Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: Cm1 on August 16, 2015, 10:02:20 PM
-
Iv found over the last few months that i need things in my life that help me stay carm and that i can focus on rather than the negative thoughts, so i was wondering what you guys do?
I like baking, gardening, and i always have a pile of book that im reading,
How about you?
-
oooOOOoo - Good topic!
I find that when I'm focused on something else, I stop fretting and worrying away at things.
The garden is one of my favourites - weeding and general tidying up, to just sitting in it and admiring it. At the moment we have a huge butterfly bush in full flower and it is covered in all sorts of butterflies, honey bees and bumble bees. My raspberry canes are in full production mode so I quite like just nipping out and eating a handful of fresh fruit.
I also have a nice bicycle and flattish roads nearby. I don't go out for training, I go out to play on it!! There is one tiny little slope that I love hitting at top speed so I can freewheel down the other side with my feet off the pedals, shouting 'weeeeeeee' as I come round the corner. One of these days I will meet a neighbour ;D
Knitting is good too - especially if there is a pattern to concentrate on.
And finally - if I wake early and can't get back to sleep, I play a Yoga Nidra meditation on my iPad. It puts me into a state of deep relaxation.
Galadriel x
-
Singing! I always feel better after practising. I plan to practice for a short time, then find an hour or so passes. I shut the door and windows and in the past waited till there was no one around. Now DH says I make a pleasing background noise. ;D
Walking and appreciating the beautiful countryside.
-
Im new to gardening, discovering gardeners world so relaxing got me started, though my friends find it amusin. I think after hitting 40 iv stopped doing what i think i should be doing and embracing what i find is good for me.
-
Singing! I always feel better after practising. I plan to practice for a short time, then find an hour or so passes. I shut the door and windows and in the past waited till there was no one around. Now DH says I make a pleasing background noise. ;D
;D It must be working, Ju Ju! Ditto myself!
Another of my foibles is to lie on the floor with headphones on, listening to music - our living room is double height, so I can dream into the rafters!
My daughter also signed me up for "This week in cats", which pops into my inbox on Fridays, so that when I get back from teaching, I can curl up and look at pussy cats being sweet, daft etc. Sooo relaxing at the end of the week.
-
Deep bubble bath, cuppa and Very Good Book
Gardening - when anxiety allows a Good Wander around a garden centre relaxes me
Planning next year's planting etc. by making lists focusses me
Sitting by our ponds
Walking with DH - out of the way of other people
-
Reading,crocheting,gardening.
Just bought one of those colouring books( Art therapy for adults).
-
4 years ago I started to teach myself to draw and paint (it can be done). So Art is my escape. Not done so much last few months though, felt so dire and not enough free time with work and daughter drama, parents etc. Hope to get back to it one day..
-
Knitting, crocheting,doing free future learn courses on line and just got a mindfulness colouring book. My grandaughtet(13) and I exchange pictures we have coloured.
Thorntrees
-
Oh, my music..........I don't half need it at the moment. Very upsetting things that just shouldn't be happening to a very close family member. I'm mighty thankful that I can go to the organ and lose myself in the music. Definitely very therapeutic. :)
-
Im not sure if your music tastes ladies but im s huge fan of a band called blue october, the best first time song to listen to is feel again, the lead singer has been on an incredibly hard journey with addiction and depression and has come through it to rebuild a happy healthy life. My friend introduced me to the band and they have rely got me through some tough times, i was lucky enough to go to a gig last year when he was touring, it was so amazing!
-
Really glad this group's music has helped you so much, Cm1 and that you were able to go and see them last year. What I love about music - any sort - is that it's "in the moment" and you can listen to it with your eyes shut, too, if you want to. Total escapism! It's classical music with me, but the same goes for all music. I hope you go on enjoying it. :)
-
I find it very difficult to totally relax. Things always seem to be busy...but the things that help.
Sitting by the sea when the weather permits, gardening as growing veggies is the best thing. Reading and knitting especially in the winter all cuddled up cozy and warm.
