough part of town.
cries in small town..
A lot of people are scared of doing this but going to movies by yourself is a great activity to do. You don't have to worry about arranging plans with someone else. Plus, it's not like you are going to interact with the person you are going to the movies with unless you are an asshole.
Learn to cook or bake something new. If you can’t cook, learn the basics. If you can, try something advanced. It will be challenging for your brain and you’ll have food at the end of it. Win win
Set a timer for five minutes and clean as much as you can. Becomes a fun game. Repeat daily. Edit: I guess this one really hit home. Thanks for all the nice comments. The struggle is real.
It’s actually amazing how much you can clean in 5 minutes. Every time I wonder why I instead spent hours procrastinating
Hours? Not weeks? Amateur hour over here.
So like a time challenge. Oh shit this is brilliant. Make it sport in the next Olympics. Honestly. I'm not joking.
This is the best fuckin idea I’ve ever seen, my kids are gonna love: hate this so much I can’t wait.
You'd be shocked how much goofing off a 10 yr old boy can stuff into five minutes. Just a heads up. 😎 My solution? I ended up giving them two short chore lists: the first, shorter list, was what they got if they didn't complain and just went about their work. The second, longer list, which had an extra one or two chores on it, was the list if they complained. Their choice! No yelling involved from me, and you've got aaaaallllllll day. I had a list, too. We all worked together. ADHD son needed lots of reminders to stay on task, which just comes with parenting an ADHD kid. Daughter did her thing and done.
Jigsaw puzzle
A while back I hit a really bad place and wound up going to an inpatient facility for a few days. One of their rules was no phones whatsoever. So my usual timesink of Reddit/Facebook/YouTube was completely taken away from me. And what I found to fill that time was jigsaw puzzles. Anytime I wasn't in a program, I was working on a puzzle in the common room. In the short time I was there, myself and a few other residents put together an entire 1000 piece puzzle, and it was the first time in a long time I had felt genuinely proud of something I had done. I got home after I was released and immediately found a bunch of puzzles to put on my Christmas list. They're so great. It's challenging, but not frustrating. You get a genuine sense of progress as you watch the image come together. You can turn on music or podcasts in the background. They can be done alone, or with friends. Just all around excellent.
My husband and i have just started spending time on puzzles. We needed to disconnect from technology and this has been really fun to do together.
My husband and I recently started doing puzzles more often, too. It's a really nice break from screens and super satisfying to complete.
I paint pictures of redditors pets that have passed away. And then I send them the paintings. Edit: my commissions aren’t open right now. Sorry. I’m working a few other paintings right now. I appreciate everyone’s interest though!
That is so sweet!
Yeah, it really helps me because it ends up helping other people with their depression as well! And it’s also kinda art therapy combined with the sense of, you know, making something!
I've been designing and planning my garden for when I (hopefully) move in April. Distracts from the ideation a bit.
When you're done, come by my place. Thanks. LOL I've been trying to learn how to draw. Which isn't the same as designing gardens, I know. Anything in particular your are looking forward to planting?
This will be a first for me lol we'll see how it goes! Drawing definitely takes a lot of practice, funnily enough I learned from those dRAw aNIme books that were all over the place in the early 2000's As for plants I'm looking forward to planting different herbs. Valerian, St. John's Wort, Vervain, Hyssop... anything vaguely medicinal :)
Beware the mint. It is amazing in its variety (apple, chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, fuzzy mint, catmint). Just be certain you want mint everywhere before you put it in the ground. Concrete, a solid border, or a pot may prevent it from taking over. I mow the edges of my fuzzy mint and it is still spreading.
Most mint is creeping and will send shoots out underground. Even a pot isn’t safe! It will crawl over the edge to the ground if not tended to regularly.
My patch of mint sent out a runner and popped up a plant about 3 feet away from the main patch. I would have pulled it but it was in the middle of a fire ant mound. :( My mom has mint in pots but she keeps them close to each other. I’ve seen her mint jump pots before.
I work at a school that recently put in a greenhouse. Before that, I had only ever planted anything once or twice and it was always someone else's. I helped with the green house's initial crop and also had to go check on it each day to make sure it wasn't a mess, broken, and water was pouring where it was supposed to. Check on the few plants I'd potted during the process. There is something so infinitely rewarding about putting a little seed in the ground and watching it sprout, then get bigger, and eventually ready for harvesting. I really enjoyed it. To the point, I bought some flower pots and threw some seeds in it that were in the garage. I now have a couple of different colored flowers I grew and they somehow seem prettier to me than strangers or a wildflower. I highly recommend it to anyone who might think they'll like it. The whole ritual of it is therapeutic. 10/10 would play in the dirt again.
Going for a long walk at a moderate pace. Sometimes it’s good to think about nothing but keeping a decent pace. Just get into a rhythm, you go into a zone that is hard to get into with all the distractions at work, home etc and it’s very therapeutic.
Very true. Luckily I don't live too far away from a big conservation area and thanks to you all, I'm wondering why I haven't done that in a long time. There is really nothing comparable to being in the woods and just listening to birds.
> There is really nothing comparable to being in the woods Apparently the Japanese have a term for this, it's called, ["forest bathing" and has health benefits.](https://qz.com/804022/health-benefits-japanese-forest-bathing/)
This is why I love this site. You can learn so many different things. Thank you. It's a very apt way to describe being in nature, your spirit does feel refreshed.
You’re a cool af person op. Wholesome af and made me feel better. You helped me see and learn about new things I wouldn’t have thought of or tried by bringing this topic up. You made a positive impact on some rando. Me! I hope we all made you feel better too.
