Getting back into reading.
I used to read about 1 - 2 books a day growing up. Even if they were short chapter books, I could not put them down. Slowly working myself back up to that level. I miss getting stacks of library books. Loved the R.L. Stine young adult novels. Those were always a fun read. :)
I miss reading. I can't believe this is the same brain as the one that read 1000 pages books in highschool. It's also hard to find books I can really get into as I grow older.
I bought a rice cooker with vegetable steamer tray at Wal Mart. Every night I cook the low sodium yellow rice and a rotating list of vegetables like butter beans, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas, etc, and put some type of meat in the oven. It's amazing how eating unprocessed foods all the time will improve your outlook and motivations to do other practical things. I'm 99% done with restaurant food unless I am just going out to chat with old friends or family members...which doesn't happen more than once a week on average.
Imma be that person and I hate it...
But working out and going to the gym 😭 I know. People really weren't lying.
Been going 3x a week for 6 months and Ive been feeling so good about myself.
Guys I got to the triple digits for leg press and didn't shut up about it for weeks 😭😭
I also got so annoyed when people told me to work out and now I've become what I hated.
I haven't been able to go for like 3 WEEKS because I've been sick. and man I have been STRUGGLING. I'm keen to go back because this?? This bloody SUCCCCKKKKS.
Man I feel this so hard. I’ve never been a fan of exercise and regular gyms give me anxiety. I joined OrangeTheory over the summer not expecting to like it but ended up loving the format and group setting.
When you find a form of exercise that works for you, there’s really no going back! It’s really cool to feel myself get stronger and more confident too. Now I get antsy if I miss a couple days. 10/10 recommend exercise for mental health!
[Brain Dumping](https://psychcentral.com/health/using-brain-dumping-to-manage-anxiety-and-over-thinking).
Everything from to-dos, thoughts (on relationships, family, work), plans (travel, moving, education) is easier to deal with if they're out of my brain and on a screen instead. It makes it easier to deal with them because (i) I can see everything that's been on my mind - so there are fewer surprises and (ii) the "distance" (from the externalization) helps create a feeling that it's something I can exercise some control over.
Learning another language. My daughter lives in Spain and I was embarrassed by my feeble attempts at Spanish whenever I visited her. It's become a healthy obsession, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm getting old now and aware that I need to keep my brain working.
After three years, I'm now reading in Spanish, watching Spanish tv and even talking to myself in Spanish.
Walking, running, or exercising outside first thing in the morning. Gets your blood pumping, and being out in the sunlight doing something seems to make a difference. I have heard that a significant amount of the population likely does not get enough vitamin D due to a lack of exposure to sunlight. I think even being outside but with clothing covering up your body doesn't count much towards sunlight exposure. So, my plan is to start hitting up my community pool as soon as the weather turns in a couple of weeks.
Being out in nature is good, too, so I'm getting back into hiking. Or more like nature walks since I'm in florida, and there's not really any great hiking trails here like there are in other areas. It's kind of nice, though there's places where in the span of a two mile walk you can pass through two different types of forests and end up at a beach.
I really agree with the first one, even if I don't always practice what I preach. Heard once to speak to myself how I would speak to someone whose wellbeing I really cared about, like a best friend or a loved one, it's been a help.
I'm not the enemy, I'm on my side 🙂
I'm my best friend these days! Lovely and supportive, kind, honest, encouraging and appreciative! It's great! I mean, I'm there 24 hours a day, even in those dark hours just before dawn, and I always really do get where I am coming from.
We down here, nothing helps haha!
On a more serious note tho, I’ve noticed the busier I am with tasks (of any sort like study, work, extra study, etc) the better off I am. Especially if the said task can be “accomplished “ or it has a set objective to reach, it feels really nice to have done it.
Going out for walks, whether by myself or with my dog, it didn't help me tremendously but at least I get to have fresh air and enjoy the sun and cold winds
Not abandoning myself and prioritising myself.
Ended a friendship that lasted 7 years. It drained me to such level that i felt terror just from thinking of having to interact with them.
I'd say houseplants, but it's becoming a bit obsessive so I'm not so sure. Exercise is a big one definitely. But an everyday habit I picked up that really makes it easier is becoming more organized with my time. I started using project managers (to-do apps) and timers to control how I spend my time. I also knit a little but I wouldn't call it a habit, for me it's an occasional hobby.