Walking with hubby. I am also doing some scrap booking. For some reason I never did a baby book for my daughter. I have a lovely album that I am filling with photos and events from birth till her 21st that is in November. I just hope she likes it.
Honeybun
X
-
I forgot one thing that I've always found really relaxing and stress-busting: watching snow falling at the same time as listening to Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells"..................sigh!
-
>sigh< indeed - I ought to ask 'who's Mike Oldfield?' however ;D
-
The composer of Tubular Bells........!
-
I like to crochet (used to knit, but since I taught myself to crochet a couple of years ago, I find knitting too slow!), do puzzles (complexity depends on how tired my brain is - after a busy day at work, a good old word-search is great for 'zoning out' on the train home!), read and watch TV. I've never been any good with plants - I had a plastic fern and it wilted - so gardening is not relaxing at all!
For total chilling out, I absolutely love a good coffee in the sun, with Fleetwood Mac's Albatross as my soundtrack - bliss.
-
For total chilling out, I absolutely love a good coffee in the sun, with Fleetwood Mac's Albatross as my soundtrack - bliss.
Ooh, yes!
D.
-
Here we are -
Bubble bath
Very Good Book
Cuppa
Chocolate milk shake
Feet up
Being warm enough in bed
Soothing music
-
Cuddling my dog
Sitting outside drinking tea with my best friend (we've even been known to pile coats on and sit out in January if it's not raining!)
Walking
Gardening
Knitting as long as I'm not knitting to a deadline and it's the right level of complexity - too easy and I have too much time to think, too complicated and it becomes stressful trying to get it right. I'm knitting a hat at the moment which is just right!
Looking at my photo albums - I love taking photos and usually fill an album a year - it's very soothing to look back at all the good things from a previous year.
Baking
-
I enjoy knitting so that helps me relax. I'm currently unemployed and job hunting (living in London doesn't help ) so I've started volunteering few houre a week which I thoroughly enjoy.
-
Coal fire
Good book
Bubble bath
-
Anyone like to add their relaxing ideas? known as 'me' time ;)
-
Reading,crocheting,colouring.
-
I do that Dorothy sit outside with coat on with dogs a drink and sun in face. Last weekend made a fire and cooked soup on it! Wallking dogs in nature park in morning with my niece we always have a good laugh yet mainly at me having to have a wee in the bush while she keeps look out! We always have a good social interaction with other dog walkers too. Have taken some great photos through the changing seasons
-
I tried the colouring but it got me really frustrated as it took so long which was sort of the opposite of what it should have done for me ;D
Can't crochet or knit - to be fair I've never tried - don't like gardening but do like reading. I find it so hard to relax - sitting still is very difficult but I've always been the same and can't see me changing now.
I guess the only relaxing I do is..... in the pub with my glass of wine, cosy fire, muddy dogs and interesting friends.
Taz x
-
A Fenjal bath and Classic FM.......
Listening to wonderful music, with headphones on so that Hubby can't comment and re-stress me....
A glass of chilled white wine and my feet up...........
One of my siblings visiting Dad, so that I'm not the first port of call (none of them live near, so this rarely happens - it is just now, though :)..............)
Getting Buzzfeed's "This Week in Cats" in my inbox on Friday evenings. My daughter set this up for me. It's always a surprise and I go into a mushy goo, looking at fluffy moggies being either sweet or funny. I forget the world! :)
-
Early morning hot cup of coffee in the garden listening to birds before everyone wakes up;
Feet up in my bedroom with a very good book and a pack of crackers; doors closed.
Out in the sun, gardening - takes all negative energy away!
Glass of white wine in the evening;
A very hot soup in a very cold day;
-
Walking, reading, gardening, Mindful Meditation are all ways that help me cope with stress. I do think a good laugh is fantastic for lifting the spirits. A comedy programme on TV or I often go onto Youtube and find funny stuff to watch e.g Graham Norton - some his interviews have me chuckling happily and this feels so good. Dg x