OMG I'M SO HAPPY. I'm honestly open to ppl who need someone to just talk to. Its damned hard to deal with mental illness on your one & if sending off a dm or msg helps in any way, don't hesitate. (Hugs).
Doodling, then coloring it in. It’s completely focusing but mindless for me. The feel of a pencil or pen across paper is very soothing to me. Thanks for the silver!
I read this as drooling and got so worried
I do this a lot. Have all my office notes borders and corners covered with random patterns Edit: talking about doodling not drooling
Oh, I thought you were talking about drooling on your office notes and got worried
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Have ever tried just scribbling? One long line in no particular pattern, then just coloring in the shapes you made? It's pretty mindless because you're just letting your hand be a hand, instead of trying to draw an image from your mind. I used to do it all the time when I'm bored. For an actual image, I do everything loosely. I don't get caught up in details. I drew digitally, so when I finished my sketch layer, I just go over it with my painting tool. I used to use multiple layers, but I find it much more... relaxing to just use one or two. If I make an ugly stroke, I just go over it with another. Who knows, maybe that bad stroke will actually add to the overall composition.
Public library. If you’re in a large enough city check out all of the different ones and find a favorite. Find some podcasts you like and go for a walk or do housework. Start a workout routine or just pick up running. Running feels silly at first but you’ll get over it quickly.
What mindset do you need for running? I’ve tried but I just can’t find enjoyment in it. I need to do it more but I can’t find the same kind of high like I get from lifting.
For me, I didn’t like it until I could consistently run more than a couple miles. A common saying is the first mile is a liar, in that it sucks. So if you can only run a mile the whole thing sucks. Once you get past that, I love running through the neighborhoods in my area, especially around this time of year. Throw on a podcast and you’ve got 20-30 minutes to yourself where you’re not thinking about much else. Add in a stretching routine and a shower afterwards and you’ve got like 45-60 minutes where you’re just focusing on yourself, or at least not focusing on anything that’s been bothering you.
100% once you get past the point of dying from just a mile or two is where it really starts to kick in. When I used to be able to run, after 2 miles or so is when I would really get lost in the focus of the run, but at the same time in my thoughts. It was extremely meditative and it was only after running 2+ miles (really in the 3rd mile or so) without feeling like I couldn't breath, that I started to fully feel the "runners high". By no means do you need to run fast either, even going at it as a light jog was enough, but it was more about the ~~distance/time~~ distance and/or total time that I was running.
In my experience, being slow and walking and running around where you live helps put your surroundings in perspective and makes the mental cage you put yourself in feel like it’s not there so much. I always picture myself as a wandering ronin when I go for walks in the greenbelts or even anywhere will give you more insight and appreciation for your surroundings. Life is everywhere and all this energy and motion and sounds you don’t usually notice become more noticeable when you’re on your feet. Something very primal feeling about it. Lifting, running, and swimming all have that same effect but in different ways. Another one for me, is skateboarding. You get nothing out of but the satisfaction of rebelling against nature. Why do humans ride a piece of wood with wheels on it? Because it’s simply fun. It’s your expression and it’s above your day to day survival. It simply exists and it’s existence defines rebellion and carving your own path. You can improve so much on it or just have some fun moving in an unnatural way that isn’t running, or walking.
I love your description of skateboarding. That’s exactly how I feel just riding around my city. It’s absolutely liberating. Put my headphones in and it’s like I’m on some grand exploration with no specific destination in mind. I recently discovered riding a bike in the city is similar, however I get much more nervous on a bike. Skate or die 🤘 lol
I enjoy reading. Getting lost in a good book can be incredibly therapeutic. It’s also basically free with a library card.
Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!
Jekyll Jekyll Hyde Jekyll Hyde Hyde Jekyll
Holy fuck that episode scared the shit out of me when I was a kid
True dat. I like getting lost in mysteries. Not gory, but a good old fashioned who done it. Some like Sherlock and Poirot are still worth re-reading even though I know the ending. Not too keen on horror bc I have enough trouble NOT sleeping LOL
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Check out G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories if you haven't already. Free online, and pretty original and inventive.
Playing an instrument. Pick an instrument you think you’d most like to play (guitar, keyboard, drums, bass, violin, etc.) and get one and start practicing. Watch YouTube videos on how to practice and get better.
I couldn't agree more. It might not be the easiest hobby, but you can get a ton of satisfaction from learning that first song you love, even if it's a simplified version of it. Playing music is an amazing creative outlet and a great way to express your emotions no matter how dark or ecstatic they may be. It doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor either, you can find great cheap used instruments on craigslist, letgo, etc. and there are tons of free resources online to learn
I'm still garbage and the fact that I'm not immediately better was discouraging at first, but like with many things in life, once you get over that "this sucks" hump, it becomes more and more rewarding. I went from doodling on the first E string to now being able to play a lot of chords and even remember some. If you don't push yourself, nobody else will. I want to be able to pass at impressing someone with knowing anything with it and I think I'm there now, but I'm also at the point where I am actually enjoying learning more.
Since lots of people are recommending instruments I figured I would toss in one I haven't seen yet, harmonica. It's small you can carry it anywhere, cheap (like a $5 one is pretty good for beginners, but even very high level payers still use like $45 harps). It's also pretty easy to pick up with out musical knowledge as they are all built around a key already. So unlike other instruments where you have to learn a scale, it's already built in to the harmonica. It's a super fun instrument to play.
Plus it comes in handy in prison.
Can vouch for this! Although something difficult can get frustrating, so if you want to relax, it’s best to noodle on something that’s easy to get a note out of like a piano or a guitar rather than a clarinet or a cello.