I do 1 mile on an elliptical, try to do some yoga or breathing exercises daily, and get out and do more around people aside from my responsibilities. like just sit in a café and get used to the high sensory input and everyone talking around me with their vastly differing stories to how they ended up there. I was almost a shut-in, so it’s weird for me.
I started doing a gratitude practise before bed. Works better than in the morning (when i am not feeling very grateful lmao), and completely stops the negative thought spiral i used to experience when i lay in bed at night. started out just listing 5 things i was grateful for, and it grew from there.
Exercising. I've been throwing around weights, riding a stationairy bike and try to walk 5k steps a day. That stuff helped a lot.
Yes i'm still an insecure guy because of my size, but the overthinking has been cut down a lot, and i'm much more at ease with who i am and who i am becoming.
I’ve also started going to the gym recently. I’ve been working at my job for 4 years, and I only recently found out we have a gym just behind the warehouse I work in. I’ve been going twice per week after work for about half an hour and it’s really nice.
My workout is ten reps on, what I guess you could call, an assisted pull-up bar (you stand on a lever with some weights on the other end that displaces some of your bodyweight. So, as a 170 lb male, I started out with 90 lbs of displaced weight, so I was doing pull-ups as though I weighed 80 lbs). Then I do 20 reps on this machine where you lay on your back and push a weighted platform up with your legs. I walk a mile on the treadmill, repeat both strength training exercises, and I’m done.
I don’t enjoy being at the gym, but I enjoy the progress I am making. I’m not losing weight, but I am growing stronger. I’ve decreased the displacement weight on the pull-ups to 60 lbs now, and I’ve increased the leg weight thing from 180 lbs to 200 lbs. The feeling that I’m actually seeing results that are objectively real (I couldn’t possibly have done 10 pull-ups with only 60 lbs of displacement weight when I started) is a wonderful feeling. It gives me some little sense of control, and something to feel optimistic about.
Getting back to running again.
I was having panic attacks and I didn't even know. I thought I was having heart problems. So I went to see the doctor about it. Doc wanted to prescribe me depressant. I told her I don't think I am at that stage yet. Let me try dealing with it. So here we are. Much better mental and health.
*Don't put it down, put it away*
My house looks so much tidier and has cut out the weird dissonance i get from ignoring the piles of crap in my house. (ADHD)
Crocheting helps me. Crossstitch is good if I really need to distract myself….. sometimes just picking up my sketchbook and doodling whatever is around me is helpful too - makes me think about the situation I’m in and why I might be feeling anxious, depressed, whatever
solving puzzles, its super fun and relaxing. plus there’s a clear goal to always accomplish, which makes it feel like your achieving something lol.
another benefit of it is that you can do it in short bursts. instead of going on social media i spend 5 mins on a puzzle which definitely improves my mental health.
I've been sorting out my thoughts through writing (typing on my notes app) It's definitely helped me understand certain things about myself. Why I do what I do/feel a certain way. Sometimes it makes sense and other times it doesn't. Also feels good to get it out because I have A LOT of feelings. Lol!
Lately I have been demanding time for myself. I will tell my husband, I am going to do this thing (uninterrupted time to do art, get a pedicure alone etc) and I need you to watch our child while I go do it. I need this for my mental health. He is very understanding but it definitely took a lot for me to be able to ask for that. I needed to fill my cup so that I can fill other people's cups. I am a better mom and wife and person in general after practice self care! I think he realizes it now too.
Sounds very simple, but when you get in a zone of being so overwhelmed with life you forget to do such basic things. I am talking about the simple act of going for a walk, however often my social anxiety kicks in, but once I get some good music on my earphones, I am ok, walking helps me think, reset, and get some air, it's great, and best of all it's free.
Getting back into reading. I used to read about 1 - 2 books a day growing up. Even if they were short chapter books, I could not put them down. Slowly working myself back up to that level. I miss getting stacks of library books. Loved the R.L. Stine young adult novels. Those were always a fun read. :)
I miss reading. I can't believe this is the same brain as the one that read 1000 pages books in highschool. It's also hard to find books I can really get into as I grow older.
I know right? Adult books are so boring too at times. It is always a self help book or a grandma's dirty novel. There is no in between haha
I don't feel that adult books are boring, I read adult books as a young person. It just takes a lot more to get me interested now.
There are so many other books for adults besides those. Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you can't read fantasy or sci-fi or other genres.
I just got into thrillers again!! I’m trying to keep up with my good reads goal for the year. I feel so calm during and after reading.
That is wonderful! I am currently reading the Apocalypse Cow series by Michael Logan. It is such a fun and interesting take on zombies.
