I’m trying to do more personal (non bookish) posts so I’m trying the 52 Lists for Happiness prompts on Fridays as a regular feature.
I’ll posts the prompt for next Friday at the end in case you want to join in.
* I missed last weeks list because of Fonzi being sick so I'm just skipping that list and jumping ahead tot he next one.
LIST THE THINGS THAT GET YOU OUT OF YOUR HEAD
You would probably think reading would be at the top of this list but I can't really read when I'm stressed. I get too distracted and skip over so many passages that I have to keep going back. So what does get me out of my head?
Nature: walking through the park, driving by fields, anything with animals or flowers - especially gardening restores balance to my life and helps me re-prioritize and put things in perspective.
My pets: except when they're the ones causing the stress in the first place. lol Even if the responsibility is sometimes annoying - having to take care of something else gets me out of bed and moving on days where I'd rather just hide.
Cartoons: I basically watch Adult Swim and other cartoons every night. Especially Bob's Burgers. I need to turn off my brain and just laugh at silly stuff.
Blogging: while reading doesn't usually help, blogging does. It gives me several small tasks to accomplish - like visit blogs, answer comments, draft posts and I like checking in with you all. The social media side is a double edged sword - all the gif's and memes can turn my whole day around but too much negativity & bad news on there just puts me back in a bad space.
Exercising: I hate working out but I try to make myself do it even if it's just a 10 minute low impact cardio or stretch. I never get those endorphin highs either but I hate it so much that it makes me forget the other things that are upsetting me lol
What are the things that get you out of your head when you're stressed or feeling down?
List for next Friday: List the best choices you have made in your life so far
And Happy Valentine's Day! I don't really celebrate so here's a slightly cynical take lol
LOL, as a fellow cynical, I love that card.
ReplyDeleteI love cartoons/stop motion animation (have you ever heard of Pingu? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pingu). And one of the things that get me out of my head is Doctor Who of course- though, I have to admit, especially during the Tennant/Smith/Capaldi's tenures. And blogging, of course...
Your reason for listing exercising is hilarious LOL.
I just looked Pingu up and SO CUTE!!!
DeleteI watched a lot of stop animation when I was a kid. There isn't as much now but Shaun the Sheep is another cute one.
Cynical people unite! lol
I think I've seen glimpses of Shaun the Sheep.
DeleteI shamelessly love Pingu - I even have lots of the old episodes recorded!
I have been moody since birth, and most of the things I used to love to do are no longer available to me due to my old woman body falling apart, but reading an HEA romance usually makes me feel better. You would think it would put my spinster self off, but I love seeing people find their HEA
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the old woman part - I'll be 55 this year and things just don't work like they used to or I'm too tied now lol
DeleteI totally agree about the HEA's - they can' leave me on a high for weeks and pull me out of a deep funk but I can't read when I'm in the thick of things.
Like I wanted to read Undercover Bromance but couldn't when Fonzi was sick and in the ER - but once he started getting better I could relax and read and it put me in a totally great mood.
“I hate it so much that it makes me forget the other things.” LOL I love this. :)
ReplyDeleteI like putting on headphones/ear buds/whatever and watching ASMR videos. They’re so calming and I can let whatever is bugging me go for a bit and just escape into the sights and sounds.
Oh that's really interesting!! My husband can sleep to that kind of thing and it relaxes him but it grates on me. I need more in your face sounds or even the tv lol
DeleteHmm...reading can get me out of my head sometimes, but it depends! I like funny movies or TV shows - kind of like what you said about watching cartoons. I take dance classes and those can get my mind off things. I don't always want to go, but it's usually fun once I'm there and around people.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Dancing sounds fun. Too social for me lol but a local shop just started hosting swing classes.
DeleteI just can't read when I'm really stressed. I keep drifting off. But if I'm out of the immediate panic/stress then it helps.
I can totally relate on the dogs! I love mine so much and they genuinely make my life better, but good grief can they be stressful. Great post!
ReplyDeleteNothing causes me more stress than them but also nothing makes me happier lol
DeleteWhen I'm stressed, which seems to be a lot lately, I tend to switch off from reading and veg out in front of the TV to watch documentaries. I enjoy reading some of my cartoon books like the Fred Basset books that I'm working through right now as they are light on my brain!
ReplyDeleteI need very short attention span kinds of things when I'm stressed. Honestly, Fred Basset sounds perfect for that.
DeleteI used to go walking and blast music in my ears. It always helped shut up whatever was bothering me... I haven't done it in years though. Maybe it's something I need to bring back!!
ReplyDeleteMy approaches nowadays tend to be mindless tv shows or colouring books. Colouring books are really good for pulling me out my head. I got a cross stitch kit at Christmas which is also awesome as I'm so focused in putting the little stitches in the right places I can't think about anything else! :)
Those sound like great stress relievers.
DeleteI love music but it doesn't relax me for some reason. Unless it's an angry song at full blast while I'm driving lol
For me it's listening to music while I'm reading. I tend to read a lot when I'm feeling more depressed than usual. I don't have nice places to walk to around here but if I did that would probably be another thing that would help.
ReplyDeleteWalking usually helps me but my new neighborhood has such steep hills that it's more like climbing lol So I have to drive to the park or somewhere. Once I get off my butt and do it I feel better.
DeleteI love a good cartoon sometimes. Nature is a nice way to relax too. Lately for me it's been playing ambient music or nature sounds in the background while I'm doing something else- it's amazing how rain sounds or wind or whatever can be so relaxing even when it's not "real" lol. Same with trolling through a site like Artstation.
ReplyDeleteBlogging does help! It keeps me really occupied on one thing, well several at once ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat ones
Pets for sure! We still don't have another cat. My son wants a long haired cat and I want a black cat, but there haven't been any long haired black cats at the local shelters. My son suggested looking to buying one, but I said we would have to lie on social media or get trounced for not adopting. Ha ha. At this point I think we should just adopt a long hair of any color and I'll get a short haired black cat later. There are plenty of those at the shelters. 😺
ReplyDeleteYes... it's reading every time. Or my Fitstep class never fails to cheer me up - Pilates, not so much. And so long as I'm not too exhausted, writing... When it's not going well, I'm weighed down and if it's going brilliantly it puts a spring in my step like nothing else. Other than that, going for walks along the beach with Himself.
ReplyDeleteYup I agree with everything on your list. Even though I don't have pets right now I do remember when I had them. They are the best right there with nature and Blogging :)
ReplyDelete