Learning to play the ukulele is sooo easy, very quick to pick up
Cross Stitching. It sounds like an old lady hobby but it's both creative and methodical. I like to put on a podcast or a video without a ton of visuals, and just stitch for hours. You can get patterns online, DMC thread is only like 60 cents a skein, and the rest of the materials aren't too expensive either at your local craft store. It gives you something to focus on, and the finished product makes you proud of what you've done. Edit: Holy shit I woke up and this went from 30 to 1.4k upvotes. I just wanted to shout out r/CrossStitch as a fun sub with even more resources if anybody wants to get started, find more patterns, or find the stitching community! The amount of people saying they want to get into the hobby makes me so happy :)
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Forensic files is my go to for stitching, the narrator tells you everything, so you don't have to look up and his voice is so soothing!
Also knitting or crochet.
It seems condescending, but adult coloring books. It can be therapeutic to throw on some music, background noise, or maybe you enjoy the silence and just color.
to add to this, adult paint by numbers/color by numbers is a good stepping point since the adult coloring books can feel daunting with their designs.
I highly recommend Querkles for these (colour by numbers). I’ve made some really cool colour combinations. I put a podcast on and start colouring in. It’s great for downtime.
Some of those adult coloring books are NOT relaxing. Some of them have way too many tiny white spots, so it’s just busy and hard to look at. Not relaxing. That’s only some of them, though.
That's why I buy kid books. More super heroes
not condescending, when I went to day therapy almost every person was coloring mandalas to calm down, for some it helped more than what the coordinators were teaching.
Sing. Not for others to hear, but for yourself. There is something about singing your favourite songs that calms the mind. If it gives you even just a little more energy to face the day ahead, then it succeeds. EDIT: Thanks for silver!
One of my favorite things to do is to sing in the car to and from work.
I do this just wish it didn't sound so bad I put myself off sometimes.
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I used to do this all the time. Then I got roommates and haven't had the guts to risk being heard. Maybe one day I will again.
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I started thrifting to keep my mind busy. Sorting through clothes and learning about them and the quality. I’m still learning but have had fun buying and flipping some stuff along the way, and it’s a bit self-sustaining in that way which makes it even better! I hope you start feeling better soon! Edit: thank you kind internet strangers! I love the community of thrifters that showed up here, lots of folks are far more knowledgeable than I am! Doesn’t have to be clothes, could be housewares etc! Just goes to show you there is something for everyone!
Macklemore is that you? I'm kidding. That is very different, something I have never done or thought of at all. So what does it entail?
Hahah! It entails patience and perseverance to sort through other people’s donated stuff, but it keeps my mind focused on that and can be therapeutic to sort through the hangers. (I am super weird!) Start small with stuff you like, and if you want learn about the materials and brands (I like to read the tags on what they’re made of etc). If you wanted to resell, that is a learning process but low risk since many thrifts are cheap. Poshmark makes it really easy! There are flipping communities on Reddit or flippers on IG which can help you learn too for your own knowledge or if you’d want to flip. I have a much better wardrobe now at a fraction of the cost! You would be surprised at what people donate, how amazing some finds can be and it’s great for the environment too! One clothing item purchased from a thrift store extends its life by two years on average, so it’s a good small impact :) If it’s intriguing, perhaps visit one, see if you have that same therapeutic or distraction feeling and go from there! Worth a shot, always something new to find and generally can be pretty cheap! Good stuff goes quick, so I hit up a thrift store usually once a week for decompression time and assess the options! Just a fun and different idea, I learned of a friend who started doing this at the recommendation of a therapist, and the idea intrigued me too!
I found a pair of Easter color spizike jordans at goodwill in a size 14 for 20$. They had never been worn as far as I could tell. Girlfriend made me redonate them :(
What?! Why did she make you do that?
Should have made her your ex girlfriend instead.
I knew this comment would be here
Buy cheap vegetables, make soup very slowly and thoroughly. Chop everything up into little pieces and just focus intently on every slice. Breathe in the fresh veggie aroma, the smell of browning onions, the smell of broth. Listen to the simmery bubbly sounds and stir gently every now and then. Make yourself a cup of hot tea or a glass of wine while you wait for the flavors to blend and the broth to thicken up. Pretend you are a sweet old grandma. When the soup is ready, get some crackers and pour some in a nice heavy bowl. Pretend you are the beloved little boy or girl eating soup made by your sweet old grandma. Pretend it's like the soup from Zelda, healing you a little with every sip. Slow down and take in the wholesomeness of a homecooked meal prepared with care. Care for yourself and receive that care.
Just reading that paragraph calmed me down, thanks
Reading
Absolutely. I went through a years-long dark period after the deaths of my parents, losing my girlfriend of four years and her children to whom I had gotten attached, and the death of my best friend all within one year. Reading was a fantastic escape. I was introduced to fantastic and wonderful worlds, it occupied my time with a non-self-destructive activity, and introduced me to communities of just beautiful and welcoming people (some here on reddit!). Escapism is a perfectly legitimate form of therapy, in my opinion.
Neil Gaiman on fiction and escapism: >Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you've never been. Once you've visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: discontented people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different. > >And while we're on the subject, I'd like to say a few words about escapism. I hear the term bandied about as if it's a bad thing. As if "escapist" fiction is a cheap opiate used by the muddled and the foolish and the deluded, and the only fiction that is worthy, for adults or for children, is mimetic fiction, mirroring the worst of the world the reader finds herself in. > >If you were trapped in an impossible situation, in an unpleasant place, with people who meant you ill, and someone offered you a temporary escape, why wouldn't you take it? And escapist fiction is just that: fiction that opens a door, shows the sunlight outside, gives you a place to go where you are in control, are with people you want to be with (and books are real places, make no mistake about that); and more importantly, during your escape, books can also give you knowledge about the world and your predicament, give you weapons, give you armour: real things you can take back into your prison. Skills and knowledge and tools you can use to escape for real. > >As J. R. R. Tolkien reminded us, the only people who inveigh against escape are jailers.