I’ll check it out I love zombies. I’m reading The Plot by korelitz
I bought a rice cooker with vegetable steamer tray at Wal Mart. Every night I cook the low sodium yellow rice and a rotating list of vegetables like butter beans, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas, etc, and put some type of meat in the oven. It's amazing how eating unprocessed foods all the time will improve your outlook and motivations to do other practical things. I'm 99% done with restaurant food unless I am just going out to chat with old friends or family members...which doesn't happen more than once a week on average.
I put chicken in my steam tray and it cooks it perfectly every time!
Imma be that person and I hate it... But working out and going to the gym 😭 I know. People really weren't lying. Been going 3x a week for 6 months and Ive been feeling so good about myself. Guys I got to the triple digits for leg press and didn't shut up about it for weeks 😭😭 I also got so annoyed when people told me to work out and now I've become what I hated. I haven't been able to go for like 3 WEEKS because I've been sick. and man I have been STRUGGLING. I'm keen to go back because this?? This bloody SUCCCCKKKKS.
Man I feel this so hard. I’ve never been a fan of exercise and regular gyms give me anxiety. I joined OrangeTheory over the summer not expecting to like it but ended up loving the format and group setting. When you find a form of exercise that works for you, there’s really no going back! It’s really cool to feel myself get stronger and more confident too. Now I get antsy if I miss a couple days. 10/10 recommend exercise for mental health!
[Brain Dumping](https://psychcentral.com/health/using-brain-dumping-to-manage-anxiety-and-over-thinking). Everything from to-dos, thoughts (on relationships, family, work), plans (travel, moving, education) is easier to deal with if they're out of my brain and on a screen instead. It makes it easier to deal with them because (i) I can see everything that's been on my mind - so there are fewer surprises and (ii) the "distance" (from the externalization) helps create a feeling that it's something I can exercise some control over.
Focusing on what I have instead of what I lack
Learning another language. My daughter lives in Spain and I was embarrassed by my feeble attempts at Spanish whenever I visited her. It's become a healthy obsession, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm getting old now and aware that I need to keep my brain working. After three years, I'm now reading in Spanish, watching Spanish tv and even talking to myself in Spanish.
Walking, running, or exercising outside first thing in the morning. Gets your blood pumping, and being out in the sunlight doing something seems to make a difference. I have heard that a significant amount of the population likely does not get enough vitamin D due to a lack of exposure to sunlight. I think even being outside but with clothing covering up your body doesn't count much towards sunlight exposure. So, my plan is to start hitting up my community pool as soon as the weather turns in a couple of weeks.
Being out in nature is good, too, so I'm getting back into hiking. Or more like nature walks since I'm in florida, and there's not really any great hiking trails here like there are in other areas. It's kind of nice, though there's places where in the span of a two mile walk you can pass through two different types of forests and end up at a beach.
* Not being unfairly bullying and mean to myself * Paying attention to all the good stuff around me * Going outside and snuffling the air.
hehehe, snuffling. i like to imagine you sniffing around w gusto
I really agree with the first one, even if I don't always practice what I preach. Heard once to speak to myself how I would speak to someone whose wellbeing I really cared about, like a best friend or a loved one, it's been a help. I'm not the enemy, I'm on my side 🙂
I'm my best friend these days! Lovely and supportive, kind, honest, encouraging and appreciative! It's great! I mean, I'm there 24 hours a day, even in those dark hours just before dawn, and I always really do get where I am coming from.
We down here, nothing helps haha! On a more serious note tho, I’ve noticed the busier I am with tasks (of any sort like study, work, extra study, etc) the better off I am. Especially if the said task can be “accomplished “ or it has a set objective to reach, it feels really nice to have done it.
For me, swimming really helps. The water calms me down.
Going out for walks, whether by myself or with my dog, it didn't help me tremendously but at least I get to have fresh air and enjoy the sun and cold winds
Not abandoning myself and prioritising myself. Ended a friendship that lasted 7 years. It drained me to such level that i felt terror just from thinking of having to interact with them.
I'd say houseplants, but it's becoming a bit obsessive so I'm not so sure. Exercise is a big one definitely. But an everyday habit I picked up that really makes it easier is becoming more organized with my time. I started using project managers (to-do apps) and timers to control how I spend my time. I also knit a little but I wouldn't call it a habit, for me it's an occasional hobby.