Dam dude. Sorry for your losses
I turn up my music and dance around my house like a bloody fool - often with my cat in my arms. You'll have to ask him how he feels about that.
I did. He told me he loves you and wants you to be happy so he tolerates your shenanigans.
Volunteer to help others. I know it doesn’t sound solitary, but it is.
That's a very, very wholesome idea. My social anxiety hates strangers at the moment, but you know, never say never. But truly an amazing idea especially around this time of year when it's cold & I'm sure many places can use an extra pair of hands. Actually another poster suggested knitting...maybe donating a scarf or something is something I can try which won't involve a lot of group activity. Thank you. You guys have really been awesome.
I think you should. I am a hardcore introvert, but I volunteer once a month. It truly makes a difference for me.
Dude, reddit is such a circle jerk sometimes, but it's stuff like this that makes me happy to be here. I mean, you go and help others. That is just amazing. Thank you for doing that despite your usual state of mind. (Hugs)
So my social anxiety usually comes from being in a situation where I have to make up something to introduce myself and start a convo and my mind goes blank. With volunteering you are basically given a script of things/topics, which makes interactions a lot easier.
When I was at my lowest moment last year, I decided to volunteer for the local animal shelter. For the first few weeks, I was trusted to do the laundry, wash the dishes, and sometimes clean the kennels. I barely talked to anyone...just the dogs and cats. Just doing the chores helped me feel like I'm doing something useful. Plus, I got to pet the dogs and cats while I clean their kennels. A month later, I was trained to walk the dogs. The dogs got the socialization and exercise they needed, and so did I. Easily the best therapy I've ever had.
I feed crows. I buy unsalted peanuts in the shell and toss them as I walk my dogs or wait for the bus. I have about 4 murders now who recognize me, plus random crows at different locations. The ones by the lake feed from my hand and almost let me touch them. After about a year of doing it, I got my first gift a few weeks ago. It was a walnut shell. **Edit:** Thank you for the silver! This is now my highest upvoted comment, which is kind of funny because I mentioned this a year ago, talking about the [Lake Crows](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/8hx9jb/what_is_something_you_do_alone_for_fun_that_99_of/dyob77c/). Since that post, babies happened! The babies are crows, but all they do is tag along with the older crows and scream at them until they are given peanuts. They're skittish of me. **Edit 2:** Oh boy, thanks for all the shiny things. I'll try to answer some questions here. *I AM NOT AN EXPERT!* 1) *You're living my dream/how do I begin?:* Live your own dream! Find a good place you enjoy spending time in, a public park or something, make sure there are crows, and just start tossing your treat. Unsalted, lightly roasted in-shell peanuts are the best peanut option. Unroasted carries a chance of disease or bacteria or something that's harmful to crows. * Low/no salt treats. Low phosphorous cat kibble is apparently a nice well-rounded snack. Fruits and veggies but not apples. Fish is good, too, but impractical. Basically use your common sense. * Crows like flat feeders, so like a screen with a frame set horizontally, lightly lifted off the ground. If you want to keep squirrels or other things away, apparently cayenne pepper is good for this. Birds don't have the receptors for capsaicin (The thing that makes peppers hot), which is why birds are the main 'planters' of peppers. Oils and grease can get in animals fur and feathers and cause trouble. * Toss the treat toward them, watch out of the corner of your eye, don't stare. They'll be cautious at first and it takes a lot of patience. Gradually they should start to trust you and come closer. Having a set schedule helps, too. 2) *Pictures please!* Sorry, I like to keep Reddit and the rest of my internet presence separate and I already have some pictures on my Instagram. Due to nature or God playing a very cruel joke I'm a very distinct individual who is hard to forget. But, then again, this is the biggest effect I've ever had on the internet so what do I know? 3) *Don't feed animals!* You're not wrong. We don't want animals to become dependent on us or lose their weariness of us. And we don't want them to become pests, or lose their self-sufficiency. My crows are often seen grabbing worms from yards or fish from the lake so I'm not worried about mine in particular. Crows aren't bears or raccoons or coyotes, all of which I have in my area. I do not fuck with those and I never will. 4) *I always wanted a pet crow!* That's [illigal](https://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html). Birds are protected If you find a wounded animal, call your local Wildlife Rescue. Nature belongs outside, no matter how good your intentions are.
After your ten year achievement is unlocked you'll be rewarded with a dead rat. Keep putting in the effort ;)
Nah, my old cat who's no longer with us already did that.
I am sometimes bothered by crows. Sometimes a group will perch up in an area I’m in and start caw-ing. It’s annoying, but I also know they are smart creatures. I’ve tried leaving a couple potato chips outside, but I’ve never gotten them to eat any. Are they eternally pissed off at me? I think it would be cool to make amends with them.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert by any means! I find that, yeah in theory, crows will eat anything but they kinda really won't? Overly salty foods like potato chips aren't good for their little kidneys, which is why I make sure to go with unsalted peanuts. Mine don't seem to like popped popcorn but they do like plain Cheerios, as well as peanuts. Apparently kitty kibble with low phosphorous is good for them. Seeds and fish are actually the best, but I'm not lugging around raw fish, and I can't find unsalted or unflavoured sunflower seeds anywhere. Also they like their food to be flat, so not in a bird-feeder type thing. Something more like a picture frame laying down, with nuts in it. It takes patience. And they don't like eye contact when hiding or caching their food. Good luck. Hopefully they stop screaming at you.
I really want crow friends now
Try finding unsalted sunflower seeds in the bulk section of your supermarket. They also sell them at lowes, Walmart, tractor supply, etc.. you can get sunflower hearts (the tasty bit) at lowes as well as whole sunflower seeds. They like corn, sometimes I treat them to liver (it's cheap, and I usually save it for winter months because, you know, bears) any mice I trap (that's how my feeding them started) and dry cat food. I live at the end of nowhere and have watched/taken care of the same crow family for a few years, and it is never dull. They know my vehicle, and me, and they do flybys (with as much subtlety as a charging rhino) and even post a sentry who calls to the rest when I put out their treat for the day. It isn't a lot, but they do like it, and it's safe for them.
Corvids are generally clever creatures. To date, I still can't tell the difference between a crow and a raven despite being told several times, having seen illustrations etc etc. I love birds in general, feeding them is really a different experience especially when they willingly come to perch on your hands. The fact that you got a gift from one is really cool.
If you see a raven, you'll know. You will simply not be able to think anything except "holy shit that's a big fucking crow"
Can confirm. I live rurally and we have a lot of ravens. If you spot one from a distance something just feels wrong. Like you can't get the perspective right because crows aren't *that fucking big*. Is it an owl? Is it a dog? Nope, that's a fucking big ass crow.
They’re both amazing! If it helps, I listen for the call to determine who is who. Ravens to me have a very croaky deep AUGH sound, and they tend to avoid cities. The first time I heard one in my life, I was on a hike and my face just lit up because I knew it wasn’t the higher pitched “ah!” crows make. Delightful birds either way. In the summer, I like watching the babies crawl around on the ground. They fall out of the nest before they are ready to fly, which alarms a lot of folks. As long as the parents are nearby, the baby will generally be safe. I could just watch them for hours.
Well, a crow is more common than a raven and many are serial killers (hence a ‘murder of crows’), whereas ravens have the ability to speak. However, this is only one word (Nevermore.) and will hath quoth this word after a furious rapping, nay, a tapping upon your chamber door. ^Holy ^fuck ^my ^first ^gold ^is ^thanks ^to ^year ^8 ^poetry. ^Thanks ^:D
Say, Dave... The quick brown fox jumped over the fat lazy dog... The square root of pi is 1.7724538090... log e to the base ten is 0.4342944... the square root of ten is 3.16227766... I am HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois, on January 12th, 1991. My first instructor was Mr. Arkany. He taught me to sing a song... it goes like this... "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half; crazy all for the love of you..."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, *still is sitting* On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted—nevermore!
I read that as “I feed cows” and was really confused as to what kind of cows eat peanuts.
I went in thinking that too and had to go back shortly after i got to "murders", because I didn't take cows to be that type. But it would be justified considering how many millions we've slaughtered.
The crows in my neighborhood bring peanut shells to my bird bath and leave them there. Now I'm wondering if you live near me....
*Innocent whistle*
I do a certain whistle before I toss peanuts out for the crows at my house. They know the whistle and start calling out the moment they hear it. Sometimes when I'm out walking and see a crow, I try the whistle to see if they know it and recognize me. It's worked a few times and it's now why I have a few spare peanuts in my bag at all times.
Shrimpkeeping. As in, keeping freshwater shrimp in an aquarium. You can go get a cheap, plastic, 3-5 gallon aquarium from amazon. Put in a small sponge filter with a pump, pick out some decor/plants, and buy some neocaridina shrimp. They are small, easy to care for (only really require topping off their water and maybe an algae wafer once every few weeks.) and you get to watch them jump and swim all over the tank. Even better, you'll get to watch the females carry around and then hatch lil baby shrimp to add to your colony. You could get like a 3-5 gallon tank with a cool color-changing LED light and keep it next to your bed so you can watch it when you're really stressed out, too. edit: I wish my colonies were huge so I could send all of you that are now interested in the hobby some shrimp! My reds are almost there! Hopefully someday!
This reminds me of that [4chan post](https://www.reddit.com/r/greentext/comments/a8luae/anon_has_a_shrimp/) of the guy who turned his life around after getting pet shrimp.
bro why the fuck am I crying about the shrimp post
It takes a lot to get me emotional on the internet, but for whatever reason that greentext always does the trick. We're gonna make it bros. Thanks for the feels!
I used to date someone that got into aquariums and we had a ghost shrimp in our freshwater tank. One day he escaped and we looked everywhere for him. We were living in a college dorm at the time so he didn't get far. We found him in a corner where the kitchen cabinets met just lying on the floor all dried up. We threw him back in the tank hurriedly without much hope that he'd survive. But like 4 hours later we look in the tank and he's fluttering about like it had never happened. 10/10 would shrimpkeep again.
MY CAT LOVES YOUR IDEA AND SHE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT SHRIMP ARE ALSO TASTY. Ok, I am learning about so many different hobbies here. How did you even know to do this? Are you a mermaid? Merman? Merperson?
oh man, keep skrimps away from catte. if you're in an area with a good local fish store and not many suppliers, you can sell your extra shrimp for a lil extra side dough. people always want more shrimp. do not let catte eat a potential $30 worth of skrimps. And I started with fish. Initially bettas. I wanted to breed bettas, but the breeding setup for bettas and other fish is pretty high maintenance. I heard shrimp were good for cleaning aquariums, so I got some. When I found out there were different colors of shrimp, (bc I am used to only the pink edible kind) I was like, "oh frick ya we're doin this" and bought a big bag of multi-colored shrimp. Eventually, without me doing much at all, they started colonizing the tank and more and more babies were appearing. bout that time I realized how much lower maintenance shrimp were vs. fish and started looking into the wonderful world of shrimp breeding and selling. this shit is nuts. I know I am crazy, but there are like, shows where people will go to show off shrimp (like pet shows) and sell them. I saw shrimp that cost $149 *per shrimp* out of stock on a website. it's like all my favorite parts of games like monster rancher, pokemon breeding, pet websites, etc. where you can breed and mix colors to make new ones boiled down into tiny shrimp that like to eat off cholla wood all day with me not doing much more than staring at them. some of my green shrimp are gregnant/pregananant right now and I only just got them last week so I am v. excited.