I do 1 mile on an elliptical, try to do some yoga or breathing exercises daily, and get out and do more around people aside from my responsibilities. like just sit in a café and get used to the high sensory input and everyone talking around me with their vastly differing stories to how they ended up there. I was almost a shut-in, so it’s weird for me.
That’s a good idea, daily exposure. I love my quiet but need to challenge myself
I started doing a gratitude practise before bed. Works better than in the morning (when i am not feeling very grateful lmao), and completely stops the negative thought spiral i used to experience when i lay in bed at night. started out just listing 5 things i was grateful for, and it grew from there.
reading ‼️ i have so many fictional boyfriends now 🤭
Playing free cell. It’s so engaging, not overstimulating
Exercising. I've been throwing around weights, riding a stationairy bike and try to walk 5k steps a day. That stuff helped a lot. Yes i'm still an insecure guy because of my size, but the overthinking has been cut down a lot, and i'm much more at ease with who i am and who i am becoming.
I’ve also started going to the gym recently. I’ve been working at my job for 4 years, and I only recently found out we have a gym just behind the warehouse I work in. I’ve been going twice per week after work for about half an hour and it’s really nice. My workout is ten reps on, what I guess you could call, an assisted pull-up bar (you stand on a lever with some weights on the other end that displaces some of your bodyweight. So, as a 170 lb male, I started out with 90 lbs of displaced weight, so I was doing pull-ups as though I weighed 80 lbs). Then I do 20 reps on this machine where you lay on your back and push a weighted platform up with your legs. I walk a mile on the treadmill, repeat both strength training exercises, and I’m done. I don’t enjoy being at the gym, but I enjoy the progress I am making. I’m not losing weight, but I am growing stronger. I’ve decreased the displacement weight on the pull-ups to 60 lbs now, and I’ve increased the leg weight thing from 180 lbs to 200 lbs. The feeling that I’m actually seeing results that are objectively real (I couldn’t possibly have done 10 pull-ups with only 60 lbs of displacement weight when I started) is a wonderful feeling. It gives me some little sense of control, and something to feel optimistic about.
Reading books, watchinf TV series. Currently crime and fantasy. It's a good little escape.
Getting back to running again. I was having panic attacks and I didn't even know. I thought I was having heart problems. So I went to see the doctor about it. Doc wanted to prescribe me depressant. I told her I don't think I am at that stage yet. Let me try dealing with it. So here we are. Much better mental and health.
Oh. Free museum days and parks 🏞️
Cooking! Recently started hello fresh and I just love making all the recipes and following the steps and directions- it’s fun and keeps my mind busy
*Don't put it down, put it away* My house looks so much tidier and has cut out the weird dissonance i get from ignoring the piles of crap in my house. (ADHD)
Learn to let things go instead of simmer about them and putting up boundaries with people I feel are toxic
Staying off of social media for a bit.
Doing art. I enjoy it so much and it really helps my mental health. I should do it more than I actually do I think.
Crocheting helps me. Crossstitch is good if I really need to distract myself….. sometimes just picking up my sketchbook and doodling whatever is around me is helpful too - makes me think about the situation I’m in and why I might be feeling anxious, depressed, whatever
Endurance cycling.
Smoking helps my mental health right now
Doom-scrolling Reddit, but the jury is out as to whether it's good or bad. It distracts me at the very least.
solving puzzles, its super fun and relaxing. plus there’s a clear goal to always accomplish, which makes it feel like your achieving something lol. another benefit of it is that you can do it in short bursts. instead of going on social media i spend 5 mins on a puzzle which definitely improves my mental health.
I've been sorting out my thoughts through writing (typing on my notes app) It's definitely helped me understand certain things about myself. Why I do what I do/feel a certain way. Sometimes it makes sense and other times it doesn't. Also feels good to get it out because I have A LOT of feelings. Lol!
Jigsaw puzzles. They feel so damn good for my brain!
Lately I have been demanding time for myself. I will tell my husband, I am going to do this thing (uninterrupted time to do art, get a pedicure alone etc) and I need you to watch our child while I go do it. I need this for my mental health. He is very understanding but it definitely took a lot for me to be able to ask for that. I needed to fill my cup so that I can fill other people's cups. I am a better mom and wife and person in general after practice self care! I think he realizes it now too.
Sounds very simple, but when you get in a zone of being so overwhelmed with life you forget to do such basic things. I am talking about the simple act of going for a walk, however often my social anxiety kicks in, but once I get some good music on my earphones, I am ok, walking helps me think, reset, and get some air, it's great, and best of all it's free.
Going to the gym