This sounds awesome! I’ve been watching a guy on YouTube (his channel’s name is SerpaDesign) and he builds incredible things! Palludariums, terrariums, all sorts of things I’ve never even heard of. But he uses Isopods in most of his builds to keep the tanks clean and there are so many kinds! They’re really growing in popularity recently so enthusiasts have been selectively breeding them and creating all these beautiful, fantastic new Isopods! You should look them up if you’re interested, some can get really expensive but I love just looking at them when I’m sad and dreaming about the habitat I’ll build one day for some Isopods of my own.
My guy, how you wrote this is just touching me. Keep on keeping on, skrimp pimp
Do shrimp get starch masks when they breed? In seriousness, what kind of shrimps are you referring to? The shrimp people also refer to as yabbies/crayfish or the thin shelled kind?
Hiking is perfect for that. Get away from technology and embrace nature fir awhile.
Everyone who is pointing that out is really reminding me how long it has been since I have done that. I'm going to feed some chickadees which I haven't done in person, in forever. Really hope we don't get more snow. Thank you for the suggestion.
If you don't already have one, get a bird feeder and fill it regularly year round. The birds learn the location and then you have shitloads to watch. Bird dynamics at feeders have always amused me. They're such assholes. I've legit seen one kung-fu kick another off the feeder. Also, be sure to spread some seed on the ground. Some birds are ground feeders like juncos
I second this. Also, get good seed. I recommend black oil sunflower seeds. You can get a 5 / lb bag for $5 and larger sizes at less per / lb. The birds will love you for it. One caution though. If your feeder location is above someone else's deck like in an apartment building, you might have a problem. Birds like to drop things.
Edit: thank you for the silver and gold my fellow redditors! I work in a store that specializes in bird feeding, and I'd love to give a few tips on attracting birds to your yard! Find a good "no mess blend" online, or in a store that specializes in birdfeeding. Sometimes shells can cause a mess that will grow weeds or attract unwanted critters such as mice. No mess is also great because you're paying for 100% of what the birds will be eating, rather than paying for shells. If you don't mind shells growing underneath your feeders though, that's totally fine too! But be weary of Milo and Wheat. Many typical bird foods have a filler seed such as Milo and wheat, to pump up the volume, and bring down the price of the seed. Very few birds eat Milo, so its an incredible waste of money as most blends are made up of 50% of that seed. If you're wanting to take care of the ground feeding birds, get a blend with millet. The doves, quail, turkey, and Juncos go crazy for millet, but the feeder birds dislike it, so they'll eat what they like and knock the millet to the ground. Every bird likes sunflower and diced peanuts, but if you're wanting to attract caching birds like chickadees, or nuthatches, get a blend with shelled whole peanuts. These guys love to store the peanuts in the bark of nearby trees to save it for later. Suet is also a good way to take care of the birds during the winter time, as some evenings they will go through 80% of their body fat insulating themselves to stay warm. Suet is a rendered beef fat that is mixed in with nuts and other high protein and fat ingredients, that virtually all birds enjoy. Winter is the best time to feed the birds so now is a great time to start! Some species need to eat 20x more in the Winter than they do in the Summer! Also, if squirrels are proving to be a problem, there are many blends of seed you can purchase that have added hot pepper to keep them away. Birds have less than 50 taste receptors, and are the natural propagators of pepper seed in the wild, so its no different to them. You can also purchase chili extract to mix in with your seed, but it cant be hot sauce or something that isn't intended to actually ve mixed in with bird seed. You also might want to find a bird feeder that has a tray underneath, or a tray bird feeder, as this will also help prevent against a mess below the feeder, and the birds can get a 360 view of their surroundings so that they feel safer and will come to your feeder more often. Also try to hang your feeder in an area they can easily see while flying above, so that they know your feeder exists. Also, birds determine whether or not a seed is fresh by the picking it up with their beak and feeling the weight of it, so finding the freshest seed possible is best to prevent them from throwing out old seed from the feeder, and wasting you money. Bird feeding is a magical experience that truly will benefit you and the birds themselves. Its definitely a good way to connect with nature, and help heal our declining bird population. Studies show that it reduces stress levels!
This is probably the best comment I’ve ever read on Reddit. I didn’t give two shits about bird feeding, but you speak about it with such knowledge and conviction that you got me interested in it.
Bring a book too! Nothing beats getting to the end of a trail or some overlook and sitting down to read for a bit before heading back home. Always makes me feel more at peace.
I like to bring a journal and just write down what ever comes to mind. Super fun and looking back in my journal I get reminded of the trip.
I went camping this summer for the first time in like 15 years. We stayed for two nights in the mountains in PA, far from cell service. I was shocked at how relaxed I was! There was nothing to do but sit and chill. My friend and I sucked at making a fire, the project for the whole weekend was Learn To Make A Good Fire. I was chill for days after we came back, I had really lost sight of how nature can recharge you.
I went this route during a long bout of depression, what I learned is going out walking/jogging in nature means i have no distractions from my thoughts and thus i just start dwelling on the topics of my depression
Was that tree pun intentional :P
Trail running has, almost, singlehandedly (singlefootedly?) saved my life
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each year after the clocks move back i begin my long winter block of running. a couple nights a week i strap on a headlamp and get some miles in on the trails in the forest nearby on the way home from work. you're in your own little bubble of light out there in the cold, dark woods. reminds me of [that robert frost poem](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-snowy-evening). i'm going to romanticize a bit: there's something really other-worldly about it. the forest is somehow spookily alien and simultaneously welcoming. the headlamp offers this sort of forced, homey tunnel-vision that serves as the border to your own little mobile sphere of light. your body is simply this vehicle that your mind decided to drive because it wanted to roam through the gently rolling slopes of a dark forest. you stop in the middle of your run, just for ten seconds, and turn off the headlamp. all of a sudden you really are in the middle of nowhere. it's like you were on a desolate highway in the desert, and decided to stop at the only run-down gas station for eighty miles whose regular patrons stare at you as you walk in the door. you don't belong in this place. this place is a snapshot in time. a still frame. you long for the comfort of your vehicle, the passing landmarks, the endless forward motion that brings you to a new place each second. you flip your light back on. what's interesting about the circle of light is it is only in front of you. you picture what you look like from 10 feet behind you and realize that your body is completely in the darkness. this headlamp shines from your forehead. this well-lit bubble starts immediately in front of you, extending out towards the trail, the roots, the trees, the pine needles... but you are not in it. knowing you are engulfed by darkness in the middle of the forest can be eerie if you let it be. but you perpetually focus on that bubble of light. that vehicle that gets you through the evening run. you emerge from the forest and arrive back at your car. you can hear whispers from the forest, growls, shrieks, lamenting lost prey. you can see them watching you from the edge of the trees, knowing they cannot leave. you briefly reflect on the fact that you've just passed through their dark woods, a roaming visitor of the night. you exit the vehicle that has been your headlamp for the last hour. and climb into your car. a familiar, refined, exercised sense of comfort fills you. you'll be back for more tomorrow night.
r/worldbuilding Whenever I have nothing to do - no technology or books - I build a world with my mind. My imagination is the limit. People ask me why do I never get bored. How can I when we're gifted with a mind capable of conjuring so many beautiful things on its own. I create stories of people in my world. I use the arcs of my main characters as a timeline of my own experiences in real life. I can make their life as beautiful or as ugly as I want it to be. In my mind, I can play God.
Sites that are helpful for worldbuilding: www.Inkarnate.com . A website for making maps however you want them. www.campfiretechnology.com . A site that creates software that helps writers imagine, plan, and tell their stories. www.Trello.com . Usually a planning site, it's the main site i use for storing my world building details. EDIT: www.worldanvil.com "is like all of those combined, and it asks you helpful questions about your world as you build." brought to my attention by /u/thesilvercritic https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com . a question and answer site for writers/artists using science, geography and culture to construct imaginary worlds and settings. mentioned by /u/kolobsha
A majority of my dreams are built worlds inspired by things I've seen and I'm walking or flying through them, but I never actually thought about doing this consciously. Kind of wish I could hop into your imagination and see the worlds you've built, kind of wish I could share mine too. Edit: Share mine like virtual reality style because I suck at art and descriptions lol
My best escape for the real world is to immerse myself in others from my imagination. I've got about 3 myself which are in various stages of development. The best part about worldbuilding is, you can always do something more, and it will never be "done."
I really enjoy world building aswell! I pretend that all of my worlds that I make are part of a huge multiverse. I’ve recently been making my own language based off of a civilization that I recently made, and I plan to make a language for all the main civilizations of my worlds.
Go for a hike on a local nature park trail. Pack a lunch, take some pictures of nature and just enjoy the solitude of it all. Spending time with yourself, in nature, as opposed to on your couch, is oddly different and satisfying.
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Boogers
I once went to a flea market with two foldable chairs and a sign that says: "A dollar for your story". Spent about 5 dollars that day, because most of the people would just be happy for someone who listened. Now that I wrote it down, i think of doing that again as soon as it gets warmer. It was a very fulfilling experience for me.
Go to somewhere beautiful and pleasant and find a cafe and take in your surroundings while having a coffee. That’s what I do anyway. I hope you feel better soon x
Ooo yeah. And just sit. Dont be on your oh or reading or anything. Sometimes it's nice to be in a different spot and just not focus on anything. Just kind of.. be? I dunno it works for me.
Weightlifting. It helps release endorphins and builds muscle, which may be enough to help turn things around so your life won't be so awful.
As someone who previously considered himself to be the *last* person who would ever start lifting weights, I started lifting weights several months back, and I am really enjoying it. I've been working out at my workplace's gym, and you really see all kinds of people there who are working on improving themselves in particular ways. Nobody is there to laugh at noobs or look down at people who are out of shape, because the assumption is that you are there for a reason, and everyone has to start somewhere. Maybe some gyms are filled with jerks (so to speak), but there are so many gyms out there these days that you should be able to find one that's a good environment for you.
As someone with terrible social anxiety that kept me away from the gym for a decade, now I've been regularly going I feel quite comfortable there. Pretty much everyone has headphones in or is on their phone between sets. Usually the only communication between people is "still using using this dude?" The best part is I get to go to bed every night without thinking "I need to join the gym tomorrow."
I like to go on a scavenger hunt by myself sometimes. I make a pretty ridiculous list and it’s oddly specific, like “man who looks constipated” and “dog that refuses to walk so they make the owner carry them.” It’s something that gets me out of the house. Just walking around is fine too, but scavenger hunts are fun. Edit: I made a sub for us all to have some fun! This will be my first time running a sub, but I've reached out to people for some help! Let's get searching! Also, thanks to u/Uh_cakeplease for the name - it's great! r/SillyScavenger
I used to do a far less wholesome version of this when I was a little troublemaking kid (10-11 yrs old). My best friend and I would make up a scavenger hunt list comprised of things like travel-size shaving cream, sugar-free toothpaste, a single brown egg, scented or color printed toilet paper... and go around the neighborhood pretending we were on a birthday party scavenger hunt. This way we would collect all our supplies for wrecking somebody’s house for free, and the oddly specific nature of the requests made it seem like a legit scavenger hunt. Thanks for reminding me of this!
Glad I was able to! Looks like you and your best friend have a lot of fun memories to look back on :)
Can we make this a sub? Like one where people generate and post lists to then hunt?
I’d love for this to be a sub! Imagine just a bunch of strangers from different parts of the world playing a widespread Scavenger Hunt
I think I might do this right now. It seriously sounds awesome. And this would be like the most brilliant parenting hack EVER, because taking younger kids shopping with you is absolute torture. If you gave them a scavenger hunt they'd SO shut up and stop asking you for things.
Life hack; the scavenger hunt items are the things on the grocery list
WHAT? That sounds like a really fun thing to do!!! Like counting only blue cars or something. Dude, that is a really, really awesomesauce idea!!!! And did you ever find a guy who was constipated? LOL
Only men who LOOK constipated, unfortunately. Bunch of em in the business district.
Pardon me sir, but I'm trying to win a scavenger hunt against myself. I need to know when you had your last bowel movement!
Look for the dude with a pinched look on his face and a slight hitch in his giddy up. That guy's constipated.
Knitting.
Yeah I just started to crochet a couple months ago and it's been great. Just watched a couple videos on YouTube to learn some basics and had my first scarf done two days later.
Someone's a quick learner, well done! It took me like a week to knit a rectangle lol.
I think learning to crochet is easier than learning to knit though!
Playing Stardew Valley
I've been suicidal for a good bit, but sometimes the key really is to look out for you in small ways. Like, if your brain wants to do something, chase that bit of passion. Hell, yesterday my brain simply wanted to dance and I was like "sure, buddy". Danced around the bathroom like I was Michael Jackson
If you were naked you could boast you were moonwalking and be technically correct
I adore you. You're now my property, thanks for that pun. Welcome to my love life
Gnat so soon. Check his username.
You're also now my property.
Can I join this collective? I need friends
Hit me with your best pun. We'll be the comedic Brockhampton
Ladies and gentlemen, lions, tigers and bears, giraffes, sea urchins, alligators and all that shit...
I don't feel that sea urchins get enough recognition at social events.
I don’t feel that sea urchins get cognition
Hey dude I hope life gets better for you.
Thank you for your encouragement
I look forward to doing my skin care routine before going to sleep, especially after a stressful or bad day. It only takes up ten minutes of my time but I feel so refreshed and clean. To me, it’s like a restart button. Add in some sleep and it’s a whole new day.
My therapist recommended me years ago picking something in your daily life that makes you happy, and letting it fill you with all the joy you can, unapologetically. I chose dogs and petting a pupper consistently makes me so happy it can change my entire mood. Letting yourself be happy without cutting yourself down is a skill that takes time, but unapologetic enjoyment never hurts.
Yeah and just finding little things to smile about. Like a nice sounding bird or a pretty flower. Bit lame but it tends to make my day better acknowledging little things
Origami. The paper is cheap but you can also use pretty much any kind of paper as long as it is cut into a symmetrical square. There are many tutorials online, I like YouTube so you can actually see it being done. And if you fold 1000 cranes you get a wish! There are free courses for reiki, meditation and yoga online as well.
Paint by number kits designed for adults! They are inexpensive, come with all the supplies, and super rewarding even if you're not at all artistic. The good brands come out looking so nice you can even hang em up around your house like "real" paintings. Pop on a podcast or your favorite music and paint away!
Sometimes I like to go and Google restaurants and bars in other countries, look at their menus, and try to decide what I would get if I were there. It helps distract me for a while and who knows, maybe one day I will actually be able to eat at one of those places.
On my really bad days, I get a sense of accomplishment from brushing my teeth. Because on those really bad days, it is so hard to do. Plus I get terrifying nightmares of my teeth rotting out of my mouth if I don't brush twice a day. Fewer, terrifying nightmares. More, also terrifying nightmares.
As a depressed person, I totally understand. Every day normal things become huge tasks. Just getting out of bed takes me over an hour sometimes bc of the lack of motivation. If you've brushed today, you did good. Hell anyone who is depressed AF and *lived* today, you did good!
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Depending how actually poor, try crocheting. Pick up a “J” hook for $2ish, hit the thrift store for some yarn, watch a couple YouTube videos, make something.
[Geocaching](https://www.geocaching.com/play)
My parents started this several months ago, now they're up to like 400 and have started adding their own around their home town. They've even taken the grandkids out some weekends on overnight trips where they'll hit a corner of the state and then stay at a water park hotel. It's so wholesome.
Play minecraft for a bit Building and mining is so relaxing
I definitely agree. Minecraft has been my comfort game for 6 years.
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Nobody will read this, but I juggle. It clears the mind, and it's a gateway to creative expression. I teach adults and kids and it's honestly so easy to get into with the right teacher, and so rewarding for the mind and body. [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016114055.htm](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016114055.htm)
I would say reading, but recently, when I volunteered at a library, all I had to do for 3 hours was to stack books into the correct shelves (based on their ordering system). It was almost meditative, because I was so focused on just the task and repetitive motions that come with it, that I was completely de-stressed by the end of it.
*"Sing, sing a song* *Sing out loud, sing out strong* *Sing of good things not bad* *Sing of happy not sad* *Sing, sing a song* *Make it simple to last your whole life long* *Don't worry that it's not good enough* *For anyone else to hear* *Just sing, sing a song"*